Grant and Funding Programs Offered by BC Women's Health Foundation (BCWHF)

BC Women’s Health Foundation is a provincial non-profit foundation dedicated to advancing the full spectrum of women’s and newborn health in British Columbia. As the primary fundraising and funding partner for BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre and the Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI), the Foundation channels donations into concrete financial support for clinical care, equipment purchases, and research initiatives that directly impact women and babies across the province.

The organization positions donor contributions as investments in change. Funds are directed to several priority areas such as neonatal intensive care (including a dedicated NICU MRI and associated equipment), menopause and midlife health programs, a Perinatal Mental Health Unit, and broader women’s health research and innovation. Through these streams, the Foundation provides project-based and infrastructure funding that enables hospital teams and researchers to launch or expand services, test new models of care, and improve health outcomes.

The Foundation’s funding focuses on women and newborns in BC, with attention to all life stages—from fertility and pregnancy through birth, postpartum, and midlife. Resources support the most critically ill and premature babies in the NICU, high‑risk new mothers experiencing mental health challenges, and women navigating complex midlife health concerns. By backing WHRI projects, the Foundation also contributes to evidence generation that informs clinical practice and policy beyond a single hospital site.

BC Women’s Health Foundation explicitly grounds its work in equity, evidence-informed impact, and authentic connection. It seeks to fund solutions that ensure every woman and newborn can access high‑quality healthcare when, where, and how they need it. Research, data, and lived experience underpin funding priorities, with an emphasis on high‑impact projects that can reshape care pathways and reduce gaps in women’s health.

While the website is primarily donor-facing, it makes clear that the Foundation’s mandate is to financially support BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre and WHRI, and to partner with the Provincial Health Services Authority and initiatives like Women’s Health Collective Canada. Funding is typically delivered as support for capital equipment, specialized clinics and units, and research programs.

Individuals, families, and organizations can contribute through one‑time or monthly donations, legacy gifts in wills, and other giving vehicles promoted by the Foundation. These resources are then allocated to priority campaigns and initiatives identified in collaboration with clinical and research partners. Impact reports and financial statements published on the site provide transparency about how funds are invested and highlight the portfolio of projects and services made possible by this support.

The Foundation is governed by a board of directors and operated by a professional team, both of which are presented on the site. It publishes impact stories, financial statements, and an annual impact report to demonstrate how donor dollars are used and what outcomes they generate. This governance structure and reporting practice reinforce its role as a responsible steward of funds dedicated to improving women’s and newborn health in BC.