Community Partnerships
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Community Futures Nicola Valley partners with the Nicola Valley Farmer's Market on FRESH FINDS, an exciting zero-cost program that lets those interested in trying out being a vendor at the Farmer's Market. If you call the Nicola Valley home and have something special that you make, bake, grow or otherwise produce yourself
An online reference library for Merritt & the Nicola Valley for life's daily challenges.
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Each October, Community Futures Nicola Valley celebrates Small Business Week! Small Business Week pays tribute to the entrepreneurs who contribute so much to our communities. They provide well paying, local jobs within our towns and cities, they bring energy, vibrancy and uniqueness to our streets, and they form the backbone of our provincial economy.
TNV was created in 2012 as an alternative organizational approach to funding tourism marketing and product development in Merritt and the Nicola Valley. Previous to TNV, the Merritt Hotel Association (MHA) was mandated to collect a 2% accommodation tax on overnight stays with the funds remitted to the Province and in turn, channeled to the City of Merritt for approved distribution on MHA spending priorities. That relationship did not endure and the community was at risk of losing an important tourism funding approach. CFDCNV was asked to research alternates. We identified a new structure involving the voluntary collection of a ‘2% levy’ (not a mandated tax), worked with the hoteliers to craft a vision, mandate and operational structure. CFDCNV has recommended a formalized approach to Tourism Destination Management for Merritt and the Nicola Valley – we continue to work with TNV to achieve this!
The Nicola Valley Community Arts Council (NVCAC) is the umbrella organization for the delivery of art, culture and heritage in Merritt and the Nicola Valley. The NVCAC operates the Art Gallery, hosts a variety of cultural events and plays a supportive role for other community partners in the delivery of special events. A Community Concert Series has also become a key feature of the NVCAC s output. CFDCNV supports the NVCAC through a variety of means including: membership; ex-officio Board representation; strategic planning coordination; contracted services (including authoring of the Summary for the Cultural Mapping Report ; and, facilitation / editing of the draft Arts, Culture and Heritage Policy (Bylaw) for the City of Merritt (as contracted through the NVCAC).
This is a signature, annual event for Merritt and the Nicola Valley involving a large cadre of volunteers and resources. Organizational “partners” include diverse corporate interests / small businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, CFDCNV and of course the Country Christmas Committee. This is an important community building initiative that also has appeal to regionally close-in visitors. The complex logistics include: Photos with Santa; the Festival of Trees; Dance Recital, Wreath Walk, Children's Crafts, Community Concert, Craft Fair, Community Band, Transit Light-Up Tour, Breakfast with Santa, and, the largest evening (Christmas) Parade in the province!
The Merritt and District Chamber of Commerce is a membership based voice of the business community. CFDCNV supports the Chamber through dynamic partnerships such as: Sponsorship of a dedicated award category at the annual Business Excellence Awards; Board and Ex-Officio representation; and, project based collaborations with the City of Merritt and Community Futures Nicola Valley.
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WorkBC connects job seekers and employers - helping people find jobs, explore career options and improve their skills, and helping employers find the right talent and grow their businesses.
The Nicola Valley and District Food Bank is an important indicator of the economic and social well-being of the community. In addition to ensuring that at-risk residents are ensured of adequate nutrition, a Food Bank can play a catalyzing role in achieving true “Food Security”. Within the rubric, there is a host of Social Enterprise opportunities (specialty, community based agriculture – from Nutraceuticals to Aquaponics that usually benefit from capacity building and organization development assistance – even funding) – all within the CFDCNV community building philosophy.
The organization is the Canadian Society of Country Music and Heritage,
incorporated April 7, 2021 under the Society Act, Province of B.C.
The Purpose of the Society:
a) To provide a venue for the display, interpretation and promotion of artifacts and memorabilia associated with the history of Country Music and the Country life style in Canada.
b) To provide a venue for the display, interpretation and promotion of artifacts and memorabilia associated with Canada’s Country Music Hall of Honour and Western heritage.
c) To animate and promote the importance of Canadian Country Music, in both its contemporary representations and regionally diverse historical roots.
d) To support educational curricula and encourage accessibility to a demographically and culturally diverse population.
e) To engage specific target groups including Youth, Seniors and the general community.
f) To build alliances and linkages with other interpretive venues and programs which seek to build cross-cultural awareness, enhance community inclusiveness and create an artistic bridge between historical and contemporary Canadian culture - as expressed through music and western heritage.
Whether you’re a nonprofit or co-operative looking to fund your project, or a community member looking for ways to donate, InvestLocalBC is here for you!
