About Us
- Chinese proverb
Vancouver Foundation helps people give back to the communities they care about, in a way that is simple, convenient and lasting.
We are the largest of Canada's 160 community foundations. We've been around since 1943. Our focus is on improving our communities -- the places where we all live, work, play and raise our kids. The place we call home.
How we do it...
We work with you: 1) to help you set aside or save money that will be dedicated to philanthropy; and 2) to help you easily and conveniently give to all types of charities in your community.
1. Endowment Funds:
We can help you set up an endowment fund that is dedicated to charitable purposes. The endowment fund grows over time, and a portion of the income generated from the fund is given out as grants to charities of your choice.
The unique feature of a Vancouver Foundation Endowment Fund is that you only have to give once, but your gift keeps giving forever.
Anyone can set up an endowment fund -- an individual or family, a business, or a non-profit organization.
2. Giving:
We help individual donors like you give in a way that is simple, convenient and effective. We can link your gifts to charities and initiatives that are addressing the needs in your community and improving lives. We do all the paperwork and issue the cheques on your behalf.
Working with Vancouver Foundation, you can support hundreds of charities and innovative projects in British Columbia. You can support your favourite causes (like the arts, animals, health care or the environment) or the charities closest to your heart.
Or you can pool your money with other donors through our Community Impact Fund. This is a fund where our donors come together and combine their money to address emerging local challenges, while funding important, leading-edge initiatives that have been endorsed by experts in a particular field.
We make it easy to give back and to leave a legacy.
To TopWhat is a Community Foundation?
In the simplest terms, community foundations are charitable organizations dedicated to improving communities in specific geographical areas. They do this by pooling the charitable gifts of donors to create endowment funds and using the investment income to make grants. Some community foundations support a city, while others like Vancouver Foundation support an entire province.
Vancouver Foundation is a member of:
Community Foundations of Canada – the national membership organization for the 163 community foundations across Canada
Transatlantic Community Foundation Network – representing 17 countries in Europe and North America
Currently, Vancouver Foundation manages more than 1,200 endowment funds with a total market value of $720 million.
In 2009, Vancouver Foundation, in partnership with our donors, distributed $61 million to BC charities and communities.
Vancouver Foundation focuses on all aspects OF the community
While some foundations or charities specialize in one particular area of interest, Vancouver Foundation knows there are many factors that help create a healthy, vibrant, livable and equitable community for all residents. We recognize the complexity of communities and that is one of the reasons why we fund in a variety of fields:
- Animal Welfare
- Arts and Culture
- Children, Youth and Families
- Education
- Environment
- Health and Medical Education/Research
- Health and Social Development
- Youth Homelessness
- Youth Philanthropy.
