Community Futures East Interlake is a resource to communities in the region and offers a variety of community support services.
Community Planning
Project Assistance
- Help develop and assist with your community projects
Market Surveys & Data Collection
- Help with community and business survey projects
Funding Applications
Research Assistance
Community Futures East Interlake (CFEI) recognizes that community projects require a combination of a common vision, leadership, dedication, planning and funding in order to be successful. As part of CFEI's commitment to community economic development, a membership with Big Online was purchased to help community groups and organizations access funding.
Big Online is an on-line database containing over 75,000 funding sources in North America. This tool can be used to search for funding from corporations, foundations and government. There is also a writing resource centre with proposal templates, examples of funding proposals and more.
Community groups/organizations that are seeking funding for their specific project and have a plan can access this database FREE of charge through the Community Futures East Interlake office.
For more information or to book an appointment contact us.
Community Projects:
Stonewall Innovative Crops Committee (SADICC)
Westshore Broadband
Located on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, Gimli is a commercial fishing centre in Manitoba. Heavy reliance on the fishery combined with limited economic diversity meant the community faced cyclical employment and a declining population.
By the mid 80’s numerous studies showed tourism was the best strategy for sustainable development. In 1988 with federal assistance, Community Futures East Interlake (CFEI)
assembled land for a prime lakefront property, facilitating construction of a mid-sized hotel. With a tourism anchor in place CFEI along with community leaders have been able to:
The success of Gimli has prompted increased tourism development in neighboring communities. CFEI continues to assist in tourism development and economic development in and around Gimli.
Budget - A budget is an itemized list of estimated expenses and income required to carry out a proposed project. It should include direct and indirect costs, and all anticipated sources of income, including matching and in-kind contributions.
Community Capacity - Community capacity is the skills, knowledge, and abilities of community residents that enable them to sustain progress over time, without losing what made the community special to begin with.
Direct costs - Direct costs are required to carry out the specified project. They can include salaries and benefits for staff hired for the project, travel, equipment, supplies, telephone, postage and printing costs.
Facilitation - Facilitation concerns itself with all the tasks needed to run a productive and impartial meeting. Facilitation serves the needs of the group in its decision-making. It does not lead the group, nor does it try to distract or to entertain.
Indirect Costs - Indirect costs are costs that are not readily identifiable as direct costs but are necessary for the overall operation of the organization so it can carry out the proposed project.
In-kind Contribution - Dollar value of non-cash contributions, such as volunteer time, equipment, supplies or facilities. For example, if your group is raising money for a new park in your community, any donated materials and volunteer hours worked on the project (planning included) are in-kind contributions. When properly documented, in-kind contribution can often count towards grant applications as part of your contribution to the project.
Matching - Contribution to program on a dollar for dollar basis.
Mission Statement - A mission statement defines the purpose or broader goal for being in existence or in the business. It serves as a guide in times of uncertainty, vagueness. It is like a guiding light. It has no time frame. The mission can remain the same for decades if crafted correctly.
Strategic/Community Planning - Strategic planning is the process by which communities/organizations can help themselves chart the way to a future they have determined to be feasible and desirable. It is about taking charge of change.
"The difference between where we are (current status) and where we want to be (vision and goals) is what we do (target objectives and action plans)."
Vision Statement - A vision statement describes in graphic terms where the goal-setters want to see themselves in the future. It may describe how they see events unfolding over 10 or 20 years if everything goes exactly as hoped.
