Charitable Giving in Squamish

Donating is a great way to both give back to your community and leave a lasting legacy. Whether you intend to donate in honour of a loved one or support a community initiative you’re personally passionate about, let us help you create a personalized charitable giving plan that represents your vision and values. Choose your own local cause or non-profit to fund, or donate to an established endowment fund as listed below under Squamish Community Foundation Funds.

There are a number of ways to give as an individual:

There are several types of endowment funds available through the Squamish Community Foundation. We invite you to learn more about the our funds below, then reach out to the donor services team at kclarke@squamishfoundation.com to discuss your options. We would love to build a relationship with you.

You may choose to create or make your gift to an Unrestricted Fund, allowing the SCF to proactively respond to critical needs as they arise in our community, including future needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time your gift is made. We evaluate many aspects of community well-being; the environment, health and social services, access to recreation and the arts, youth, education and more. The flexibility of your unrestricted gift makes it possible for SCF Funds to be current and responsive. There is no minimum donation when giving to an existing Unrestricted Endowment Fund such as the Smart and Caring Community Fund. The initial minimum donation to create an Unrestricted Endowment Fund is $10,000.

You support an area of community life that is important to you such as youth or the environment when making your gift to a Field of Interest Fund. This fund type provides grants to local charities working in your field of choice. Taking your interests into consideration, the SCF makes decisions on which organizations to support, through our Annual Grants dispersal process. The initial minimum donation to establish a Field of Interest Fund is $10,000.

By establishing a Designated Fund, you have the opportunity to designate which particular charity(s) you would like to support in perpetuity. The SCF manages the annual distribution to those charities. Donors are able to establish a designated fund with an initial minimum donation of $10,000.

Donor advised funds are Designated Endowment Funds that enable you or your named successor donor advisor to have ongoing participation in the selection of registered local charities you wish to support. The initial minimum donation to establish a donor advised fund is $40,000.

These Funds can be created on behalf of registered charities to provide a permanent source of funding. The Charity Endowment Fund allows the charity freedom from investment responsibility and gives donors the confidence of knowing that a permanent foundation is in place to professionally administer their donations. The charity can then concentrate on its community mission. Once established, the charity will encourage their donors to contribute to their Endowment Fund. On an annual basis, distributions from the fund are paid out to your organization to use at your discretion or to your chosen charity. The initial minimum donation to establish this type of fund is $20,000.

We would be happy to explain any of these fund types and advise you on what particular fund best suits your giving needs.

Contact Karen Clarke, Executive Director at (604) 848-8683, or email info@squamishfoundation.com.

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS: We have a guide for you to assist your clients in fulfilling their philanthropic goals. Download the Professional Advisors guide here.

The Board of Directors and Executive Team would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our donors, past and present. Your ongoing contributions support vital programs in our community and help enhance the quality of life for all its members. Thank you!