Grants to our community:
Health and Social Development
Purpose
Health and Social Development grants support projects that enhance the capacity of adults, families and communities to create healthy, caring, safe and supportive environments for all.
The Types of Projects We Support
In general, Vancouver Foundation supports growth and innovation through project-based grants for new initiatives. (See here for a full description.) Through Health and Social Development, we support projects that will enhance or improve the broad determinants of health within communities; particularly projects that will help to mitigate the effects of poverty.
- We support initiatives that create innovative ways to work with people to improve their quality of life; particularly projects that have the potential to create systemic change.
- We support initiatives that will build the capacity of community agencies, communities and volunteers who are working to advance the health and well-being of individual adults and families.
- We encourage initiatives that will develop inter-agency cooperation, collaboration and dialogue; particularly projects that support public, private and social sector partnerships and those that build linkages with other sectors of the community (e.g., arts, environment, economic development, education, business).
- We support initiatives that focus on issues and approaches that have been identified through informal neighbourhood and local community networks, directly involving local citizens and volunteers.
- We support initiatives which welcome the presence and participation of groups who have been labelled, marginalized and isolated.
- Multi-year requests may be considered in cases where there is a clearly articulated evaluation component and clearly-defined policy implications and strategies for public policy impact.
- We will consider small-scale capital funding requests from organizations located outside of Metro Vancouver. Such requests will be limited to furnishings, equipment or renovations that will increase or enhance service delivery or access across diverse communities.
Priority Areas
Through 2011 to 2014, there will be a particular focus on two priority areas. Multi-year requests related to these two priority areas are encouraged and evaluation will be supported.
- Health and Wellness – we are interested in projects that enhance community members’ ability to access and navigate systems of care and support. Successful projects will demonstrate impact at the individual level and present strategies for addressing common barriers.
- Belonging and Inclusion – we are interested in supporting projects that improve and/or develop community cohesion and connectedness within and across diverse communities.
Typical Grant Amounts
Vancouver Foundation usually funds no more than 50% of the budget for a proposal. Both cash contributions and in-kind donations of services or goods are considered valid matching components. Generally, grant sizes are based on grant amounts for past proposals of a similar nature, the size of the total proposed budget, availability of funds and the importance of the proposal relative to the priorities described in this document.
Eligibility
Vancouver Foundation’s general eligibility guidelines apply.
Do You Have the Correct Field of Interest?
Even if there is a health and/or social development focus to your project, a different granting field of interest may be better aligned:
- if your project seeks to generate new knowledge about a health-related issue identified by the community as a research priority, then you may want to consider applying for a Health and Medical Education/Research grant
- if your project aims to address the severe shortage of paramedics working in rural, northern and remote areas, then you may want to consider the Emergency Medical Assistance Education Fund
How to Apply
Vancouver Foundation has a two-stage application process. The first stage is a Letter of Intent, which is a brief proposal assessed against the priorities and criteria of the Field of Interest you selected. If your proposal aligns well with the Field of Interest, then the second stage is to submit a full grant application upon request. A full description of the process can be found here.
Advisory Committee
Vancouver Foundation works with an advisory committee to assess applications and to make funding recommendations. Advisory committee members are from across British Columbia and generously volunteer their time and energy to help shape our work and to ensure that we remain in touch with the communities we serve.
Vancouver Foundation Contacts
Assistant, Grants & Community Initiatives
Tel: 604.688.2204
karen.estrin@vancouverfoundation.ca
Niveria Oliveira
Manager, Grants & Community Initiatives
Tel: 604.629.2708
Dave Doig
Director, Grants & Community Initiatives
Tel: 604.638.8735
To TopOther funding opportunities for Health and Social Development
Disability Supports for Employment Fund
Supports initiatives by non-profit, charitable organizations that promote the social and economic independence of individuals with disabilities.
Neighbourhood Small Grants
Helping residents become active in their neighbourhoods and strengthening their communities from the ground up.
