
- Varies by project
- Health care and social assistance
A British Columbia family foundation established in 1977 that provides grants to support women, children, animals, health research, and education. The foundation funds BC-based charities and projects, with a focus on creating measurable impact through partnerships with organizations demonstrating high standards and accountability. View Rix Family Foundation's website for more information.

The Rix Family Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization in British Columbia that has been supporting charitable causes since 1977. Founded by Dr. Donald Rix and his wife Eleanor Rix, the foundation focuses its funding on five key areas: women, children, animals, health research, and education. The foundation operates as a discretionary grantmaker, providing financial support to qualified BC-based charities through an annual competitive application process.
All funding applicants must demonstrate alignment with the foundation's focus areas and be either based in BC or support people and animals in BC. Organizations must provide annual reports or written status reports, submit financial statements for review, and agree to ongoing accountability including impact measures and performance reports. The foundation expects recipients to develop partnerships, obtain additional funding sources, and create public awareness of their achievements.
The foundation maintains high standards for its recipients, requiring detailed financial documentation and regular progress reports. All funded organizations must be agreeable to reporting their performance and outcomes on a regular basis. The foundation also expects recipients to maximize the impact of donations by promoting their projects and finding further partners.
Established in 1977, the Rix Family Foundation grew from modest beginnings to become a major donor to BC Cancer Foundation and BC Children's Hospital. The foundation has made landmark contributions, including a $5 million gift to BC Cancer Foundation for women's breast cancer research—the largest such gift in provincial history. After Dr. Rix's passing in 2009, his daughter Laurie Rix assumed leadership, expanding the foundation's focus to include health education, research, women, children, and animals.
The foundation supports organizations serving women, children, animals, and health research across British Columbia. Major recipients have included BC Cancer Foundation, BC Children's Hospital, Greater Vancouver Food Bank, SPCA, YWCA Crabtree Corner, CKNW Kids Fund, North Shore Rescue, and Zajac Ranch for Children. The foundation has also expanded internationally through partnerships like the Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration in India and Asia.