Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Fondation de l'Hôpital St. Mary's / St. Mary's Hospital Foundation

St. Mary's Hospital Camrose Foundation is a community-based charitable foundation dedicated to strengthening healthcare close to home in Camrose, Alberta, and surrounding areas. Working alongside St. Mary’s Hospital and the Covenant Health network, the Foundation channels donations from individuals, businesses, and community groups into concrete projects that enhance patient care, clinical capacity, and the healing environment.

Since its establishment in 2002 with a $2 million founding gift from the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul, the Foundation has provided financial support for hospital priorities on an ongoing basis. According to its impact reporting, it has disbursed over $3 million, funding major equipment purchases, furnishings, and specialized care resources that are not fully covered by regular health system budgets.

The Foundation’s funding focuses on several broad categories of need at St. Mary’s Hospital. In equipment, it has purchased essential instruments for surgeries and routine procedures, labour and delivery equipment, palliative care supplies, diagnostic technology such as a CT scanner and portable point-of-care ultrasound, and various carts, lifts, and clinical devices. In facilities and environment, the Foundation has supported the design and construction of the hospital chapel, emergency department renovations, and comfort-focused furnishings and blanket warmers.

The Foundation also invests directly in people through education and staff development. It explicitly notes support for educational scholarships, orthopedic education, Heart and Stroke conferences, and other learning opportunities that help staff enhance the quality and safety of care. While application mechanics are not detailed on the public site, these internal scholarships and education supports function as targeted grants to hospital staff and programs.

To sustain these initiatives, the Foundation manages different giving streams. Donations to the General Fund allow flexible support to programs and services that enhance care across the hospital. Contributions to the Capital Fund are directed toward equipment purchases and capital priorities. Over time, the Foundation has led major fundraising drives for diagnostic imaging, spiritual care infrastructure, and emergency department upgrades, often partnering with Alberta Health and community stakeholders.

Through its transparent financial statements and “Your Dollars at Work” reporting, St. Mary's Hospital Camrose Foundation demonstrates how community contributions are transformed into tangible investments in technology, spaces, and education. Its role is primarily to allocate philanthropic dollars to priority projects within St. Mary’s Hospital, improving access to high-quality care for patients in Camrose and rural Alberta.