Overview
The Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies (CFKR) stewards a total of approximately $4 million in 46 permanently invested funds
Since 2003, thanks to the income earned from our endowment funds as well as external project funding, CFKR has granted over $1 million to more than 300 local non-profit projects in our communities of Elkford, Sparwood, Fernie, Cranbrook, and the surrounding rural areas.
Vision, Mission, and Values
Vision
Together, making our communities even better places to live, work, and play, now and forever.
Mission
We build permanently invested endowment funds, provide grants to qualified donees to address local community needs, and offer positive leadership to explore community priorities.
Values: CFKR CARES
- Community:
- We are deeply rooted in our communities. We love where we live, including our favourite mountaintops, lakes, rivers, and trails. We love the people in our communities and all the things they love to do. This is why we provide grants to the widest possible range of eligible organizations and activities, to make our communities even better places to live, work, and play.
- Accountability:
- We are accountable to our donors, endowment fund holders, grant recipients, and the community at large. We strive to be transparent and accurate in all our communications in order to clearly demonstrate our accountability. Our board of local volunteers ensures that we stay on track. A key aspect of our core business is to be accountable for and an excellent steward of each and every donor dollar.
- Responsiveness:
- We keep our ear to the ground. We have our fingers on the pulse of our communities. We strive to keep current with local issues and emerging needs. Our non-designated funds give us the flexibility to respond to new priorities through our annual granting. We are always open to establishing new funds, as opportunities arise.
- Excellence:
- We strive for excellence in all we do, seeking to be a positive leader in our communities.
- Sustainability:
- We offer a long-term approach to charitable giving. We invite donors to help create a lasting legacy that will benefit current and future generations.
Service Area and Charitable Business Number
Service Area
The Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies is honoured to serve the following communities and surrounding rural areas:
- City of Cranbrook
- City of Fernie
- District of Elkford
- District of Sparwood
- ʔaq̓am
- Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi ‘it (Tobacco Plains Indian Band)
- RDEK Electoral Area A – all communities including, but not limited to, Morrissey, Fernie Alpine Resort, West Fernie, Cokato Road, Hosmer, Sparwood Rural, Elkford Rural, Corbin, Flathead
- RDEK Electoral Area B – all communities including, but not limited to, Jaffray, Tie Lake, Rosen Lake, Galloway, Baynes Lake, Elko, Lake Koocanusa, Grasmere, Newgate, Roosville
- RDEK Electoral Area C – all communities including, but not limited to, rural Cranbrook, Fort Steele, Mayook, Bull River, Wardner, Moyie, and the portion of Wycliffe that is not served by the Kimberley & District Community Foundation
- On a case-by-case basis, the Board will consider awarding a grant to a charitable organization serving the East Kootenay region if a substantial portion of the benefit of the program for which the grant is being requested is realized in the CFKR geographic service area.
Charitable Business Number
Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies: 88875 1609 RR0001
Board of Directors
Lisa Barnes
Board Chair
Amy McKinnon
Vice-Chair
Barb Nunes
TREASURER
Daryl Richardson
SECRETARY
Courtney Baker
Board Member
Jeremy Mitchell
Board Member
Mike Trick
Board Member
Sandy Zeznik
BOARD MEMBER
Staff
Lynnette Wray
Executive Director
External Volunteers
- Michele Bates, Volunteer
- Carol Hatala, Volunteer
- Ken Lo, Volunteer
- David Struthers, Volunteer
- Sean Campbell, Volunteer
- Lorraine Frocklage, Volunteer
- Cary Swanson, Volunteer
- Murray Knipfel, Volunteer
- Angela Gordon, Volunteer
- Wayne Eburne, Volunteer
- Corinne Friesen, Volunteer
Committees
CFKR Executive Committee
- Lisa Barnes (Board Chair)
- Amy McKinnon (Vice-Chair)
- Barb Nunes (Board Treasurer)
- Daryl Richardson (Board Secretary)
CFKR Finance Committee
- Barb Nunes (Chair/Treasurer)
- Jeremy Mitchell
- Amy McKinnon
- Mike Trick
CFKR Governance Committee
- Jeremy Mitchell (Chair)
- Daryl Richardson
- Barb Nunes
- Courtney Baker
CFKR Granting Committee
- Amy McKinnon (Chair)
- Daryl Richardson
- Sandy Zeznik
- External Member: Marlin Ratch
- External Member: Kim Levie
CFKR Nominating Committee
- Lisa Barnes (Chair)
- Amy McKinnon (Vice-Chair)
Fernie Community Fund Steering Committee
- Courtney Baker
- Lori Bradish
- Alice Booth
Sparwood Community Fund Steering Committee
- Nicole Latka (Chair)
- Norma McDougall
- Tracey Brook-Baker
- Andrea Flieger
Elkford Community Fund Steering Committee
- Terry Vandale (Chair)
- Shawna Klein
- Ethel Robinson
- Vera Rees
- Toni McIntyre
Board Chair Lisa Barnes and Executive Director Lynnette Wray are ex officio members of all committees.
Our History
In the fall of 2000, a Kimberley resident bequeathed more than $190,000 to the Cranbrook United Way on the condition the funding worked in perpetuity to aid social causes within the Cranbrook region.
In searching for a proper investment vehicle, an opportunity was identified to raise funds locally and to receive matching grants from both the Vancouver Foundation and the Columbia Basin Trust to supplement a two-year local fund raising drive to the amount of $100,000. Over the ensuing two years members of a United Way committee worked within the community to develop interest and raise community awareness. The Cranbrook and District Community Foundation (CDCF) began to take root and initial board members came forward. On March 1, 2003, approximately 75 citizens of our community met at the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort in Cranbrook with Barbara Oates of the Community Foundation of Canada to discuss the formation of a local Foundation. A steering committee was formed and exploration began on how to incorporate, receive status as a registered charity, and become a Community Foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is to benefit a broad cross-section of the community. It is mandated to serve Cranbrook and the surrounding area, including Fort Steele, Wardner, Jaffray, Moyie, and Wycliffe.
By 2004, the CDCF was incorporated, registered as a charity and was a member of the Community Foundations of Canada, having adopted their code of ethics to ensure open, transparent governance and the professional management of funds.
The CDCF held it’s first Grants Gala and Community Kick-Off event on September 25, 2004. It was attended by Foundation members, representatives from all levels of government, and numerous community leaders and engaged citizens from Cranbrook, both within the private and public sectors.
At the event, $5,000 in LEAD funding from the Vancouver Foundation was distributed to four community projects identified through the first CDCF public grants offering:
- A “Teen Space” for the public library
- Aid to the community kitchen managed by the Cranbrook Women’s Resource Society
- The Children’s Festival
- New sound and lighting equipment to enable the Cranbrook Community Theatre to mount more elaborate productions.
The other highlight of the evening was the official signing of a $50,000 Deed of Gift with the F. W. Green Foundation. The revenue generated from these monies will go to support seniors’ projects in the community.
The Board and members of the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation look forward to many years of community support. A prominent theme of Community Foundations is, “It takes a noble person to plant a tree under whose shade will sit people one may never meet.”
Publications
2023 Audited Financial Statements
2022 Audited Financial Statements
2021 Audited Financial Statements
2020 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements
2019 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements
2018 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements
2017 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements