Niagara has a strong and vibrant charitable sector and it is our privilege to connect donors to causes and charities to resources, all across our region. Throughout our 21+ years serving the nonprofit sector here in Niagara, we have gained a wealth of knowledge and a breadth of relationships in every aspect of the field- the arts, heritage, environment, health, seniors, children, animal welfare, recreation, relief of poverty, education, and the list goes on and on. It is this e sector that is turning our intention into impact, because of their own intentionality in creating strategic and guided programming and services. We are proud of the role we play as a community foundation, helping to ensure Niagara’s charitable sector remains strong and vibrant for generations to come.
As a leader in philanthropy and Niagara’s go-to “charity of charities,” we are dedicated to continually improving our skills as grant makers and community experts. NCF acts as the conduit, connecting donors to causes and communities to resources and we do this in a variety of ways:
-
Grants
NCF provides both donor directed grants and discretionary grants to eligible charities, both here in Niagara and across Canada. Donor directed grants are distributed directly to registered charities, requiring no application process. In contrast, our discretionary grants programs do require charities to fill out an application and complete our grant review process.
LEARN MORE about grants 2021 Grantee List -
Charitable Funds
We offer charitable organizations the opportunity to start an endowment fund with NCF, creating an income earning fund that will support your organization for generations to come.
LEARN MORE about charitable funds -
Centre of Excellence
We know that proper governance can be a challenge for many charities, especially smaller organizations. The Centre of Excellence in Non-profit Governance is a six part program that offers assistance to organizations to help identify challenges they are facing with respect to their organization’s governance and management and to provide expertise and resources to help charities to improve their practices in these areas.
LEARN MORE about the centre of excellence
Grant Programs
NCF’s granting programs are the wheels that turn our intention into impact. With a finger on the pulse of Niagara, our grants team has designed each program to nurture and build on Niagara’s strengths and assets, while addressing Niagara’s needs and opportunities for growth. NCF grant programs are data driven, using the Living in Niagara Report as a core document for understanding the needs and opportunities in Niagara.
We believe that communities are strengthened by initiatives which increase the capacity of organizations and individuals and respond to challenges and opportunities; develop local leadership, promote self-reliance, emphasize prevention and mobilize civic participation and resources. NCF connects donors to causes and communities to resources and this happens through our grants programs.
Click here for a list of NCF's 2021 Grantees
Each of our grants programs is put through a rigorous process to ensure that the investments of our donors are being directed to meet the needs of the charities across Niagara. Each application for our discretionary grants program needs to meet the minimum requirements of our Governance Practices Checklist, and is evaluated by a volunteer Grants Review Committee. Made up of a diverse group of volunteers, each application is evaluated to ensure funds are, meeting the greatest needs in Niagara, are making a visible impact in our communities, and are being fairly dispersed across the Region. A list of recommendations are sent to our board of directors for final approval and the grants are disbursed, turning intention into impact.
For initiatives, such as federal partnership funding, click here.
NCF launches New Grant Portal. Click here to find out more.
-
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
Environmental Grants Program
Our Environmental Grants Program focuses on bringing more partners together in our community to create a collaborative approach to meeting the environmental challenges we are facing.
-
APRIL 3, 2023
David S. Howes Fund Grants Program
The David S. Howes Grants Program provides grants to eligible organizations providing services in Niagara. Grants from this Fund will support post-secondary, facilities, research, health-care services, education and humanitarian issues. Minimum ask of $15,000.
-
APRIL 17 & OCTOBER 23, 2023
Mini Grants Program
The Mini-Grants Program provides $750 grants to eligible organizations for projects that address the Foundation’s granting priorities. This program provides a time-sensitive, streamlined and responsive process for smaller projects. This grant is not suitable for projects that have a budget exceeding $2500.
-
APRIL 24, 2023
Summer Camp Grants Program
Our Summer Camp program will help Niagara children in financial need participate in a variety of camping and recreation experiences. An opportunity to go to summer camp or be involved in a neighbourhood activity not only helps our children develop new skills, make new friends and raise their self esteem, it also gives them the chance to get their hands dirty and have lots of fun.
-
OCTOBER 2, 2023
Community Grants Program
Our Community Grants Program focuses on finding ways to help individuals, families, organizations and communities prosper. While Niagara is facing many challenges, we also have an opportunity to seek new and sustainable ways of addressing community issues and creating a more collaborative approach to meeting the challenges facing organizations and our community. Maximum ask of $15,000.
-
ROLLING DEADLINE
Strategic Initiatives Grants Program
The Niagara Community Foundation is interested in receiving Letters of Intent requesting support from the Foundation towards projects having a broad community impact which address the Foundation’s grant making priorities. The Foundation may consider a multi-year commitment for these projects.
Charitable Organization Funds
Charitable funds provide nonprofit organizations the opportunity to open an income earning endowment fund that will support your organization in perpetuity. Starting a Charitable Fund with NCF is a great choice for organizations who want an easy and flexible way to begin a fund without having to do the tedious work of creating their own foundation. Whether you have received a legacy gift from one of your donors or want to begin with a modest investment that will build overtime, opening a Charitable Endowment Fund is a straightforward way to support your organization for generations to come.
Here’s some FAQ to help you decide if a Charitable Endowment Fund is a good fit for you.
There is no legal definition, but the commonly accepted meaning for 'endowment' is a fund which is kept in perpetuity (forever) to provide interest and dividend earnings for the benefit of a charitable cause. Each year, income earned on the organization's fund is available to be used by the charity or it can be reinvested in the capital.
No. Organizations that are formed in support of short-term causes or particular events do not need endowments. Similarly, organizations which are in financial crisis, do not have a donor base or lack any credible record of accomplishments are unlikely candidates for an endowment. Outside of these exceptions, most other organizations will benefit from an endowment fund.
You could but setting up a new foundation is a lot of work and a large responsibility. It’s important for your Board to evaluate whether your organization has the necessary skills, expertise and resources to manage a permanent endowment fund; basically to start another organization. A more straightforward approach is to invest with a community foundation. For NCF, this is our full-time business; we have been building a permanent endowment for Niagara since 2000. NCF has a professional investment counsel who is monitored and evaluated by our Investment Advisory Committee. We have many layers of accountability, financial and legal acumen and 21+ year of experience that we will be put behind your endowment fund. You are in good hands.
To be healthy and stable, an organization needs to meet its current operating budget with specific strategies. An organization should have an operating reserve account that can cover its expenses in an emergency. Then, based on some fundamental criteria of what defines an endowment donor, you are ready to consider endowment fundraising as an option. Endowment fund income can be used for whatever you like, however, using it to cover annual operating costs reduces the stress on the organization and frees up resources for new programs.
An operating reserve is a board-designated fund that may act like an endowment because an organization chooses not to touch the capital. Capital is, in fact, available to meet emergency needs should the board choose to expend it. Usually, operating reserves are managed and invested by the organization's staff and board. An endowment, on the other hand, is a fund in which by definition the capital cannot be invaded. Often this is best accomplished only by placing the endowment outside the reach of the organization, like with a community foundation.
If you establish a true endowment, the capital is non-encroachable and your emergency must be solved with other financial resources. If it is a board-designated endowment, there are many examples of 'borrowing' and other creative accounting techniques which invade principal with full intention of repaying it but, most often this doesn’t work. Endowment capital should not be touched regardless of the depth of the emergency.
If you have an endowment held in trust through an independent charitable foundation, such as the Niagara Community Foundation, the assets will be redirected to the most similar cause available. This can be pre-determined when setting up your fund or can be left to the discretion of the Foundation.
Absolutely not. In fact, the addition of an endowment program when presented to your current donors will encourage them, knowing they are dealing with an organization with the foresight to plan to stabilize its financial future. We’ve learned from experience that committed donors don't typically pick and choose ways to support their favourite charities, but frequently participate in all of them; having an endowment fund complements your donor’s giving patterns.
We are ready and waiting! NCF has the technical expertise and the facility to accept gifts in a timely, cost-effective manner on behalf of the agency, e.g., transfer of shares, etc. Your organization is welcome to put us directly in touch with the donor and we handle the rest to ensure their contribution is added to your fund.
Many use the terms interchangeably, but they really are two separate things. An endowment is the pot of money you build as a nest egg for your organization. Many gifts that go into the pot will be planned gifts, loosely defined as out-of-the-ordinary gifts that require careful estate and financial planning on the part of the donor.
You are welcome to let your donors know about the newly established fund, however, your fund will be publicized in NCF’s communication materials and this can attract new donors to your organization.
The fund is non-encroachable by the charity, even during times of extreme financial need- you can’t touch it. There may be years in which the investment earnings are insufficient to make the annual distribution. In this instance, the Foundation may be able to draw on any undistributed earnings from previous years.
Want to know more?
We would be happy to discuss starting a charitable endowment fund further with you. To find out more, or to get started, contact Bryan Rose, our Executive Director.
Centre of Excellence Governance Program
We know that proper governance can be a challenge for many charities, especially smaller organizations. This is why we created “the Centre of Excellence in Non-profit Governance” or COE. This six part program offers assistance to organizations to help identify challenges they are facing with respect to their organization’s governance, and management, and to provide expertise and resources to help charities improve their practices in these areas.
There are 6 sections to the COE, some of which are delivered by the Foundation and some in partnership with Niagara Connects through the Niagara Knowledge Exchange (NKE) tool.
This program is offered to assist organizations to identify challenges they are facing with respect to their organization’s governance and management and to provide expertise and resources to help charities to improve their practices in these areas. With this program, charities complete our Governance Gap Analysis tool and use the results of the analysis to put together a work plan to address the identified governance gaps. What is critical is that the Board Chair/President and the organization’s senior staff leadership (ex. CEO, ED, senior staff member) work on this initiative together.
This program is offered to assist organizations to identify challenges they are facing with respect to their organization’s governance and management and to provide expertise and resources to help charities to improve their practices in these areas. With this program, charities complete our Governance Gap Analysis tool and use the results of the analysis to put together a work plan to address the identified governance gaps.
The Governance Gap Analysis Tool covers five areas:
- Board governance – leadership, oversight, policies and processes
- Financial accountability and transparency
- Fundraising – leading practices and donor relationships
- Board-Staff relationship – policies, staff recruitment, performance management, professional development
- Volunteer management – policies, procedures, practices and provides expertise and resources to help charities improve their performance.
Once a charity completes the checklist, successful applicants will receive 20 hours of coaching by a qualified GCP Consultant. The Consultant will design a unique work plan to meet your organization’s needs, and provide facilitation and resources to support your Board of Directors and Senior Staff. The critical piece to this program is buy-in from the Board Chair/President and the organization’s senior staff leadership (ex. CEO, ED, senior staff member). This is essential to make this program a success.
To find out more about our GCP Consultants click here.
Click here to learn more about the program or contact JoAnne Krick, Director of Grants & Community Initiatives.
NCF requires that charities applying for one of our grant programs need to meet 8 out of 14 governance practices listed below, to be eligible to apply. However, if a minimum of 8 practices are not currently in place, a charity is allowed to apply once and the charity is directed to appropriate resources and support to address gaps. If a charity is part of the Governance Partners Program listed in Section One, it is exempt from this requirement.
Charities are not permitted subsequent applications until 8 of the minimum practices have been met or a plan is in place to achieve them.
- The organization has written HR management policies that comply, at minimum, with employment, health and safety, and other applicable legislation.
- Does the board approve an annual budget?
- Does the board review the actual budget at least twice a year?
- Does the board meet a minimum of 3 times annually?
- Are board policies reviewed at least every 4 years?
- Is there a policy that clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of the board and officers?
- Are there fixed terms for board members?
- Has a strategic plan been developed in the last 4 years?
- Does the board annually review progress on achieving strategic plan goals and adjust the plan to reflect progress and new opportunities?
- Is ED/CEO performance reviewed annually?
- Is a board evaluation undertaken annually?
- Is there an interim succession plan in place or being developed in the unexpected changeover in organization leadership?
- Is there a conflict of interest policy?
- Is there a reserve policy?
Click here for resources to help meet these requirements.
We work in partnership with Niagara Connects to ensure current Canadian-based governance resources are posted on the Niagara Knowledge Exchange (NKE). Relevant, reliable resources are identified, tagged, accessible, and promoted to the sector. Here’s the link to the NKE website: niagaraknowledgeexchange.com Type ‘governance’ into the search box on the NKE and a list of governance-related learning events and information resources, with related links will be identified.
The Foundation has provided capacity-building grants to support professional and organizational development since 2001. They are available through our Community Grants and Mini-Grants. Go to the Grants section of our site to get further information and links to our application forms.
The Foundation is working in partnership with Niagara Connects Knowledge Brokers to ensure that relevant professional development (PD) opportunities are sourced, tagged and regularly added to the Niagara Community Calendar on the Niagara Knowledge Exchange (NKE). A process is in place to keep PD opportunities on the Calendar current and promoted to the sector. Organizations providing professional development for the sector are encouraged to post on the Calendar on the NKE. To access the Calendar go to the NKE site, then type the following text, including quotation marks, in the search box: “for-social-profit” AND “training and learning”.
The Foundation will consider sponsoring sector-wide governance professional development opportunities in Niagara. The purpose of the sponsorship is to ensure that fees are not a barrier to participation by charities. Please contact JoAnne Krick to inquire about sponsorship opportunities.
For more information about the Centre of Excellence Governance Program, or to apply for funding, contact JoAnne Krick, Director of Grants & Community Initiatives.
