Grant and Funding Programs Offered by North Shore Health Network Foundation

The North Shore Health Network Foundation is a hospital foundation dedicated to strengthening local healthcare along Ontario’s North Shore. Founded in 2006 to support the Blind River District Health Centre and expanded in 2013 to include the Richards Landing–Matthews and Thessalon sites, the Foundation now serves 18 communities from Spanish to McDonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional. It exists to provide sustainable financial support to the North Shore Health Network so that its hospitals can continue meeting the needs of residents across this largely rural region.

Because Ontario hospitals do not receive government funding for medical equipment, the Foundation plays a critical role in financing capital purchases. It raises funds from individuals, families, businesses, raffles and events, then allocates this money to purchase or replace essential medical equipment and to enhance patient, resident and client services. Reported investments include hundreds of thousands of dollars in diagnostic imaging, monitoring systems, long‑term care beds, lifts and other specialized equipment across all three sites.

The Foundation’s funding focus is tightly linked to hospital needs. Priority areas are set through annual equipment plans that highlight specific items—such as ventilator systems, vitals machines, ECG and ultrasound equipment, bariatric and long‑term care beds, infusion pumps and mobility aids—that are needed to maintain safe, high‑quality care locally. Public “Current Needs” lists show which items are still to be funded and which have been fully financed, giving donors a clear view of how their contributions are used.

Support is distributed across the Blind River, Thessalon, and Richards Landing–Matthews sites, ensuring that smaller communities also benefit from upgraded technology and infrastructure. The Foundation emphasizes that 100% of donations stay local, and donors may direct gifts to a specific site, area of care such as long‑term care or palliative care, or to the greatest needs across the network.

The organization operates as a registered charity and issues tax receipts for eligible donations. It publishes audited financial statements and annual reports that detail funds raised and equipment purchased, including summaries of total equipment dollars, grants secured, auxiliary contributions and event revenues. This transparency supports its stated values of responsible stewardship and accountability, assuring donors that funds are managed with integrity and used where they are needed most.

While the Foundation does not run open, competitive grant programs for external applicants, it functions as a dedicated funding body for the North Shore Health Network. Board‑approved capital plans and equipment lists guide internal funding decisions, allowing the Foundation to respond to urgent priorities and longer‑term capital needs, and to keep critical health services close to home for residents throughout the region.