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$75,000 of funding up for grabs Field Law to give $15,000 to community groups through online contest
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, August 8, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Several local organizations and programs could be receiving a much needed financial boost as part of a law firm's plans to pay it forward.
Kiera Kolson is hoping to win $6,000 to go towards starting a program that focuses on building stronger relationships between youth and elders through art and music. She is currently taking part in Field Law's community funding program, which will give a total of $75,000 to community groups and initiatives across Alberta and the GNWT. - Cody Punter/NNSL photo
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Field Law is currently holding a community funding program which will see the donation of $75,000 to organizations and community groups across Edmonton, Calgary and Yellowknife.
$15,000 of the $75,000 has been allocated toward groups in Yellowknife, while groups in Calgary and Edmonton will each receive $30,000.
The decision as to which groups will get the money will be based on a combination of online voting and evaluation by a group of judges from Field Law.
"There are eight Yellowknife-area ideas that are currently being voted on quite actively," said Simone Hughes, chief marketing officer with Field Law in Edmonton.
Of the eight groups, four are based in Yellowknife, with the remaining coming from other NWT communities such as Fort Resolution and Hay River.
Cyndi Sparvier, who has two sons in Yellowknife's Cubs and Scouts, nominated the organization for maximum amount of $15,000.
Sparvier says the organization's building at the Folk on the Rocks site is moldy, rundown and in dire need of maintenance.
"In June or so of this year, the parents got to see the building, and as you can see in the pictures from the nomination, there are pictures of mold and stuff in the ceilings,” Sparvier said. “It's obviously not a place we can use, as is."
"All we can use it for right now is storage," added Sparvier.
Sparvier said parents already pay fees for the running of the program, but extra money is needed to repair the building along with another cabin the organization has on Pontoon Lake.
"The idea was hoping that even a little bit of funds could help to do some repairs on the building," said Sparvier.
Amongst the other groups applying for funding are the Aurora Fiddle Society, YouthWrite Society Canada and NWT Youth Singers and a group hoping to build a soccer field in Fort Resolution.
Although Kiera Kolson does not have an established group, she has also applied for Field Law's community fund. She is hoping to receive $6,000 to start up a new program which would use art and music to unite youth and elders in Yellowknife and its surrounding communities.
"The goal of my funding is to bring youth and elders together," said Kolson.
"There's a lot of healing that's still being done, especially in indigenous communities around inter-generational traumas pertaining to the residential school era."
According to Hughes, the $15,000 fund can be handed out in full to one organization or split amongst several groups.
Although both Kolson and Sparvier would like to win the entire amount they had applied for, they would be fine with seeing the funds split amongst several groups.
"There are so many different ideas out there, and I would be happy to split that with all the other groups," said Spariver. "Even if they decided to split it 8 ways, every little bit counts."
"I wouldn't be discouraged if it were allocated to several projects," added Kolson. "I think if the judges see fit that there are a number of projects that are equally needed, then I think that's great," she said.
While Field Law already donates money to larger charitable organizations, this is the first time they have tried to offer community funding on a small scale.
"You don't often see different organizations open up big chunks of money to such a wide group of people," said Magnolia Unka, associate with Field Law in Yellowknife. "We're hoping it's successful."
Unka added that if the program goes well, Field Law will look to expand it in the future.
"Our goal is to expand the program over the years and have it grow to provide support to the community," said Unka.
Voting for the community fund program will continue until Aug. 31 through the Field Law website. Winners of the competition will be announced in September.
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