Funding Ideas for Community Groups

Are you in need of financial resources to help with your campaign efforts? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Below are a few ideas to get you started, as well as a list of grants and foundations, organized by province. Please have a look and be in touch if you’d like ideas, or even help with your proposal (info(at)cftn.ca

Ideas to get you started:

  1. Include a funding component to your annual events, through ticket sales, drink sales, raffles and silent auctions.
  2. Launch membership to your organization or group, and charge an annual fee.
  3. Connect with your local credit union, as they often have community engagement opportunities; a few are listed below.
  4. Put in place accountability mechanisms such as a board of directors, and register as a non-profit. Hold an Annual General Meeting, and ensure financial management by tracking funds, revenue, and expenses.
Universities
  1. Consider becoming a club, as formalizing your efforts often comes with some financial support
  2. Engage with your campus PIRG (Public Interest Research Group), as they might be able to support your efforts
Municipalities:
  1. Municpalities often set up small community engagement funds, look into this to help support your events and campaign, a few are listed below.

Grants & Foundations:

Location: Foundation: Website
National Aviva Community Foundation https://www.avivacommunityfund.org/
     
British Columbia Vancity Community Foundation https://www.vancity.com/AboutVancity/InvestingInCommunities/Grants/
  Coast Capital Savings https://www.coastcapitalsavings.com/OurCommunity/ProgramsForYouth/
  Vancouver Foundation https://www.vancouverfoundation.ca/
  West Vancouver Community Foundation http://www.westvanfoundation.com/
  Victoria Foundation http://www.victoriafoundation.bc.ca/granting
  Nanaimo Community Foundation http://www.nanaimofoundation.com/how-to-apply/
  Community Foundation of Whistler  http://www.whistlerfoundation.com/grantseekers/applying-for-a-grant/
  BC Government Community Gaming Grant http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/gambling-fundraising/gaming-grants
  Northern Development Initiative Trust http://www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca/
  Bulkley Valley Community Foundation http://www.bvcf.ca/ 
  Columbia Basin Trust https://ourtrust.org/
     
Alberta Alberta Lottery Fund grant

http://albertalotteryfund.ca/ApplyingForAGrant/Default.asp

This grant specifically is of interest:  https://www.alberta.ca/cip-international-development-grant.aspx
  Calgary Community Foundation http://www.thecalgaryfoundation.org/grants-awards
  Fig Tree Foundation http://www.figtreefoundation.org/   only for Fig Tree Foundation members
  Education Matters https://www.educationmatters.ca/
  Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta https://www.buildingtomorrowtoday.com/
  Nickle Family Foundation http://www.nicklefoundation.org/
     
Saskatchewan Paterson Foundation http://www.patersonfoundation.ca/
     
Manitoba Assiniboine credit union https://www.assiniboine.mb.ca/Community/
  The Thomas Sill Foundation

http://thomassillfoundation.com/   

For a full list of grants see: http://thomassillfoundation.com/grants-update-2/
  The Winnipeg Foundation http://www.wpgfdn.org/ 
  Beautiful Plains Community Foundation http://beautifulplainscf.ca/wp/index.php/grants/ 
  Brandon Area Community Foundation http://bacf.ca/
  Paterson Foundation http://www.patersonfoundation.ca/
     
Ontario Ontario Trillium Foundation http://www.otf.ca/apply-grant
  Atkinson Foundation https://atkinsonfoundation.ca/about/
  Toronto Foundation https://torontofoundation.ca/
  City of Toronto Community Partnership and Investment Program Grants https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/grants-incentives-rebates/investment-funding-programs/
  City of Ottawa (Community and social support funding) http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/funding/community-and-social-support-funding
  Community Foundation of Ottawa https://www.ocf-fco.ca/
  Hamilton Community Foundation http://hamiltoncommunityfoundation.ca/grants/
  Community Foundation of Greater Kingston http://www.cfka.org/grantseekers/apply-for-a-grant
  Good Foundation http://goodfoundation.ca/
  Burlington Community Foundation http://burlingtonfoundation.org/
  The Bradford West Gwillimbury and District Community Foundation http://bwgdcf.ca/
  Brant Community Foundation http://brantcommunityfoundation.ca/grants/
  Paterson Foundation http://www.patersonfoundation.ca/
     
Quebec Desjardins  http://www.desjardins.com/en/a_propos/profil/engagement/commandites/
  Brian Bronfman Family Foundation http://www.bronfman.ca/guidelines/areas.php
     
Atlantic Canada Community Foundation of Prince Edward Island http://cfpei.ca/
  International Grenfell Association http://www.grenfellassociation.org/grants/grant-guidelines/
     
Yukon, NWT & Nunavut The Gordon Foundation http://gordonfoundation.ca/
  Nunavut Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth http://www.cley.gov.nu.ca/en/GrantIntro.aspx