Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Algoma Community Foundation (ACF)

Algoma Community Foundation (ACF) is a registered public charity and part of the national network of Community Foundations of Canada. Based in the Algoma region of Ontario, it mobilizes local philanthropy by building endowment funds and directing the investment income to grants that support community priorities. The foundation focuses on environmental, social, cultural and economic wellbeing, with particular attention to mental health, equity and Indigenous‑settler relations.

ACF administers its own grant programs and also delivers government and partner-funded initiatives at the local level. Its granting portfolio has included the Youth Mental Health Fund, which supports youth‑involved projects for people aged roughly 10–35 across Algoma, as well as past initiatives such as the GSC Community Impact Fund, the Community Services Recovery Fund and emergency COVID‑19 response funding. These programs have supported new and existing projects, operations and services that improve mental health, addictions support, community spaces, training and public education, and care for caregivers.

The foundation invites applications from a wide range of qualified donees, including registered charities, Indigenous governing bodies, municipalities, incorporated non‑profits, collectives and grassroots groups able to work with a qualified donee. It often prioritizes equity‑seeking communities such as youth, rural and First Nation communities, Métis settlements, Black and Indigenous people and people of colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, people living with disabilities or mental illness, and caregivers.

For its own funds, ACF uses community‑based review committees. For example, the Youth Mental Health Fund is assessed by a Youth Grant Review Committee composed of young people from across Algoma, while broader community funds have been reviewed by teams with lived and professional experience in mental health and addictions. Applications are evaluated for alignment with identified priority areas such as accessible mental health services, inclusive community spaces, trauma‑informed and anti‑racist training, cultural and ceremony-based wellness, and programs that reduce isolation and poverty.

Through partnerships with organizations like Green Shield Canada, United Way of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma, the Canadian Red Cross and Community Foundations of Canada, ACF has leveraged national funding streams to benefit local charities and social purpose organizations. The foundation has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to dozens of charities working in mental health, addictions, seniors’ programming, food security, disability supports, 2SLGBTQ+ services, newcomer settlement and Indigenous culture‑based wellness. By centering youth voices and Indigenous perspectives on generosity and sharing, ACF aims to create lasting, systemic improvements in community wellbeing.