The Village of Daajing Giids will apply for the full amount available through the 2025 Gwaii Trust Winter Holiday Events Grant, following council’s decision at its October 6 meeting. The motion directs staff to submit an application to support this year’s community holiday celebrations.
The grant assists island communities in organizing local winter events that encourage gathering, cultural expression, and volunteer participation. Funding typically supports decorations, lighting, community meals, and family-friendly programming. The application is part of the village’s annual effort to secure outside funding for local festivities without increasing the municipal budget.
According to Gwaii Trust, the Winter Holiday Events Grant offers up to $12,000 per community through its Community and Holiday Events stream. The deadline for applications is December 1 each year, and the funding is available to all recognized Haida Gwaii communities. The program is one of several grant streams the Trust administers to strengthen community connection and cultural life across the islands.
In past years, Gwaii Trust funding has helped sustain holiday traditions from one end of Haida Gwaii to the other. In Old Massett, the local council has used the grant to provide holiday hampers for families. In Skidegate, it has supported community dinners and grocery gift cards for households in need. Central and east island communities, including Port Clements and Tlell, have hosted light-up events, bonfires, children’s activities, and seniors’ lunches through the same funding stream. In Daajing Giids, past grants have helped pay for tree-lighting nights, music events, and inclusive celebrations at the community club.
Council carried the October 6 motion without opposition. If approved by Gwaii Trust, the 2025 grant will contribute to community events planned for December, continuing a long-standing island tradition of festive, volunteer-led programming. The village will finalize its plans once the grant amount is confirmed.
The Gwaii Trust Winter Holiday Events Grant has become a reliable source of support for Haida Gwaii’s seasonal celebrations, ensuring that even small communities can gather, decorate, and share food and music together during the darkest months of the year.
