The Richmond Community Foundation's 2019 grant cycle is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted a Letter of Intent. Organizations whose projects are selected to move forward will be notified in November, and invited to submit a full application. Final funding decisions will be made early in 2019, with funds distributed shortly thereafter.
Next year's grant cycle will open in October 2019, but you can start planning your project right away. On this page, you'll find more information on our Impact grant stream. If your initiative's not a good fit, remember that we also offer Jump Start and Collaboration grants, which may better align with your project and its goals. We're always happy to answer questions about our grant process, so don't hesitate to get in touch. We can be contacted at 604-270-4483 or info@richmondfoundation.org.
These grants, issued in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, are to support projects that will have a broad community impact. We’re looking for initiatives that will benefit all of Richmond, and a lot of people.
But while a project’s impact should be broad, its focus can be very specific. Programs for at-risk youth or seniors? They could work. Services for new immigrants or low-income families? There’s definitely potential there. Arts and culture, healthcare, the environment – projects in any of these fields could be eligible. Even if your initiative will directly benefit only a segment of the community, tell us about the ripple effect. The waves might well reach all corners of Richmond.
Procedure
The first step in getting your project funded is to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI). For Impact grants, there are two LOI templates to choose from. The standard version is for projects that primarily involve a single organization. The second version is for collaborative projects, where multiple organizations will share the workload. You can download and complete the appropriate template below.
Apply as an Individual Organization: Standard Impact Grant LOI
Apply as the Lead Organization in a Collaborative Project: Collaborative Impact Grant LOI
Please ensure that you download the template, and fill it out using Adobe Reader. This way, you'll be able to save your LOI and return to it later. Please do not complete the template within your web browser, as, chances are, the information won't be saved.
The final day to submit an LOI was Monday, October 22, 2018. If you're planning a project for next year's grant cycle, this graphic will help you better understand how the Foundation awards funding, and the steps involved in the process.
Eligibility
Richmond-based community organizations that are registered with the Canada Revenue Agency and fit the following criteria:
1. Initiatives that will directly benefit the residents of Richmond that have broad based community impact, address a significant community challenge and respond to a significant existing or emerging need
2. Initiatives that are available without discrimination because of race, colour, creed, sex, age, marital status or ability
3. Initiatives that build community capacity and build or develop partnerships among community organizations and community resources
4. Initiatives that are undertaken by organization(s) that have charitable tax status under the Income Tax Act
5. Initiatives that are undertaken by organization(s) that can fulfil the Grant Application Requirements
6. Up to 10% of the grant amount may be used for adminstration costs of an agency undertaking a project
Not Eligible
1. Operating expenses of established organizations, program, or services, other than #6 above
2. Wages or salaries, other than #6 above (Note: grant funds can be used to fund an instructor or other position specific to the grant project)
3. Operating or capital deficits
4. Annual fundraising campaigns, form letter request, or telephone campaigns
5. Capital campaigns
6. Adding to endowment funds
7. Direct religious activities
8. Team sponsorships
9. Conference or travel expenses