In 2022, we gave $201,641 to 22 different organizations through Community Grants.

Community Grants is an annual granting program that invests in ideas and activities that enhance the quality of life for the communities of the Columbia Valley. These grants are the Foundation’s most flexible funding opportunities for community service organizations.

Grant applications are reviewed by the Foundation’s Grants Committee which consists of community volunteers and Foundation board members. All grants require final approval from the Foundation’s board.

Process Overview

Gather Information

Write and submit your application

Wait for the results

  • Community Grants are adjudicated by a committee comprised of Foundation Board members and community participants

Complete the Required Reporting

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding through the Community Grants program, applications and their projects must:

  • Serve one or more of the following communities in the Columbia Valley:
    • Radium Hot Springs,
    • District of Invermere,
    • Village of Canal Flats,
    • Area F and Area G of the Regional District East Kootenay (includes unincorporated communities of Spillimacheen, Brisco, Edgewater, Panorama Resort Village, Wilmer, Windermere, Fairmont Hot Springs)
  • Be submitted by a registered non-profit society or registered charity whose mission and mandate match the proposed project, and who demonstrate their own commitment to the project. See Resources and Tips section below for details
    • Non-profit organizations may now apply to the Foundation without a sponsorship arrangement with a Qualified Donee
    • Grants to organizations that are not registered charities or listed municipalities may be subject to additional reporting requirements.

  • Address one of the following needs categories:
    • Environment/Climate
    • Food & Agriculture
    • Health & Wellness
    • Belonging & Quality of Life
    • Housing
    • Getting Around/ Transportation
    • Learning
    • Safety
  • Provide a detailed project plan which includes/demonstrates:
    • Fit with the needs categories noted above
    • A budget showing support from other funding sources
    • The applicant’s own meaningful contributions to the project
    • Adherence to the Foundation’s project type and expense eligibility guidelines (see Resources and Tips for details)
  • Be willing to sign a grant agreement and submit reporting

What are the key dates?

October 1 – 31, 2024
Application period

November 2024
Review Period

December 2024
Applicants Notified

January – December 2025
Project Operational Period

January 31, 2026
Reporting deadline – within 30 days of the end of the project/ the end of the grant period.

What Info Do I Need To Apply?

In order to fill out our online application, you will need to prepare the following:

  • If your organization is a registered Canadian charity, you will be asked to provide your charitable registration number as well as a full listing of your board of directors.
  • If your organization is a non-profit society, you will be asked to provide the last annual report (including the full listing of your board of directors) filed with the government under which your society was formed.
  • Recent financial statements

What are the reporting requirements?

Where do I apply?

Through the Columbia Valley Community Foundation’s Application Portal

Click here for a tutorial on how to use this portal.

APPLY NOW

Resources and Tips

For the most compelling application, consider the following granting criteria when planning your project:

  • Budget and administrative expenses are realistic and reasonable
  • At least one other confirmed funding source or in-kind contribution

  • Non-profit organizations may now apply to the Foundation without a sponsorship arrangement with a Qualified Donee
  • Grants to organizations that are not registered charities or listed municipalities may be subject to additional reporting requirements.

  • The project does not duplicate other programs in the valley, except in an instance where collaborative, incremental or complementary need can be documented
  • Plan is well-define and detailed with clear timelines
  • Staff and volunteer capabilities are well-suited to the project
  • Evidence suggests that the approach is likely to succeed
  • Risks are reasonable and accounted for
  • The project has a proven need and will produce measureable results

The following project types/expenses are not eligible:

  • Retroactive funding, or for any project expenses to be incurred prior to the foundation’s decision date,
  • Individuals or individual families,
  • For-profit organizations,
  • Core operating expenses,
  • Pure academic research,
  • Endowment building,
  • Fundraising events and programs, and salaries that support them,
  • Debt retirement,
  • Emergency funding,
  • Religious activities that focus on only one spiritual tradition,
  • Travel to/attendance at conferences, competitions, symposia or annual events,
  • Administrative fees for statutory requirements,
  • Political activities.

Explore Other Funding Options