Legacy Level Impact
The StellerImpact program has been built to fund projects and initiatives in the range of $1,000 to $5,000.
We built this program for those working on bigger projects – one-off projects, special projects – any of the above, really. We know there are many great groups taking many great steps forward, and it is our hope to be a part of that whenever possible.
The purpose of StellerImpact grants is to help fund projects that are planned and ready to roll.
Projects that have longevity, other sources of funding, relevance to the places we live, and are of benefit to a broad group of people.
Grants are a huge part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, which has been built from years of experience and feedback from our members, staff, and even our Member Advisory Committees. This program reflects the values and priorities of our communities, ensuring that we can make meaningful contributions to initiatives that matter most.
The StellerImpact Grant application are open from July 15th to September 15th, and we hope to hear from as many great initiatives as possible. No project is too big or too small for this one – so please, if you are part of moving something forward, let us know what you are up to, and how much of a difference it will make.
StellerImpact Grant Application
Applications Now Open!
Open July - Sept
Past StellerImpact Recipients
2025 StellerImpact Grants
| CITY | ORGANIZATION | PROJECT |
|---|---|---|
| Castlegar | Doukhobor Discovery Centre | Purchase archival-grade textile display mounts to safely exhibit rare garments and artifacts from the early 1900s. |
| Slocan Valley | Kootenay Wellness Foundation | Support the annual Kootenay Wellness Festival — a three-day holistic community event hosted at the Vallican Whole Community Centre. |
| Slocan Valley | Ready & Resilient Community Project | Host a new annual emergency preparedness and rural living fair to strengthen community resilience and collaboration. |
| Slocan Valley | Slocan Valley Golf Club | Replace aging golf carts to maintain safe, reliable transportation for players and volunteers. |
| West Boundary | Kettle River Art Club | Enhance the KRAC Potters Guild by purchasing tools and materials to expand pottery programs and increase accessibility for youth and seniors. |
| West Boundary | Phoenix Mountain Alpine Ski Society | Revitalize the terrain park to ensure safety, sustainability, and continued appeal for youth and snowboarders. |
| West Boundary | West Boundary Museum | Undertake office and museum renovations to improve functionality and visitor experience. |
| Castlegar | Castlegar Nordic Ski Club | Build a secure, heated equipment storage and maintenance facility to protect trail-grooming machinery. |
| Cranbrook | Boys and Girls Club of Cranbrook | Run a youth cooking class program to teach essential cooking, nutrition, and life skills to youth aged 11–18. |
| Cranbrook | Cranbrook and District Arts Council (Cranbrook Arts) | Host an art exhibition and community celebration in collaboration with Ktunaxa artists and Indigenous youth. |
| Cranbrook | Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN) | Expand StrongStart BC programming across the Columbia Basin for children aged 0–5 and their caregivers. |
| Elkford | Elkford Arts Council Society | Deliver “Crafting Creativity,” an inclusive, intergenerational community art initiative with weekly creative workshops for all ages. |
| Elkford | Elkford Dog Park Club | Install a colorful “Pup Passage Bench” that doubles as agility equipment for dogs and seating for owners. |
| Elkford | Elkford Trails Alliance | Purchase a snowmobile to expand winter trail grooming capacity for fat biking, snowshoeing, and backcountry skiing. |
| Fernie | South Country Ag. & More Club | Host a two-day agriculture education and livestock show for youth and families in the South Country region. |
| Fernie | Fernie Child Care Society | Renovate an additional classroom at the Max Turyk Community Centre to expand licensed childcare capacity. |
| Fernie | Fun Field Festival | Host a family-friendly community music, arts, and wellness festival held annually in Wardner, BC. |
| Sparwood | Michel-Natal-Sparwood Heritage Society | Identify, catalogue, and rehouse artifacts in the Sparwood Museum collection. |
| Sparwood | Senior’s Health and Vitality Fair | Host a one-day wellness and resource fair to promote health, connection, and support for seniors and caregivers. |
2024 StellerImpact Grants
| CITY | ORGANIZATION | PROJECT |
|---|---|---|
| Cranbrook | Ground Floor Coworking Space | Build switch-adapted toys for kids with disabilities. |
| Fernie | Fernie Pride Society | Relaunch Elk Valley Youth Pride Project for 2SLGBTQ+ youth. |
| Cranbrook | Cranbrook Arts | Expand low-cost arts programs for underserved groups. |
| Cranbrook | Rocky Mountain Metis Association | Engage Metis youth in wilderness and cultural activities. |
| Sparwood | Elk Valley & Area Hospice | Install Wind Phones to support grief processing in nature. |
| Fernie | Fernie Women's Resource Centre | Operate Jaffray Play Group for young children and caregivers. |
| Fernie | FIRE Fernie Adaptive Snowsports | Provide adaptive ski lessons and equipment for disabled youth. |
| Cranbrook | Cranbrook Boys and Girls Club | Create a neurodiversity advocacy group led by youth. |
| Elkford | Elkford Trails Alliance | Build an 8km loop trail for all-season, non-motorized use. |
| Elkford | Elk Valley Seniors Housing Society | Sustain Meals on Wheels program for seniors. |
| Castlegar | Circle of Indigenous Nations Society | Establish a health treatment room for Aboriginal people. |
| Castlegar | Kootenay Doukhobor Historical Society | Improve storage and accessibility of artifacts. |
| Castlegar | The Valley View Golf Club | Replace greens mower to maintain course quality. |
| Slocan Valley | Slocan Community Library Society | Upgrade furniture to better serve community and volunteers. |
| Slocan Valley | West Kootenay Football Club | Upgrade soccer equipment for youth programs. |
| West Boundary | Phoenix Mountain Alpine Ski Society | Update snowboard rentals for safety and accessibility. |
| Slocan Valley | Slocan Valley Rail Trail Society | Purchase a flail mower to improve trail safety and accessibility. |
| Slocan Valley | Slocan River Streamkeepers | Monitor water quality in creeks affected by forest fires. |
2023 StellerImpact Grants
| CITY | ORGANIZATION | PROJECT DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| Castlegar | Ecolink | Launch a passenger bridge feasibility study through the Rotary Sunrise Club in Castlegar. |
| Castlegar | Kootenay Robusters Dragon's Den | Construct a new boat shed to support the Kootenay Robusters Society's paddling programs. |
| Slocan Valley | Mount Sentinel Performance and Media Academy Sponsorship Drive | Support performing arts and media in the acquisition of film equipment for student programs. |
| Slocan Valley | Soccer Equipment Upgrades | Expand access to organized soccer for rural youth through West Kootenay Football Club. |
| West Boundary | Raised Garden Beds | Develop community gardening spaces to promote food security with Midway Community Garden. |
| West Boundary | Event Equipment | Provide new equipment to support accessibility to events for all at the local West Boundary ski hill. |
| Cranbrook | Indigenous Youth Hockey Skills + Family Skate Program | Offer skating and hockey programs for Indigenous families with Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Child and Family Service Society. |
| Cranbrook | Symphony Concert at St. Eugene / Aq'am community | Host classical music events with the Ktunaxa Nation. |
| Cranbrook | Accessible Community Arts Program | Provide inclusive art workshops for local groups through Cranbrook and District Arts Council. |
| Elkford | Elkford Bike Park Beautification | Improve bike park facilities for youth and families through Elkford Biking Club. |
| Elkford | Jump to it! | Upgrade skating facilities to support recreational and competitive skaters with Elkford Skating Club. |
| Fernie | Kindergym Fernie - FreePlay Fund | Provide accessible play equipment for young children with The Kindergym Society. |
| Fernie | UPLIFT Inclusive Summer Camps | Offer summer camps promoting inclusion for children with diverse needs through UPLIFT Community Support Association. |
| Fernie | BaseCamp | Support snowmobile staging and storage area for safety gear. |
| Sparwood | Recreational Trail Restoration | Repair and maintain local trails for year-round use with Elk Valley Adventure and Dirt Riders Society. |
Key Areas of Focus
Community Building
Education & Financial Literacy
Family & Youth Programs
Health & Recreation
Arts and Culture
Regional Quality of Life
Our Guide to a Successful Funding Request
Keys to a successful application
At StellerVista, we want to support your success. Here are a few things you can add to your application to help make it successful:
- Be clear on your objective
- Show leadership
- Introduce your team
- Demonstrate how your goals align with StellerVista’s
- Allow enough time for the application to be processed
- Be clear on what your success looks like
See What is Ineligible
Ineligible applicants
Support is generally not given to the following types of projects and organizations:
- Government entities
- Political parties
- For profit organizations
- Causes which carry a religious bias or other religious activities
- Private businesses (could support an event supported by the private business if it is valued by membership)
- 100% operating or administrative costs, wages, retroactive funding, deficit reduction
- Donations that are outside trade area that do not benefit the cooperative moment
- Requests from national organizations or organizations that do not provide a direct benefit to StellerVista communities
- Individual pursuits or interests that are primarily for personal gain
StellerStarts Grants
We developed StellerStarts as an accessible grant program to help local groups make local efforts happen.
Funding in this category ranges from $100 to $500, and the program runs in the spring of each year.