News Release
For Immediate Release
HCDC celebrates 10 Years of its Local Initiatives Program
Not-for-profits and community organizations in Haliburton County can now apply for support
from HCDC’s Local Initiatives Program for 2025/2026.
February 25, 2025 Haliburton, ON
Local Not-for-Profit and Community Organizations are welcome to apply to the Haliburton
County Development Corporation’s Local Initiatives Program (LIP).
Now entering its 10th year, LIP funding has been a catalyst for extraordinary community-
led initiatives across the Haliburton Highlands. From April 2015 to February 2025, LIP has
now distributed over $615,000 with an overall community impact of $2,484,398. The goal
of LIP funding is to strengthen our community by supporting projects that are incremental
(new initiatives or enhancements/additions to existing activities) and strive to enhance the
resiliency and vibrancy of the Haliburton Highlands.
“The Local Initiatives Program has played a pivotal role in supporting local not-for-profit
organizations and economic growth in our communities across the Haliburton Highlands.
By providing our communities with the resources they need to thrive, we are fostering
economic growth at the local level,” said the Honourable Ruby Sahota, Minister of
Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development
Agency for Southern Ontario.
Groups such as The Sculpture Forest, Razzamataz Kids’ Shows, and the Volunteer Dental
Outreach have all been recipients of LIP funding. “LIP funding has been extremely helpful
in funding Razzamataz Kids' Shows! initiatives in the community. With this support, we
continue to bring high-quality, affordable and culturally diverse theatre and workshops to
children and families across the County,” says Nicole Stewart, chair of Razzamataz Kid’s
Shows. LIP funds are also used to leverage additional dollars for larger scale projects,
accessed by organizations such as the Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation and
The Haliburton Sports Hall of Fame.
The Local Initiatives Program funds important community conversations such as Housing
Summits, the Teeny Tiny Summit, Local Food Networking and Environmental roundtables.
“Central Food Network is grateful to HCDC & the LIP Program for investing in community
resilience and vibrancy. We see firsthand how LIP support empowers local initiatives like
ours that strengthen the Haliburton Highlands region in diverse and wonderful ways,
creating lasting impact through dozens of meaningful community projects each year,” says
Tina Jackson, Executive Director of the Central Food Network. For the last decade, LIP
funding has engaged almost 500 partners and leveraged over one million dollars since its
inception. While mandated to do community economic development, HCDC is not funded
to do so and has innovatively self-funded the Local Initiatives program through interest
earned from its lending activities. Community Economic Development (CED) positively
impacts Haliburton County’s large not-for-profit sector.
Additionally, HCDC is known to create specialized programs to assist Haliburton County
Businesses and Organizations at a time when a state of emergency or a natural disaster
impacts our community. In 2020 HCDC created the LIP COVID Edition to support not-for-
profit organizations affected adversely by the pandemic. The program covered new
expenses to respond to COVID-19 protocols or to assist with fixed operating costs, which
could not be covered due to loss of revenue.
LIP applications are due March 11, 2025. HCDC is pleased to provide feedback and
support for application development prior to March 3, 2025. Please visit our website for
more information on eligibility and the application process.
The Haliburton County Development Corporation is supported by the Government of
Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev
Ontario).
Quick Facts
HCDC celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year.
HCDC is a national leader of the CF program with the largest loan portfolio of the all
the CFDCs in Canada.
CFDCs deliver a wide variety of programs and services to support community
economic development and small business growth. They employ local staff and are
each governed by a volunteer board of directors, made up of local residents
representing the community.
FedDev Ontario works with businesses and organizations to create opportunities for
clean, inclusive economic growth across Canada's most populous region.
Associated Links
Haliburton County Development Corporation
FedDev Ontario
Contacts
Patti Tallman
Executive Director
Haliburton County Development Corporation
705-457-3555
ptallman@haliburtoncdc.ca