The Comox Valley Community Foundation will award $131,668.34 to local charities and students.
“This is the largest amount the Foundation has been able to disburse since it was founded,” said Andrea Rowe, Foundation president. “To be able to pay such a sizable amount is very exciting for our many donors and our directors.”
The bulk of the grants will be awarded at the Foundation’s Annual Community Giving Awards on Jan. 16 at the Comox Community Centre. Over $63,000 will be given to 14 local charities to help them achieve their goals.
The Foundation administers a number of special funds for local organizations whose total awards, disbursed in late 2013, amounted to $43,928.51. Later this year $24,200 in scholarships and bursaries will be paid to local students.
Since 1996 the Foundation has been able to pour more than $1.3 million back into the community.
Governed by a volunteer board of community-minded citizens who are in touch with the needs of the community, the Foundation provides individuals, families, businesses and organizations the opportunity to realize their philanthropic objectives.
The Foundation has assets of $3.2 million held locally and another $1.1 million invested on its behalf by the Vancouver Foundation. All assets are invested in perpetuity so there will be an ongoing source of funding for local initiatives.
“The Giving Awards Ceremony is one of the highlights of the year for the Foundation,” said Rowe. “We hear firsthand from the groups about how these funds will be used and how they will impact each organization’s clients and the community as a whole. It’s inspiring to hear from so many groups that are working hard to make a difference.”
For further information about the Foundation, its mission and how individuals or organizations can participate in enhancing the quality of life in the Comox Valley, visit, the Foundation’s website at www.cvcfoundation.org.
— Comox Valley Community Foundation