Bowen Island Community Foundation grants help build a healthy, resilient, and more connected community and aim to enhance and protect the natural places and shared amenities that bring us together and enrich life on Bowen. Since its inception, the Foundation has invested more than $1,000,000 in grants, scholarships, bursaries, and donor-directed funds to support our Bowen community.
Our Granting Policy establishes guidelines and eligibility criteria for the distribution of earned income from the Community Impact Fund, all flow-through and endowed funds, and to support a wide range of charitable activities that will improve the quality of life on Bowen Island. The full Granting Policy can be found here.
The six major areas that we support through grants from the Foundation’s endowment funds are:
- arts and culture
- environment and parks
- health and social well-being
- education and youth
- seniors
- community resilience-building
Project-based grants in these areas are community self-directed, and should lead to measurable and sustainable impact by:
- being effective and serving as a model for others
- addressing root causes
- meeting identified needs and priorities
- showing evidence of appropriate and local support
- providing realistic plans for longer-term funding, if the project will be ongoing
To be considered for a Bowen Island Community Foundation grant (except the Neighbourhood Small Grants), applicants:
- must be a registered charity
- must demonstrate fiscal responsibility and effective management
- should demonstrate inclusiveness and respect for cultural diversity
- should demonstrate a commitment to the project through a meaningful contribution of their own human and/or financial resources
- must agree to submit a final report as outlined in the application package
The Foundation does not award grants to individuals (except the Neighbourhood Small Grants) or businesses, unless they have partnered with a charitable organization.
The grants available are:
- Community Impact Grants
- Knick Knack Nook Small Grants Program (Please note that the Knick Knack Nook Small Grants Program has been paused for 2025).
- Neighbourhood Small Grants
The funds available for crisis assistance are:
The scholarships and bursaries available each year for individuals are:
- BICF Trades & Training Award
- BICF Academic Scholarship
- Aaron Sluggett Memorial Scholarship
- Bowen Island Golf Association Junior Scholarship
- Knick Knack Nook Scholarship for Environmental Sustainability
- Maggie Cumming Legacy Fund Bursary
- Margaret Witty Bursary Fund
- Island Pacific School Endowment Fund
- Kipp Thompson Memorial Bursary
- Brian Biddlecombe Memorial Award
- Bowen Island Football Club Founders Award Scholarship
- Logan Family Health Care Scholarship