Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Northside/Harbourview Hospital Foundation (NHHF)

The Northside/Harbourview Hospital Foundation is a community-based, registered charitable foundation incorporated in August 1992. It works with residents, local businesses and community groups to raise and channel funds that directly enhance care at Northside General Hospital and Harbourview Facility in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, which together serve about 30,000 residents. The Foundation functions as a key philanthropic partner for the hospitals, transforming community donations into tangible improvements in equipment, facilities and patient services.

Donations are collected through general giving, designated gifts to specific units or programs, monthly giving via the Guardian Angel Program, memorial and tribute gifts, and special campaigns such as the annual Lights for Health event, golf tournaments, car shows and 50/50 raffles. These mechanisms provide flexible financial support that can be directed to the most pressing needs identified by hospital leadership and the Foundation’s board.

The Foundation’s primary focus is the purchase of much-needed medical equipment and the funding of capital and comfort improvements within the hospitals. The “Your Dollars At Work” section highlights a wide variety of funded items: clinic renovations, palliative care furnishings and televisions, blanket warmers, monitors, specialized lasers, rehabilitation and seniors’ recreation equipment, furniture for veterans’ units, and outdoor features such as gazebos and garden projects. These projects illustrate how donations are converted into concrete assets that improve safety, comfort, and the overall care environment.

Beyond equipment, the Foundation also supports health care education, early cancer prevention clinics, palliative care services, rehabilitation programs and recreational activities for seniors and long-term care residents. Funding priorities are periodically published, for example campaigns to purchase a spirometer for respiratory services or a video-assisted laryngoscope system for operating rooms. This mix of technical equipment and quality-of-life initiatives reflects a holistic approach to patient care.

Funding from the Foundation benefits a broad spectrum of patients and families who rely on Northside General Hospital and Harbourview Facility, including those in acute care, palliative care, renal dialysis, veterans’ units, long-term care and outpatient clinics such as diabetes, orthoptics and early cancer detection. Patient and donor stories featured on the site illustrate the real-world impact of funded programs on individuals living with chronic conditions, recovering from serious illness or aging in care.

The Foundation also strengthens the link between the hospitals and the surrounding communities. By inviting individuals, families, organizations and businesses to donate, host events or volunteer, it fosters a culture of shared responsibility for local health services and ensures that gifts remain in the community where they are raised.

The Northside/Harbourview Hospital Foundation is governed by a volunteer board of directors drawn from health care professionals, business leaders and community members. As a registered charity, it issues tax receipts for all donations and reports publicly on funded projects through its “Your Dollars At Work”, “Funding Priorities” and news sections. Regular campaigns such as Lights for Health and the Guardian Angel monthly giving program provide ongoing, predictable support that allows the Foundation and hospitals to plan multi-year improvements in care and infrastructure.