Highlighted Funds
Last Updated (Tuesday, 14 May 2013 15:37) Written by Administrator Tuesday, 18 November 2008 16:52
Edmonton Community Foundation’s support of charities and their activities enhances virtually every aspect of our lives – arts and culture, education and learning, environment, health and social services, recreation and leisure, seniors, youth and more.
The Foundation has shown refreshing innovation in matching donor wishes with community needs and opportunities to create unique ways of fulfilling dreams and offering support to charities throughout our community and beyond.
Bookmark this page so you can review a variety of featured funds showing different approaches taken by the Foundation.
Single Parents Independence Fund
The Single Parents Independence Fund assists low income single parents in achieving independence. The fund allocates grants (a total of approximately $5,000 annually) through agencies with mandates to help struggling families. The agencies in turn provide financial support to single parents for expenses such as further education. Grants for single parents can assist with educational costs (such as tuition fees, textbooks, and related expenses), baby sitting or day care charges, or other legitimate expenses.
Agencies that have previously received funds to support their clients include Edmonton Women's Shelter, Terra Association, CEASE, Boyle Street Services, Elizabeth Fry Society, Catholic Social Services, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, KARA Family Resource Centre, and E4C (Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation).
Mike Fogolin Spirit of Champions Scholarship Fund
Mike Fogolin's passion for hockey, God, family and friends, warm heart, respect for others, and giving nature will always be remembered. Mike's favourite saying was "the harder you work, the harder it is to quit."
The Mike Fogolin Spirit of Champions Scholarship Fund provides awards at St. Francis Xavier High School in recognition of outstanding citizenship. Each year, two graduating students (one male and one female) receive awards of $1,000 each. Scholarship criteria include respect from peers and teachers, academic achievement, high moral character, leadership qualities, and extracurricular activities in the school.
Youth Empowerment Support & Services Funds
Youth Empowerment & Support Services (YESS) helps youth facing difficult realities through an emergency shelter, life skills training, supports for independent living, and the Armoury Youth Centre where youth can access daytime support and resources to work towards self-reliance.
The Youth Emergency Shelter of Edmonton Fund is one of several funds at Edmonton Community Foundation which provide annual support to YESS. By contributing to funds designated to YESS or making gifts from donor advised funds, donors can provide sustainable funding that allows YESS to support youth in our community.
In 2012, funds at ECF collectively provided over $135,000 in support of YESS and its clients.
The Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta Fund
The Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta Fund was started in the same year as Edmonton Community Foundation – 1989 – with a gift of $50,000. Since then it has provided over $67,000 in annual support to Junior Achievement Northern Alberta which reaches over 16,000 students per year with experiential, hands-on programs to teach them about work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.
Through the power of endowment, while providing annual support, the fund has also grown, so it can continue supporting Junior Achievement activities in years to come.
The Rainbow Fund was launched at ECF in 1999 to support Edmonton's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) community. It is supported by the GLBT community and the community has a say in identifying the organizations, programs, and projects to be supported from the fund. In 2011, grants were made to the Pride Centre of Edmonton, which provides a community space, runs a youth program, and holds one of the largest GLBT libraries in Canada, and in support of the Queer Prom, a safe celebration for GLBT youth and their friends.
For more information on donating, visit Making a Donation or donate on-line here.
For more information on the Rainbow Fund, contact Craig Stumpf-Allen, Director of Special Funds at craig@ecfoundation.org or at 780-426-0015, ext. 111.
