GNSC - Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition

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Starting a Neighbourhood Group

Welcome and congratulations! You are reading this because you are a passionate, community-minded individual who is interested in starting a Neighbourhood Group (NG).

The Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition (GNSC) is a charitable organization that supports NGs that share our Values

How can the GNSC support you?

Starting a new group can take a lot of work. The GNSC can offer the following supports in your startup phase:

  1. A small amount of funds. To access these funds you need to fill out and submit a short application form. The application can be found HERE
  2. Connections to other NGs. Of course, you may contact any NGs on your own at any time but we can try to connect you to people within the NGs that have amazing skill sets and experiences that may help you to get things rolling.
  3. Potential access to spaces (gyms, libraries…) to run some initial engagement meetings or events.

What we cannot offer:

  1. Technical support for websites, social media, or other technologies/hardware/software.
  2. Physical resources such as computers or office materials.
  3. Supports and services that full NGs have access to (Neighbourhood Panel, funds for staff, support for staff…).

How do I become a full member of the GNSC?

When you feel ready, you are welcome to fill out a full funding application. The application process is posted HERE.

To qualify to apply for funding as an NG in the GNSC you need to:

  1. Have a Leadership Team (LT) in place. There is no maximum number but a Leadership Team should have at least 5 members. Roles included in a Leadership Team: Chair (Co-Chairs), Treasurer, Secretary.
  2. Have a bank account under the Neighbourhood Group name.
  3. Hold LT meetings on a regular schedule (the usual is once a month but the team should meet at least 6 times a year) and keep minutes from your meetings.
  4. Show the GNSC how you reach out to your neighbourhood to receive feedback on what they want/need in their community (surveys, town halls…).
  5. Have a Terms of Reference for your NG (These are basically the rules of how your group works together, how decisions are made…)
  6. Share our Values