Chatham-Kent Civic Centre. File photo. (Photo by Mike Vlasveld)Chatham-Kent Civic Centre. File photo. (Photo by Mike Vlasveld)
Chatham

Grant applications open for upcoming events in CK

Municipal officials in Chatham-Kent are taking a cautious approach when it comes to providing grants for community events in 2021, especially with COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings still in place.

The application process for 2021 event funding through the Together CK: Events Grant Program (previously known as the Community Partnership Fund: Festival & Events) has opened to local groups.

Applications will be reviewed by a designated committee made up of Chatham-Kent residents and municipal staff. From there, recommendations will go to Chatham-Kent Council after the 2021 budget is approved.

Groups can apply for funding of up to 50 per cent of an event's cost -- up to $5,000. Events that involve 25,000 people or more can apply for up to 50 per cent of expenses for the first $10,000 of the budget and 25 per cent of the balance of the budget, to a maximum of $25,000.

As it stands, outdoor public gatherings are limited to 100 people while indoor gatherings are limited to 50 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manager of Corporate Initiatives Amy Wilcox said the hope is that restrictions will be lifted by March 2021 or that more information will become available in order to help direct future event planning.

She said taking a cautious approach in the planning process ensures that organizers and committees are not scrambling to get event details finalized for the spring or summer if restrictions are lifted. If restrictions are not lifted by next year, Wilcox said it's likely that the Together CK Grant Review Committee will put forward a recommendation to hold onto the applications for the future.

The deadline to file applications for this round of funding is 4:30 p.m on November 5, 2020. Grant applications for community projects will open later this year. You can find more details about the grant guidelines on the Municipality of Chatham-Kent's website.

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