The Buck Creek Hatchery and Nature Centre in Houston is working through recent struggles with securing and finding funding.
According to the centre, funding has fallen short for several years with parent organization, A Rocha Canada, helping it through.
“We have always needed donations to be able to do the work we do,” said Northern B.C. Manager Cindy Verbeek.
She added most of those came from friends and family which never fully met its goal, with the past six months to a year being particularly difficult.
Another source of funding the centre usually relies on is grants which have also started to become difficult.
“We have had several grants we often apply for and are usually at least a little bit successful, and we’re not getting them at all,” Verbeek said.
One reason she believes grant funding has become more difficult to receive is an increase in competition for the same pool of money.
Another source of funding the hatchery relied on was local business donations which she said has fallen particularly with the district losing its main industry.
For some, Verbeek said donations have shifted to other forms of support including through volunteering.
As a result, she said employee hours have been reduced, projects shelved, fewer camps and events, and reduced centre hours.
Work is currently underway to diversify the centre’s funding streams, including into corporate sponsorships, family foundations, and testing fundraiser events in the community.
“We had a Paint and Sip for Salmon that Mixers partnered with us on and we’re not getting people coming out to those things,” said Verbeek.
Corporate sponsorships brought surprise for her as a few businesses not as reliant on Houston have jumped on to help support the centre.
“I think it’s just something I need to be more consistent on, need to keep working on, and apply for,” Verbeek said.
Part of that includes expanding the centre’s donation reach to beyond Houston.
The hatchery is still planning having its annual Bird Blitz in May and Bio Blitz in place of its Goodbye Fry event.
Other fundraiser event ideas are also in the works for this summer.
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