Role of the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation is a province-wide Catholic charitable foundation, registered in 1969, that channels the generosity of Knights of Columbus members, councils and donors into structured financial support for organizations and individuals in need. Donations are invested in a capital fund and a variety of endowment funds, and the annual earnings are redistributed through grants, bursaries and special-purpose funds across Saskatchewan.
Each year, the Foundation distributes more than $300,000 in grants and bursaries. Its Annual Grants program is open to organizations, groups or clubs engaged in charitable work, with applications due by February 15. Funding supports a wide range of sectors, including health and safety, youth Bible camps, youth support programs, Indigenous and non‑Indigenous reconciliation projects, seniors’ services, pro‑life activities, Catholic evangelization and ministries, conventions, and emergency contingency assistance.
Grant, endowment and special programs
The Foundation manages numerous endowment funds that create long-term, donor-directed support. These include the Sask K of C Vocations Endowment for seminarians, an Indigenous & Non‑Indigenous Relations Endowment, education-focused funds, family legacy endowments, and the K of C Capital Endowment whose earnings are distributed as annual grants to approved charities. Donors can establish council, organizational, individual or family endowments once minimum contribution thresholds are met, and they are invited each year to help direct where their share of earnings is allocated.
Alongside general grants, the Foundation operates the James & Lawrence Meier Food For Families Grant, created from a major legacy gift. This program partners with food banks, school lunch programs, soup kitchens and similar initiatives to combat hunger, with annual applications and published examples of supported projects across Saskatchewan communities.
Through its bursary programs, the Foundation provides multiple $1,000 bursaries annually to students at Catholic colleges in Saskatchewan (Campion College, St. Thomas More College, St. Peter’s College, and St. Therese Institute) and at each of the four Saskatchewan Polytechnic campuses. These bursaries are reserved for Knights of Columbus members, their spouses, children or grandchildren in good standing, and are awarded via the partner institutions’ own application processes.
Publics served and partnership approach
The Foundation primarily serves Saskatchewan communities and Catholic organizations, but its funding reaches a broad spectrum of beneficiaries: families in crisis, youth and children, Indigenous communities, seniors, refugees, pro‑life groups, Catholic evangelization initiatives and students pursuing post‑secondary or religious formation. Councils are encouraged to identify local needs, support applicants, and in some cases co‑lead contingency projects with the Foundation, which can provide matching grants or top‑up funding.
By investing donor contributions and disbursing only the earnings, the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation aims to build a sustainable, ethically managed capital base that will continue to finance charitable work, education, and faith-based initiatives across Saskatchewan for generations to come.
