How does your Community Foundation work?
Who can apply for a grant?
Answer: Eligible applicants include registered charities. Grants are not made to individuals or to businesses. If you are an individual with a great idea, consider partnering with a local charity with similar interests and apply for a Foundation grant. In addition to grants, there are a number of bursaries and scholarships available each year for individuals. For more details on our grants, scholarships and bursaries, please see our Grants page.
What types of grants can I apply for?
Answer: Bowen Island Community Foundation Grants support projects to help build a healthy, resilient community. Since its inception, the Foundation has made over $1,000,000 in grants, scholarships, bursaries and donor-directed funds to our Bowen Community.
The five 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
For more information on specific grants, scholarships and bursaries, visit our Grants page.
Should we have a professional grant writer prepare our application?
Answer: It’s not necessary. We have a simple application and those who read them are more interested in the reality of the need and the quality of the plan for addressing it than in the elegance of the grant request language.
Can I apply for a new grant if I still have an existing one?
Answer: It depends on the status of your existing grant. Please check with the grant coordinator in your existing field of interest.
On what criteria are grant applications evaluated?
Answer: After applications are received, the Grants Committee will assess each application for: (1) compliance & eligibility; (2) reasonable chance of success, based on the specific information provided; and (3) likely impact on the community in the short, medium or long term. See our full Granting Policy here.
What information do I need to submit a proposal?
Answer: Your proposal should answer four questions: (1) who would be involved (e.g. specific individuals, volunteers); (2) would the grant leverage other funding contributions; (3) what is the expected timing for implementation of your project; and (4) what impact do you expect or hope your project would have.
What are the reporting requirements for a grant?
Answer: As part of accepting the grant for your project, the Community Foundation requires all grant recipients to submit a final report. Guidelines and the template for reporting can be found in the application package.