Grant and Funding Programs Offered by St. Martha’s Regional Hospital Foundation

St. Martha’s Regional Hospital Foundation is a community-based charitable foundation dedicated to advancing healthcare at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and the surrounding quad-counties. Since its establishment in 1990, the Foundation has focused on raising and investing philanthropic funds to purchase enhanced medical equipment, and to support education and research opportunities for hospital staff and physicians. Through major campaigns, an endowment fund and ongoing donor initiatives, it provides a dependable source of financial support for hospital priorities today and in the future.

The Foundation’s funding portfolio centres on three main areas: capital equipment, education and research. It has provided funding for a broad range of essential equipment such as CT and MRI scanners, ophthalmology imaging systems, portable ultrasound and X‑ray units, lab equipment, minimally invasive O.R. suites, monitoring and defibrillation equipment, and specialized technologies like the Molli surgical lesion localization system and breast reconstruction liposuction unit. Beyond equipment, the Foundation supports physician recruitment initiatives, specialized nursing certifications, conference participation, and innovative care models such as the Social Work Patient Care Fund and palliative care education.

Each year, St. Martha’s Regional Hospital’s administration team, working with staff and physicians, identifies priority needs for equipment, education and research. These requests are first approved by the Hospital Site Lead and then submitted to the Foundation. The Board of Directors meets monthly to review and approve funding requests, assessing their alignment with the Foundation’s mission to inspire generosity in support of high-quality healthcare. A dedicated Fund Allocation Committee leads multi‑year capital planning and recommends the distribution of funds for capital, research, equipment and education commitments.

The Foundation has created an endowment to secure a long-term financial base. Donations to the endowment are preserved as principal, while annual investment income is used to support hospital priorities. This structure allows the Foundation to respond to unexpected needs, attract top physicians, and sustain ongoing upgrades to equipment and services. Major campaigns such as “St. Martha’s and You…The Time is NOW!” have helped grow the endowment and overall fundraising to the tens of millions of dollars.

The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors supported by an Executive Director and a Fund Development Associate. Board committees cover governance, fundraising, fund allocation, finance and investment, and audit. To ensure transparency and accountability, the Foundation publishes annual community reports, AGM reports, strategic plans and audited financial statements on its website. Over nearly 35 years, it has committed millions of dollars to equipment, renovations, education and research, helping St. Martha’s Regional Hospital deliver exemplary care to patients across the region.