WATERLOO — Six charities across Southwest Ontario have received up to $5,000 each as part of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Canada Foundation Leadership Grants program. The program supports the leadership and professional development of existing and emerging charity staff and volunteers—an acutely underfunded, but critical area for non-profits. This year, PwC invited Canadian charities to apply for either an Individual Leadership Grant (up to $2,500) or Team Leadership Grant (up to $5,000). Since the launch of the Leadership Grants program in 2006, PwC has awarded $611, 808 in grants to 253 recipients.

“Many Canadian charities are being hard hit by today’s economy, and professional development opportunities may not be within their budget” says Glen Dyrda, PwC Southwest Ontario Managing Partner. “The aim of our Leadership Grants program is to invest in both individuals and teams to help them develop the tools and skills necessary for their organization’s sustainability and success.”

Recipients can apply the funding to a formal education program or development opportunity of their choice that will help them build their skills and gain experience. In turn, recipients will be able to apply their learning to improve the delivery of programs and services to the communities and people most in need.

The grants given in Southwest Ontario include:

* Hospice of Waterloo Region
* K-W Pregnancy Resource Centre
* Learning Disabilities Association of Windsor - Essex County
* Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southwestern Ontario
* Rotary Club of Windsor
* Stratford House of Blessing

The following are a few examples of opportunities the Southwest Ontario grant recipients will pursue:

* Hospice of Waterloo Region: Colleen Lucas, Coordinator of Volunteers KW, will use the grant to attend the Community Leadership Development Program offered through Leadership Waterloo. Through the program, she will gain a better understanding of regional issues and increase her leadership skills.

* Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southwestern Ontario: Three staff members will attend the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America’s combined conference for Wish, Marketing & Development to help improve their existing skills and share best practices with other Make-A-Wish chapters.

* Learning Disabilities Association of Windsor-Essex County: The funds will be applied to send two team members to the Pathways - Learning Disabilities Conference hosted by Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario. The sessions will range from understanding learning disabilities to learning about assistive technology.