Whistler’s popular and over-subscribed Community Enrichment Program (CEP) is getting a (minor) overhaul, and the RMOW will explore offering scholarships to graduating students of Lil’wat Nation, the Squamish Nation, and Whistler Waldorf School for the 2025 graduating class in a first for the program.
The CEP is an annual program funded with 0.18 per cent of the RMOW’s budget (for 2024, $180,504) that provides a chunk of annual funding to not-for-profit organizations in Whistler doing work that benefits the community. It also offers six $1,000 scholarships to students from local schools. The program was first introduced in 2005, and is now over-subscribed both in applicants and funds requested.
Under the changes introduced at the Jan. 23 meeting, staff recommended eight amendments to the relevant policy to make the application and reporting process more streamlined and less time-intensive for qualifying applicants, and three amendments to the scholarship portion to provide more flexibility to the program.
Staff also requested council allow them to pursue options in extending the scholarship program to graduating students of the Lil’wat and Squamish Nations in the 2025 graduating class, as well as the Whistler Waldorf School. Whistler Waldorf will be made eligible under the current program, while staff would consult with the Lil’wat and Squamish Nations on how to proceed with an appropriate format. A report will come back to council at a future meeting.
