COMMUNITY GRANTS
Wells Gray Community Forest Society
The Wells Gray Community Forest Society (WGCFS) works together with the Wells Gray Community Forest Corporation (WGCFC) to distribute funding to non-profit organizations within Wells Gray Country (Thompson Nicola Regional District Electoral Area 'A') and the District of Clearwater to support a wide range of community projects. The funds come from forest management activities conducted within the Wells Gray Community Forest License.
The Wells Gray Community Forest Society (WGCFS) has completed the review and approval of the 2025 Fall Grant submissions – this is the first session complete under our Charitable Status. The Fall Cycle is for $50,000 and the funds come from a donation to the Society from the Wells Gray Community Fores license as a result of forest management activities.
The Wells Gray Community Forest Society Trustees reviewed eight applications and approved seven applications of which aligned with the purposes of the Society. The funding requests received totaled $92,340.80, there was $50,000 available, and funds totally $49,988.55 were approved.
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North Thompson Arts Council - 2026 Children’s Festival contribution = $1,500
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*CSS – 2 Sanders and Vacuum system for the shop = $2,735.99
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*CSS – Uniforms – shorts for Basketball, Volleyball and Soccer = $2,744.04
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Vavenby Volunteer Fire Department – Upgrade to Road Rescue Tools = $8,753.52
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Wells Gray Search & Rescue – Upgrade UTV (Off-Road Vehicle Stretcher Modification) = $7,280
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*Yellowhead Community Services – Expansion to Building Blocks Daycare (portion of architectural design, equipment and supplies) = $25,000
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Wells Gray Search & Rescue – 50th Anniversary (funds towards costs) $2,300
*denotes Trustee(s) with a conflict of interest not participating in decisions for these grants.
Congratulations to these organizations for these very worthwhile projects that make our communities a better place to live!
The 2026 Spring Grant cycle will open April 6th 2026 - the grant funds available are anticipated for $100,000.
Our Values
Honesty | Accountability | Inclusivity | Respectful
Our Vision
A Healthy Community Supported by a Resilient Forest
Grant Disbursement
The project consisted of purchasing a shaper router for the woodshop. The router provides training and exposure to digital wood manufacturing techniques, allowing students to produce advanced joinery projects and inlays. Students in all of the senior wood shop classes benefit from this purchase. The school and class benefit from having a bit of redundancy in production and faster thru put when multiple students want access to our CNC router. The community benefits from having students leave school with a greater range of modern manufacturing skills. The community also benefits as the school can take on more ambitious community projects for non profits within the community.
Clearwater Secondary School: Shaper Router
The purposes of the Society are:
A. To promote the economic and social welfare of the residents of the Wells Gray Country (including the District of Clearwater), including the provision of support for benevolent and charitable enterprises, federations, agencies and societies engaged in furthering these purposes;
B. To hold the shares and receive all the benefits of the shareholdings of the Wells Gray Community Forest Corporation, which company manages a Community Forest License (the “Community Forest”) in the Wells Gray Country (Thompson-Nicola Regional District Electoral Area ‘A’).
C. To distribute funds it receives through the operations of the Community Forest or otherwise as follows:
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25% to social needs in the Wells Gray Country (including the District of Clearwater) as determined by the directors
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50% to capital infrastructure improvements in which another person has matched funds in the Wells Gray Country (including the District of Clearwater);
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25% accumulating for larger projects that benefit the Wells Gray Country (including the District of Clearwater) either as a lump sum or ongoing payments.
As a shareholder, the society also ratifies and appoints the directors of the WGCFC.
The trustees on the board are comprised of:
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Five directors are Community members at large (CML) from the Wells Gray Country ( TNRD Area A - including the District of Clearwater)
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One director is appointed from District of Clearwater (DOC)
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One director is appointed from TNRD Electoral Area A
As a requirement of the Wells Gray Community Forest (2010) Society Constitution and Bylaws, the Society held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November 2024.
Elections of Officers were held with the following results:
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Heather MacLennan – President (CML)
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Lucy Taylor – Vice President (CML)
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Leslie Groulx – Secretary (CML)
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Sheila Thiessen – Treasurer (CML)
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Kerry Milner Cairns – Director (CML)
Directors Mitch Miller, appointed to represent – TNRD Electoral Area “A”
Appointed representative – District of Clearwater: Vacant