Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Red Deer Regional Health Foundation (RDRHF)

Red Deer Regional Health Foundation (RDRHF) is a non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to enhancing healthcare for communities across Central Alberta. Working in partnership with Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre and other Alberta Health Services (AHS) Central Zone facilities, the foundation raises and disburses funds to purchase medical equipment, improve patient-care environments, and support innovative programs and services that would otherwise be difficult to fund through operating budgets alone.

The foundation’s 2025–2029 strategic vision emphasizes strengthening cardiac care and other innovative clinical services so patients can access timely, life‑saving treatment close to home. Donations are translated into tangible investments such as diagnostic and surgical technology, bedside monitoring, mobility aids, specialized equipment for pediatrics, mental health and seniors’ care, and enhancements to treatment and rehabilitation spaces.

RDRHF primarily provides capital and project-based funding to health facilities in the AHS Central Zone. The detailed “Funded Equipment” listings show ongoing support for hospital departments such as emergency, ICU, operating rooms, pediatrics and NICU, respiratory, laboratory and diagnostics, hemodialysis, palliative and oncology, long-term care, and mental health and brain injury services. Funding can cover both major medical technologies and smaller but impactful items like patient comfort furnishings, mobility equipment, therapy materials, and environmental upgrades that improve safety and experience of care.

Beyond equipment, the foundation also supports programmatic initiatives, including recreation therapy projects, wellness activities for patients and staff, Indigenous and spiritual care, adolescent mental health programs such as Move Your Mood Studio, and various community outreach and rehabilitation services delivered at health centres across the region.

In addition to institutional investments, RDRHF manages a portfolio of scholarship funds aimed at building healthcare workforce capacity in Central Alberta. Through named awards such as the Cec & Phyl Holmes, Lloyd & Evelyn McNeil, James Bradley Tubbs Memorial, Leo J. Falardeau Endowment, Queen Elizabeth II, and several others, the foundation offers financial assistance to students and current Alberta Health Services staff pursuing advanced education in nursing, cardiology, respiratory care, pediatrics, neonatology, diagnostic imaging, hospice and palliative care, mental health, and other health professions.

Scholarship intakes are run on an annual cycle, with applications submitted via an online portal and successful candidates notified by email. These awards are intended to deepen clinical expertise, support career advancement, and ultimately improve patient care quality throughout the Central Zone.

The foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors drawn from the local business, medical, and community sectors, supported by a professional management team. Its website highlights a commitment to transparency and accountability, providing audited financial statements for multiple fiscal years and an Impact Report (Annual Report) that documents funded projects and outcomes.

Through these mechanisms, donors, partners and health system stakeholders can see how funds are raised, how they are allocated across equipment and programs, and what impact they have on patients and families. Overall, RDRHF plays a central role in channeling community philanthropy into concrete improvements in hospital and health services infrastructure, patient experience, and professional development in Central Alberta.