Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation (SOTN)

Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation is a regional health charity created in 1991, originally as the Prince George Regional Hospital Foundation, and now serving the broader University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) service area and more than 130 additional facilities across Northern British Columbia. The foundation acts as a key philanthropic partner to the Northern Health Authority, stepping in where government funding cannot fully meet needs. It mobilizes community donations and corporate partnerships to finance capital equipment, facility improvements, and patient-centered programs that bring better healthcare closer to home.

Since its inception, Spirit of the North reports having contributed over $40 million, funding more than 675 pieces of equipment and numerous projects across 19 hospitals, community health centres and long-term care facilities. Impact stories on the site highlight investments in advanced imaging systems, cardiac and oncology equipment, seniors’ care innovations, youth mental health supports, and family-centered spaces such as the Ronald McDonald House Family Room at UHNBC.

Beyond equipment, the foundation administers formal education awards and bursaries aimed at strengthening the Northern health workforce. The Emery and Geraldine Cawsey Nursing Education Award provides a one-time $1,000 award to a third-year nursing student at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). The Susan Broomsgrove Legacy Bursary offers a one-time $3,000 bursary to a third-year UNBC nursing student from Northern BC who is committed to serving communities in the North. Both awards have clearly defined eligibility criteria, application deadlines and selection processes overseen by the foundation.

Through these awards, Spirit of the North supports the training and retention of nurses in the region, complementing its capital investments with human-resource development. The site also references grants linked to school-based health projects, notably through the Spirit of Healthy Kids program, where schools compete for a $5,000 grant and several $1,000 grants to implement health-promotion initiatives benefiting current and future students.

The foundation runs and supports multiple named initiatives that combine fundraising with targeted funding outcomes. Examples include the Copper Project, where net proceeds from the sale of a custom-built home are donated to Spirit of the North to purchase critical medical equipment at UHNBC, and a wide range of community-led events such as raffles, lotteries, sports tournaments and charity campaigns. These initiatives are showcased in an events calendar and impact section that tie each fundraising effort to concrete health improvements.

Spirit of Healthy Kids, delivered in partnership with the Prince George Cougars hockey team and Northern Health, uses school challenges and mentorship by athletes to encourage healthy behaviors among children. Participating schools can receive grants to build projects like gardens, greenhouses or food security initiatives, illustrating how the foundation channels philanthropic dollars into prevention and wellness as well as hospital care.

While detailed selection criteria for every equipment or project grant are not enumerated, the foundation emphasizes stewardship, transparency and honoring donor intent as core values. Funding decisions are made in collaboration with healthcare partners and aligned with priority needs at UHNBC and across the Northern Health region. Impact posts and annual reports provide examples of how grants are allocated and the resulting improvements in access, safety and patient outcomes.

Overall, Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation functions as a central philanthropic vehicle for health in Northern BC, offering multiple ways for donors and partners to contribute, and transforming that support into equipment purchases, facility projects, educational bursaries and community health initiatives.