Wood Buffalo Community Foundation Launches Rapid Response Fund

Wood Buffalo Community Foundation (WBCF) is coordinating a Rapid Response Fund to help address the urgent and longer term needs of the non-profit and charitable sector in the Wood Buffalo Region. We are partnering with Edmonton Community Foundation to accept donations and will collaborate with United Way of Fort McMurray on fund distribution. We are pleased to acknowledge the support of the Government of Alberta, which is matching donations.  

As the magnitude Covid19’s impact becomes more evident, so does the need for a strong social support system in our community. Our region is still struggling to deal with the social, economic and mental health impacts of the wildfire. For many, Covid19 and the associated economic fallout could be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. 

Income and social supports from the federal government are welcome, but we need to ensure the local agencies who provide direct services in our region have the resources to address increased needs. Like governments, these agencies are being called upon to address immediate impacts due to COVID19 while preparing for longer term impacts. The whole sector is in danger as events are cancelled, people are laid off, and revenue is restricted.

Following the Fort McMurray wildfire, the social profit sector learned the value of information sharing and collaboration. WBCF will collaborate with United Way and others to ensure we build on these lessons. 

WBCF is adapting our fund development and granting strategies to address the urgent needs created by this pandemic and the associated economic hardships. This is not an endowed fund and we are not publicly fundraising. If you see the potential for this kind of nimble and strategic response, we invite you to contribute, by using Edmonton Community Foundation’s Rapid Response Fund. Donations to this Fund will be accepted until May 31st, to align with Edmonton’s campaign and the deadline for achieving the government match. 

How does it work? 

1. Edmonton Community Foundation will receive donations on our behalf via a web page set up for Edmonton’s Rapid Response Fund. Donors should assign their donation to Wood Buffalo Community Foundation or WBCF in the “comments” section on the web page or via the designated phone line when they make their donation.

   Please note: to help save on fees charged for online donations, if you plan on making a gift larger than $1,000, please contact Matt Mandrusiak (mmandrusiak@ecfoundation.org) to discuss your options. 

2. Edmonton Community Foundation will forward the donated funds along with the corresponding matching support from the Government of Alberta to WBCF when the campaign ends. 

3. WBCF will leverage our extensive granting experience and strong relationships with other funders in the region to determine grant recipients and amounts granted. WBCF’s grants committee includes representatives from United Way, municipal government, education, arts, recreation and social services. They understand the urgent needs of the region and will help ensure those needs are met. 

What else is WBCF doing to support our region during this crisis? In March, WBCF advised 2019 grantees not to worry about reporting on projects and to let us know if they need to use the grants they received for other purpose.

Grants from WBCF’s endowed funds in 2020 will focus on addressing programs or projects that increase accessibility to mental health supports for specific populations such as youth, seniors, health care and emergency service providers. The call for applications for these grants will be announced soon. 

If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to Fund Development and Donor Stewardship Chair Brenda Erskine at bmerskine2@gmail.com or (587) 432-5325.

In closing, WBCF thanks you for your ongoing support. Stay healthy, stay home and be kind to each other.

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About Wood Buffalo Community Foundation

The WBCF is a registered Canadian charity. Our mission is to enhance quality of life in our region by supporting community members and organizations in building long term, mutually beneficial relationships between donors and grantees. We provide grants to improve and enhance the stability and sustainability of the community.

Contact

media.wbcf@gmail.com

Wood Buffalo Community Foundation announces five local recipients for 2019 Grant Funding

(Fort McMurray, AB – September 25, 2019) The Wood Buffalo Community Foundation (WBCF) has selected five local community groups as the recipients of nearly $200,000 in community grant funding. The funding is part of the Foundation’s 2019 grant cycle, which invited applications from local charities and community groups in early May.  

This year’s grant cycle marks the second round of grant funding issued by the WBCF. The 2019 grant recipients include:

• The Canadian Mental Health Association

• FuseSocial Wood Buffalo Society

• St. Aidan’s House Society

• The Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo

• Pastew Place Detoxification Centre
  

Since being founded in 2017, the WBCF has been building its endowed funds to help support and strengthen the social profit sector in the Wood Buffalo Region. Part of this support comes in the form of strategic grant giving, which helps to provide financial assistance for community projects in the areas of health, education, arts, culture, social services, sports and recreation, the environment and other emerging community needs.

This year’s funding will help support valuable community projects such as the Peer Support Program offered through the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Senior Outreach & Advocate Program run by St. Aidan’s House Society and FuseSocial Wood Buffalo Society’s Leadership & Education Program.

“We’re very pleased to be able to support these great charities and community groups that are providing valuable programming and assistance to the individuals and families in our region who need it most,” said Tony Mankowski, WBCF Board Chair. “It is our goal to contribute to a sustainable social profit sector that will help support our region for decades to come, and our annual grant cycles are just one of the ways we work to achieve that goal.”

For more information on the WBCF’s 2019 grant cycle, visit www.wbcfoundation.ca. 

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About Wood Buffalo Community Foundation

The WBCF is a registered Canadian charity. Our mission is to enhance quality of life in our region by supporting community members and organizations in building long term, mutually beneficial relationships between donors and grantees. We provide grants to improve and enhance the stability and sustainability of the community.

Contact

media.wbcf@gmail.com

Now Hiring: Wood Buffalo Community Foundation (WBCF) Manager

The Wood Buffalo Community Foundation is now seeking applications for the position of WBCF manager.

The WBCF Manager will report to the Chair of the Board of Directors and work with Committee Chairs to achieve the goals outlined in the Wood Buffalo Community Foundation Strategic Plan. The successful candidate will be responsible for the organization, management and execution of key activities of the Foundation.

Interested in the position, or know someone who would make the perfect fit? Find the full posting here:

Wood Buffalo Community Foundation elects new chair and appoints three new directors at Annual General Meeting

(Fort McMurray, AB – July 5, 2019) Wood Buffalo Community Foundation (WBCF) appointed a new chair and welcomed three new directors to its Board at its Annual General Meeting on Thursday, June 20 at the Redpoll Centre in Fort McMurray. Anthony (Tony) Mankowski was elected chair, and Tony Aruleba, Nayef Mahgoub and Shoaib Syed were elected as new directors to the Board.

“I would like to thank our outgoing chair, Shelley Powell for her leadership and energy, taking this Foundation to where it is today,” said Tony. “I’m also very happy to welcome our three new directors and I look forward to working with them.”

The board also accepted the Foundation’s 2018 annual review, featuring Founders Circle members and reports from grantees. The report can be found on the website at wbcfoundation.ca/annual-report.

As part of regular business, the Board re-appointed Deloitte LLP as auditors and confirmed the following directors and terms: Anthony Mankowski (June 2020); Brenda Erskine (June 2020); Mark Shaw (September 2019); Glen Finnson (June 2020); Thomas Lawley (September 2019); Anna Seinen (June 2020); Sangram Hansra (June 2020). Thomas Lawley continues in the executive role as secretary while Tony Aruleba takes on the role of treasurer.

For more information contact media.wbcf@gmail.com.

The WBCF is a registered Canadian charity. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through grants and partnerships that improve the capacity and sustainability of our community.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE MEMBERS

May 30, 2019

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Wood Buffalo

Community Foundation (the WBCF) is called for, and will be held at, the large conference room

of The Redpoll Centre (Shell Place, 1 C.A. Knight Way, Fort McMurray, AB) on the 20th day of

June, at the hour of 9:00 am (MT) for the following purposes: 1. To receive the WBCF’s

financial statements for the financial year ended December 31, 2018. 2. To elect additional

Directors of the Board. 3. To appoint the Auditors of the Corporation for the ensuing year. 4. To

transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting.

If you plan to attend the meeting as an observer, please RSVP to sandy.carkener@gmail.com by

Monday, June 17 with your name and, if relevant, the member organization you will be

representing.

The AGM agenda and the WBCF’s 2018 financial statements can be viewed at www.wbcfoundation.ca/annual-general-meeting.

Wood Buffalo Community Foundation Announces Second Call for Grant Applications

(Fort McMurray, AB – May 1, 2019) The Wood Buffalo Community Foundation (WBCF) is ready to accept applications for its 2019 granting cycle.

WBCF funds local initiatives in a wide variety of areas, including health, education, arts, culture, social services, sports and recreation, the environment or other emerging community needs. In 2018, the Foundation awarded almost $250,000 to seven local agencies in the social profit sector.

For this grant cycle, WBCF is calling for applications that address the following target areas, in order of priority:

1. Programs or projects that lead to the sustainability of the social profit sector through collaboration or social enterprise;

2. Prevention and/or early intervention programs or projects that are working to solve root causes and potentially make a systems change;

3. Programs or projects that provide wellness support for individuals and families experiencing crisis.

The deadline for grant applications is June 12, 2019. Details on the application process can be found on wbcfoundation.ca/community-grant.

WBCF’s grants committee aims to shortlist the applications by the end of July and make final decisions on awarding of grants before the end of October 2019.

The WBCF is a registered Canadian charity. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through grants and partnerships that improve the capacity and sustainability of our community.

For more information go to www.wbcfoundation.ca.

WBCF Strategic Plan 2018-2020

Wood Buffalo Community Foundation is one of over 140 community foundations across Canada. It is one of the newest Community Foundations, established in March 29, 2017, and holds to the principle of socially investing in its community to enhance the quality of life, the fostering of connections, and building community affinity and prosperity. 

This document represents the new Strategic Plan for Wood Buffalo Community Foundation for 2019 to 2021. It was reviewed by the workshop participants, and approved by the Board of Directors. Implementation will be undertaken, initially through the Board’s committee structure and the Board itself. 

Wood Buffalo Community Foundation provides $246,000 in grant funding to seven local organizations

(Fort McMurray, AB – December 13, 2018) On Thursday, the Wood Buffalo Community

Foundation (WBCF) announced seven local charities as recipients of the organization’s first

round of community grant funding.

Founded in 2017, the WBCF has been building its endowed funds to help strengthen the

social profit sector in the Wood Buffalo Region. This year, the organization will provide

nearly $246,000 in grant funding to local charities and community groups.

This year’s grant cycle focused on local charities who provide support for addictions, mental

health, parenting, abuse, family violence and family counselling in the region. The seven

grantees include The Hub Family Resource Centre, Pastew Place Detoxification Center,

KidSport Wood Buffalo, Legacy Counselling Centre, Autism Society of the RMWB, Safe

Community Wood Buffalo and the North East Alberta Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Network.

The grants will support these local organizations in continuing valuable community projects

and programs, such as the successful Parent Coaching Program offered by the Hub Family

Resource Centre, and the Autism Society of the RMWB’s Socio Respite Program for youth

on the autism spectrum.

“We’re very excited to be at a point where we can provide resources and support to some of

the great charities and community groups in our community,” said Shelley Powell, WBCF

Board Chair. “While this grant cycle is our first, it certainly won’t be our last. Our goal is to be

a sustainable source of funding for the local social profit sector for decades to come, and

we’re very pleased to see it starting here with these seven deserving recipients.”

For more information on the WBCF’s 2018 grant cycle, visit www.wbcfoundation.ca.

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About Wood Buffalo Community Foundation

The WBCF is a registered Canadian charity. Our mission is to enhance quality of life in our

region by supporting community members and organizations in building long term, mutually

beneficial relationships between donors and grantees. We provide grants to improve and

enhance the stability and sustainability of the community.

Contact

media.wbcf@gmail.com

Collaboration Project To Strengthen Wood Buffalo Social Profits

Three social profit agencies today announced a collaboration project to help strengthen the Social Profit Sector of Wood Buffalo by working together to coordinate efforts within the region.

The Boards of the United Way Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo, FuseSocial, and the Wood Buffalo Community Foundation have empowered a steering committee to explore ways to create a shared vision of the desired future for the social profit sector, as well as a plan of funded activities to achieve that vision over a three- to five-year period. The committee is also expected to define the roles of each organization within the plan.

The membership of the steering committee will be:

United Way Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo – Steve Yatauro, Board Chair and Cecilia Mutch, Executive Director

FuseSocial – John Evans, Board Chair and Chantal Beaver, Executive Director

Wood Buffalo Community Foundation – Shelley Powell, Board Chair and Tony Mankowski, Board Member

As time progresses, the inclusion of other organizations will be imperative to the success of this project and their participation will be sought in this collaborative effort.

The initial proposed steps of the committee include a consultation process for input, developing a strategy focused on overall impact, and aligning roles and responsibilities for each recommended project in order to minimize duplication and maximize collaboration.

QUOTES

“Wood Buffalo is a great community and we want the social profit sector to continue to thrive. This collaboration is a good starting point to creating a plan that will strengthen the sector and have many positive outcomes for our community.”

- John Evans, Board Chair, FuseSocial

“The timing is right for collaboration and it is our intent to lead by example. There is an opportunity today to move forward in a way that is unified and to develop our sector in a planned, coordinated approach for the future.”

- Steve Yatauro, Board Chair, United Way Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo

“Working together will only make us better. If our sector has learned anything from the fires it is that collaborative efforts can and do make a difference in the lives of the people we are trying to reach. We are excited to be a part of this initiative.”

- Shelley Powell, Board Chair, Wood Buffalo Community Foundation

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

United Way Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo website: fmwbunitedway.com

FuseSocial website: fusesocial.ca

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Media contacts:

Cecilia Mutch
United Way Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo
cmutch@fmwbunitedway.com
780 791-0077 ext 3016

Chantal Beaver
FuseSocial
chantal.beaver@fusesocial.ca
780 791 9333 ext 3070

Shelley Powell
Wood Buffalo Community Foundation
media.wbcf@gmail.com
(780) 792-9114

Wood Buffalo Community Foundation Announces First Call for Grant Applications

(Fort McMurray, AB – July 8, 2018) The Wood Buffalo Community Foundation (WBCF) has up to $250,000 in grant money available for regional charities.

“We’re very excited to be at this point, after a year of building our board and seeking donors for our endowed funds,” said WBCF chair Shelley Powell. “We’ve spent time understanding the community’s needs and put some real thought into how we grant money, and for what purpose.”

For this grant cycle, WBCF is calling for applications from community services that focus on: support to families and individuals; accessibility to appropriate mental wellness supports for youth and young adults; increasing access to parenting programs and supports particularly in rural areas; support for persons experiencing abuse and family violence including abuse against seniors; family counselling for divorce and separation; as well as health services that focus on addictions and mental health.

The deadline for grant applications is September 4th, 2018. Details on the application process can be found on wbcfoundation.ca/community-grant

Powell says the grants committee aims to shortlist the applications by October 31st, and to make final decisions by December.

The WBCF is a registered Canadian charity. Our mission is to enhance quality of life in our region by supporting community members and organizations in building long term, mutually beneficial relationships between donors and grantees. We provide grants to improve and enhance the stability and sustainability of the community.

For more information go to www.wbcfoundation.ca.