The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the charitable sector and the Sustainable Recovery Grant aims to respond directly to emerging and shifting sustainability needs of charities and charities with social enterprises. The grant will provide coaching and support focused on resilience and recovery in four key areas: revenue, operations, people and impact.
Successful applicants to the Sustainable Recovery Grant will receive one-time grant funding for 6-12 months of customized coaching and support through Purppl’s Resilience & Recovery Program. This grant is a partnership between United Way British Columbia, Interior Savings Credit Union, Valley First, the Community Foundation of the North Okanagan and the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen.

Criteria
Successful applicants to the fund will receive one-time grant funding for customized coaching and support through Purppl’s Resilience & Recovery Program.
Eligibility:
- Registered charity operating a social enterprise or committed to launching/expanding a revenue-generating program
- Facing challenges or opportunities in one or more of the four sustainability focus areas (revenue, operations, people, impact)
- Must have a paid leadership staff member ready to participate in bi-weekly coaching meetings
- Located within the geographic boundaries of Central Okanagan, South Okanagan Similkameen, North Okanagan Columbia, or Shuswap
- Able to contribute a minimum of 25% of the program costs ($400-$500 per month) for the duration of the 6 or 12-month program. Some organizations with greater ability to contribute more may be asked, but not required, to do so
Purppl helps social purpose organizations and social enterprises build financial resilience and improve their impact. Their goal is to enable social enterprises to implement sustainable revenue models so they can to implement long-term solutions to community, social, and environmental challenges.
Sustainability Focus Areas
- Revenue: Build, refine, and grow a sustainable revenue model
- Operations: Implement and improve internal process
- People: Personalized support to help your team level up and lead
- Impact: Define your organization’s desired impact, plan how to achieve it and measure it
Sustainable Recovery Grant Partners
Thanks to the following community and corporate partners for not only funding but for their leadership and vision for this program. This grant is provided as a partnership between United Way BC – Southern Interior, Interior Savings, Community Foundation of the North Okanagan, Community Foundation of the South Okanagan | Similkameen, and Valley First, a Division of First West Credit Union.
How to Apply
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!
Eligible charities are invited to submit an application for the Sustainable Recovery Grant. The deadline to apply is Friday, June 24th, 2022 at 5:00 pm PST. Shortlisted applicants may be contacted for a discovery call in mid-July. Successful applicants will be notified on July 29th, 2022.
“During this time of heightened need, it is even more important that we partner together to collectively provide leadership in our communities. This includes convening to rebuild and ensure sustainability of the charitable sector in the communities we serve. The Sustainable Recovery Grant allows us to set our sights on COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts to support the resilience of our charity partners.”
– Kahir Lalji, Provincial Director, Govt. Relations & Prog., Population Health, United Way BC
2020 Sustainable Recovery Grant Fund Recipients
- HOPE Outreach (Kelowna & Vernon)
- IndigenEYEZ (entire Okanagan); 2020 Case Study
- Kelowna Women’s Shelter
- Okanagan Fruit Tree Project (Kelowna & Penticton)
- South Okanagan Recope Society (Summerland)
- Vernon and District Association for Community Living: Venture Training
In the News
Seven Charities Building a Regenerative Economy to Receive a Boost with United Way’s Sustainable Recovery Grant
Seven Southern Interior BC (Okanagan) charities have been selected to receive the Sustainable Recovery Grant; a one-time grant funding participation in a customized coaching and supportive program that helps charities build financial resilience, enhance impact,
Demand for community and social services surges due to pandemic
Sustainable Recovery Grant applications announced for local charities May 3, 2021 - United Way and local partners announce this week the Sustainable Recovery Grant (SRG) call for applications in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
United Way and local partners announce Sustainable Recovery Grant recipients
July 13, 2020 – United Way British Columbia (SIBC) announced today the recipients of a new grant stream designed to address the emerging and sustainability needs of charities dealing with COVID-19. United Way partnered with