The purpose of the school travel mini-grant program is to encourage and help Parent Advisory Committees (PAC) and other school parent volunteers, school administration or teachers implement school-based education, engagement programs, or events that encourage safe and active travel (walk, bike, roll, and transit) to and from school.
Each West Vancouver school can apply for mini-grant funding up to $300 per school per year.
Guidelines
Key dates and deadlines
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Grants are available until funding resources are exhausted. Each application will be evaluated based on its own merits and not compared to other applications. Approved mini-grant funding will be distributed by cheque to the school.
Application
All mini-grant funded programs must take place in the school year for which the application is submitted and a summary report of grant-funded activities must be provided by the end of the semester in which the program takes place.
Report Form
Photography and Video Consent Form
Eligible activities
School mini-grant funding could be used to fund any of these initiatives:
- Back to school communication
- Skills and safety training
- Drive to five / park and walk programs
- Student active travel art projects
- Kindergarten playdates
- School travel surveys
- Parent advisory council presentations
- Walk and wheel events
- Unique initiatives that encourage safe and active school travel
- Regular walk and wheel to school programs
Featured projects
Caulfeild iDEC – Bike and Walk to School Week
The School Travel Mini-Grant funds were used to provide treats and prizes for Bike and Walk to School Week. Additionally, two types of encouragement signs (“no drop off here” sandwich board signs and green safety turtles crosswalk markers) were purchased and installed. This initiative helped the school achieve a new record for Bike and Walk to School week, including daily record of participants walking or biking to school and total number of walkers and bikers over the week. The “no drop off” signs helped remind parents not to drop off students in potentially dangerous areas. The cross walk markers helped increase visibility at crosswalks.
Sentinel Secondary School – School Travel Video Contest
Sentinel students were encouraged to make short videos to promote alternative options to driving to/from school. Students were incentivized by a $50 prize for the winner. The winning video effectively captured the frustration we feel when stuck in traffic, and the sense of freedom and fun that comes when we choose alternatives. The winning video was shared in the school newsletter, and amongst the DPAC and START committees. As a result, there's been an increase in number of students going by bike or scooter to school.
Program impact since 2019
- 9 school travel programs supported
- $2,700 in grant funding awarded