Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Côte-de-Gaspé Health Foundation

The Côte-de-Gaspé Health Foundation is a regional charitable foundation dedicated to strengthening health and social services for residents from Grande‑Vallée to Barachois, including Murdochville and Gaspé. Since its creation in 1989, it has reinvested more than five million dollars in local health establishments and community partners. The foundation raises money through annual campaigns, lotteries, special events such as golf tournaments and community challenges, as well as planned giving and endowment funds.

Its financial support is directed primarily to the CISSS de la Gaspésie facilities on the Côte‑de‑Gaspé, including the Hôpital de Gaspé, CLSCs, CHSLDs and rehabilitation and youth units. Grants help purchase diagnostic and treatment equipment, improve residential environments and common areas, and support a wide range of projects that enhance patient comfort and quality of life.

The foundation’s objectives highlight several recurrent funding priorities: medical equipment (for example retinal angiography systems, bilirubinometers, ECG devices, mammography and ophthalmology equipment), furnishings and clinical furniture, and improvements to indoor and outdoor living spaces in hospitals and long‑term care centres. It also finances training and professional development activities for staff and volunteers, as well as initiatives that support mental health, palliative care and home‑care services.

Beyond institutional equipment, the foundation regularly provides grants to community and specialized organizations closely linked to health and social services, such as the local cancer foundation, pediatric social centres, youth centres, neighbourhood houses, seniors’ residences and recreation committees that acquire defibrillators or other safety equipment. These grants may be one‑off or recurring depending on identified needs.

The foundation offers the possibility of creating named endowment funds, where invested capital generates annual interest. These revenues are allocated to specific categories of needs, according to priorities and urgent issues identified each year by the CISSS for the Côte‑de‑Gaspé territory. This mechanism adds a long‑term, predictable funding stream that complements the annual campaign and event‑based fundraising.

The organization is governed by a board of nine volunteer administrators and supported by a small permanent team, including an executive director and an administrative assistant. It works closely with local businesses, institutions and numerous volunteers to organize fundraising activities and raise awareness of the importance of donations. Transparency about the use of funds is maintained through public summaries of recent grants (“octrois”) for each fiscal period.

Through its diversified funding tools and strong local anchoring, the Côte‑de‑Gaspé Health Foundation plays a key role in maintaining and upgrading health and social services infrastructure in this largely rural region, ensuring that residents have access to quality care and adapted community support.