Community grant requests in Tantramar nearly double the available budget
Tantramar staff presented recommendations for funding under Tantramar’s 2024 community grants program on Monday. There was a huge jump in funding requests this year, with about $210,000 worth of applications vying for just $110,000 in budgeted funding.
Sports, heritage and arts group dominate the recommended list, but poverty and food security programs have a growing presence. And groups using the Tantramar Civic Centre rink will see some cuts to their grants this year due to a new rink fee subsidy program coming online in September.
Active Living director Matt Pryde says it’s a challenge to choose which programs to recommend, even after using the town’s evaluation matrix. “You see so many groups doing such great work,” says Pryde, “and when you have such an overwhelming demand and only so much you can give, it’s not easy to make those decisions.”