2025 G. Murray and Edna Forbes Foundation Fund Grant Results

Project Name: Agriculture in the Classroom Sask – Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2026

This grant will be used to expand access to high-quality, hands-on, inquiry-led education across southern Saskatchewan. This funding will directly sustain and grow our core operations, ensuring that thousands of students in grades Kindergarten to 12 (aged 4 to 18) gain meaningful curriculum-based experiences that foster curiosity, build knowledge, and connect them to the land, people, and communities that sustain them. This grant will help AITC-SK continue to deliver interactive programs and resources that strengthen critical thinking and connect agriculture to science, technology, health, and the environment. It will help to provide exciting and engaging learning opportunities at no cost, creating equitable access to classrooms, regardless of location. 

Project Name: Regina First Link 

This grant will be used to urgently support the Alzheimer Society’s First Link® program in our Regina Qu’Appelle Resource Centre, which serves more than 823 clients in the former Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, a 30% increase in 5 years. First Link provides people with dementia and their families with one-on-one support, access to support groups, and education events. When families face a dementia diagnosis or what feels like a crisis, an Alzheimer Society team member connects with them ensuring that their questions are answered, they are empowered and informed consumers of the health care system, crisis situations are minimized, feelings are validated, and they leave feeling that they are not the only person experiencing this and aren’t isolated. 

Project Name: In-School Live Art Advocacy Program

This grant will be used to run 10 in-school presentations at high schools in Regina. Each presentation features 2 local professional musicians, a technician, and a Director of the Artesian. The guest musicians perform a small concert for students and then, led by Artesian Director, this team speaks to young people about how impactful live music has been for us individually, how we connect with and build community through music, and how they too can connect with their community through live music, both at the Artesian and elsewhere in Regina. After the presentation we leave space for dialogue between students and presenters and provide students with vouchers for free upcoming concerts at the Artesian.

Project Name: In School Mentoring 

This grant will be used to match youth facing adversities, with a safe, screened and trained volunteer mentor, through our In School Mentoring Program (ISM). This program meets the youth where they are (school) and acts as another incentive to attend (to spend one hour/once a week, Sept- June, with their mentor). ISM is ideal for caregivers who don’t have the capacity to participate in our Community Mentoring Program. The mentor comes to the mentees school and they must stay on school property, thus school staff act as our contacts for these matches. To ensure the child is safe, BBBS staff screen and train both mentor and mentee and support the match with regular check-ins. There is no fee for this program and school staff play integral roles. 

Project Name: High School Mentoring 

This grant will be used to match youth facing adversities, with a safe, screened and trained high school volunteer mentor, through our High School Mentoring Program (HSM). This program meets the youth where they are (school) and acts as another incentive to attend (to spend one hour/once a week, Sept- June, with their mentor). HSM is ideal for caregivers who don’t have the capacity to participate in our Community Mentoring Program. The mentor comes to the mentees school and they must stay on school property, thus school staff act as our contacts for these matches. To ensure the child is safe, BBBS staff screen and train both mentor and mentee and support the match with regular check-ins. There is no fee for this program and school staff play integral roles.

Project Name: High School Mentoring Program 

This grant will be used to match youth facing adversities, with a safe, screened and trained high school volunteer mentor, through our High School Mentoring Program (HSM). This program meets the youth where they are (school) and acts as another incentive to attend (to spend one hour/once a week, Sept- June, with their mentor). HSM is ideal for caregivers who don’t have the capacity to participate in our Community Mentoring Program. The mentor comes to the mentees school and they must stay on school property, thus school staff act as our contacts for these matches. To ensure the child is safe, BBBS staff screen and train both mentor and mentee and support the match with regular check-ins. There is no fee for this program and school staff play integral roles

Project Name: Bring2Life Creative Counselling – The On-The-Go Mobile Counselling Program

This grant will be used towards counsellor salaries and mileage. With this funding, we will make mental health care accessible to low-income and at-risk children and youth in rural and remote Saskatchewan. We bring no-cost, accessible counselling solutions to youth and families that need it most, but are unable to access mental health care through traditional means. Our counsellors go to our clients. They meet in homes, coffee shops, restaurants, playgrounds as well as over the phone, texting, and video calls. Through funding, we provide this service at no-cost to our clients. The areas we serve include Yorkton, Estevan, and the surrounding communities and Indigenous reservations within 150 kilometers of these locations.

Project Name: Connected Threads Network Inc. – Materials for Donation Quilts

This grant will be used to make 800 quilts that will be donated to the charitable agencies that we have agreements with. All of our quilts tops are made from donated fabric but we need to purchase batting (middle layer) which is used in all of our quilts. We also purchase flannelette for the backs of the NICU quilts. We rarely receive kids themed fabric and as the majority of our quilts are donated to kids between newborn and 16 year of age so it’s nice to have more appropriate quilts for them. Each smaller kid-sized quilt consists of 2.3M of fabric and 1M of batting and 3.4M of fabric and 1.5M of batting for a larger lap sized quilt. The cost of batting increases every year and the cost will increase significantly in the next coming year.

Project Name: Creative City Centre: Artists in Residence/Mural Project

This grant will be used to support an Artist-in-Residence program at the new Creative City Centre, as well as a new mural installation in Regina’s downtown. We will select two Indigenous artists through an application process to work in our studio between January and August 2026. During that time, they can work on their own art practice, but will be required to each provide one workshop for public engagement every month (Feb-August). They will also be working toward the design and installation of a large-scale mural project as part of our inaugural mural festival in 2026. The artists will be paid for their workshops, and for the creation of the mural, as well as an exhibition fee for an exhibition of their works in our gallery.

Project Name: Diabetes Canada – Camp Kornder D-Camps Saskatchewan

This grant will be used to fund Camp Kornder in Saskatchewan to provide children with type 1 diabetes with the educational, emotional & social supports that they need to develop self-confidence, diabetes management skills, and lifelong friendships. Through a combination of experiential learning and peer support, D-Camps have proven successful in reducing the number of health complications caused by the disease and improving
mental health.

Estimated number of participants from South SK that will attend Camp Kornder in 2026:

• Regina – 16
• Swift Current – 2
• Moose Jaw – 1
• Weyburn – 2
• Yorkton – 1
• Caronport – 1
• Central Butte – 1
• Davidson – 1
• Eston – 1
• Arcola – 1
• Lucky Lake – 1
• Pilot Butte – 1
• Stoughton – 1
• Total – 30

Project Name: Do It With Class (DIWC) Young People’s Theatre Company – Sponsored Student Ticket Program

This grant will be used to provide free access (tickets and school bussing) to youth musical theatre performances for 700+ Regina-area youth who may not otherwise have the financial means or family support to attend. Our sponsored ticket program prioritizes students from inner-city schools, schools with high Indigenous populations, and newcomers to Canada. By offering these youth the chance to experience live theatre performed by their peers, we foster creativity, inclusion, and inspiration—often sparking a lifelong connection to the arts.

Project Name: Farmland Legacies GTC Ltd – 2026 Harvest for Hunger program

This grant will be used to support Farmland Legacies’ Harvest for Hunger Program – highly nutritious food, sustainably produced on Saskatchewan farms, alleviating hunger in Saskatchewan communities. 

Project Name: Fort Qu’Appelle Community Outreach Management Centre Fiscal year April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027

This grant will be used to help fund yearly operational expenses of the FQ Community Outreach, including administration of food security programs such school backpack hampers, Christmas hampers, convenience meals for seniors, and community dinners. In addition, we distribute 2160 hampers annually helping approximately 180 families each month through our food bank. Without this funding, our ability to deliver community supports would be drastically impacted at a time when needs are rising. Our clients include single parents, seniors and multi-generational households, which means our programs have a wide impact. We continue to work collaboratively with community partners, in particular the Friendship Centre, local schools and churches.

Project Name: Concerts in Care 2026 Rural Outreach Project

This grant will be used to deliver the Concerts in Care program of professionally performed live music to individuals, predominantly seniors, living in long-term care facilities and other settings where mobility, health, or cognitive challenges prevent access to public arts programming in rural Saskatchewan care homes and hospitals. With one of Canada’s highest senior populations—expected to double by 2040—there’s urgent need for meaningful engagement. Music improves brain health, reduces isolation, and eases dementia symptoms. These performances not only provide to underserved audiences but also supports the professional livelihood of Saskatchewan-based musicians.

Project Name: Hunger in Moose Jaw Junior Chef / Child Nutrition 

This grant will help offset the rising food costs for our Junior Chef Program, as well as provide food items to children and families during Easter and Christmas breaks. These funds are crucial for supporting hands-on cooking classes that encourage healthy eating, skill-building, and community development, while also addressing food insecurity needs for children and families during school breaks.

Project Name: Youth Work Skills / Media Alliance & Voltage Program

This grant will be used to facilitate an exciting, safe Voltage New Year’s Eve party. We will involve our Media Alliance youth in creating a fun & crowd-involved Main Session at Voltage that uses multi-media and technology to deliver a positive message to the youth of Moose Jaw. Media Alliance youth will learn job skills & develop leadership skills throughout the preparation which could involve prop & costume making, creating & leading crowd games, lighting, photography, videography, sound and much more. 

Project Name: Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan – Regina Branch Homework Club

This grant will be used to address a financial barrier to receiving after school, small group, quality tutoring. We want all families with children who have fallen behind to be able to have the necessary support, free of cost. Homework Club has previously been offered by the Regina Branch LDAS, helping many children in Kindergarten to Grade 12 over the years. We received funding from the G. Murray and Edna Forbes Foundation Fund last year; however, funds will not last much longer. We hope to be able to extend the Homework Club program through the rest of the upcoming school year once our current funds run out. This well-loved program continues to receive much appreciation by our staff, clients, and families in the Regina community.

Project Name: Leftovers Foundation – Rescue Food Regina Program Launch

This grant will be used to help launch the Rescue Food program in Regina in 2026, starting by hiring and training a Regina City Coordinator (January-February 2026) who will manage the program through outreach to potential food donors and volunteers, onboarding Regina service agencies, building new Rescue Food routes for Regina in Leftovers’ existing app, and adapting the Rescue Food program to Regina’s specific needs. It will also be used to promote and build awareness of the program in Regina, through Leftovers’ existing online channels (website and social media) and through the City Coordinator’s participation at in-person community events (tabling). 

Project Name: Dog Guides Program – July 1, 2025 – June 30 2026

This grant will be used to cover costs related to our Mission. Our work to breed, raise, train, and provide Dog Guides and ongoing support to Canadians with disabilities, including those in Saskatchewan. 

Project Name: Disability Culture Live: Touring Schools and Seniors’ Spaces in Southwest Saskatchewan

This grant will be used to support Disability Culture Live, a touring project bringing performances and workshops by disabled artists to schools, seniors’ facilities, and community centers across Southwest Saskatchewan. The project increases accessibility and representation, provides paid opportunities for disabled artists, fosters inclusion and equity, and strengthens local partnerships while creating a lasting legacy of accessibility in each community.

Project Name: Moose Jaw Family Services-Emergency Food Support, 2025-2026

This grant will be used to help with food insecurity in our community. Our goal is to provide family-based food hampers for emergencies and holidays, focusing on those hit hardest by increased cost of living. Through this program we aim to make sure everyone has nutritious food following the Canada Food Guide. By giving out emergency food vouchers and selected non-perishable items, we will help fill in nutritional gaps for families impacted by rising costs. The budget considers family size and nutrition to make the most impact. By dealing with immediate food needs, we support families, reduce meal worries, and promote overall well being in individuals and families.

Project Name: Moose Jaw Transition House – Victim Impact Nutrition Program 2025-2026

This grant will be used to support the Victim Impact Nutrition Program (VINP) is a targeted initiative designed to address the critical issue of food insecurity and financial hardship faced by survivors of domestic violence upon leaving abusive environments. Food insecurity is a common and urgent concern, with many survivors forced to choose between necessities such as rent, safety, and nutrition. Distribution of prepaid grocery cards will enable survivors to purchase fresh produce and household staples while regaining financial stability. This program seeks funding to provide immediate and sustained nutritional support to empower survivors as they rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.

Project Name: Nature Regina – Get Outside! program

This grant will be used to provide outdoor learning programs for children and their families to explore nature at green spaces throughout Regina, in a safe outdoor setting together with other families. An experienced program leader guides the children through a great variety of nature-related activities in fall, winter and spring that challenge their senses and imagination. Activities may involve an indoor component with one of our many partner organizations. This grant supports Get Outside! Preschool Club events for children ages 2-5 and a caregiver. Events occur on week days, and younger children may attend with a registered family. Get Outside! Kids Club events are for children ages 6-13 and a caregiver with younger children are welcome.

Project Name: Last Mountain Bird Observatory

This grant will be used to support the Last Mountain Bird Observatory Project. This project is to conduct scientific based migration monitoring and education and conservation awareness. Migratory songbird populations are monitored, as many species are in serious decline due to loss
of breeding and wintering habitat. Data on species such as age and sex is recorded, and all information is forwarded to the Bird Banding Office in Ottawa. During May and August the observatory hosts a number of school groups, scouts and Girl Guide groups, and naturalist clubs to come out and spend the day learning about bird banding, migration, and bird identification. We have partnered with Regina Open Door Society and City Kidz Regina to offer free trips to the banding station to new Canadians and lower income families.

Project Name: Solutions for Students- Assistive Technology Education Kits and Training for Rural Schools 

This grant will be used to provide rural elementary schools in Chinook School Division & Southeast Cornerstone School Division with Assistive Technology (AT) required, which is imperative, particularly in formative years, for students with in/visible disabilities to be successful in school and employment. The generous grant provided by the Forbes Fund allowed our initiative to reach 20 elementary schools in Southern Saskatchewan, but did not allow for us to reach into the above districts. These supports will not only benefit current students with disabilities/barriers, but also support future students and teaching staff as well. This grant will allow our non-profit to extend the reach and impact of our Solutions for Schools initiative.

Project Name: Oxford House Saskatchewan – Emergency Essentials Program – 2025 – 2026

This grant will support Oxford House Saskatchewan’s Emergency Essentials Program in Regina, providing immediate assistance to new members arriving directly from addictions treatment or corrections with few or no possessions. It will fund food, clothing, hygiene items, transportation support, and prescription medication during the crucial first weeks of residency. Stocking the donation centre with non-perishables, frozen foods, clothing, hygiene supplies, bus passes, and a small medical fund will remove immediate barriers, reduce relapse risk, and foster stability. These essentials help members focus fully on recovery, integrate into sober living, and successfully reintegrate into the community with dignity and confidence.

Project Name: Nourishing Young Minds

This grant will be used to purchase food for vulnerable at-risk youth in Regina schools

Project Name: Santa Maria Foundation – Courtyard project

This grant will be used to renovate the existing courtyard at the Santa Maria Senior citizens care home on Regina Avenue in Regina. The courtyard had to be dug up due to a sewer pipe issue, limiting the 147 residents access to and use of the courtyard this year. The plan is to remodel the courtyard to improve the access for the residents, many of whom are wheelchair bound, by providing much wider paths, and adding patio where residents and their family may gather to socialize, and for group recreation activities. In addition, a shade structure is planned to enhance the residents use of the courtyard during sunny hot conditions. The grant will pay for materials, plants and labour for the project. The project would begin in spring 2026 and be completed in September. 

Project Name: Scientists in School: Sept 1, 2025 – Aug 31, 2026

This grant will be used to deliver 60 complimentary, curriculum-aligned STEM enrichment workshops to elementary schools across South Saskatchewan, with a focus on reducing barriers to access in small and/or rural communities, and in lower-income neighbourhoods of larger cities like Moose Jaw and Regina. Free workshops will be provided to both new schools and those who received them previously, expanding our reach while ensuring consecutive years of hands-on STEM learning that strengthen skills, spark curiosity, and inspire continued interest in STEM. 

Project Name: Second Harvest – September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026 

We don’t have a food shortage problem; we have a food waste problem. Our research reports 46.5% of food in Canada is wasted annually. According to Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan reports one of the highest rates of food insecurity, with 30.6% of individuals affected. Your support will feed 12 communities in South Saskatchewan and prevent good food from going to landfills. Second Harvest will leverage our food network to increase food distribution within Saskatchewan and invest in our Food Rescue App to connect food donors with 87 South Saskatchewan non-profits to optimize resources and serve the community more efficiently.

Project Name: Special Projects for Gordon F. Kells High School students Gr 7-12  

This grant will be used to fund after school programming for students grades 7-12:

• safe/inclusive space for learning
• connecting to culture
• painting/traditional teaching project with White Bear First Nations Elder Michael Lonechild
• beading project with indigenous artist Megan Anishinabie
• grant funds will be used to purchase painting project materials and beading project materials
• grant funds will be used to compensate Elder Michael Lonechild and Megan Anishinabie

Project Name: CNIB – Employment Bootcamp

CNIB’s 3 day boot camp will address gaps that exist in our education system for youth who are blind, partially sighted or Deafblind. Some possible topics are: Resume and cover letter preparation, mock interviews, dressing for success, disclosure in the work place, know you rights, advocacy skills, technology in the workplace etc. Youth will participate in sessions that will not only help them gain the knowledge and skills necessary for future success.

Project Name: Roberta Bondar Foundation – Patterns & Parallels Exhibition in Regina

This grant will be used to bring the Patterns & Parallels exhibition to the Saskatchewan Science Centre. Funds will be used for curation, installation, de-installation and support from RBF staff, partner liaison, updating and printing of didactic panels, extended wall labels, gallery guides and educational resource materials, as well as communications and promotion of the exhibition.