In April 2023, the City of Victoria approved a one-time renewal of increased funding to the Downtown Residents Association (DRA) in the form of a $58,020 grant. This funding, along with the $20,000 Neighbourhood Association Coordinator Grant that was previously approved on an ongoing basis, brought the DRA’s funding from the City more in line with neighbourhoods that have a community centre. The renewed funding enabled the DRA to retain our Neighbourhood Engagement Coordinator and maintain office and programming space at theDock, a Downtown co-working space. It also allowed us to host a variety of free community events and workshops for residents, welcome new residents to the neighbourhood, spearhead neighbourhood improvements, support residents to take action on climate change, and work to build our organizational capacity.
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Conclusion
We are grateful for this funding, and ask you to put a permanent funding program in place so that our organization can move forward with increased stability and continue to grow and better serve the needs of all residents of the Downtown neighbourhood.
On behalf of the Downtown Residents Association’s board of directors,
Sandra Severs, President