The Calgary Chinook Fund is an endowment fund established in 2001 that provides ongoing annual grants to charitable organizations serving the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Calgary. Managed by the Calgary Foundation, the fund awards approximately $62,000 annually to support programs, services, education, and community initiatives promoting inclusiveness. The fund has two components: the Chinook Fund for Gender and Sexual Diversity and the Chinook Fund for the Arts. View The Calgary Chinook Fund's website for more information.
The Calgary Chinook Fund is a permanent endowment fund that provides sustainable, long-term funding to Calgary's 2SLGBTQIA+ community organizations. Unlike one-time grants, the fund's structure ensures that grants will continue forever, with the annual amount increasing as the endowment grows through donations and investment returns.
The advisory committee reviews applications based on: impact and community benefit, potential reach, sustainability, level of innovation, and quality of the request. For project-based funding, the ability to describe measurable outcomes is essential. For core funding, the committee assesses how the funds will increase organizational scope.
The fund is administered by the Calgary Foundation, one of Canada's largest community foundations. The advisory committee, composed entirely of donors from Calgary's 2SLGBTQIA+ community, makes annual allocation decisions. The fund publishes procedural rules, terms of reference, and conflict of interest policies publicly.
Established in 2001 by a group of donors, the fund was originally named the Chinook Lesbian and Gay Fund. In 2022, it was formally renamed the Chinook Fund for Gender and Sexual Diversity to better represent the community. In 2024, the Chinook Fund for the Arts was added to support arts-related initiatives.
The fund supports registered charitable organizations providing programs, services, education, and support for and about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Funding is directed toward both project-specific grants and core operational funding, with half of annual funding allocated to each category.
The fund is managed in partnership with the Calgary Foundation and has received ongoing sponsorship support from TD Bank. The fund also collaborates with community organizations for events and fundraising activities.