Smart & Caring Communities is a national initiative of the Community Foundations of Canada, which helps to grow local community funds.
A community fund is a pool of donated dollars, which is used to provide grants to all kinds of local projects and activities in a particular location. Through grants, the proceeds from the fund can be used to support arts and cultural events, sports and recreation, innovative programs, resources for responding to immediate needs and much more! Best of all, having a fund provides stability and gives power to donations, by creating a fund that can grow and provide grants year after year.
Here at the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen, we administer seven community funds, and are proud to work with passionate and generous citizens in each of these communities.
To view or to donate to the funds, please visit: Kaleden, Lower Similkameen, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos, Princeton and District, Summerland.
How Smart and Caring Communities Started
Several years ago, the former Governor General of Canada, The Right Honourable David Johnston, issued a challenge – to build a “smart and caring nation.” With that call to action, the Smart & Caring Communities intiative was set up to ensure that every community in Canada was effectively served by one of the more than 191 Community Foundation in Canada by our nation’s 150th anniversary in 2017.
“Join me in imagining our country as it could be…a smart and caring nation, where all Canadians can succeed, contribute, and develop their talents to their fullest potential.” — His Excellency, The Right Honourable David Johnston,
Governor General of Canada (2010-2017).
Our Commitment to the Smart & Caring Communities Initiative
Through the Smart & Caring Communities initiative, the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen is committed to:
- Working together to address local needs
- Inspiring citizens to invest locally
- Align giving with community needs
- Multiply a single gift by pooling funds together
To keep this committment, our Foundation has a dedicated community development officer, Kim English, who works in every community in the region, and who is supported by local community advisory committee members. The development officer’s work includes administrative support, marketing expertise, event planning, fund management services, and many other benefits that will help dedicated citizens provide lasting benefit to the towns they love.
Contact Our Community Development Officer
To learn more about this initiative or to get involved with this program in your community, call 250-493-9311 or email kimenglish@cfso.net
