Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies Announces 2023 Community Grants

Elkford, Sparwood, Fernie, and Cranbrook, BC: May 9, 2023 – The Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies (CFKR) is thrilled to announce the recipients of its 2023 community granting program. In 2023, CFKR had a record-breaking $131,130.06 available to grant, contributing a total of $98,922.32 to 49 community initiatives, including four scholarships and one volunteer award. In addition, a total of $32,207.74 was re-invested in the principals of 16 endowment funds, to grow future granting.

According to Lynnette Wray, CFKR Executive Director, “We appreciate and celebrate all our 2023 grant recipients. We would especially like to highlight the inaugural grant from CFKR’s Addressing Homelessness Fund, which was divided equally among ANKORS, Street Angels, and the Cranbrook Food Bank, as well as the inaugural grant from the Cranbrook Past and Present Teachers’ Legacy Fund.”

In 2023, CFKR granted to a wide range of community projects and programs. Each grant application was reviewed by CFKR’s local volunteer committees, with granting decisions ratified by the CFKR Board.

Elkford Community Fund – $4,078.46:

  • Elkford Public Library – Photo Printer: $1,400.00
  • Elkford Search and Rescue – Furniture for community meeting room: $1,178.46
  • Elkford Lions Club – Neighbours Helping Neighbours: $1,000.00
  • Wildsight – Eco-Stewards: $500.00

Sparwood Community Fund – $6,884.58:

  • CBEEN – Wild Voices for Kids: $500.00
  • Elk Valley Seniors Housing Society – Meals on Wheels: $1,540.00
  • East Kootenay Addiction Services Society – Student Wellness Retreat: $1,844.58
  • Sparwood Golf Club – Golf Equipment: $2,000.00
  • Wildsight – Eco-Stewards: $1,000.00

Fernie Community Fund – $4,682.72:

  • CBEEN – Wild Voices for Kids: $1,000.00
  • Fernie Pets Society – Dog Park Wading Pool: $1,227.58
  • Wildsight – Power of Produce Club: $1,227.58
  • Fernie and District Arts Council – Cleansing Art: $1,227.56

In Cranbrook and area, $28,896.63 was granted to a total of 15 community initiatives, funded by several endowments, including the Cranbrook Community Fund; Seniors’ Enhancement Fund; Kimberley-Cranbrook 2008 Winter Games Arts/Culture and Sports Funds; Knights of Pythias Fund; Arts, Culture, and Heritage Fund; Environment Fund; Outdoor Recreation Fund; and the Neil & Patricia Sinclair Fund:

  • Addressing Homelessness Fund: $6,534.17 – Inaugural grant
    • ANKORS: $2,178.06
    • Cranbrook Food Bank: $2,178.06
    • Street Angels: $2,178.05
  • Active Cranbrook – Pre-school Action Kits: $2,000.00
  • ANKORS –Women’s Support Group: $2,000.00
  • CBEEN – Wild Voices: $1,503.24
  • CDAC/Cranbrook Arts – Summer Arts Programming: $1,336.00
  • Cranbrook Better at Home – Seniors in Need: $2,453.23
  • Cranbrook Community Theatre – Washer/Dryer Unit: $2,000.00
  • Cranbrook Food Bank – Meat Slicer: $1,044.95
  • East Kootenay Friends of Children – Financial Support for Families: $2,000.00
  • Key City Theatre – Faces of Pride Photography Exhibit: $2,000.00
  • NorthStar Rails to Trails – Admin Costs: $1,906.08
  • Cranbrook Minor Hockey Assoc. U13 Female Provincial Hockey Tournament: $1,865.72
  • Wildsight – Eco-Stewards: $1,503.24

 

CFKR’s agency/designated endowment funds provided the following grants:

  • StellerVista Credit Union Fund – Cranbrook Salvation Army Food Programs: $5,086.10
  • Children First Fund – Community Connections Society of SE BC: $2,232.51
  • Symphony of the Kootenays Fund: $3,481.47
  • Cranbrook Community Theatre Legacy Fund: $755.89
  • Columbia Outdoor School/Blue Lake Camp Legacy Fund: $3,690.08
  • Cranbrook History Centre Endowment Fund: $2,070.02
  • East Kootenay Foundation for Health Endowment: $1,884.44
  • EKFH Roy and Annabel Maundrell Endowment Fund: $343.34

 

CFKR’s donor-advised funds granted the following:

  • Niedermayer Family Fund – Summit Community Services Resource Library Project: $1,500
  • Melodie Hull Fund for Mental Health and Addictions – British Columbia Schizophrenia Society regional support group: $664.41
  • Greg Fisher Community Fund:
    • Cranbrook Food Bank – meat slicer: $1,000.00
    • BC Kidney Foundation, BC & Yukon: $770.49
  • Janice Regnier Fund for Mental Health and Addictions – Cranbrook Salvation Army: $705.12
  • Community Matters Legacy Fund – Foundry East Kootenay: $605.29
  • Cranbrook Past and Present Teachers’ Legacy Fund – Projects to support student wellness and success in the public school system: $690.77 –Inaugural grant
  • Casey & Corrine Hanemayer Fund: $24,500.00
    • Cranbrook History Centre – Safety/Accessibility Equipment: $1,500.00
    • ANKORS – Men’s Support Group: $2,000.00
    • CMHA-K – Mental Health Workshop: $2,000.00
    • East Kootenay Regional Science Fair: $2,000.00
    • BGC-Cranbrook – Summer Arts Programming: $2,000.00
    • Living Lakes Canada – Groundwater Literacy: $2,000.00
    • Symphony of the Kootenays: $3,000.00
    • Key City Theatre: $5,000.00
    • East Kootenay SPCA – designated for veterinary care: $5,000.00

 

CFKR looks forward to awarding our 2023 scholarships in the coming months, in partnership with School District #5 (Southeast Kootenay):

  • Dr. Sparling and Mrs. Mary East Memorial Scholarship Fund: $1,500.00
  • Mark Mahovlic Memorial Scholarship Fund: $1,000.00
  • Pidoca Construction Group Memorial Scholarship Fund: $1,500.00
  • Joyce Metcalfe Memorial Scholarship: $400.00

 

Thanks to their belief in the power of growing endowment funds, the following endowment fund holders re-invested some or all of their 2023 grants, thereby growing both their principals as well as their future granting:

  • Casey and Corrine Hanemayer Funds:
    • East Kootenay Foundation for Health Fund: $6,094.38
    • Friends of Fort Steele Fund: $6,000.00
    • Symphony of the Kootenays Fund: $6,000.00
  • Key City Theatre Legacy Fund: $449.17
  • Key City Gymnastics Club Endowment Fund: $741.82
  • BGC-Cranbrook Fund: $455.41
  • Northern BC Friends of Children East Kootenay Branch Endowment Fund: $453.17
  • Hough Ingalls Fund for Animal Welfare: $628.85
  • Niedermayer Family Fund: $779.82
  • Friends of Fort Steele Society Endowment Fund: $7,916.22
  • Cranbrook Public Library Endowment Fund: $1,025.10
  • Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce Education Fund: $396.26
  • East Kootenay SPCA Fund: $674.30
  • Dr. Sparling and Mrs. Mary East Memorial Scholarship Fund: $192.34
  • Pidoca Construction Group Memorial Scholarship Fund: $144.46
  • Joyce Metcalfe Memorial Scholarship: $256.44

Each year, CFKR’s annual community granting program opens January 1st and closes February 15th. Further details can be found at https://www.cfkrockies.ca/grants/.

 

Elkford Community Fund: Elkford Search and Rescue

 

Elkford Community Fund: Elkford Public Library

 

Elkford Community Fund: Elkford Lions Club 

 

Sparwood Community Fund: Elk Valley Seniors Housing

 

Sparwood Community Fund: Sparwood Golf Club

 

Fernie Community Fund: Fernie Pets Society

 

Fernie Community Fund: Fernie and District Arts Council

 

Fernie Community Fund: Wildsight Elk Valley

 

Key City Theatre

 

Community Connections Society of SE BC

 

Cranbrook History Centre

 

ANKORS

 

British Columbia Schizophrenia Society

 

BGC Cranbrook

 

Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network

 

Cranbrook Community Theatre

 

Cranbrook and District Arts Council

 

Columbia Outdoor School/Blue Lake Camp

 

Cranbrook Food Bank

 

East Kootenay Foundation for Health

 

East Kootenay Friends of Children

 

Ktunaxa Nation Council – Operation Street Angel

 

Living Lakes Canada

 

Summit Community Services Society

 

Wildsight

 

East Kootenay Regional Science Fair

 

Canadian Mental Health Association – Kootenays

 

BC SPCA – East Kootenay Branch

 

Rails To Trails

 

Symphony of the Kootenays

 

StellerVista Credit Union Fund – Cranbrook Salvation Army’s local food programs

 

Cranbrook Past & Present Teachers’ Legacy Fund