Christmas came a little early for 18 community projects and non-profits across the region thanks to the Morris Area Foundation (MAF).
At its fourth annual awards celebration on Dec. 9, the agency distributed a total of $44,950 in grants for the year—a new record.
“The awards celebration is a time to focus on all the great organizations in our area that develop projects, submit applications that improve life for everyone in our area,” said chair Curtis Evenson, noting supporting these projects is “the reason we have a community foundation.”
Evenson explained the granting committee is looking for organizations that will have an impact on a wide range of people of all ages living in Morris and the RM of Morris, including the communities of Rosenort, Lowe Farm, Sperling, and Aubigny.
“We want projects that are good to go ahead right away if we can afford to make that big a difference to them,” he said. “We have a pretty big area, so we love it when we get applications from around the RM because we do get donations from all around the RM.”
The foundation has come a very long way since its founding a decade ago. In its first year it gave out $1,300. Since then, they’ve gifted over $270,000 to a variety of projects and programs.
“People have really caught on that it’s a very big value to the town and the RM,” Evenson said, thanking everyone who has supported the agency through the years. “Consistent giving is really what makes our foundation.”
Donations to the community foundation are invested by way of an endowment fund. A percentage of the interest earned is what allows MAF to issue grants. That means your original donation gives back to the community in perpetuity.
“We actually don’t give away the money that you give us,” Evenson explained. “It’s there forever.”
This year’s grant total owes a great deal to MAF’s past success with the annual Endow Manitoba Giving Challenge as well as a gift of $23,000 from the former Thomas Sill Foundation.
Evenson noted the 2025 Giving Challenge in November was another huge success for the agency and will impact its giving ability in the years ahead. That initiative saw $64,000 come in from local donors, which was stretched to $72,000 thanks to additional donations from The Winnipeg Foundation, the Province of Manitoba, Morris BigWay Foods, and Rempel Insurance Brokers.
This year’s MAF grant recipients include:
• Lowe Farm Friendship Center, $1,000 for kitchen renovations.
• Morris School, $2,000 to help the music program purchase a bassoon.
• Blue Sky Opportunities Inc., $2,000 for workstation chairs
• Valley Agricultural Society, $5,000 to repair and extend the deck.
• Morris Area Recreation, $2,000 towards an automatic door opener at the Davidson Memorial Pool.
• Morris School, $1,200 for a volleyball referee stand.
• Katie Cares, $1,000 for its Beanie baby program.
• Valley Regional Library, $450 for mobile library awareness and an outreach banner.
• Rosenort School Parent Advisory Council, $2,500 towards an accessible playground swing set.
• Lowe Farm School, $4,000 for library furniture.
• Lowe Farm School Parent Teacher Association, $5,000 towards multi-sport court resurfacing and expansion.
• Small Town Kids Daycare Inc., $2,800 for a storage shed.
• Rosenort School, $2,000 to help the R360 broadcasting program purchase a laptop to operate editing software.
• Sperling Community Centre District, $3,000 for new adjustable basketball hoops.
• Morris Early Learning Center, $2,500 for playground landscaping.
• Morris Wellness Center, $4,000 for gym equipment improvements.
• Morris Multiplex, $1,500 for accessible seating around the ice surface.
• Morris & District Centennial Museum, $3,000 to upgrade and convert fluorescent lights to LED lighting.
