This United Way Peterborough investment stream is used to stabilize agencies that align to the community priorities and outcomes identified by United Way. Agencies receive funding for up to 5 years and are expected to meet the highest standards in organizational accountability. Close to 75% of our community fund is used to support long-term investment.
In 2018, United Peterborough & District provided $75,000 towards two projects:
| Homeward Bound |
| Host Homes – A Way Home Peterborough |
Click here for the 2018 Press Release.
United Way of Peterborough & District’s (UWP) Neighbourhood Fund provides small, one-time grants to support informal groups of individuals that are working together to improve their neighbourhood or demographic community within the City and County of Peterborough. This funding supports residents to identify solutions and/or opportunities to local neighbourhood or community issues and act on them. A neighbourhood may be defined as a physical place or a connection of people (ie. an online neighbourhood). United Way Neighbourhood Funding is used to enhance resident engagement and leadership while offering valuable opportunities for residents to get to know their neighbours and engage in their community.
Grant Details:
Sacred Fire ($2,500)
A small grassroots group of Indigenous community members working together to maintain a sacred space created within the City of Peterborough. It is the hope of this project to bring isolated people together to remember who we are as Anishinaabe people. To help individuals and families connect with each other in meaningful ways.
Warming Room ($2,500)
The DBIA/Warming Room initiative is one that can be found in other Canadian and American cities. The program will see marginalized individuals of all ages, including youth, will be recruited and hired to clean and maintain sidewalks of their downtown in order to tackle certain perceptions. This will provide various opportunities of employment, life skills, motivation, a sense of community belonging for marginalized individuals. More details will be announced shortly.
Neighbours Fighting Poverty ($3,000)
The purpose of the Awesome Bridging Team is to pursue the continued learnings from our cross-cultural interactions among middle and low-income participants. Trust will continue to be slowly grown, class and cultural divides bridged, towards a neighbour to neighbour long-lasting relationship. The Awesome Internship Program pilot will provide training and a hands-on learning opportunity for people living in poverty to grow their skills as co-facilitators. The Interns gain leadership, program-planning, public speaking, and facilitation skills in the following opportunities.
McDonnel Street Neighbours ($1,500)
A group of neighbours working together to create opportunities to grow a sense of neighbour spirit, establish a neighbourhood association and run several activities designed to consult with our neighbours on ways to better our collective lives while addressing some of the challenges we all face.
Wild Eats ($5,000)
Leta Brownscombe Co-operative Homes is an eighty-unit non-profit housing provider located in the north end of the City. Home to over 200 people of all ages representing many different ethnic groups. Their community garden will serve Co-op Members interested in growing healthy food for their families. The youth, through the Co-op’s Kids’ Committee, will be designated a large and a medium planter box (sizes A and B) which will be used for educational purposes such as workshops on sowing, fertilizing and harvesting methods.
The River Magazine ( $2,500)
The River Magazine publishes the work of individuals who experience poverty and/or live on a low income in the Peterborough community. The River provides an opportunity for social comment, creative expression and meaningful work for those whose voice is often not heard or given space. They publish two issues per year.
Carol’s Place ($1,500)
Carol’s Place is a newly formed non profit (Dec. 22nd, 2017) which is working towards building a 24/7 community hub for those that are marginalized, living in poverty and/or isolation. This was a dream of the late Carol Winter who wanted a warm place for everyone to go at any time and who fought everyday to bring awareness for those who could not speak for themselves.
Men Supporting Men ($2,000)
A peer lead volunteer group geared strictly towards men who may be struggling in their personal lives for any number of reasons. We meet weekly at space provided by the John Howard Society and we offer a non-judgemental, safe place to discuss anything including; legal problems, financial concerns, drug and alcohol abuse, parenting, marital issues or any other concerns we may have. We bring in guest speakers to address the group such as lawyers (criminal or family}, financial planners, addiction counsellors and financial aid workers who answer questions our attendees may have.
Youth Advisory Committee (PYS) ($1,000)
This funding would go towards organizing a day that showcases the artistic talents that Peterborough youth have to offer. This art festival, which we are naming “Voice: Youth Art Expo” would be an afternoon that allows youth in Peterborough to display their work, anything from singing, to poems, to short films or writing, which gives them their own unique voice within the community.
Summer Street Festival ($2,000)
The intention of the Summer Street Festival is to enhance the NeighbourPLAN Program in the neighbourhood of Jackson Park Brookdale (in Northcrest Ward). The festival will enhance the NeighbourPLAN Program led by GreenUP by supporting the broad goals of connecting residents to their neighbours and their community that will in turn create a more liveable, active and inclusive neighbourhood. The Summer Street Festival will introduce educational elements and social activities at the event that meaningfully enable interaction and community building for a wide demographic, from children and youth, to parents and elders.
Creating Space ($1,500)
Creating Space is a community arts studio which fosters diverse connections, resilience, and social change in Nogojiiwanong-Peterborough by making art of all kinds, telling stories, and learning together among people of all ages, abilities, and walks of life. We uplift the diverse identities in Nogojiiwanong-Peterborough and highlight local resilience, strengths, interconnectedness, and potential for bridge-building between community members.
Peterborough Precarious Employment Research Initiatives ($2500)
The Precarious Employment Research Initiative (PERI) is focused on understanding the employment and working conditions that working people face in our community. The results of this research will be of interest to many, including workers, people seeking work, service providers assisting people looking for and keeping work, the business community, the education sector, health and social service providers, researchers and the media.
One Roof Community Centre Finances and ID Hub ($4,700)
One Roof Community Centre will, based on an expressed need, host an ID application and financial empowerment hub with the support of community partners and funding from United Way Peterborough. One Roof will deliver one-on-one services alongside training in group settings, with the outcome being community members that can then help each other navigate through application processes, through financial empowerment objectives, and into overall economic wellness.
The River Magazine ($2,500)
The River Magazine publishes the work of individuals who experience poverty and/or live on a low income in the Peterborough community. The River provides an opportunity for social comment, creative expression and meaningful work for those whose voice is often not heard or given space. They publish two issues per year.
Brookdale Neighbourhood Discovery Mural ($2,500)
The Brookdale Neighbourhood Discovery Mural is a collaborative community project that will engage local residents and youth at Highland Heights Public School, in the Brookdale-Jackson Park neighbourhood. The theme of the mural will be for community members to take artistic inspiration from what surrounds them in their neighbourhood. By making this place a more inviting and pleasant place to be, it will help to create more of a sense of community in the area.
Inspire Women’s Portrait Project ($3,000)
A creative photogenic concept celebrating local, inspirational women through a combined use of camera lens and biographical narratives that weaves threads of connection through the community. This project was a part of the SPARK Photo Festival.
Peterborough Folk Festival ($2,000)
A two-part part project to take place at the Peterborough Folk Festival’s 30th anniversary at Nicholls Oval park on August 17 & 18, 2019. One is a workshop led by a multi-cultural artist aimed to engage youth and second, is a performance on the main stage that would involve a wide range of demographics from the community. The impact of the project is to educate and connect our community through the performance, art and connection of an artist by sharing their story with the community.
Garden Stewardship Program ($3,000)
The intention is to invite community members of all ages, experience, and ability to participate in stewarding pollinator gardens across the City in a hope to empower and educate residents and especially youth with leadership skills and garden planning.
Communication Displays at Riverview Park and Zoo ($2,300)
Funding has been provided to build two outdoor communication displays at Riverview Park & Zoo to facilitate communication for individuals with complex communication needs. These displays are groups of pictures symbols and words which users point at in order to communicate their needs, feelings and thoughts. This project will help contribute to Peterborough becoming a more inclusive community.
PERI Phase 2: Community Engagement ($5,000)
The survey data collection was phase one of this initiative. The group is now looking at Phase 2 which will focus more on collecting qualitative information from key worker groups (e.g., younger, older, food and beverage, retail, manufacturing, and marginalized workers such as Indigenous people, New Canadians, and people with disabilities) in order to provide a deeper understanding of the issues that these workers face.
In addition, one of our goals is to use Phase 1 data to stimulate discussions in our community. To this end, we are looking to hold facilitated meetings with key sectors (e.g., child care, education, business, health, employment, social services/nonprofit) to discuss the data and its relevance to program design/development/delivery as well as policy and advocacy work.
| Fourcast |
| YES Shelter for Youth & Families |
| iCountPtbo – Homelessness Enumeration |
| Backpacks for Kids |
| Coats for Kids & Adults Too |
| Training & Consulting Services |
| Housing is Fundamental |
| Age Friendly Peterborough |
| Basic Income: The Time Has Come |
| Day of Caring |
| Tampon Tuesday |
| Seeing is Believing Tours |
| Labour Community Advocate Training |
Long Term Priority Fund Innovation Fund Neighbourhood Fund Reaching Home Fund United Way Peterborough Supported Initiatives This United Way Peterborough investment stream is used to stabilize agencies that align to the community priorities and outcomes identified by United Way. Agencies receive funding for up to 5 years and are expected to meet the…
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Long Term Priority Fund Innovation Fund Neighbourhood Fund Reaching Home Fund United Way Peterborough Supported Initiatives This United Way Peterborough investment stream is used to stabilize agencies that align to the community priorities and outcomes identified by United Way. Agencies receive funding for up to 5 years and are expected to meet the…
Read More