Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Palmyra Foundation

Palmyra Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization founded on 18 March 1986 and based in Drummondville, Quebec. Its primary role is to provide financial support for humanitarian and community projects, mainly in developing countries. The foundation channels its aid through religious communities and trusted NGO partners established locally, which allows it to respond to concrete needs such as access to drinking water, basic health services, education, agriculture, housing and small-scale infrastructure.

Over the years, the foundation has supported projects in 17 countries across Latin America, Africa and Asia. The “RÉALISATIONS” section of its website lists numerous funded initiatives: water systems and wells, community centers, schools and classrooms, equipment for workshops and cooperatives, agricultural gardens, sewing machines, bakery and carpentry tools, and energy projects such as solar panels for an orphanage in Haiti.

Palmyra Foundation focuses on people living in precarious conditions: children in orphanages, students lacking basic educational infrastructure, women’s groups seeking economic empowerment, and rural communities needing safe water and sanitation. It also responds to requests each year to meet essential needs of individuals and families in difficult circumstances, both internationally and, in some cases, locally.

Concrete examples highlighted on the site include financial contributions to build a protective wall for a center for young women who are victims of abuse in Guatemala, investments in agricultural gardens and school infrastructure in Mali and Paraguay, and the purchase of equipment to improve professional training in several countries. In partnership with Terre Sans Frontières, the foundation invested $6,650 in solar panels for the Saint-François d’Assise orphanage on Île à Vache in Haiti.

The foundation is governed by a volunteer board of directors drawn from the Drummondville community. A distinctive feature is that it operates with no administration fees, allowing donations and fundraising proceeds to be directed entirely to projects. To ensure its long-term viability, the mutual insurance company Union-vie Mutuelle has associated with the foundation, providing financial and management expertise.

Palmyra Foundation’s main sources of revenue are an annual benefit dinner, special fundraising campaigns and donations from the public. Recognized as a registered charity by the Canada Revenue Agency, it can issue tax receipts to donors. The organization frequently partners with NGOs such as Socodevi and Terre Sans Frontières to co-finance projects, sometimes enabling matching of funds and increasing the scale and impact of the initiatives it supports.

While the website does not present formal grant program guidelines, it explains that the foundation receives requests each year to cover essential needs. Projects are typically small to medium-sized, community-based and implemented by reliable local partners such as religious congregations or non-governmental organizations. Through this discretionary but structured support, Palmyra Foundation has managed and distributed millions of dollars to improve living conditions for vulnerable populations, without charging administrative overhead.