Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/398704
Vancouver Foundation Milestone F a l l 2 0 1 4 I V a n c o u v e r F o u n d a t i o n l p a g e 7 $1 billion. at's the staggering amount of money Vancouver Foundation has granted to worthy projects since its inception in 1943. It's an impressive milestone, but the Foundation doesn't take all of the credit and it certainly doesn't see it as the finish line – far from it. Achieving this milestone has been a team effort including the Foundation, the community, philanthropists, partner charities and a lot of volunteers. It is also thanks, in part, to a solid, long-range financial plan. Vancouver Foundation president and CEO Kevin McCort explains, "through a combination of donations, prudent management and long-term investing, we've been able to generate this substantial amount of granting." However, offering individual donors, charities and community foundations a flexible, centralized hub through which they can distribute their charitable donations has also been a significant driver in generating $1 billion in grants. "Our giving is really uni- versal. We can support any charity in the province and our fund holders can grant to any Canada Revenue Agency–registered char- ity in Canada," says McCort. is provides individuals and family foundations who want to create an endowment or make a large donation with a simplified and reliable way to designate specific charities or causes that they'd like to support. Donors may prefer to allow Vancouver Foundation to determine where the funds are most needed. e Foundation regularly checks the pulse of the community through initiatives like the Vital Signs survey to identify areas of need in the community and directs grants accordingly. McCort reports that there are about 500 charities benefiting from these adjudicated grants annually and approximately 1,200 charitable organizations that receive funding because they have been specifically named by donors. Vancouver Foundation is reaching milestones – and setting new ones By Valerie McTaVish IllustratIon sara Tyson Reaching $1 Billion