Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Stratford General Hospital Foundation (SGHF)

The Stratford General Hospital Foundation is a community-based charitable foundation dedicated to strengthening health services at the Stratford General Hospital site of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance in Ontario. Incorporated in 1983 and governed by a volunteer board of directors, the Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, service clubs, community groups and municipalities to raise and steward philanthropic funds that are then disbursed to hospital priorities.

Provincial operating dollars do not cover the cost of new and replacement medical equipment, many capital upgrades or numerous patient-care innovations. The Foundation fills this gap by directing donor contributions to major equipment purchases, facility renovations, specialized units and other strategic projects that improve patient care close to home.

Funding from the Foundation is primarily directed to the Stratford General Hospital and, selectively, to related healthcare partners. Each year, the organization reports on “Donor Funded Equipment” and publishes detailed tables of items purchased across departments such as Imaging, Emergency, Critical Care, Maternal Child, Laboratory, Mental Health, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy and Volunteer Services.

Disbursements include multimillion-dollar investments in initiatives like the Cancer and Medical Care Clinic with co-located Pharmacy, diagnostic imaging suites, smart hospital beds, laboratory analyzers, ultrasound and fluoroscopy units, incubators, and other specialized technologies. Annual impact reports and disbursement summaries quantify total funds granted—for example, more than $6.6 million in a single fiscal year—demonstrating the Foundation’s role as a major capital and equipment funder.

The Foundation leads large-scale capital campaigns such as the “In Our Hands” campaign, which surpassed a $30 million goal through over 27,000 gifts. Campaign investment priorities span new clinical space, new and replacement equipment, laboratory improvements, mental health and dementia-care technology, staff training and education, and improvements to communication stations across patient care units.

Beyond campaigns, donors can contribute through one-time gifts, monthly giving (Circle of Care), memorial and in-honour donations, planned gifts, gifts of securities and gifts-in-kind. These revenues are pooled and allocated to approved hospital projects and, in select cases, to partner organizations through pledge payments.

The Stratford General Hospital Foundation emphasizes strong governance, transparency and donor accountability. It adheres to a Donor Bill of Rights, publishes complaint-handling and privacy policies, and provides access to audited financial statements going back many years, along with links to its T3010 filings with the Canada Revenue Agency. Regular newsletters, impact reports and detailed equipment-funded lists provide clear evidence of how donations are translated into grants and tangible improvements in healthcare services.