Pemberton and District Initiative Fund (PDIF) now accepting applications

Pemberton, BC — The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is now accepting applications for 2025 funding through the Pemberton and District Initiative Fund (PDIF).

Funded by the SLRD and the Village of Pemberton, the PDIF offers financial support through two separate streams: Economic Development and Arts, Culture and Recreation. This funding is available to not-for-profit organizations operating within Pemberton and Electoral Area C of the SLRD. 

Since its inception in 2020, PDIF has been able to foster community-driven initiatives that enhances residents’ quality of life. The fund is administered by the Pemberton Valley Utilities and Services (PVUS) Committee, an SLRD committee comprised of elected and appointed officials of Electoral Area C and the Village of Pemberton. Each year, the SLRD Board is asked to ratify the PDIF budget that is developed and recommended by the PVUS Committee. Funding decisions are based on recommendations from the PVUS Committee and are subject to budget availability.
Flexible funding options are designed to address the diverse needs of community groups. After determining the stream, applicants can choose one of four types of funding: long-term funding, seed funding, one-time funding, and fee waivers related to Pemberton and District recreation facilities.

Applications for seed funding and long-term funding starting in 2025 must be submitted to the SLRD by October 15, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Applications for one-time funding or fee waivers can be submitted to the SLRD at any time and are subject to budget availability. For detailed information about eligibility criteria and the application process, please visit the SLRD PDIF Application page.

“We are proud to continue a legacy of support for not-for-profit organizations that benefit our communities with lasting, positive impacts on the wellbeing of our residents. From 2020 to 2024, more than $450,000 has been provided to various local community groups and organizations,” said SLRD Vice-Chair and Electoral Area C Director, Russell Mack. “The PDIF continues to be a positive collaboration between the SLRD and the Village of Pemberton.”

“The PDIF has played an integral role in supporting Pemberton’s local community groups for the past four years by providing funding for a diverse range of economic development projects as well as initiatives in arts, culture, and recreation that directly benefit our community members,” said PVUS Committee Chair and Village of Pemberton Mayor, Mike Richman. “I am deeply appreciative of the ongoing collaborative relationship between the SLRD and the Village of Pemberton to ensure the PDIF remains a funding stream within our community, and I look forward to seeing the local initiatives that will grow through this program.”

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About the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District 

Located in southwestern BC, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is a local government federation consisting of four member municipalities (the District of Lillooet, the District of Squamish, the Village of Pemberton and the Resort Municipality of Whistler) and four unincorporated, rural electoral areas (A, B, C, and D). Headquartered in Pemberton, which is the approximate geographic centre of the region, the SLRD delivers a wide range of local, regional and sub-regional services to approximately 50,496 residents (2021 Census).

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is found within the traditional territories of several First Nations, including the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), St'át'imc and Líl’wat. Small parts of the SLRD also overlap with the traditional territories of the Stó:lō, Tsleil-Waututh, Nlaka'pamux, Tŝilhqot’in, and Secwepemc Nations. While the SLRD does not provide direct services to the residents of the First Nations communities located within the region, the organization is committed to enhancing relations with the Indigenous communities and First Nations within whose territories the SLRD operates.

About the Village of Pemberton - www.pemberton.ca 
Incorporated in 1956, the Village of Pemberton spans approximately six square kilometres and is home to over 3400 residents and a vibrant business and agricultural community. Servicing as a municipal government, the Village of Pemberton is led by an elected Council and managed by an executive team responsible for various municipal services including, planning and development, park operations, recreation facilities and amenities, public utilities, bylaws and enforcement, fire rescue, emergency preparedness, fiscal planning and financial services, legislative services, human resources, communications, and the administration of the Pemberton’s Official Community Plan. Situated on the unceded traditional territory of the Líl̓wat Nation, Pemberton honours the language, culture and history of the Lil̓wat7ul.