It was a record year for Community Foundation North Okanagan as they gave out 187 grants to 114 groups, and provided over $2 million in support through their various granting programs.
Since the foundation’s inception in 1975, over $12 million in grants has been awarded to a wide variety of charitable and non-profit organizations doing impressive work in this region.
“As we get closer to 50 years of giving, it is time to step back and consider how we can have the greatest possible impact in light of the needs, challenges and opportunities we have in the North Okanagan today,” says Leanne Hammond, Executive Director of Community Foundation North Okanagan.
“The intention of our founders to be a 360-degree funder led to our support in a variety of areas including arts and culture, education, health and recreation, social services, and the environment, and this direction has served the community foundation and our region well. In many ways, the North Okanagan and each of the communities we serve are thriving. But progress has been, to say the least, uneven. Many families in the North Okanagan struggle daily to make ends meet as they confront the narrow range of choices their economic situation offers.”
The persistence of poverty and social inequality in the North Okanagan, despite decades of dedicated efforts by nonprofits, community leaders, and local funders is causing the Community Foundation North Okanagan to reassess how best to use their resources.
Leanne continues to ask questions that are motivating her board and staff to tackle these issues of inequality. “We are asking ourselves what we can do differently to attack the root causes of poverty, food and housing insecurity, mental health challenges, and unequal access to the things that make our communities great. What can be done to shift the dynamics that reproduce and further exacerbate these challenges year after year?”
Over the coming years, the Community Foundation will intentionally engage grantees, residents, community leaders and other foundations, funders and subject matter experts, using this engagement as an opportunity to reflect, to engage in conversation with all stakeholders, to listen, to learn, and to collaborate widely and work towards a healthier, more equitable environment for all in the North Okanagan.
To read about the impact the Community Foundation is having on this region, read their Annual Community Report at www.cfno.org/annualreport.
To learn more about how the Community Foundation works with donors to support charities in our area please reach out to Leanne Hammond, Executive Director of the Community Foundation North Okanagan at