-For Immediate Release-

Vancouver, BC – August 2nd, 2024

Today, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has announced that its 2024/2025 Accessibility Projects Grants are open for applications as of Friday August 2^nd.

The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction has provided $450,000 to DABC to distribute as community grants to improve and promote accessibility and inclusion in British Columbia. The Accessibility Projects Grants were first launched in 2018 to commemorate BC’s first Accessibility Week, and over 80 projects have been funded since.

Says Danielle Gauld, the Accessibility Projects Grants coordinator, “We have funded a huge range of projects in the past – everything from accessible fishing and skiing to literacy, nature and art projects, from climate change focused employment rights education to IBPOC Deaf Interpretation Training and a social network pilot for youth with developmental disabilities. We encourage applications from rural regions and multiply-marginalized disability communities, as well as projects that are informed by the lived experience and expertise of people with disabilities. We can’t wait to see who will apply this year!”

Organizations may apply for up to $40,000 for community engagement projects that will support lasting change for the more than 900,000 people (24.7% of population over age 15)[1] in BC living with disability. Projects will focus on one of the following objectives:

• Accessible employment;
• Accessible emergency planning and response;
• Accessible arts, culture and tourism;
• Accessible sports and recreation;
• Accessible education and learning;
• Accessible community participation.

“With the funding from DABC for the Memories In Motion transportation project, participants have expressed that their lives and overall wellbeing have been positively transformed by accessing this service. Together we are creating a better tomorrow for people living with disabilities and a community ‘where everyone, can go everywhere,’” said Debora DeLyzer of the People in Motion project that is examining the role that accessible transportation choices make in addressing issues of social and economic inclusion among people with disabilities living in Kamloops, Te’kumlups First Nation and the broader Thompson-Nicola Region.

The deadline to submit applications is September 13^th, 2024 at 12pm Pacific Time. Successful applicants will receive funding to implement their accessibility project in 2025.

To learn more and download the Call for Proposals (CFP) and application forms please visit: Accessibility Projects Grants | DABC (disabilityalliancebc.org).

Media Contacts:

Helaine Boyd
Executive Director
helaine@dabc.ca

[1]https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310037401&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1.13

As part of the Province’s goal to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in BC, Disability Alliance BC was selected by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR) to distribute funding to community-based “Accessibility Projects” beginning in 2018. Since then, over 80 projects have been funded throughout BC.

The Province has now announced that the grants will be available again in 2024/25. A total of $450,000 will be made available to BC-based not-for-profit organizations. Successful applicants will receive up to a $40,000 grant to implement a year-long project in 2025.

May 26th-June 1st is AccessAbility Week in BC and Canada and this year’s #NAAW theme is “Forward Together: Accessibility and Inclusion for All.” DABC is pleased to be able to once again distribute funds that will improve access and inclusion for people with disabilities in BC.

Applications will open on Friday, August 2^nd, 2024.

These grants are for projects focusing on one of the following objectives to increase accessibility for people with disabilities:

• Accessible employment;
• Accessible emergency planning and response;
• Accessible arts, culture and tourism;
• Accessible sports and recreation;
• Accessible education and learning;
• Accessible community participation.

To apply:

• Projects must be focused on community engagement rather than large capital costs such as accessibility improvements to buildings.
• Eligible organizations must be not-for-profit organizations with a volunteer Board chosen by its membership, based in BC or with a base of operations in and sufficient capacity to deliver services in BC. They must operate primarily for community benefit and have services open to the public rather than restricted to their membership.
• If an organization has received a grant in the past, they can reapply 5 years after their application was submitted (for example, if an organization applied in 2019 for a grant and did their project in 2020, they can reapply in 2024 to do a project in 2025).

Applications will be due on Friday September 13^th at noon Pacific Time. Granting decisions are made by a Committee of representatives from DABC and other disability and community organizations from around BC. Successful applicants will receive funding in December, and implement their accessibility project in January 2025.

To learn more about the grants please see: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/program/accessibility-projects/.

At the bottom of this page (in the website’s footer) you can also click on “sign up for updates” and enter your email to be notified of when the CFP and applications are posted, when online information sessions will be held, and other announcements related to the grants and DABC’s work in general.

If you have any questions, please contact the Accessibility Projects Grants Coordinator, Danielle Gauld, at ap@dabc.ca