Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Rotary Club of Kelowna Foundation

The Rotary Club of Kelowna Foundation is a registered Canadian public foundation created to channel charitable giving into lasting community impact. Incorporated in 1991 and renamed a foundation in 2007, it is legally distinct from the Rotary Club of Kelowna but closely aligned with the club’s purposes and service projects. The Foundation’s mandate is to receive gifts, donations, bequests and other assets, invest them prudently, and use both capital and income to support qualified charitable organizations and community initiatives.

According to its constitution, the Foundation conducts campaigns and other activities to solicit gifts, then uses these resources to make gifts to qualified donees under the Income Tax Act (Canada) and to develop community projects benefiting residents of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. This positions it as a local grantmaking body within the broader Rotary and philanthropic ecosystem.

The Foundation’s vision links Rotarians and friends of Rotary with opportunities for charitable investment across key Rotary focus areas:

Through collaboration with the Rotary Club of Kelowna, the Foundation aims to support people who are less fortunate, create improvements that benefit the wider community, and partner with other organizations to fund, implement and sustain Rotary initiatives. Funding may take the form of direct grants to qualified charities, contributions to community projects, or support for longer-term endowment funds.

The Foundation emphasizes stewardship, governance and accountability. Its mission highlights managing and investing donor gifts responsibly, providing effective oversight of charitable assets, and maintaining transparency toward donors and members. An Endowment Framework and related documents guide how endowed funds are structured and managed over time.

A volunteer board of directors, drawn from members of the Rotary Club of Kelowna, oversees the Foundation. Over the years, governance has been structured so that the Foundation’s finances and decision-making are independent from the club’s operating budget, while remaining aligned with Rotary principles and service priorities.

The primary geographical focus for the Foundation’s giving is the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, though it may also support broader charitable initiatives consistent with Rotary’s global areas of focus. Beneficiaries include registered charities and community projects that address social needs, health, education, economic development and environmental stewardship.

By pooling donations and bequests from individuals, estates, businesses, corporations, other foundations and public bodies, the Rotary Club of Kelowna Foundation provides a structured, tax-effective vehicle for philanthropy. Its work helps sustain Rotary projects and strengthens the local nonprofit sector through ongoing financial support.