Does your Men’s Shed have a project it needs support for? MSABC and United Way British Columbia can help.
Recognizing the value of Men’s Sheds in promoting health and wellness, a new initiative of United Way British Columbia – Healthy Aging (UWBC-HA) is supporting the growth of the Men’s Shed movement in British Columbia and the rest of Canada.
In addition to providing micro-grants to help new Sheds get started, funding is available to existing Men’s Sheds to assist with the costs of projects aimed at:
- improving Shed equipment or facilities;
- expanding Shed membership;
- educating Shed members and/or the community;
- increasing Shed sustainability; or
- partnering with one or more other Men’s Sheds on an activity.
MSABC considers those that meet the following criteria to be a Shed:
- Incorporated as a non-profit/society or affiliated with one.
- Connected with MSABC (Men’s Sheds Association of BC). Formal membership is not required but highly encouraged.
- Connected with the nearest existing Men’s Shed, as suggested by MSABC. This includes a commitment to receive mentorship and assist one another.
- Have a minimum of seven active Shed members.
These project grants of up to $10,000 are for time-limited projects; funding is not intended for on-going Men’s Shed programs or operational costs.
To be eligible, a Men’s Shed must apply through a partner organization that is a registered charity, such as a community agency, or other qualified donee, such as a municipality. Please see the information provided regarding intermediaries and charities. If your Shed is interested in applying for a project grant and would like more information regarding eligibility and partnering with a qualified donee, please contact us.
Getting started is simple:
- Review the Call for Proposals, Paper Application form, and Outcome Report, as well as the FAQ.
- Start planning your project and confirm your charitable/qualified donee partner.
- Applications are submitted online through United Way’s eAccess portal. To apply, contact Calum Petersen, Granting Specialist, UWBC at calump@uwbc.ca.
If you have additional questions about these grants after reviewing the documents and FAQ (see link above), please contact Barbara McMillan, Provincial Coordinator, United Way Healthy Aging at barbaram@uwlm.ca.