On November 22, 2022, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, announced that Community Foundations of Canada, along with the Canadian Red Cross and United Way Centraide Canada, have been selected to distribute funding to help a broad and diverse range of charities, non-profits, and Indigenous Governing Bodies adapt and modernize, so they can support pandemic recovery in communities across Canada.
The Community Services Recovery Fund is a one-time investment of $400 million that will help charities, non-profits, and Indigenous Governing Bodies to acquire the tools they need to adapt and modernize so they can better support pandemic recovery in communities across Canada.
“Charities and non-profit organizations are at the heart of communities, creating a sense of belonging from coast to coast to coast. Through the Community Services Recovery Fund, local community foundations are proud to have the opportunity to support this important work as we collectively build a more just and equitable future driven by community. This investment from the Government of Canada comes at a critical time when communities across Canada are coming together to rebuild from the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic,” shared Andrea Dicks, president of Community Foundations of Canada. The Community Services Recovery Fund will enable the charities and non-profits that serve our diverse communities to adapt and renew their programs and services and to invest in the future of their organizations, staff, and volunteers,” said Dan Clement, United Way Centraide Canada, president and CEO. “I would like to recognize and thank the Government of Canada and Minister Gould for hearing and responding to the call from the sector for investment in our essential community service organizations.”
Since the early phases of the pandemic, charities, non-profits, and Indigenous Governing Bodies have struggled with increased demand for their services, reduced revenues, declines in charitable giving due to the rising cost of living, and a greater need to make use of digital tools as part of adapting and modernizing their operations.
Funding from the Community Services Recovery Fund will enable charities, non-profits, and Indigenous Governing Bodies to invest in their own organizational capacity to:
- adapt the way they deliver services to support the needs of their staff and volunteers;
- buy equipment such as computers and software;
- create new ways of working, such as developing new fundraising approaches;
- provide support for staff and volunteers, such as staff training, supports for mental health and well-being; and
- develop plans to receive funding from diverse sources.
As a result of the investments provided by the Community Services Recovery Fund, charities, non-profits, and Indigenous Governing Bodies will be better equipped to improve the efficacy, accessibility, and sustainability of the community services that they provide.
A webinar on how to apply to the Community Services Recovery Fund will be hosted on January 12, 2023. Local organizations can register to join and learn more at www.communityservicesrecoveryfund.ca/resources.
The application process will launch on January 6, 2023. For more information visit www.communityservicesrecoveryfund.ca.
