2026 Community Grants Awarded

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2026 Community Grants Awarded

$40,000 in Community Partnership Grants
Awarded to Local Partners to Support Key Community Initiatives

THAMES CENTRE – The Municipality of Thames Centre is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Community Partnership Grants.

On Tuesday morning, Deputy Mayor Michelle Smibert joined students and staff at Lord Dorchester Secondary School to deliver their award of $1,755.00, which will support students participating in the school’s robotics program, as well as the school’s graduation awards.

“Community Grants have been an effective way to support local projects,” says Deputy Mayor Smibert. “By introducing a new competitive process, we’ve increased transparency and accountability, while ensuring that Community Grants support the best projects.”

Community Partnership Grants (or Community Grants) are grants awarded to groups which undertake projects that benefit the community. Community Grants of up to $10,000 are available for school groups, associations, non-profits, and other community groups for specific projects that provide a benefit to the community.

Applications are scored by a staff panel, based on criteria that are listed in the application.

2026 Community Grants were awarded to the following applicants, for the following amounts:

•           Boys & Girls Club - $5,500
•           Dorchester Soccer Club - $3,500
•           Lord Dorchester Secondary School (LDSS) Graduation Awards - $600
•           Lord Dorchester Secondary School (LDSS) Robotics Program - $1,155
•           North Dorchester Agricultural Society - $3,220
•           Robins Hill Cemetery - $2,500
•           Thames Centre Minor Soccer - $750
•           The Playroom Experiment - $4,300
•           Thorndale Agricultural Society - $4,750
•           Thorndale Horticultural Society - $6,525
•           Thorndale Lions Medical Trust - $7,200

For more information on the Community Grant program, including the scoring system used to award grants, please view our website at https://www.thamescentre.on.ca/CommunityGrants.

-30-

Contact:

Michael Ramnanan
Communications Manager
mramnanan@thamescentre.on.ca
519.268-7334 ext. 258