Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Christy's Legacy Foundation

Christy's Legacy Foundation is a Canadian registered charity created by the family of Christy to honour her memory and continue her lifelong habit of generous giving. Operating from Waterloo, Ontario, the foundation raises money through individual donations and community-based fundraising activities, then donates 100% of the funds (net of payment processing fees where applicable) to other registered charities. Its giving is discretionary rather than application-based, and is guided by the causes that Christy personally supported.

The foundation focuses on a set of thematic “Christy’s Causes”: environmental protection, preservation and improvement; animal welfare; food security; children’s literacy; health; and recreational activities for underprivileged children. Each calendar year, the trustees select at least one cause and then one or more charities working in that area. All funds raised during that year are directed to the selected organizations, and the list of supported charities and annual totals are published on the foundation’s website.

Since beginning its activities, Christy's Legacy Foundation has provided tens of thousands of dollars in gifts to a variety of Canadian charities, including regional health institutions, food banks, wildlife and conservation organizations, cancer support services and education or nutrition programs for children. The support typically takes the form of unrestricted or project-related donations to registered charities, such as funding equipment like a chemotherapy chair or contributing to food security initiatives.

The foundation does not appear to operate a formal open-call grant competition; instead, its trustees identify recipient charities that align with Christy’s values and the focus cause for the year. Donors are kept informed through annual summaries and a history section that detail amounts raised and distributed, as well as the specific organizations that benefited. This approach positions the foundation as a conduit that channels community generosity toward a curated portfolio of impact-focused charities.

To sustain its annual gifting, the foundation organizes several recurring fundraising initiatives. These include Christy’s Memorial Drive or car rally, an annual countryside drive where participants pay entry donations, and raffles held in conjunction with the event. The foundation also partners with local businesses, such as a chocolatier for the sale of chocolate truffles and a car wash company offering fundraising washes, with a portion of sales donated to the foundation.

All administrative costs are covered personally by the trustees, ensuring that donations from the public are fully directed to the selected charities. This lean structure and strong volunteer involvement emphasize community participation and transparent stewardship of funds.

Christy's Legacy Foundation is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency and publishes its registration number on its website. It issues charitable tax receipts for donations and discloses yearly summaries of funds raised and distributed. While it does not outline detailed evaluation criteria as a typical institutional grantmaker might, its documentation makes clear that recipient charities are chosen based on alignment with the defined causes and Christy’s legacy of caring for people, animals and the environment.