Role of Collège de Lévis Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The Collège de Lévis Foundation is an autonomous, non-profit charitable corporation created in 1977 to support the educational mission of Collège de Lévis in Lévis, Québec. Its purpose is to provide long-term financial backing for the school by channeling philanthropic contributions from alumni, parents, corporations and community partners. The Foundation has become a central funding lever for pedagogical innovation, student life, sports programs and the upkeep and modernization of the school’s facilities.
According to its history, the Foundation has distributed more than 10 million dollars in donations to the school and in study bursaries to students. It regularly conducts major capital campaigns (for example 1996–2001, 2005–2010 and 2018–2025) in order to finance priority projects such as multimedia and technology centres, renewal of computer equipment, creation of innovative learning spaces, renovation of heritage buildings and enhancement of the Centre d’éducation physique.
Supported audiences and types of funding
The Foundation acts both as an institutional funder for the Collège and as a direct financial aid provider for students. A key component of its mission is student financial assistance: every year, scholarships and bursaries are awarded to families facing financial hardship or with more modest incomes so that their children can attend Collège de Lévis. This assistance complements larger project-based investments that benefit the entire student body.
On the project side, the Foundation has helped make possible a wide range of initiatives: collaborative classrooms, digital art studios and recording spaces, robotics and advanced science equipment, new gym flooring and training rooms, cheerleading and gymnastics facilities, indoor golf training areas, a major auditorium renovation and the Mediatheque Alphonse-Desjardins. These investments support academic success, sports excellence, arts and culture, and an engaging student life environment.
General approach to evaluation and governance
Strategic priorities are defined in collaboration with the Collège’s leadership, and funding decisions are overseen by a board of directors composed largely of alumni and community leaders. The Foundation emphasizes the long-term sustainability of the institution, directing funds to projects that are structuring, innovative and aligned with the school’s development plan, while ensuring that the student remains at the heart of decisions.
History, volunteers and community impact
Born from the initiative of alumni and college leaders in the late 1970s, the Foundation quickly organized its first subscription campaign in 1978 and has since relied on successive fundraising drives and a strong network of volunteers. More than a hundred volunteers now help with events and campaigns, and the Foundation recognizes exceptional contributors through distinctions such as the Order of the Foundation and the President’s Order, as well as donor recognition circles linked to its major campaigns.
Through these efforts, the Collège de Lévis Foundation plays a lasting role in maintaining accessibility to quality private education, sustaining key infrastructure, and offering financial relief to families and students. It is a significant philanthropic actor in the regional education ecosystem of Lévis and the wider Québec City area.