2024 Community Investment Grant Program

The 2024 Community Investment Grant Program has now closed.

Thank you to everyone who played a role in making this year’s Community Investment Grant Program such a success.

Whether you applied, shared one of our posts on social media or told someone you know to apply, thank you for taking the time to help us learn about the good work happening in our communities.

In 2024, we received 479 applications from across Nova Scotia. Once again, our Member Advisory Council was engaged in the selection process, and we are pleased to share that we have selected 20 recipients, who will receive $100,000 in total. We made a concerted effort again this year to support traditionally under-represented groups, guaranteeing that a minimum of $10,000 would be awarded to organizations within the BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and/or Disabled communities. The successful recipients, listed below, are all creating positive social and economic impacts across Nova Scotia.

The recipients of the 2024 Community Investment Grant Program include:

Small Business

VITIS Vines
The $5,500 grant which will purchase a Pro Series Stereo Zoom Microscope System in order to adopt somatic embryogenesis, a new technique for propagating challenging grapevine varieties.
Visit their website ››

Goldhawk Farm Granola
The $4,000 grant which will purchase a Harvest Right Medium Pro freeze dryer to create a nut-free Summer Berry granola flavour, catering to children with nut allergies. This aligns with their mission to provide healthy, allergen-free options using local ingredients at an affordable price.
Visit their website ››

Rumtopf Farm
The $4,500 grant which will purchase a new Continuous Feed Processor to increase the production efficiency of their popular herbal sea salt product. This product is made from the abundance of leftover herbs to manage waste. This will increase the current manual labour output from 20-30 lbs/hr to 500 lbs/hr.
Visit their Instagram profile ››

Connected Craft Beverages
The $6,000 grant will purchase a Glycol Chiller to expand production capacity and meet growing demand. This upgrade aims to double capacity before summer, their busiest season.
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The Cold Foam
The $5,000 grant which will help launch a rural Nova Scotia door-to-door laundry service catering to diverse demographics facing barriers like disabilities or lack of nearby facilities. They will pilot the service within target groups, utilizing the funds for operational necessities and measuring success through customer testimonials, resource savings per order, and impact on families facing homelessness or economic crises.
Visit their website ››

The Hummingbird Cafe
The $5,000 grant will be used to purchase and install an 8x20 foot greenhouse to grow hyperlocal, nutritious ingredients, cycle kitchen waste sustainably, and educate the community on food systems. The greenhouse will enhance the cafe's self-sufficiency, reduce meal costs, and serve as a gathering space for workshops and community engagement.
Visit their Facebook profile ››

Community

Wentworth Learning Centre Cooperative
The $10,000 grant will be used to purchase and install a generator which will minimize interruptions to their childcare and educational programs. Frequent power outages disrupt services, affecting families' work schedules and children's routines, as well as other community organizations utilizing the facility.
Visit their website ››

Nova Scotia Mobile Food Market
The $4,000 grant which will be used to purchase a refrigerated display case for fresh herbs, greens, and eggs. The market brings high quality fresh food to neighbourhoods which face barriers to food access, and this will improve both food safety and the customer experience.
Visit their website ››

Hants Country Federation of Agriculture
The $1,000 grant will be used to develop a website to promote Hants County agriculture and the buy local movement. With over 130 registered farms in the County, the platform aims to increase local sales, benefitting farmers, consumers, and the economy.
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Dreadlocks & Kindness
The $5,000 grant will help fund a 12-week youth development program targeted towards young men aged 17-26 in the BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ community, offering mentorship, coaching, workshops, and peer support. The program aims to equip participants with resources for achieving their goals, securing employment, and pursuing further education.
Visit their Instagram profile ››

Centre for Women in Business
The $5,000 grant will go towards establishing a fully equipped kitchen hub and offering a mini version of their current SPICE workshop (Specialized Program in Cooking Entrepreneurship) which they will pilot across Nova Scotia to underrepresented women interested in launching legal food businesses.
Visit their website ››

Health, Wellness & Recreation

Municipality of the County of Richmond
The $7,500 grant will be used to expand its free equipment loan program, focusing on indoor and outdoor recreational gear with a new accessible component. They will partner with community groups to promote inclusive recreational activities, targeting persons with disabilities, older adults, and families facing financial constraints.
Visit their website ››

Eating Disorders Nova Scotia
The $3,000 grant will be used to raise awareness about accessible mental health services in rural Nova Scotia for individuals with eating disorders. By distributing promotional materials and conducting in-person engagements, the project aims to ensure individuals in underserved regions are aware of and are able to access support.
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Ataraxy Farm
The $4,500 grant will provide ongoing support to vulnerable populations by offering hands-on engagement with farm animals for mental health improvement. Animal-assisted therapy at Ataraxy Farms will offer immediate emotional support, with the grant funds facilitating sessions for 10 participants monthly for one year.
Visit their website ››

Sustainability

Candid Brewing Company
The $4,000 grant will purchase custom screens to more effectively separate solids from the liquid waste, thereby reducing the organic load in the brewery’s wastewater. These captured solids can then be repurposed as animal feed by local farmers.
Visit their website ››

Grace Harvest Tiny Homes Society
The $6,000 grant will be used to add solar panels to their tiny home community project. With an emphasis on safe, affordable, and sustainable housing solutions, this initiative aims to reduce operational costs and environmental impact, while supporting residents with substance use recovery counselling, and health and educational opportunities.

Cape Breton Fish Harvesters Association
The $5,000 grant will be used to conduct beach cleanups in eastern Cape Breton, including collecting and recycling end-of-life fishing gear. Collected material will then be taken to Sustane Technologies in Chester, NS, for recycling so as to prevent ocean pollution and landfill waste.
Visit their website ››

Arts & Culture

Newcomer Choir Association
The $3,400 grant will go towards providing a 16-week leadership training program to newcomers in Nova Scotia, preparing them for roles in the arts community and beyond. The program is aimed towards refugees and immigrants, both adult and youth, and will measure success by subsequent leadership roles within the arts sector.
Visit their website ››

Chester Art Centre Association
The $4,100 grant will be used to provide an art program to rural seniors facing isolation and financial barriers. Free art classes will foster social connections, improving mental health and overall wellness.
Visit their website ››

Boys & Girls Club of Preston
The $7,500 will be used to empower African Nova Scotian children and youth in music production by guiding them through beat-making, songwriting, and recording. BGC Preston Beats will culminate in a showcase, which fosters self-expression and confidence by amplifying underrepresented voices.
Visit their website ››

If you have any questions, please email us at grants@cua.com.

Featured Projects by Previous Recipients

Hive to Home received funds to purchase a commercial electric griddle to reduce the production time of reusable beeswax wraps. As a result, production time is now 93% faster.

Spencer House Senior Center received funding to implement a tower garden aeroponic system to increase the number of fresh vegetables in resident meals.

Out of the Cold Community Association received funding to provide residents with regular, free, and low- barrier access to computers and the internet.

BLK Women in Excellence received funding to support a rigorous 12-week "She Means Business" program to fill a gap in marginalized communities and Black-owned businesses.

South Shore Sexual Health received funding for their TRANSformation closet, a pay-as-you-can service that offers gender affirming gear for both youth and adults. Since then, it has become a core service.

Espresso 46 received funding to purchase new equipment that enabled the business to operate longer hours and grow their customer base.

Chain Yard Cider received funds to purchase a “fizz whizz” machine, enabling new can sizes, increased production, and increased shelf space at the NSLC.

Greenii Inc received funds to purchase a new crinkle paper shredder, resulting in an increase in capacity and employment of immigrants and individuals with disabilities.