This year, we did things differently

 Vancouver Foundation’s vision is to create healthy, vibrant, and equitable communities in BC. In 2022, our Grants & Community Initiatives department shifted its approach to grantmaking to embed trust-based practices. These changes increased access to multi-year funding, simplified application processes, and provided opportunities to build and foster more relationships.  

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. 

A year later, we’ve seen the impact that multi-year, flexible funding has in the charitable and non-profit sector. We know that multi-year grants help organizations provide long-term health services, community-building and, culturally relevant education to strengthen communities. We know that flexible funding allows organizations to remain adaptable and resilient in an economically uncertain environment.   

This year, Vancouver Foundation offered a range of grants, some flexible and multi-year, some focused on pandemic relief and advancing racial justice, and others to address the root causes of issues impacting the health of communities. We are thrilled to announce the 2023 grant recipients, comprised of a diverse group of organizations committed to creating lasting change in their communities. 

Community Services Recovery Fund  

The Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF) was an investment by the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profits as they focus on how to adapt their organizations for pandemic recovery. This fund was a partnership between Community Foundations of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross and United Way Centraide Canada. As a community foundation, Vancouver Foundation administered the grants for the New Westminster, Burnaby and Vancouver areas. See who received a CSRF grant.

Participatory Action Research Grants  

The Participatory Action Research (PAR) grants support root cause research, specifically academic research, in collaboration with community members. By using a participatory methodology, researchers and community members play active roles as partners in revealing root cause issues that are impacting the health of their communities. See who received a PAR grant in 2023.

Recovery & Resiliency Fund  

The Recovery & Resiliency Fund was a ground-breaking new grant program to support and invest in the recovery efforts of the non-profit sector, focused on organizations who were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This fund was made possible through a partnership between the Government of BC, Vancouver Foundation, United Way BC, and New Relationship Trust to distribute $34 million to organizations and non-profits across the province. To ensure an equitable distribution of funding, the grant used BC’s eight economic development regions so that each region would receive an equal amount of support prioritizing organizations disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. See who received a Recovery & Resiliency grant in 2023.

LEVEL BIPOC  

The LEVEL BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) grants are flexible, operating grants that shift power to BIPOC-led organizations to identify their priorities and actualize their organizational goals. This year, with funding from the Government of BC, LEVEL provided an additional year of funding to successful applicants because, although flexibility is crucial, multi-year funding creates sustainability and room for organizations to work without worrying about keeping the lights on.  See who received a LEVEL BIPOC grant in 2023.

Our Commitment to Grant Seekers  

We continue to innovate and test our processes to ensure they are equitable and accessible for equity-seeking communities often overlooked by traditional grantmaking. As a result, our grant programs and community initiatives will continue to evolve as we learn, test, and develop new processes aligned with our organizational values. Together, we are supporting the conditions for a just and sustainable future for all to emerge. 

Grant seekers can expect new information about current and incoming grant programs on our website. To remain informed, please subscribe to our General Grants Updates newsletter, where we provide key dates as we look ahead to 2024.