Community Grant Recipients
February 2026
The ambitious people driving the organizations and initiatives in our community are a constant source of inspiration. We are forever grateful to live, work + play in a place where so many folks are invested in making change happen! As members, your continued support helps strengthen our community, contributing to the success of these incredible initiatives and projects.
Twice a year your Kootenay Co-op gives out grants valued up to $1,000, for projects or initiatives that help strengthen and support our local community. This Winter we were able to give out $4,000 in community grants to some amazing community projects!
The Argenta Workshop Society is a repair cafe, a makerspace, a tool lending library, a second hand store and a space to run workshops in these realms – available to the public, with a focus in the Lardeau Valley. The goal of the Argenta Workshop Society is to promote a culture of values and skills, and provide services, related to repairing, making and sharing the items we use.
This grant will go towards expanding the Argenta Workshop Society’s child, youth and intergenerational series of workshops and events. Plans include kitemaking and flying with the discarded kites from local kiteboarders, weaving with a local weaver/teacher, another Hallowe’en mask making event, and a repair cafe specific to toys.
Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society is a volunteer run non profit organization (established in 2012) devoted to improving the health and stewardship of Kootenay Lake through monitoring, habitat restoration, capacity building, and the empowerment of local communities, First Nations, and stakeholders.
This grant will support the 2026 Harrop Wetlands Restoration and Beach Cleanups. This project will include replanting and seeding native species, removing invasive species, facilitating biodiversity of ecosystem for many native plants and wildlife in partnership with community volunteers in the Harrop Sunshine Bay wetlands.
Intercultural Kootenays is a community-based organization working across the Central Kootenay region to advance equity, inclusion, and belonging. Through education, advocacy, and collaboration, they address the root causes of racism and discrimination while supporting people who experience inequitable treatment. By partnering with communities, organizations, and institutions, they strengthen intercultural understanding, challenge systemic barriers, and build the capacity for lasting, community-led change grounded in dignity, shared humanity, and respect for the land and diverse voices.
This grant will help fund an organized event on March 21st for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The event will begin with a moderated panel discussion on anti-racism, followed by facilitated breakout conversations where attendees explore guided prompts in smaller groups. An accompanying story-listening installation will feature recorded experiences from racialized community members, alongside an opportunity for participants to share and record their own stories. Intercultural Kootenays’ goal is for attendees to leave having formed meaningful connections, deepened their understanding of the issues facing marginalized groups in Nelson and the surrounding area, and reflected on their own role in addressing racism and discrimination.
The West Kootenay Climate Hub has 26 member groups and is part of the national Community Climate Hub program. The mission is to accelerate climate action in our region, primarily through facilitating connections, communication and collaboration among those locally engaged in addressing the climate crisis.
This grant will help support EarthDays 2026 this April. Building on the success of EarthWeek 2025 (25 events and 700+ participants), EarthDays 2026 events will occur during the month of April in order to allow more events, participants and less overlap. The theme of this years EarthDays is Celebrate – Connect – Engage. These events will bring together members of our community, inspiring actions that protect and preserve our planet and providing opportunites for further engagement in climate action.
