Recent news and events concerning the Red Deer & District Community Foundation.
In honour of National Volunteer Week, the Community Foundation, along with the Volunteer Central Board of Directors, is pleased to announce a new grant opportunity to support volunteerism within the charitable sector here in Central Alberta.
Created to carry on the mission of Volunteer Central, the Volunteer Central Legacy Grant will be granted to agencies looking to enhance the development and sustainability of volunteerism within their organizations. “We are hoping that the Legacy fund will support professional development and/or educational programs to build capacity in the not-for-profit sector in volunteerism in Central Alberta,” said Lynne Mulder, Volunteer Central Board Chair.
After closing in 2021, the Volunteer Central Board of Directors made the decision to endow the remainder of the agency’s assets to create an ongoing legacy. “Volunteer Central did make a difference in the Central Alberta community. We were all very sad that we had to close because of a lack of predictable and sustainable funding, but we hope that this legacy fund can continue the work of Volunteer Central in a meaningful way,” said Mulder.
“I believe you can judge the health of a community by the activity of volunteers,” said Mulder. “Volunteerism is such an important part of any community. It is equally important to the volunteer and the not- for-profit who is the beneficiary of volunteer work. Agencies can serve more people and expand their capacity to carry out their mission.”
Agencies with the desire to build, expand, or strengthen their volunteer capacity can apply for this grant which will open each January, starting in 2023. Grantees will be announced each year during National Volunteer Week, in April.
We encourage those who are interested in getting involved with their community to check out volunteerconnector.org to connect with local agencies looking to fill a variety of volunteer opportunities.
With a goal of moving towards more sustainable funding for the future, the Red Deer & District Community Foundation has granted $25,000 to the Red Deer Action Group in the form of an endowment. By developing this endowment for the Ride Subsidy Program, Red Deer Action Group can confidently plan for tomorrow while continuing their important work today.
In addition to the endowment, the Red Deer Action Group was granted $2,000 to facilitate the immediate needs of the Ride Subsidy Program, which provides reimbursements for transportation costs to support low- income individuals and families in Red Deer. It offers a transportation subsidy to attend social and educational events, as well as trips for medical purposes. The program helps to reduce the cost of bus passes, taxi fares, and other modes of transportation. The Red Deer Action Group Society is working hard to make sure that Central Alberta remains an accessible place to live for all residents, and we are proud to help ensure their work continues.
“Our Community Grants program is set up to help fund programs and projects throughout the entire district. Over the years we have noticed there are several community agencies, much like the Red Deer Action Group, that provide essential services and programming, but due to a lack of resources are required to apply regularly for the same projects,” Erin Peden, Executive Director said. “While the Red Deer Action Group only requested a grant for $2,000, we saw an opportunity to ensure this vital program continues by developing an endowment that will provide funding they can count on each and every year.”
Check out the video below for more about the Red Deer Action Group and their Ride Subsidy Program.
2021 was a busy year here at the Red Deer & District Community Foundation. Check out our 2021 Retrospect: Year in Review to learn about the ways in which we were able to make impact in Central Alberta in 2021 – through grants, scholarships, collaborations, new funds, and more.
Click here, or on the image below, to learn more.
Red Deer & District Community Foundation is proud of a new collaboration that allows us to work closely with local 100 Women/Men groups to increase efficiency and streamline the donation process.
The concept of 100 Women/Men Who Care groups is to maximize charitable contributions by pooling all member’s donations. These groups come together in meetings where members nominate local charities, listen to presentations on the charities’ needs, and then vote on which charity to support with their donations. A substantial amount of volunteer time was required to ensure that cheques were getting to the correct charity and that charitable tax receipts were being received.
The Red Deer & District Community Foundation recognized that we could alleviate some of the administrative weight from the volunteer organizers AND the recipient agencies by accepting all of the donations on behalf of the 100 Men/Women Who Care organizations, issuing the tax receipts and then donating 100 per cent of the group’s pooled donations to the voted upon charity.
“The Community Foundation is here to ensure that agencies are receiving the support required to address pressing needs within Central Alberta. The 100 Men/Women groups have proven over and over again that they are also committed to enhancing the quality of life in Central Alberta. It only makes sense for us to work together,” said Erin Peden, RDDCF Executive Director.
In this capacity, RDDCF will be collaborating with 100 Women Red Deer, 100 Men Red Deer & 100 Women Sylvan Lake.
Members of 100 Women Red Deer, donate here.
Members of 100 Men Red Deer, donate here.
Members of 100 Women Sylvan Lake, donate here.
As an organization committed to giving back to their community, MNP made the forward-thinking decision to start a Flow Through Fund with the Red Deer & District Community Foundation in 2018. This agreement allows MNP employees to contribute to the fund through annual donations each year, pooling their donations to grow the fund in order to make a bigger impact in the community.
MNP recently made the decision to distribute some of the funds to local agencies that are working to improve the lives of Central Albertans, in the form of donations to different agencies throughout the region.
MNP chose 9 different charities to receive these donations, including Lacombe Family & Community Support Services (Caring for Children Fund), The Mustard Seed Red Deer, the Ponoka Food Bank, and the Rimbey Food Bank. In total, MNP donated $44,500 to community agencies through this fund.
This is an example of a company who cares deeply about giving back to their community, and employees who think generously about how they can contribute to organizations doing great work within Central Alberta. We commend MNP for their commitment to helping local agencies.
The Red Deer & District Community Foundation has launched a simple and interactive new web calculator for donors to learn about the significant financial benefits of their donations.
Our Tax Credit Calculator allows donors to visualize the savings they will have on their taxes as a direct result of their charitable donations.
This tool includes Give Now, Give Later, and Endowment sections.
The Give Now section shows you how your donation can reduce your tax burden with a current donation. Donors can see the tax implications on various assets such as stocks, mutual funds, and RRSPs.
The Give Later section shows the tax savings available to your estate with a donation to charity.
The Endowment section presents a visual example of the growth and long-term impact of your donation when used to create an endowment fund.
Simply enter the amount of your gift, and our Tax Credit Calculator will show you the amount you can save if you make your gift this year (based on current Federal/Alberta rates).
Click here to discover how your gift will have an impact on your community and your personal taxes.
The Red Deer & District Community Foundation (RDDCF) is pleased to announce it is committing $77,315 to local charitable programming through their Community Grants program.
“We received an overwhelming number of applications covering wide-ranging areas of focus this fall. This demonstrates immediate need across the board in the charitable sector,” Erin Peden, Executive Director of RDDCF said.
In response to grant applications, RDDCF is distributing $40,000 in grants to programs in the area of health and wellness (including mental health), $26,815 to inclusion initiatives, and $10,500 to support children, youth, and families.
“With the volume of applications, we were forced to pay special attention to reoccurring demands as they pertain to the current needs in Central Alberta,” Peden said. “Our mission as a foundation is to strengthen the quality of life in Red Deer and the surrounding area. In order to align with this mission, we awarded grants this year with an eye to increasing accessibility for all community members, and creating positive impact for the health and well-being of Central Alberta citizens.”
Recipients of the fall grants are as follows:
- Aspire Special Needs Resource Centre Fee Assistance Program – $4,000.00
- Cosmos Community Disability Services Foundation Karma Cafe Program Enhancement – $15,000.00
- Hope 4 MVC Kids Society Family Supports for Children with Medical Needs – $4,000.00
- Family Services of Central Alberta Rainbows Program – $2,500.00
- Red Deer Action Group Society Subsidy Ride Program – $2,000
- Red Deer Food Bank Society Accessibility Modifications – $9,815.00
- Red Deer Regional Health Foundation Vital Monitor Campaign – $20,000
- The Mustard Seed Red Deer Wellness Program – $20,000.00
According to Peden, all registered charities are welcome to apply for funding as there are no limitations as to what areas the grant can support.
“We encourage local charitable organizations that require sustainable funding to connect with us at the Foundation to discuss options that may be available to their agency,” Peden said.
The Red Deer & District Community Foundation distributes Community Grants twice annually, in the spring and the fall. In 2021, RDDCF granted over $160,00 to local charities through the Community Grants program.
A $1M gift to the Red Deer & District Community Foundation provides gratuitous scholarship opportunities for local students
Post-secondary scholarships of $5,000 in memory of William Arthur Bower available in Spring of 2022
The Red Deer & District Community Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a new scholarship opportunity created in honour of William Arthur Bower, an early Red Deer resident who lost his life in World War I. The scholarship, which was made possible through a $1M donation from Arthur’s nieces, Ruth and Dorothy Bower, will not only support local students to further their education, but also perpetuate the memory of one of the many Canadians who died in the name of their country.
“Ruth and Dorothy have created this scholarship in memory of their Uncle Arthur,” Rob Porkka, Education Consultant and spokesperson for the Bowers said. “Arthur Bower, a Red Deer High School graduate, was committed to advancing his own education before he left Canada as a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces during World War I. He passed away in combat at 22 years old and it is this ultimate sacrifice that Dorothy and Ruth intend to honour with the scholarship that bears his name.”
The William Arthur Bower Memorial Scholarship is supported by a $1M endowment and will ensure a minimum of five scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded every year, with the opportunity for students to reapply for up to four years. The scholarship is open to students graduating from Red Deer schools within the Red Deer Public School Division and Red Deer Regional Catholic School Division.
“The cost of post-secondary education continues to be a significant barrier for many of our residents, but with this scholarship, the door of opportunity has been opened,” Erin Peden, Executive Director of the Red Deer & District Community Foundation said. “We are in awe of the thought and care that has been put into this legacy. This is a perfect example of what investing in our community looks like; through this scholarship our students will have the opportunity to learn, remember and respect the past while they confidently step into the future.”
The scholarship was announced at the Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 9, 2021, at Lindsay Thurber High School. Applications will be accepted beginning in January 2022, with the first five scholarships awarded in June 2022. Students are to see their school guidance counsellor for more information.
PROUD MEMBER OF
GET OUR NEWSLETTER TO YOUR INBOX
