Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Devon General Hospital Foundation (DGHF)

Devon General Hospital Foundation is a community-based charitable foundation dedicated to enhancing health care at Devon General Hospital and related facilities in Devon, Alberta. Established in 1994, it channels donations from individuals, families, businesses and estates into tangible improvements such as medical equipment purchases, facility upgrades, and programming that improves quality of life for patients, long-term care residents and their families.

The Foundation works closely with Health Shared Services (HSS) and hospital staff to identify priority equipment needs, from everyday clinical tools to advanced technologies. It helps replace aging devices, introduce new diagnostic and treatment capabilities, and modernize spaces like emergency, nursing, laboratory and radiology units, as well as bariatric and acute care rooms.

Beyond equipment, the Foundation supports a portfolio of funding programs aimed at people working in or entering the health sector. Through its Bursary Program, it awards up to five bursaries of $3,000 each year to full‑time students enrolled in registered nursing or other health care–related programs. A complementary Continuing Education Grant offers up to two grants of $2,500 annually for already trained and licensed health professionals who are pursuing further education to advance their skills. Both programs have clear annual deadlines and application processes managed directly by the Foundation.

The organization also funds a wide range of non‑academic initiatives: therapeutic recreation and entertainment for long‑term care residents, seasonal celebrations and gifts, staff appreciation and wellness activities, courtyard and garden enhancements, and other patient‑centred comforts such as family care suites and upgraded furnishings.

To sustain its funding role, the Foundation offers many ways to give, including one‑time donations, monthly gifts, planned giving through wills, life insurance, securities, RRSP/RRIF designations, real estate and gifts in kind. Endowment funds are invested so that only the income is used to support hospital priorities, ensuring long‑term, recurring support for health care resources in the community.

Donor recognition is provided through interior donor walls, an outdoor Legacy Wall with named leaves at different contribution levels, and a seasonal Memory Tree for in‑memoriam gifts. Regular fundraising events, such as The Taste & Silent Auction, and news stories showcase funded projects and their impact. As a registered charity, the Foundation provides audited financial statements on request and maintains transparent stewardship of donor funds while working alongside volunteers, board members and partners to “make a difference in our healthcare community.”