Three organizations in the Kamloops region who are helping to tackle key social challenges in our communities are the 2022 recipients of the Resilience & Recovery Grant. Kamloops Innovation, working with funding and delivery partners, is pleased to amplify these important programs with tailored coaching from local coaching organization Purppl, to support their capacity and long-term financial sustainability.
This is a multi-year collaboration with key funders including Interior Savings, and Valley First, a Division of First West Credit Union.
“As our community grows, so does the need for innovation around cultural, social, and environmental challenges. This program provides real time coaching and expertise to help social entrepreneurs build sustainable revenue streams in order to build sustainable social impact.” says Dr. Lincoln Smith, Executive Director, Kamloops Innovation.
All three organizations will receive grant funding for customized coaching and support through Purppl’s Resilience & Recovery Program. The program pairs nonprofit leaders with experienced “Entrepreneurs-in-Residence” to help them build sustainability and resilience in four key areas: revenue, operations, leadership, and impact. Often this may include the consideration or expansion of social enterprise initiatives where the organization sells a product or service to reduce future dependence on grants and donations.
2022 RECIPIENTS
Kamloops Society for Community Inclusion
KSCI is a registered charity assisting individuals with developmental disabilities to live full and fulfilling lives in as many aspects as they choose. Their philosophy is that all persons have the right to live in a home of their own, where they have full autonomy over their environment and life. Their work focuses on the belief that people with disabilities deserve to be included in the community at large in ways that are meaningful to them, take place in typical non-segregated settings and focus on the gifts and talents of each person. For over 65 years the society has served Kamloops through a wide range of community activities, projects and services.
Up the Hill at Loakin Inc
Up the Hill at Loakin Incorporated is a leading Indigenous female-owned and operated personal care botanical product brand. They use ancient Indigenous knowledge and culture to produce high-quality personal care and wellness products. The CEO, Chief Herbalist June Anthony-Reeves (formerly Kelly) an Indigenous Secwepemc woman wild harvests traditional Indigenous plant materials in her own traditional unceded territory of Secwepemcúl’ecw, the same areas as her mother and her great-grandmother harvested their herbal medicines. Up the Hill at Loakin Incorporated is built on the good principles of purpose, respect, traditional knowledge and sustainable practices.
ASK Wellness
The vision of ASK Wellness Society is to work towards a society that recognizes the value and potential of each individual. They provide outreach, housing, health, education, employment, and emotional support services for the marginalized and persons at risk in the Kamloops community. The Society is client centered and provides services and support in an interactive manner that is responsive to individual and collective needs. The Society is focused on developing prevention goals and strategies that support a holistic approach to health with offices throughout the B.C. Interior in Kamloops, Merritt, and Penticton.
In the past 12 months, the program has helped participating social enterprises to launch and grow social enterprise revenue streams, improve internal and external communication, redesign programs and services, improve financial sustainability, and to support new leadership. This coaching helps to provide the capacity and capability leaders need to succeed in these challenging times.
Friendly Composting received the grant in 2021. Co-Founder Katie Forsyth says “Our purpose at Friendly Composting will always be our guiding principle, and we are so grateful to have been able to access business support like Purppl’s coaching program, to help us focus on revenue sustainability and customer relations”
The Resilience and Recovery Grant aims to build the capacity and long-term sustainability of social purpose organizations in the Kamloops region of BC. The funders work collaboratively to develop this unique partnership and have seen significant success since it was launched in 2019. They welcome other community focussed local businesses to consider supporting the fund in the future so that more organizations may benefit from the initiative.
More information on the Resilience and Recovery Grant is available online.
