Multi-year flexible operating grants for large charities working to advance poverty reduction and social inclusion.

Status: All available grants have been awarded.

Logo for the province of British Columbia

Key Dates:

December 1, 2023: Expressions of Interest will open.

January 15, 2024: Applications close at 5pm.

Spring 2024: Assessments and final decisions communicated to all applicants.

Overview

The Lighthouse Organizations Fund is a new $22.9 million fund made possible through the Stronger Community Services Fund from Government of BC to distribute multi-year operational grants for charities addressing poverty reduction and social inclusion across the province. 

While the need for programs and services continues to rise, the capacity and abilities of non-profits and charities has decreased. This fund will provide multi-year operational grants to large, multi-service organizations with a provincial or regional footprint that support poverty reduction, have been impacted by rising service demand, and were ineligible for funding last year due to their size. 

Available Grants

There will be 20 awards available. Each award will be $993,000, divided into equal payments, to be distributed over three years.

Eligibility

  • Awarded Organizations must be a registered qualified donee  by the Canada Revenue Agency and must be operating in British Columbia.
    • International and national organizations are not eligible for this fund.
  • Budgets of over $15 million
  • Provincial or regional scope
  • Organizations providing multi services and on frontlines in communities, and facing increased demand
  • Organizations working toward poverty reduction
  • Organizations that serve equity denied communities
  • Organizations that are academic institutions, government bodies or agencies, school districts are NOT eligible for this fund

Funding Priorities

We encourage organizations to review the application questions and the funding priorities of the Lighthouse Organizations Fund before completing the Expression of Interest to ensure this fund is aligned with their organizational values and priorities.

  • Organizations working toward more than one of the 6 priority action areas listed in Government of BC’s Poverty Reduction Strategy including:
    • Housing
    • Family, Children, Youth
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Income Supports
    • Social Supports
  • Organizations who work with more than one of the key population groups outlined in the Poverty Reduction Strategy in their programs/services offered to communities including:
    • Children
    • Youth
    • Women and gender-diverse peoples (including all who identify as women or non-binary)
    • Indigenous Peoples
    • Persons living with disabilities
    • Persons living in rural and remote communities
    • Immigrants, refugees and undocumented persons
    • LGBTQ2SIA+ persons
    • Seniors
    • Persons and families working and earning low incomes
    • Persons living with mental illness or addiction
    • Persons living with or fleeing abuse
    • Black communities
    • Persons of colour

Contact

For any questions about the Lighthouse Organizations Fund, please email lof@vancouverfoundation.ca .