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Community Placemaking Program

Grand opening at the Beaver Creek Pavilion highlights MLA Josie Osborne and ICET Vice Chair John Jack at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
We were thrilled to celebrate with the Beaver Creek Community Club during the grand opening of their Beaver Creek Pavilion. The unwavering commitment of residents and volunteers transformed this project into a true community effort. The Trust invested in this project through the community Placemaking Program, which included a parternship with 4VI throughout 2021-23.

We empower communities to collaboratively create and transform public spaces into vibrant, inclusive and thriving places. By offering financial assistance and guidance, the program encourages innovative initiatives that foster positive social, economic, cultural, and environmental impacts.

We can invest up to 50% of total eligible project costs, to a maximum of $40,000 per project, for public and community owned placemaking initiatives that align with local priorities and have a clear plan for long-term sustainability.

With the Community Placemaking Program, our primary goals are to:

  • Foster community-led initiatives that enhance public spaces.
  • Strengthen economic opportunities for local businesses.
  • Enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors by transforming public spaces.
  • Promote equity, inclusivity, and sustainability in urban and rural environments.
  • Encourage social cohesion through public space transformation.

Types of Organizations we fund:

We welcome proposals that are led by any of the following organizations:

First Nations
Governments, bands, corporations controlled by First Nations, not-for-profit organizations

Local and Regional Governments
Municipalities, regional districts, and incorporated areas

Registered not-for-profit organizations and charities

  • Local community-based organizations
  • Economic development organizations
  • Industry associations
  • Regional and sectoral organizations
  • Educational organizations and institutions

Project Eligibility

The program is guided by principles from “How to Turn a Place Around” by the Project for Public Spaces. Rooted in community engagement, authenticity, and user-centered design, this resource emphasizes creating vibrant public spaces that reflect local identity and foster social interactions, economic vibrancy, and quality of life.

To align with our program goals and criteria, all projects must:

  • Be situated in the heart of a community, where the public space will generate activity for multiple local businesses and organizations.
  • Create or enhance a public space that will serves as a hub for community and local economic activity.
  • Demonstrate community collaboration aligned with local assets, strengths, and priorities, with a feasible project plan and resourcing strategy.
  • Demonstrate long-term sustainability through a revenue plan addressing operations, programming, and maintenance.

Important Documents

Funding Application Guidelines

In line with our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan and our commitment to fostering inclusive economic development growth that enhances community wellbeing across our region, we have updated our Community Placemaking program.

Our Community Placemaking program has a straightforward application process that is outlined in the Funding Program Application Guide. Our work now focuses on supporting communities and organizations to develop successful project plans with foster long-term financial sustainability and community benefit.

In our guide, we share valuable insights into our program with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, including:

  • How we commit to working with you to develop your project plan.
  • Eligible and ineligible project examples to clearly demonstrate the program’s focus.
  • How we make funding decisions focused on community wellbeing.
  • How we support you with media outreach, community engagement, and project reporting. 

Continuous Funding Intake

We take a collaborative approach. Rather than setting application deadlines, we work closely with you on the development of your project plan and application to ensure it meets your community’s needs and maximizes impact.

Our staff will review completed applications and fulfill their due diligence responsibilities to make a recommendation for funds to be approved. Through the course of the project review process, we maintain transparency, ask questions, and identify components of the project that may need additional development, or work with you to mitigate project-related risks. 

Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. If we receive more proposals than our annual program funding budget allows, we will assess and prioritize projects based on each project’s readiness to proceed, alignment with the program’s objectives, community need, and their potential to deliver the greatest impact. 

Working in Collaboration With You

We invite you to conctact us before you begin an application. By sharing your plan with us early, we can work in collaboration with you to develop a successful funding application together.

We are available by phone, video conference, and we are also happy to meet in-person, often traveling to your community to speak with you. Please reach out for more information or to begin your application process. 

Denice Regnier
Manager, Funding Programs and Corporate Affairs

Please call Denice at 250-871-7797 or email denice@islandcoastaltrust.ca.

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