Community Enhancement Fund

Apply online to the Community Enhancement Fund

Western Fair District is a community-based organization that has been providing funding to local service organizations through the Community Enhancement Fund for over a decade. Created to support worthwhile capital projects and events in the greater London community, the fund has donated over $700,000 to date from one percent of the organization’s slot revenues.   A socially responsible committee of past Board Chairs and Presidents of the Association administer this fund.

Click here to download the application form. See application procedures.

 

COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT FUND RECIPIENTS: Alice Saddy Association Alzheimer Society London and MIddlesex Banting House National Historic Site East Elgin Community Complex Easter Seals Camp Woodeden Wellness and Recreation Centre - Municipality of Middlesex Centre Family Service Thames Valley Fanshawe Pioneer Village Friends of the Games Hutton House Ilderton Agricultural Society International Ploughing Match London Children's Museum London Food Bank London Potters Guild –Clay Art Centre Make-a-Wish Foundation McCormick Home Foundation Melbourne Agricultural Society Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre Middlesex Community Living Middlesex County Ploughing Match Mission Services of London Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Participation House Support Services –London and Area Quad County Support Services Ridgetown College Salvation Army Centre of Hope - London SARI Therapeutic Riding Shedden Agricultural Society St John Ambulance St Joseph's Healthcare London Stevenson Children’s Camp The Palace Theatre The Salvation Army Hamper Program Volunteer Organization of CPRI VON Middlesex-Elgin Women's Community House YMCA St Thomas YMCA Children's Safety Village Youth Opportunities Unlimited

  OBJECTIVES:

The Community Enhancement Fund is specifically dedicated to non-profit capital projects and community events that enrich the communities served by Western Fair District. 

The Association’s broad objective, according to its mission statement is, as a non-profit Agricultural Society, to provide programs, events and facilities that meet the educational, recreational and entertainment needs of its customers.  

A major focus has been on agricultural awareness, children and youth activities. Other endeavours supported, over the years, have included projects that augment the public's use and/or enjoyment of their community through:  building improvements, medical equipment, agriculture projects, landscaping, sports and heritage efforts and client service vehicles.

The Community Enhancement Fund supports non-profit organizations with:  

1. Similar objectives - including community based organizations, agriculture, entertainment and recreation. 
2. Established relationships - organizations which volunteer, contribute, partner, sponsor, supply, participate within Western Fair District, or are a membership organization of Western Fair Association.

 

CRITERIAFUNDING CRITERIA:

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY:

Applications for donations will be screened by the Community Enhancement Fund Disbursement Committee which will establish, from time to time, the criteria to be considered by the Committee.  Funding is intended for organizations with similar objectives as Western Fair Association and/or to organizations with established relationships to the Association.

Western Fair’s broad objective according to our mission statement is, as a non-profit Agricultural Society, to provide programs, events and facilities that meet the educational, recreational and entertainment needs of the community.  A major focus has been on agricultural awareness and children and youth activities.

Established relationships could be organizations which volunteer, contribute, partner, sponsor, supply, participate, or are a membership organization, etc.


SPECIFIC CRITERIA:

1.  Donations are intended for non-recurring capital projects or community events that are non-recurring within a 5-year period.

2. Organizations that have received funding from the Community Enhancement Fund, may not reapply within a 5-year period from the year they received support, or the year they received the last instalment of a multi-year contribution.

3. Funding is not intended as a contribution to a foundation for subsequent further distribution.

4.  Disbursement of donations for a capital project must be paid out within a maximum of 5 years and annual payments of a multi-year donation must not exceed 50% of the estimated annual allocation to the fund.

   • Donations to be paid out in one year must not exceed the uncommitted current balance in the fund.

5. Recipients must be non-profit organizations and may be requested to provide documentation to support their non-profit status.

6.  Preference will be given to recipients who are not receiving the majority of funding for the capital projects from general taxation.

7. Potential recipients must provide a detailed description of the purpose of the donation, a list of other donors to the project or event, and any other financial information considered pertinent to the request. Upon approval, the recipient must also agree to provide on-going financial statements as requested, pictures of the project and access to the facility or event for the purpose of ensuring the donation is being used for the intended and stated purpose.

8. Recipients must provide an acceptable program for short and long term public recognition of the donation.

9.  Contributions for political purposes of any nature to individual candidates, political parties or their agents are not eligible for donations from the fund.

10. Donation commitments that involve multi-year payments will be subject to availability of funds in the applicable years of the distribution. Multi-year donation commitments may also require on-going proof of the financial viability of the recipient and validation that the funds are being used for the original intended purpose.  Multi-year payments may be suspended before the end of the donation commitment at the sole and absolute discretion of the Board of Governors.

11.  Selection Criteria is subject to periodic review and revision by the Community Enhancement Fund Disbursement Committee.

12. Funding for the Community Enhancement Fund Program is approved annually by the Board of Governors who reserves the right to cancel or amend the program should it be deemed necessary.

13. Requests for donations that are declined may be re-submitted for any further consideration.
    
    

 APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

A Community Enhancement Fund Application* can be filled out through an online pdf (and emailed to hblackwell@westernfairdistrict.com)  mailed, or faxed, at anytime throughout the year and submitted to the fund administrator. 

All questions on the application should be filled out to the best of the applicant’s ability. 

Staff will review the submitted applications and contact the applicant to discuss the proposed project. Where eligible proposed projects meet fund objectives and criteria, staff may request further information: quotes, in-person presentations, site tours, etc.  

When all requested project information has been collected, the proposal will be submitted to the Community Enhancement Fund committee for consideration and the applicant will be notified as to the result.

* Applications only please.  Do not forward additional information not requested on the application.

For further information:  Fund Administrator, Heather Blackwell, Director of Corporate Affairs, (519) 438-7203 EX 261