Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Catholic Education Foundation of Ottawa (CEFO)

The Catholic Education Foundation of Ottawa (CEFO) is a registered charity that serves as the independent charitable arm of the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Its core purpose is to counter the effects of poverty on OCSB students and their families. CEFO mobilizes donations and corporate sponsorships and redistributes these funds through several forms of financial assistance, including an emergency response fund, project grants for schools, and dedicated support for children’s participation in summer camps.

CEFO’s Emergency Response Fund provides immediate assistance to children and families facing acute financial crises. Each year, the foundation sets aside over $250,000 to help with essentials such as food, clothing, transportation, utilities and other basic needs. School principals identify students in need and can request support from CEFO, with help reaching families within roughly 24 hours.

Beyond crisis aid, CEFO operates project grants for OCSB schools. Over the past decade, the foundation has distributed more than two million dollars to fund innovative programs and projects that enrich students’ lives and reflect the distinctive dimensions of Catholic education. Staff, students and parents submit applications annually to receive grants for initiatives in areas such as literacy and numeracy coaching, mental health and well-being, physical education and healthy living, and learning about the wider world and community engagement.

CEFO also dedicates funds to summer camp opportunities for children who would not otherwise be able to attend. In a recent year, the foundation allocated around $92,000 to send hundreds of children to camp, helping to build friendships, resilience and positive life experiences for students from low-income families.

CEFO’s funding is tightly focused on students and families connected to the Ottawa Catholic School Board and on alleviating the daily impacts of poverty that undermine educational success. Grants often cover very practical needs—food, shelter, clothing, glasses, transportation—as well as program costs linked to tutoring, social-emotional learning, outdoor education, arts and leadership. The foundation emphasizes quick response in emergencies and collaborative, school-based projects that build community and improve students’ well-being.

The foundation is overseen by a Board of Directors composed of representatives from the Ottawa Catholic School Board, local community organizations, the Archdiocese of Ottawa, parent groups and student trustees. This governance structure helps ensure that grant decisions remain aligned with the mission of serving children living in impoverished circumstances. CEFO also cultivates corporate sponsors, who are publicly recognized on its website, in parishes, in media opportunities and through the OCSB’s internal networks, strengthening the funding base for its charitable programs.