Community foundations recognize FCU Community Financial and Vancity’s commitment to lasting local impact

Community foundation representatives from across coastal and island communities gathered at the Comox Valley Community Foundation on November 9 to celebrate a $250,000 investment by FCU Community Financial and Vancity in the communities they serve.

The gathering brought together community foundation leaders, branch managers and other credit union representatives to recognize the Community First Investment Initiative and the local relationships behind it.

“This investment comes at a time when the gap between community needs and available funding is deeply felt,” said Jolean Finnerty, Executive Director of the Comox Valley Community Foundation, which hosted the gathering. “Here in the Comox Valley, requests to our community granting programs far exceed what we can fund. Behind those requests are people working to ensure their neighbours have food, connection, accessible services and opportunities to participate in community life.”

Announced in October, the initiative supports seven community foundations and funds serving the Comox Valley, qathet region, Bowen Island, Hornby Island, Texada Island, Bowser and Cortes Island.

“Our branches have been part of these communities for generations, and our connection to the people who live here runs deep,” said Caitlin Bryant, Impact Manager, Community Banking at FCU Community Financial. “Working with community foundations helps us carry that commitment forward, putting resources in the hands of local leaders who understand their communities and are invested in their future.”
The investment includes:

• $60,000 to the Comox Valley Community Foundation.
• $30,000 to the Hornby Island Community Fund, held by the Comox Valley Community Foundation.
• $55,000 to the Powell River Community Foundation.
• $35,000 to the Bowen Island Community Foundation.
• $25,000 to the Texada Island Named Fund, held by the Powell River Community Foundation.
• $25,000 to the Bowser Community Fund, held by the Parksville Qualicum Community Foundation.
• $20,000 to the Cortes Island Community Foundation.

Community foundations connect charitable giving with local knowledge, helping donors support priorities identified within their communities. By building resources close to home, they help sustain community organizations and respond as needs change.

“This investment brings together FCU’s longstanding community relationships and Vancity’s capacity to help those relationships grow,” said Wellington Holbrook, President and CEO of Vancity. “We’re proud to support community foundations that keep local priorities at the heart of their work and build resources that will benefit these communities for years to come.”

The November 9 celebration recognized both the financial contribution and a shared commitment to the future of coastal, rural and island communities.

“Across our regions, we share a commitment to helping local generosity make a lasting difference,” said Finnerty. “An investment like this strengthens our ability to support that work over time. It also demonstrates the role businesses can play alongside community foundations in caring for the places where their employees and members live.”

Community foundation representatives, FCU Community Financial staff and guests celebrate a $250,000 investment by FCU Community Financial and Vancity supporting seven coastal and island communities.

67 local non-profits have requested more than $1 million in community grants. Your generosity can help us say yes to more of them.

Every year, non-profit organizations across the Comox Valley bring forward inspiring projects and essential services that strengthen our community. From providing nutritious meals and stable housing to supporting mental wellness, inclusion and environmental stewardship, these organizations help create a community where everyone can thrive.

This year, the Comox Valley Community Foundation received grant requests from 67 non-profit organizations totaling more than $1 million, with just over $400,000 available to distribute.

While this funding will make a meaningful difference, many worthwhile projects remain beyond our current funding resources.

Throughout November and December, we’re inviting community members, businesses and supporters to help us close that gap.

Through our Immediate Impact Granting Fund, your gift will be pooled with others to help fund additional community grants this year.

Give Today to Help Fund More Community Projects

What Your Gift Can Make Possible

This year’s applications reflect the breadth of work happening across our community, your gift could help support:

• Children and youth thriving — mentoring, literacy, school meals and after-school activities.
• Seniors connected and supported — nutritious meals, practical assistance and help to remain at home.
• Food, housing and everyday dignity — community meals, stable housing, clean clothing and essential supplies.
• Mental wellness and recovery — peer support, grief care and continued connection after addiction treatment.
• Families navigating difficult times — early parenting support, dementia resources and comfort during a child’s medical care.
• Inclusion and belonging — Indigenous cultural connection, newcomer language learning and welcoming spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
• Community connection through arts and nature — accessible cultural experiences, outdoor learning and opportunities for creativity, discovery and belonging.
• Stronger organizations, lasting services — equipped volunteers, effective leadership and better systems to sustain community support.

How Does Grant Funding Help?

Grants give non-profit organizations the resources and flexibility to plan and deliver programs with confidence. By helping cover the real costs of providing services, grants ease fundraising pressures so organizations can spend more time doing what they do best — serving our community.

Give to the Causes You Care About

Your gift to the Immediate Impact Granting Fund can support the field of interest that matters most to you, or you can leave it to the Foundation to direct your contribution to areas of greatest need.

Contributions are pooled in a flow-through fund to support this year’s community grants, guided by our community-informed grant advisory process.

Together, We Can Make More Possible

For 30 years, the Comox Valley Community Foundation has connected local generosity with community needs. This year, we have another opportunity to come together and help more good work happen.

Every gift, of any size, brings us closer to funding another worthwhile community project.

Please consider making a gift this November or December and help us say yes to more local nonprofits.

Donate to the Immediate Impact Granting Fund

You can also call us at 250-338-8444 or email office@cvcfoundation.org to learn more about giving.

With gratitude,

From all of us at the Comox Valley Community Foundation.

Help local generosity make a lasting difference.

Do you care about the Comox Valley and want to contribute to its future? The Comox Valley Community Foundation invites expressions of interest for up to two volunteer positions on our Board of Directors.

Serving on the Board is an opportunity to bring your perspective, learn alongside others, and help guide a foundation that connects community generosity with local needs.

What You Bring

We welcome people with a range of backgrounds and experiences who share a commitment to our community. Your perspective may come from your work, volunteering, community involvement or personal experience.

We’re looking for people who are willing to:

• Bring curiosity, welcome different perspectives, and work collaboratively.
• Support strong governance through informed decisions and accountability.
• Learn about local needs and the role of community philanthropy.
• Uphold our values of trust, compassion, inclusivity, equity and collaboration.
• Help share understanding of the Foundation’s work in the community.

For this recruitment intake, legal experience would be particularly welcome to complement the skills of our current Board, but it is not a requirement.

What the Role Involves

Directors work together to guide the Foundation’s strategic direction, oversee its financial strength, and ensure it remains accountable to its mission and the community.

Board members participate in meetings and serve on committees, including Governance and Finance & Investment. The Board works in partnership with the Executive Director, who leads staff and day-to-day operations.

Directors serve a three-year term, with an anticipated commitment of 5–10 hours per month, including preparation, Board and committee meetings, and occasional community activities.

Different Perspectives Strengthen Our Work

Our community holds many different experiences, identities, and ways of understanding what matters. Bringing those perspectives into Board discussions helps us ask better questions and make more informed decisions.

We welcome individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. If an adjustment or accommodation would help you participate in the recruitment process, please contact us in confidence. We welcome a conversation about what would work for you.

About the Foundation

Since 1996, the Comox Valley Community Foundation has helped people give back to the community we call home. We bring together donations, invest gifts for the long term, and provide grants to local non-profits and scholarships to students.

With more than $20 million in charitable assets and $8.63 million awarded in grants and scholarships since our founding, we support community well-being today and for generations to come.

We are honoured to live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation and remain committed to learning and reconciliation.

How to Express Your Interest

Please email a brief introduction explaining why you’re interested in joining the Board and what experiences or perspectives you would bring, along with your résumé.

Deadline: Friday, November 27, 2026
Email: executive-director@cvcfoundation.org

Curious about the role before applying? You’re welcome to contact Executive Director Jolean Finnerty at the same email address for a conversation.

If someone you know might enjoy this opportunity, please share it with them.

New chair Judy Moore joins fellow directors in stewarding local generosity for lasting community benefit.

The Comox Valley Community Foundation is pleased to welcome Judy Moore as Chair of its Board of Directors.

Judy brings extensive public-sector leadership experience, having served in senior executive roles at the federal, provincial and territorial levels, including as Assistant Deputy Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Deputy Minister of Social Services and of Education. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division for 10 years serving as Chair and Past Chair for several years.

Through three years on the Comox Valley Community Foundation’s Board, Judy has gained a strong understanding of local needs, the vital role of non-profit organizations and the importance of reliable funding to support their work. As Chair, she will work alongside fellow directors to guide the Foundation’s strategic direction, strengthen its role in the community, and help local generosity make a lasting difference.

A message from Judy Moore
“Serving on the Board has deepened my appreciation for the work local non-profits do and the difference community generosity makes. As Chair, I look forward to working with my fellow directors to build on that generosity and help ensure the Foundation’s support remains meaningful and responsive to our community, today and in the years ahead.”

The Foundation thanks outgoing Chair Craig Rennison for his leadership and service. Craig will continue serving on the Board and leading the Finance & Investment Committee in the coming year.

The Comox Valley Community Foundation helps people give back to the community we call home. By pooling donations and investing gifts for the long term, the Foundation provides grants to local non-profits and scholarships to students, supporting the Comox Valley today and for generations to come.

Together, the directors bring diverse expertise to the stewardship of more than $20 million in charitable assets, supporting lasting community benefit.

Community-informed funding invests in essential services and the organizations delivering them

More than $450,000 in new grant funding will be available to nonprofits serving the Comox Valley through the Comox Valley Community Foundation’s 2026-27 community granting programs.

This year, eligible organizations will have two new ways to access support: multi-year grants of up to $30,000 per year for three years and a dedicated Nonprofit Capacity Building stream that invests in the strength and sustainability of local organizations.

The new funding options reflect findings from the Foundation’s spring 2026 Nonprofit Sector Survey. More than 80 local nonprofits shared their perspectives on urgent community needs, the challenges involved in addressing them, and the types of funding that would help them respond most effectively.

“This year’s funding priorities recognize that meeting urgent community needs requires strategic investment in both essential programs and the organizations that deliver them,” says Jolean Finnerty, Executive Director of the Comox Valley Community Foundation.

The Foundation’s Community Enrichment Grants will provide $350,000 in funding through two streams:

• Community Needs: Funding for work addressing 1) housing stability and basic needs and
  2) mental health and social connection. Organizations may apply for a single-year grant of
  up to $20,000 or multi-year funding of up to $30,000 per year for three years.
• Nonprofit Capacity Building: Funding of up to $20,000 to strengthen the people, systems, governance, planning or long-term resilience of organizations serving the community.

An additional $50,000 will support the continuation of collaborative environment and conservation initiatives, and $50,000 will support recreation and social programming for adults with diverse abilities. These funds will be distributed through invitation-based community tables involving organizations working in each area.

“This funding exists in the Comox Valley thanks to many individuals, families, businesses, and partners who give. By pooling these donations, the Foundation can invest in strong nonprofits and the essential work they do to help the Comox Valley thrive,” says Finnerty.

Community Enrichment Grant applications open August 10 and close September 25, 2026, at 5 p.m. Registered charities and other eligible nonprofits whose work benefits the Comox Valley are encouraged to review the complete funding guidelines and apply here.

Comox Valley Community Foundation is excited to announce that 39 projects have been funded through this year’s Neighbourhood Small Grants program. The projects, which will take place throughout the Comox Valley, share a total of $12,086 with grants ranging from $166 to $500.

The Neighbourhood Small Grants program is based on a simple but powerful idea – when people feel a sense of connection and belonging in their neighbourhood, they are more likely to be engaged in activities that make it a better place to live. The program is funded by the Vancouver Foundation and administered locally through the Comox Valley Community Foundation. It supports residents of any age, experience, or background to take part in community building.

“We are delighted to continue our support of the Neighbourhood Small Grants program,” said Jolean Finnerty, the Foundation’s Executive Director. “The project leaders consistently bring a wide range of fun and creative ideas forward. These small grants spark meaningful change and leave a lasting impact in our communities.”

A diverse range of projects will take place in 2026, including the creation of a new seed library in Fanny Bay and several neighborhood gatherings throughout Courtenay, Comox, and Cumberland, gardening workshops, new parent gatherings and much more.

2026 Neighbourhood Small Grants Projects

City of Courtenay and Comox Valley Regional District investments help provide $213,377 to 11 organizations through the Comox Valley Community Foundation’s coordinated granting process.

The Comox Valley Community Foundation, the City of Courtenay, and the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD), are working together to invest in local nonprofits that improve community wellbeing across the Comox Valley.

In 2026, the City of Courtenay and the CVRD invested a combined $80,000 through the Community Foundation’s granting services. When combined with philanthropic and donor-directed funding, that investment helped deliver $213,377 to 11 local nonprofits.

The shared process helps address community needs, while providing public and private funders access to local expertise, transparent decision-making, and efficient administration. Nonprofits can also apply for multiple funding sources through a single application.

“This funding helps Comox Valley nonprofits reach more people, strengthen essential services, and respond to emerging needs in the Comox Valley,” said Jolean Finnerty, Executive Director of the Comox Valley Community Foundation. “Practical support is reaching people where they need it most—from meals and housing supports to youth programs, newcomer services, and mental health initiatives.”

The funds distributed through these local government partnerships formed part of the Community Foundation’s broader granting programs, which awarded a total of $600,520 to 45 nonprofits and community initiatives this year. Together, these organizations form a safety net that helps people access food, housing supports, recreation, education, social connection and other opportunities to thrive.

The City of Courtenay partnership provided $129,177 to seven organizations, helping expand services and strengthen community wellbeing for City residents.

“Our partnership with the Community Foundation is an investment in the community’s well-being,” said Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells. “By working together, we provide organizations with the support they need to succeed.”

The CVRD partnership provided $84,200 to four organizations that advance social development and improve quality of life across the region.

“The CVRD is proud to partner with the Foundation to support valuable programs and services in the Comox Valley,” said Will Cole-Hamilton, Chair of the Comox Valley Regional District Board. “The regional granting program helps organizations continue the important work of building strong, resilient communities.”

While these partnerships created significant impact, the need was greater than the grants available. Twelve eligible organizations did not receive funding this year, representing a shortfall of $252,480 in community projects and services.

“When community need outpaces resources, every dollar counts,” said Finnerty. “The Comox Valley has been very generous; we are hopeful that more funders, including private foundations and donor-advised fund holders, will join us to support more essential projects and services next year.”

To learn more about the projects, explore the Foundation’s granting programs, or contribute to future community impact, visit cvcfoundation.org.

City of Courtenay
Grant-in-Aid Funding Recipients

• Alano Club of Courtenay
• Comox Bay Care Society (Care-a-Van)
• Comox Valley Head Injury Society
• Comox Valley Recovery Centre Society
• Eureka Support Society
• Multicultural & Immigrant Services Association of North Vancouver Island
• Pride Society of the Comox Valley

Comox Valley Regional District
Grant-in-Aid Funding Recipients

• Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation
• LUSH Valley Food Action Society
• Open Door Language and Culture Society
• Sunday Station Society