Role of the Canadian Foundation for Pastoral Practice and Education in the funding ecosystem
The Canadian Foundation for Pastoral Practice and Education is a charitable arm associated with the professional community represented on spiritualcare.ca. Its primary role is to mobilize donations and other financial resources and to channel them back into the field of pastoral practice and spiritual care across Canada. By doing so, the foundation strengthens clinical pastoral education, ongoing professional development, and the quality of spiritual care services offered in health, community, and faith-based settings.
The foundation typically supports a mix of scholarships, bursaries, and project-oriented funding. These contributions may help students and trainees cover the costs of accredited pastoral education programs, enable practitioners to pursue advanced training, and support innovative initiatives that improve the delivery, research, or integration of spiritual care within institutional and community contexts.
Supported audiences and overall impact
The foundation focuses on individuals and organizations engaged in pastoral and spiritual care practice, including students in clinical pastoral education, chaplains, spiritual care providers, and educational centres. Funding may be directed to learners, educators, or host institutions to enhance educational opportunities, expand access to supervision, and encourage best practices in spiritual care.
Through its financial support, the Canadian Foundation for Pastoral Practice and Education helps sustain a competent, well-trained spiritual care workforce, encourages innovation in models of care, and promotes research and reflection on the role of spirituality in health and community life. Its activities complement those of the professional association hosted on spiritualcare.ca by providing the financial means to translate standards and aspirations into concrete educational and service outcomes.
Transparency, governance and accountability
As a foundation, it is expected to operate under a board or committee structure and to follow Canadian charitable regulations, ensuring that donations are managed responsibly and that funded activities align with its stated purpose of advancing pastoral practice and education. Public information about its aims, donation mechanisms and supported activities helps donors and applicants understand how resources are used to strengthen spiritual and pastoral care in Canada.