By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News
The application period has opened for the next round of the Together CK grant program, which provides funds to eligible local organizations for community events and projects to be held in 2026.
The Together CK program supports community culture and connection building by providing funds to support partnerships with local initiatives in three categories – Community Projects, Community Events and Significant Events.
New this year, applicants will be permitted to submit only a single application per funding stream.
There have been several cases in recent years where organizations have received funding for more than one item per category.
All grant streams have a funding cap per organization, based on a 50% matching contribution from the grant recipient.
The total annual Together CK Funding will be $375,000.
There will be $100,000 available for Significant Events, with a maximum $25,000 per successful applicant.
The Community Projects portion will have a total of $200,000 to divvy among the successful applicants, with a maximum of $10,000 per applicant.
The Community Events category will allocate $75,000, with a $5,000 maximum donation to successful groups.
Eligibility for the Significant Event category is restricted to registered not-for-profit corporations and Business Improvement Areas.
All events must be free to the public, as specific activities with associated fees must be outlined in the application.
Funds are reviewed and allocated through a formal review process and approved by Council.Successful applicants will be notified in late February 2026.
This grant program is administered by the Municipal Community Attraction & Promotion area.
A total of 65 applicants shared $375,800 in funding from the 2025 grant allocation, announced in April, including several from the Ridgetown and East Kent communities.
The ‘150 for Ridgetown’s 150’ TREES group and the Mary Webb Centre for the Arts both received $10,000, Kenesserie Camp received $4,105 for its cabin roof replacement project, while the Thamesville Sertoma Club received $4,108 for its Memorial Wall and Brick Restoration project and $2,870 for its washroom project, all from the Community Projects category.
Three local groups were funded under the Community Events category: the East Kent Celebrates Committee received $4,105 for its concert series; the Ridgetown and Area Adult Activity Centre received $3,675 for its 150th celebration; and the Highgate District Agricultural Society received $2,490 for its 171st Highgate Fair.
The deadline for applications for this round of funding is Friday, Nov. 28, at 11:59 p.m.
