Leeds and Thousand Islands approves $70K in spring community grants

With community demand on the rise, the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands has greenlit $70,000 in spring grants, and is already eyeing ways to give more.

At its May 5 meeting in the Lansdowne council chambers, TLTI council unanimously approved the distribution of $70,000 to support local organizations through the 2025 Community Grants Spring Intake. The decision follows a competitive application period in which 24 groups requested a combined $123,926 in funding – an increase from last year’s 20 applications and $116,968 requested.

The community grants program, funded through the township’s grants reserve fund, aims to support initiatives that enhance community engagement, volunteerism, and self-reliance. Each application was reviewed by a staff panel including the director of corporate services, the municipal clerk, the communications co-ordinator, and the recreation and facilities co-ordinator.

The $70,000 spring allocation represents 70 per cent of the program’s total annual budget of $100,000, with the remaining $30,000 set aside for a fall intake.

Council also expressed interest in revisiting the policy at a future meeting, with discussions pointing toward the possibility of increasing the annual funding pool in response to growing demand.

A full list of successful applicants and their grant amounts will be made available in the report attached to Corporate Services-2025-012.