Do you need some support reducing your energy costs? Victoria County is investigating options to help you out!

Navigate Energy is an organization that helps community groups like yours make their spaces more efficient. They help to find out where energy is lost in your building, and then locate and apply for the funding to do the required upgrades. They manage the whole process from applying for grants and rebates to coordinating contractors, while all the decision making stays with your community group.

Navigate Energy will be providing an online information session to share more about what they do, and how they have helped other communities in Nova Scotia. Tune-in on Monday, May 11, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. to learn if they can help you with your clean energy upgrades for projects like:

• Lighting & Heat Pumps
• Building Envelope & EV Chargers
• Solar PV & Appliances

Community Information Session with Navigate Energy

Date: May 11, 2026

Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Join on Microsoft Teams

If you have questions or need assistance registering, please contact Yvette Rogers, Community Development Coordinator, at Yvette.Rogers@VictoriaCounty.ca or (902)295-8135.

Staff from the Municipality of Victoria County and Nova Scotia Department of Communities Culture, Tourism and Heritage hosted information sessions in Baddeck and Neil’s Harbour this month with the goal of helping community groups navigate funding opportunities.   

At each session, attendees were given an overview of the grant program offered and a presentation on the partnership opportunities from Tourism Nova Scotia. They also met with representatives from the province during breakout sessions for direct conversation with program officers.  

An important part of the discussion included tips to keep in mind when applying for funding which we will share here.  

WHERE TO START 

When considering your funding needs it is important to first identify a category for your project or idea:  

• Capital: building, repairing, physical upgrades, equipment purchases etc. 
• Project or Program: workshop(s), event(s), community engagement etc. 
• Operational: ongoing costs, utilities, staffing, insurance etc. 

Next identify a label that fits best:  

• Sport and Recreation 
• Arts 
• Heritage 
• Community Building  

This helps to describe your project and how to best pair your needs with the funding programs available.  

8 GRANT FUNDING APPLICATION TIPS 

When reviewing a grant program to prepare for an application these are important tips: 

1. Review all program guidelines carefully. Look at eligibility criteria and expectations from the funder.  
2. Find other funding partners (other levels of government, sponsors, etc.)  
3. Be mindful of deadlines (if you are applying for more than one fund, make sure the timeline dovetails well together).  
4. Use the grant program guidelines and their objectives to build your application. Explain how your project helps the funding program meet its objectives.  
5. Remember there may be a panel reviewing your application who are unfamiliar with your organization, so explain yourself well and provide clear examples of relevant work.  
6. Stay current with reporting requirements from previous grants and pay attention to reporting requirements for applications you plan to submit, so you can plan to measure impact accordingly.  
7. Start early because some things take time like getting contractor quotes or support letters. Giving yourself adequate time to prepare a strong application gives you a better chance at grant approvals.  
8. This is the most important tip! Reach out to your friendly neighbourhood program officer for more information and to discuss your application before you submit it.  The program officer will confirm your eligibility and that you are including key information for a strong application. This will help save time in the long run. Don’t hesitate to call or email a program officer, they are there to help. Program officer information can be found on grant guidelines or application forms.  

RESOURCES  

Here are some helpful links for navigating funding: 

• Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage: funding programs and resources guide – Government of Nova Scotia 
• Provincial Grant Finder Tool 
• NS Federation of Municipalities Grant Finder tool 
• Tourism Nova Scotia   

QUESTIONS 

Any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Community Development Coordinator Yvette Rogers Yvette.Rogers@Victoriacounty.ca 

Related Links 
Previous Sessions: How to navigate funding opportunities 
Community Development 

Victoria County has set out to make our region a more welcoming, inclusive and accessible place for everyone, and your voice matters.

We’ve launched our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) engagement project page to listen, learn and act based on the lived experiences of our community members. Whether you face challenges or are simply passionate about positive change, we want to hear from you.

Visit our IDEA engagement page to take a short survey.

Why should you take part?
Your feedback will help shape the future of Victoria County, its programs, services, public spaces and community supports. When more voices join in, we can better identify barriers, see where things are working and build a stronger, fairer community together.

How to get involved:
Simply visit the engagement page and open the survey, or another engagement tool that works for you. It takes just a few minutes and could make a big difference.

Victoria County and the Nova Scotia Department of Communities Culture Tourism and Heritage is hosting information sessions focused on funding. These events aim to address some common challenges and identify opportunities.

Two sessions are being held in Victoria County:

What You’ll Learn

The sessions will cover the most common questions community volunteers have when preparing funding applications:

• What funding programs are currently available?
• What are the key deadlines?
• Is our project eligible for support?
• Which funding path makes the most sense for us?

These sessions will:

• Provide an overview of funding programs and eligibility requirements
• Help organizations align their goals with the right funding opportunities, from facility upgrades to community events
• Share practical tips and best practices for grant writing

All community groups and volunteers are welcome
Join us to learn how to strengthen your applications and make the most of available funding programs.

For more information, please contact:

It’s Access Awareness Week in Nova Scotia, a time to celebrate accessibility progress and reflect on the work still to come. This year’s theme, “Our Voices, Our Votes: Disability Rights in Action,” highlights the importance of inclusion and participation for everyone.

And here at Victoria County, we couldn’t agree more. That’s why Council has officially approved our first IDEA Plan, a roadmap to help make our communities more Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable, and Accessible. The Municipality of the County of Victoria is proud to share that Council has officially approved our first IDEA Plan.

The IDEA Plan identifies barriers and outlines actions to address them in the short, medium, and long term. It is not just a document but a working plan to guide real, meaningful change.

We extend our sincere thanks to members of the IDEA Committee for their thoughtful input and leadership. This work is ongoing, and we are still welcoming new members, particularly individuals with lived experience, to join the committee..