BC Government commits $60 million to strengthening charities across BC.
October 30, 2023
On October 30, the Government of BC announced the Stronger Community Services Fund, a $60 million commitment to BC’s non-profit sector to strengthen BC’s economic recovery. This new injection of funding coincides with the first BC Non-Profit Day on October 30, 2023, which celebrates and acknowledges the vital contributions of the non-profit sector.
BC charities and non-profits provide essential services, including health supports, housing, and food security. Every day, BC residents access non-profit programs and services to meet their needs. Now, more than ever, the non-profit sector is seeing an increase in poverty-related challenges, as reported in the 2022 TogetherBC annual report. This additional funding aims to respond to what charities and non-profits need right now to address poverty and strengthen communities across the province.
Vancouver Foundation is proud to be the province’s lead partner in the administration and distribution of these funds, working in collaboration with New Relationship Trust, and community foundations across BC . This partnership builds on a shared commitment to invest in the health of non-profits and communities and create lasting change.
The Lighthouse Organizations Fund is a new $ 22.9 million fund to distribute multi-year operational grants to large charities with budgets over $15 million and are multi-service, with a provincial or regional footprint. This funding will build capacity for organizations that support poverty reduction and have been most impacted by rising service demand.
We invite all interested and eligible organizations to subscribe to Vancouver Foundation’s e-newsletter for the Lighthouse Organizations Fund to receive an invitation to submit an Expression of Interest on December 1, 2023.
The Community Prosperity Fund is a new $25 million fund Vancouver Foundation is designing and administering, in partnership with the 56 community foundations in BC. Vancouver Foundation believes in community-driven decisions and trusts the expertise of local community foundations. Not only do they know the pressing needs in their communities, but they are also well-positioned to make decisions that guide the distribution of the Community Prosperity Fund. This fund will provide multi-year operational grants for charities and non-profits addressing poverty reduction and social inclusion across the province.
We encourage interested organizations to subscribe to the Community Prosperity Fund e-newsletter to receive information about eligibility, key dates and how to apply.
We know that multi-year, operational grants allow charities to prioritize their goals while staying adaptable and flexible to budding challenges in their communities. In recent years, the non-profit sector has innovated new strategies for combatting poverty-related challenges from multiple angles, and this funding will leverage their collective knowledge and resilience to positively impact the health and prosperity of communities across BC.