Here are FOUR great ways to give back to your community this year
2024 can be your year to get involved in your community’s wellbeing – be it through volunteering your time or your talent, or by giving to a charity or two that’s close to your heart. But with so many non-profits in need these days, where do you even begin?
The Victoria Foundation has been helping community members learn where since 1936; connecting people who truly care with causes that matter.
As your community foundation we manage charitable gifts. These include legacy giving, one-time or monthly donations, and permanent endowment funds that allow you to support your favourite causes in perpetuity. We also offer yearly granting initiatives to support charities and non-profits.
Over the decades, the foundation has made deep connections with community members running all kinds of organizations, and to date has granted over $340 million.
But the work is far from over. Here are some ways you can join your neighbours to make an even greater impact.
1) COMMUNITY ACTIONS FUNDS:
Community Action Funds (CAFs) are one of the most convenient and flexible ways you can make confident decisions in your giving so that you can make the greatest impact.
Simply choose from 10 funds that represent different cause areas in the community, such as food security, housing, education, gender equity, and more.
Your gift will be combined with other donors’ gifts, and the funds are then granted strategically to many organizations within the cause area, that serve the community in crucial ways.
Victoria’s Sue and Carl Stovel, for example, made gifts to the CAFs because they knew their donation would have the greatest reach by being granted to multiple non-profits at once.
“The Victoria Foundation has a pulse on the community and knows the charitable organizations that deal with the social issues where we focus our giving each year,” they said.
“We are also very pleased to see the movement towards trust-based philanthropy, where more flexible funding application and reporting procedures are making it easier for grantees to access funding.”
2) GADSDEN INITIATIVE:
The Gadsden Initiative invites emerging generations of philanthropists to take part in collaborative networking sessions with all kinds of impact leaders, to learn about our region’s most pressing needs.
The year-long, flexible cohort program helps new donors build relationships with the community and helps them create their own charitable fund that they can use to make grants every year to their favourite causes.
Lindsay Gaudette is one of over 80 Gadsden members making a lasting difference in the capital region.
Through the program, she learned she wanted to support causes related to survivors of domestic violence, children, and food security.
“What I love about the program is that it does have the flexibility if you want to change your granting priorities. The program can actually grow with you,” said Lindsay, adding that she enjoyed connecting with other like-minded philanthropists.
“A lot of people think that in order to be philanthropic you have to have a lot of money or time, and the Gadsden Initiative has shown that you can have a big impact even at a smaller level,” she said.
3) LEAVING A LEGACY THROUGH YOUR WILL:
One of the most popular ways to leave a legacy gift is through a Will.
Wills can be powerful tools for change. Whether you want to support a local organization or a registered charity anywhere in Canada, the Victoria Foundation can help you plan your gift for the most lasting impact.
Donors can designate a specific gift or a portion of their estate to the Foundation and, in doing so, become members of the Victoria Circle.
Victoria’s Kirsten and Barb are proud to have left a gift from their Will to organizations that support women’s needs – a cause close to their hearts, as former teachers and union workers.
They’ve also chosen to support non-profits that shelter and rescue animals or help rehabilitate wild animals.
“At a certain point in your life, you need to think about where you want your money to go, and where it will have some impact,” said Barb. “Rather than being in the back of your mind or something you do on a whim, you need to really think about what you want your legacy to be.”
4) TIME AND TALENT:
Of course, non-profits and charities across the capital region are always looking for volunteers to help ensure no one is left behind.
Be it mentoring, packaging necessities, collecting food, dog-walking, or so many other opportunities, the Victoria Foundation can help connect you with a cause that you care about. Contact us to learn more about how you can get involved.