The Victoria Foundation

🎉 The Victoria Foundation is excited to announce that we will be welcoming applications to the 2024 Community Grants program Collaboration Stream from September 10 to October 3, 2024.

🔗 Visit our website to view full application guidelines, application questions and other helpful resources.

The Victoria Foundation's Community Grants Program Our annual Community Grants Program supports registered charities and other qualified donees whose work benefits community wellbeing within the Capital Region.

✅ In this year's state of the sector survey, 558 non-profit organizations across BC were surveyed on various trends. The new report provides a snapshot of and insights into the state of the sector in British Columbia through two key themes: less resilient times and overburdened.

❗ One finding from the report was that from 2023-2024, non-profit revenue decreased across all sources except for government funding, which remained, on average, unchanged. Simultaneously, expenses for non-profits were significantly higher: 66% reported an increase in spending on programs, services, and activities; and 68%increased spending on general administration.

🔎 Explore the new infographic for a snapshot on the report findings.

State of the Sector report indicates non-profits are under pressure Gain valuable insights into BC's non-profit landscape with the Under Pressure:2024 State of BC’s Non-Profit Sector Report.

😎 ☀️ Thank you to everyone who joined us last week at the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary for our Gadsden Summer Social!

🍧 We went on a great walking tour of Swan Lake, learned all about our natural ecosystems, listened to some excellent speakers, played games, socialized, and munched on a tasty barbeque and ice cream.

🎉 Want to be part of future events? They're open to anybody! Learn more about the Gadsden Initiative here: https://bit.ly/3qMKLxl

🎖️ We are so pleased to announce that Victoria Foundation CEO Sandra Richardson and Indigenous Cultural Advisor Patrick Kelly have both been awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal, on recommendation by the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.

🇨🇦 The medal recognizes those who have made significant contributions to Canada and their home province. Sandra – or ‘Sandy,’ as she's affectionately known – has dedicated her life to selflessly supporting the charitable sector through her bold leadership at the Foundation the past 23 years.

💕 Ever humble, Sandy’s passion for philanthropy and the community radiates in everything she does. Her profound conscientiousness, intelligence, and genuine empathy and interest in the lives of others have truly strengthened our community, and have left a legacy that will endure in Greater Victoria and beyond for years to come.

Likewise, Patrick Kelly has served the community in countless ways. A member of the Leq:amel First Nation (Sto:lo Nation), Patrick was a Victoria Foundation Board Member, Board Chair, and is now a Special Advisor to the Board of Directors. His legacy has advanced Indigenous peoples’ causes and bridged cultures through decades of work as a volunteer, advisor and business owner.

Read more about the esteemed award here: https://bit.ly/3YpoffK

🎆 Congratulations Sandy and Patrick!!

👉 "At a certain point in your life, you need to really think about what you want your legacy to be."

🌼 The Victoria Foundation has partnered with Will Power, a national campaign encouraging Canadians to consider charitable giving when planning their estate. Leaving a gift in a Will to a beloved charity is an effective way to establish a legacy long into the future.

🔗 That's what Victoria couple Kirsten and barb decided to do. Read their story on the Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Kirsten and barb are using their Will to power women’s equality Kirsten and barb are using their Will Power to secure a future of possibilities for women in the capital region who might not otherwise have the opportunities.

🎇 Last year, the Victoria Foundation introduced Spark Funds, an innovative initiative to support new ideas and partnerships and ignite potential solutions to issues in our community. The focus was on creating an affordable community for all.

🤝 Seven initiatives received $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 of the $75,000 in available funding.

🔗 Read the full story on our Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Spark Funds - Igniting Ideas for Change Last year, the Victoria Foundation introduced Spark Funds, an innovative initiative that supports exploring solutions and cross-sector collaborations to address the key issues in our community.

🏫 Every year, dozens of students participate in the Vital Youth Program. Centered on engaging youth in the world of philanthropy, Victoria Foundation partners with local schools to deliver the program.

✏️ Referencing the annual Vital Signs Report, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, students explore how to support their community.

🔗 Read the full story on our Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Engaged Youth Are Vital Each year, dozens of students in school leadership classes, youth advisory committees, clubs and more participate in the Vital Youth Program. Centered on engaging local youth in the world of philanthropy, the Victoria Foundation partners with local schools to deliver the program.

🙌 The Victoria Foundation seeks to create a sense of belonging that inspires philanthropy, collaboration, essential partnerships, and makes a lasting contribution to our community.

🔗 Learn more about our new strategic plan on the Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Working “On Purpose” The Victoria Foundation seeks to create a sense of belonging that inspires philanthropy, collaboration, essential partnerships, and makes a lasting contribution to our community. We are working “on purpose” to achieve change.

🔎 Explore a wealth of updated data on our region on the Vital Victoria Data Hub, a user-friendly platform that tracks over 80 indicators on quality of life in Greater Victoria.

🔗 Visit the platform to see what's new!

https://bit.ly/3F3yVDt

🌻 Many people who support the Victoria Foundation choose to do so anonymously. We recently had the chance to speak with two siblings who manage an anonymous family fund started by their late parents. Twice a year, the two sit down to consider the causes that align with their family values and discuss how to allocate funds.

➡️ Read more about how they are continuing their family's history of quiet generosity on our Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Leaving a Legacy of Support and Simplicity Donor-advised funds that span generations are one of the ways people can leave a legacy that grows over time and furthers the support of causes that matter to them. The Victoria Foundation had an opportunity to discuss this with two adult siblings who manage an anonymous family fund started by their...

🎉 The Victoria Foundation is thrilled to announce that $6.194 million is supporting 252 organizations in the capital region through the Vital Stream of the Community Grants Program. This record amount of funding will help meet the growing need for resources, as non-profits and charities continue to experience increasing demands from community members for their services.

🤝 With support from our incredible community along with the Government of BC's Community Prosperity Fund, this program funds local organizations with flexible, general operating funds to meet immediate needs and build resilience for local non-profits in the long term.

$6.19 million distributed to 252 local organizations The Victoria Foundation is distributing over $6.19 million to 252 local organizations through the 2024 Community Grants Program!

➡️ The Gadsden initiative is designed for emerging donors who want to contribute to making our community stronger. Shifting away from the idea of philanthropy as exclusive, the initiative is centered on engaging a new generation of inspired community leaders.

🔗 Read the full story on our Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Gadsden Initiative - A New Generation of Philanthropists The Gadsden initiative is designed for emerging donors who want to help make our community stronger. Centered on engaging a new generation of inspired community leaders, the program is a collaborative learning experience that invites members to join together and help shape a new philanthropy in the....

✨We’re pleased to announce that $80,000 is now available in Spark Funds to support new ideas, partnerships and ignite potential solutions to issues in our community.

🔗 Visit our website to apply today: https://bit.ly/44KyBGT

💡 Based on the themes and ideas that emerged from this year’s Vital Conversation , the funds center on supporting young people in their 20s and 30s, including newcomers, who want to make our region their long-term home!

✅ The funding, provided by Victoria Foundation and Coast Capital, will be distributed in $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 increments. We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis from July 4 to July 18, 2024, at 4:00 pm.

📈 Impact investing focuses on generating positive, measurable social and environmental benefits alongside a financial return.

🤝 With a long history of supporting the charitable sector with grant funding, the Foundation is exploring new ways of investing in social purpose organizations.

👚 Learn more about how we're helping to grow social enterprise efforts in the region, including helping local companies like ecologyst, a sustainability-driven clothing producer.

Read the full story on our Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Investing For Good - An Impact-focused Approach The Foundation invests in line with our values, and our investments are a catalyst for impact. Impact investing focuses on generating positive, measurable social and environmental benefits alongside a financial return.

🌲 💧 Nature-based solutions, also known as Natural Climate Solutions, draw on the power of nature to capture carbon dioxide and reduce emissions so that our planet can thrive.

🌎 Last year the Foundation granted $550,000 to 12 local environmental organizations and two local Nations with the goal of helping to address the impacts of climate change in the capital region through community-led nature-based initiatives.

✔️ Two of the grant recipients are Galiano Conservancy and Georgia Strait Alliance.

🔗 Read the full story on the Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Nature-based Solutions in Action Nature-based Solutions, also known as Natural Climate Solutions, draw on the power of nature to capture carbon dioxide and reduce emissions, so that our planet can thrive. $550,000 has been granted to 14 different applicants to support initiatives centered on Nature-based Solutions to climate action...

🔎 A new Indigenous Granting Advisory Pilot is putting granting power into the hands of local Indigenous leaders.

Comprised of local nation members and Indigenous people living on the South Island, the advisory group reviews and recommends applications for the Indigenous Priorities Fund. It's an approach that better reflects Indigenous values and priorities and recognizes the need for this process to be Indigenous-led.

▶️ Three recent grant recipients include Esquimalt Nation, Tsawout Nation Head Start program, and the Literacy Circle Society with the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.

💻 Read the full story on the Pulse blog.

Pulse Blog: Evolving an Indigenous-led Granting Process The Indigenous Granting Advisory Pilot is an Indigenous-led granting initiative begun in late 2022. The Advisory guides the development of this Indigenous granting process, completes application reviews, and makes granting recommendations for the Indigenous Priorities Fund. The purpose of this Fund....

❗ JUST RELEASED! The 2024 edition of Pulse magazine and blog is out now!

🌻 Pulse 2024 magazine highlights how the Victoria Foundation and other non-profits in our region are making positive change, building on the findings in the annual Vital Signs report.

📖 This year’s edition of Pulse shares:

👉 How the Gadsden Initiative is creating a new generation of philanthropists.
👉 The story of evolving an Indigenous-led granting process.
👉 How nature-based climate action funding is helping create more resilient ecosystems.

Pulse Magazine & Blog - Victoria Foundation Want to be inspired? Pulse 2024 magazine looks at how the Victoria Foundation and other non-profits in our region are making positive change, building on the findings in the annual Vital Signs report.

🏳️‍🌈"There are no gender norms here. These clothes are simply meant to fit who you are, what your energy gives off."

👚 Tucked away like a secret at 1923 Fernwood Road sits a modest room bursting with pride on every table and rack. This rare, fully accessible Two-spirit regalia library is chock-full of lendable clothing to fit a great many Indigenous identities, including 2SLGBTQIA+, Métis, Inuit, and First Nations from across Turtle Island (North America).

🔗 To celebrate Pride Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day, here's a stunning photo essay on how the non-profit VIDEA has brought this unique project to life, filling a critical gap in accessible regalia for diverse Indigenous peoples! https://bit.ly/3VOWg7J

Under Pressure: 2024 State of BC’s Non-Profit Sector Report is here!

✅ The report provides consistent, high-quality data to the non-profit sector in BC, and equips funders, policy makers, and other sector collaborators with relevant data to make informed decisions and better support the current needs of BC’s non-profit sector.

🤝 Under Pressure is the fourth installment in a series initiated by a partnership between Vantage Point, Vancouver Foundation, City of Vancouver - Local Government, United Way British Columbia, Vancity Community Foundation, and the Victoria Foundation.

State of the Sector report indicates non-profits are under pressure Gain valuable insights into BC's non-profit landscape with the Under Pressure:2024 State of BC’s Non-Profit Sector Report.

🤰 The Birthing Families Foundation is working hard to make the birthing experience culturally safe and trauma-informed for all kinds of families.

▶️ Here's a new video spotlighting their excellent work to facilitate a hub of birth professionals who can support all of the needs in our region. Take a look!

Birthing Families Foundation Birthing Families Foundation is a reproductive justice based charitable organization whose mission is to support vulnerable birthing families with perinatal ...

🥕 Improving food access in local communities in Canada is not only about ensuring everyone has enough to eat but also about fostering comprehensive community well-being and resilience.

🐓 Cow-Op (Cowichan Valley Co-operative Marketplace), a social purpose organization received funding through the Investment Readiness Program funded by the Government of Canada. This helped prepare them for investment while continuing to have a positive impact on their communities.

🚜 Their mission is to facilitate real connections between local farmers and consumers through a co-operative, centralized food hub. As demand for high-quality local foods grows, Cow-Op boosts the local economy and enhances the sustainability of farms on Vancouver Island. Check out the video to learn more!

What happened when digital farmers’ market, Cow-Op, became a $1 million op during COVID-19 This is part of our Investment Readiness Program video series, showcasing how IRP funding is helping social purpose organizations like Cow-Op prepare for inv...

🙏 Thank you for completing Victoria’s 2024 Vital Signs survey. By taking the time to share your opinions and experiences, you are helping us take a temperature check on the quality of life in our region. This important information helps us connect philanthropy with the needs of our community.

📅 Stay tuned for our report and full survey results in September 2024.

⏳ Victoria’s 2023 Vital Signs survey closes today! There's still time to share your opinions on the quality of life in our community.

Take Victoria's 2024 Vital Signs Survey today! Your opinions matter! Take Victoria’s 2024 Vital Signs survey today. If you live anywhere in the Capital Region then this survey is for you!

🌊 Join the Victoria Foundation at a Witty's Lagoon beach cleanup this Sunday! As part of our Gadsden Initiative, this “Meet the Community” event is an exciting chance to connect with others who want to take care of our planet. You’ll hear directly from the voices of our region’s unique non-profit sector.

🐳 This event is hosted by Surfrider Foundation South Vancouver Island – a non-profit dedicated to helping people of all ages protect and enjoy our oceans, waves, and beaches.

📅 Sunday, June 2nd from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
📍 Meet at the top of the trail near the Witty’s Lagoon Nature House off the main parking lot
✅ Event details and waiver: https://bit.ly/3V4K80V
📧 RSVP to [email protected]

June Beach Cleanup - Ocean Week Victoria — Surfrider South Vancouver Island Join us for a very special Ocean Week Victoria cleanup! Check out some of the other great events happening at https://www.oceanweekvictoria.ca/ Beach cleanups are a fun and exciting way of getting volunteers and community members out to local beaches and participating in a meaningful activity. All

🙍 Are you feeling lonely and disconnected from your community these days? You're not alone. The World Health Organization has declared loneliness a "global public health priority."

🤝 One way people are re-connecting with their neighbours is through their community foundations, which have the tools to help you combat loneliness. Our very own Sara Neely, Senior Director of Philanthropic Services, wrote this thoughtful article on how people are forging new friendships and purpose in an age of disconnect.

Combating loneliness: a community foundation’s role By Sara Neely, Senior Director of Philanthropic Services Late last year, the World Health Organization declared loneliness a “global public health priority” and launched a...

❗ There are only 7 days left to share your opinions on quality of life in our community! Take Victoria’s 2024 Vital Signs survey today and enter for a chance to win a prize ▶️ https://bit.ly/43JXfYN

🌲 For over a quarter-century, Habitat Acquisition Trust has been at the forefront of stewarding and restoring the region’s irreplaceable natural areas. In 1999, they established an endowment fund with the Victoria Foundation. It provides them with a stable and reliable source of funding, allowing them to focus on their core mission.

🔗 Learn more about this Hosted Organization at the Victoria Foundation in our latest guest blog.

Building a Legacy: Celebrating 25 Years of Partnership Between Habitat Acquisition Trust and the Victoria Foundation For over a quarter-century, the Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) of Victoria, British Columbia, has been at the forefront of stewarding and restoring the region’s irreplaceable natural areas.

🍩 Last month, the beautiful Esquimalt-Gorge Pavilion was jam-packed with students, their families, teachers, and non-profit community members (and donuts!) for our annual Vital Youth program's Year-End Celebration.

🎓 Students from 12 schools across Greater Victoria and the Cowichan Valley gave presentations on all they learned about the needs of their communities over the past year, and which organizations their student committees have chosen to grant to.

🙏 Thank you to each student who took part this year. You bring such care and compassion to the program and to our community. You inspire us to help our region to thrive far into the future!

🎓 There are still many post secondary scholarships that students can apply for this season. Don't miss out!

✅ The Victoria Foundation manages funds that support scholarships from donors and the BC government through the BC Scholarship Society and Youth Education Assistance Fund. Visit our website to learn more.

Scholarships Scholarships The Victoria Foundation manages and administers funds that support scholarships created by individual donors and by the British Columbia government through the BC Scholarship Society and the Youth Education Assistance Fund The BC Scholar...