Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation

The Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation is the official fundraising arm of the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital in eastern Ontario. As a registered charitable foundation, it exists to raise and steward philanthropic funds for projects and services that enhance patient care at the hospital’s two sites. Because provincial government funding does not cover most hospital equipment, the Foundation plays a critical role in financing diagnostic and treatment technologies, clinical equipment and facility improvements.

The Foundation leads major capital campaigns, such as the multi‑million‑dollar MRI campaign, and maintains an annual Priority Needs List that details specific equipment items required by the hospital each year. These include patient beds, stretchers, ventilators and BiPAP units, vital signs monitors, defibrillators, laboratory analyzers and other life‑saving devices, each with indicative unit costs and quantities. Donor contributions are directed to these priorities so the hospital can purchase and upgrade essential equipment.

Funding is primarily project‑based and discretionary. The Foundation collaborates with hospital leadership to identify equipment and service priorities, then channels individual, corporate and community donations to meet those needs. Over the years, donor support has enabled the purchase of an orthopaedic HANA table, mammography and echocardiogram ultrasound units, a CT scanner, cardiac monitoring systems, neonatal heart monitors, dialysis and chemotherapy chairs, colonoscopes, blanket warmers and many other assets that directly affect patient care.

Gifts can be made in multiple ways, including one‑time or monthly donations, memorial and tribute gifts, planned giving, gifts of securities, gifts of gratitude and family‑focused initiatives like the Future Stars program. The Foundation provides tax receipts and recognizes major cumulative donors in public categories ranging from Supporter to Innovator, reinforcing transparency and long‑term partnership with its contributors.

The current Foundation was formed through the amalgamation of two long‑standing hospital charities: the Great War Memorial Hospital Foundation, created in 1982 to support the GWM site in Perth, and the Smiths Falls Community Hospital Foundation, established in 1981 to address the growing financial needs of the Smiths Falls site. Unifying these entities created a single foundation responsible for fundraising for both hospital sites—“one hospital, one foundation, two sites”—and allowed best practices and donor networks from each predecessor to be combined.

The Foundation’s mission is to work in partnership with local communities to raise and steward funds for hospital health‑care projects and services, with a vision of ensuring high‑quality care close to home. Its values emphasize stewardship, transparency and accountability, respect and dignity, inclusion and diversity, as well as collaboration and partnership. Through campaigns, events and community initiatives, the Foundation mobilizes donors, local businesses, service clubs and municipalities to invest in better equipment and services. Patient and donor stories, along with “Because of You” impact features, highlight how funded equipment shortens wait times, improves diagnostics and treatment, and keeps advanced care accessible within the region.