Grant and Funding Programs Offered by City of New Westminster

The City of New Westminster is a municipal government in British Columbia that plays an active role in supporting local organizations through its Community Grants and related funding initiatives. The New Westminster Community Grants program helps non-profits, community groups, charities, service organizations and certain business associations deliver programs, events and services that benefit residents. Funding is targeted to projects that strengthen community livability and social equity, enhance social and cultural vibrancy, and activate the local economy.

The City structures its grants into portfolios and grant types. Portfolios currently include Community Livability and Social Equity, Social and Cultural Vibrancy, and Community Economic Activators. Within these, grants can support social services, child care access, community safety and inclusion, arts, culture and heritage initiatives, sport and recreation programming, and business or tourism-led community activations. In addition to cash contributions, the City may provide City Services (such as traffic control, fire or police support, engineering services or waste management) as in-kind, cash-equivalent grants for eligible events and activities.

Eligibility for New Westminster Community Grants is focused on organizations operating for community benefit. Community groups, incorporated non-profit societies, registered charities, and service organizations are eligible, as are some organizations based outside the city when their activities take place in New Westminster and clearly benefit residents. Certain special intakes, such as the "Fired Up for Football" one-time grants, may also allow individuals applying with a co-applicant and New Westminster-based businesses to lead community-facing, non-commercial activities. The program excludes for-profit entities seeking business benefit and organizations whose purposes conflict with human rights legislation.

Applicants submit online via the City’s grant platform (newwestcity.grantplatform.com), where they provide contact information, activity descriptions, budgets, and supporting documents. The City publishes detailed application guides, program policies, evaluation criteria, FAQs, and simplified overviews to help groups choose the appropriate portfolio and prepare strong submissions. Reporting requirements are clearly laid out, including online grant report forms and deadlines to demonstrate community impact before funds are released.

Grant decisions are informed by Council-appointed Grant Advisory Committees, one for each main portfolio area. These committees, composed of community members, review applications and provide recommendations, helping to ensure transparency, fairness and alignment with Council’s strategic priorities. The City also produces community impact reports, snapshots of funded projects, and public information sessions so potential applicants and residents can understand how funding decisions are made and what results are achieved.

Beyond the core Community Grants, the City administers or participates in targeted funding initiatives such as the Youth Climate Action Fund, which channelled external philanthropic support into youth-led climate projects aligned with New Westminster’s Climate Action Plan. The City also offers opportunities like the Non-Profit Educational Bursary Support Program, which helps local registered societies and charities cover training and professional development costs. Educational resources, including grant-writing and capacity-building webinars, support groups in developing successful applications and maximizing the impact of municipal funding.

Through these grant programs, the City of New Westminster aims to foster a vibrant, healthy and inclusive city. Funding enables organizations to reduce vulnerability, improve safety and livability, celebrate cultural diversity, expand participation in arts, culture, sport and recreation, and stimulate economic activity through events and initiatives. By combining financial support, in-kind City Services, resident advisory input and public reporting, the City maintains a structured, accountable approach to local grant-making.