Building Community Resilience
The Community Foundation has granted $543,426 to 37 local agencies since the pandemic was declared in March. And more funding will be granted this Fall.
COVID-19 has affected all facets of society. The impact on charities and the people they serve were significant and immediate; and will certainly continue into the foreseeable future.
The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area has been (and will be) there to help understand and respond to emerging community needs.
COVID-19 grants to date (as of September 1, 2020)
Spring Community Grants
(3 projects totalling $31,411)
When COVID-19 restrictions were announced, it became clear that community needs would change significantly. We made the difficult decision to put our regular granting on hold even though reviews had already been completed. Normally funding dozens of projects, we chose to fund only three projects that, by their nature, remained relevant and would help respond to increased needs caused by the pandemic. The three projects funded addressed the issues of food security, seniors’ isolation, and the transition of services to remote delivery.
Click here to read about these projects.
Government of Canada Emergency Community Support Fund
(29 projects totalling $413,720)
In April 2020 the Government of Canada announced the $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) to be delivered through Community Foundations of Canada, United Way Centraide Canada and the Canadian Red Cross. CKFA applied to participate and was allocated $413,720 to grant locally to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable populations magnified by COVID-19.
We worked quickly to launch a call for proposals, and our volunteer grant review teams evaluated 68 grant applications with funding requests totalling $1.6 million. Working in close communication with the local United Way to ensure no duplication of funding, collectively our two organizations granted over $1.2 million in federal funding locally.
Click here to here to read about the projects we funded through the ECSF.
Regina Rosen Food First Fund Grants
(9 grants totalling $9,000)
Emergency meal providers were hit with an increased demand as they were also dealing with new logistical challenges and safety precautions. Local agencies responded quickly to these changing requirements, changing their operations to provide take-out meals. To facilitate their efforts, we disbursed available funding through the Regina Rosen Food First Fund immediately.
Click here to see list of Food First Fund grants. In addition to those listed, we provide an emergency grant of $1,000 to the North Frontenac Food Bank when we learned that their pantry was running low.
Supporting Summer Camps
($25,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Kingston & Area)
When restrictions lifted making summer camps possible, the Boys & Girls Club of Kingston & Area rose to the challenge of how to provide safe summer day camps for kids. To help make summer camps possible this year, the Foundation awarded $25,000 from its three existing recreation focused funds (The Marion and John Dunn Fund, the Bill and Gladys Kelly Community Fund, and the Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund).
Smart & Caring Community Fund Grants
(6 grants totalling $20,200)
Our Smart & Caring Community Fund was purposefully designed to be nimble and flexible to get money to where it was needed most in our community. During this unprecedented time, the Foundation acted swiftly to enable this fund to support our community’s response to, and recovery from, the effects of COVID-19.
It further enabled some targeted granting from this fund outside of the Foundation’s regular competitive granting cycle to get funds where they would have immediate impact.
Funded projects include:
- Community Living North Frontenac ($2,700) to develop a peer led mini COVID workshop
- Epilepsy South Eastern Ontario ($1,500) to purchase cell phones needed for staff to work remotely
- KFL&A Children & Youth Services Planning Committee ($5,000) to have Resolve Counselling Services provide services and resources to support member agencies in their return to work after COVID. (We are proud of this very strategic investment as it is a small investment which has a big impact on an entire sector. This one grant will benefit staff and managers in over 50 local agencies that provide services to children, youth and families. Read about this project that is all about supporting those who support us.
- Resolve Counselling Services Canada ($5,000) to implement a Virtual Walk in Counselling Service
- Sexual Assault Centre Kingston ($3,000*) for staff training and purchase of needed equipment provide support virtually (*matching funds provided through the Fearless Generosity Fund)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society of Kingston ($3,000) for emergency purchase of new fridge to safely store food to provide take out lunches
Donor Directed Funds
(grants totalling $44,095)
Some of our donors and fundholders contacted us when the pandemic first hit for advice on how they could best help. In the first few weeks, our response was to hold tight: immediate needs were being met by other funding sources, but we knew needs would emerge. When they did, we reached back out and our donors responded!
Thank you to some individual anonymous donors, the Cameron & Laurie Thompson Fund, the Jim & Julie Parker Fund, the Thompson & Beaman Fund, and the Anglican Diocese of Ontario Foundation Fearless Generosity Fund who made the following grants possible:
- Isthmus ($2,848) to support food delivery to students and families during COVID
- Kingston Frontenac Public Library ($14,399) to establish a wireless internet hot spot and a tablet lending program
- Lionshearts ($2,848) to provide meals to those in need
- Resolve Counselling Services ($1,250) so that they could receive the full funding request to support their integrated multi-service clinic
- Sexual Assault Centre Kingston ($3,000*) for staff training and purchase of needed equipment provide support virtually (*matching grant from the Fearless Generosity Fund)
- St. Lawrence Youth Association 9,750 to provide access to specialized counselling services to three local youth who otherwise would not have been able to receive needed support
- YMCA of Eastern Ontario ($10,000) to support their safe re-opening
With more grants to come…
Our Fall 2020 Granting Round has been launched. Understanding that demands will be high and charities are already stretched responding the new challenges caused by COVID, we streamlined the granting process. Application forms are shorter, and the funds will be dispersed sooner (November 2020). In addition, applicants can apply for funds to support operations (ordinarily, operational grants are not eligible for funding).
Click here to learn about our Community Grants Program.
The Community Foundation has been supporting community well-being for 25 years, and we will continue to be here to support local charities and the people and causes they serve during these challenging times – and beyond.
A big thank you to all our donors – big and small – who make all this possible!
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275 Ontario Street Suite #100
Kingston, ON K7K 2X5
Phone: 613.546.9696
Fax: 613.531.9238
Email: info@cfka.org
Donate
When you give to the Community Foundation you can have confidence that your community will continue to benefit from your gift for many years to come.
2023 Year End Tax Tips
Both the federal and provincial governments offer donations tax credits that, in combination, can result in tax savings of up to 55% of the value of your gift in 2023, depending on your province or territory of residence. With total cash donations up to $200 in a year, the federal donation credit is 15% of the donation amount. For total donations exceeding $200 in a year, the federal donation credit jumps to 29% (33% to the extent taxable income exceeds $235,675) of the donation amount. Provincial donation credits are also available and the total credit may be up to 55% once total annual donations exceed the $200 in a calendar year.
December 31 is the last day to make a donation and get a tax receipt for 2023. You can help a wide range of charities with a single gift to our endowed Community Fund, support your favourite charity or cause by giving to one of our over 225 funds, or establish your own fund.
Credit Card or VISA Debit Card
If you’re ready to make your gift now, then use our secure online giving page. You have the option of choosing any one of our funds, giving ‘in memory of/in honour of’ instructions, and more. Or, if you prefer, you can simply call 613-546-9696 to make your donation over the phone using your Visa, MasterCard, or AMEX, or VISA Debit card. You can make a one-time gift, or sign up to make a regular monthly donation.
Cheque
Please make your cheque payable to Community Foundation for Kingston & Area (or “CFKA”), and write your intended fund in the memo line. Drop it off or mail to: 275 Ontario Street, Suite #100, Kingston, ON, K7K 2X5.
Publicly-Traded Securities
Gifting publicly-traded securities, including mutual funds and segregated funds, with accrued capital gains “in-kind” to a registered charity or a foundation not only entitles you to a tax receipt for the fair market value of the security being donated, it eliminates capital gains tax too. You should plan gifts in-kind well before year end, to allow for sufficient time to make arrangements. A gift of publicly-traded securities is the transfer of ownership of stocks or bonds to the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area. If you own shares that have increased in value, 50 per cent of the capital gains are taxable. However, if you donate these shares in-kind to CFKA, the gain is tax-exempt. Learn more.
Form 1: Direction to Transfer Securities or Mutual Funds Electronically as a Charitable Donation Complete Form 1 to give your financial advisor/broker the instructions to make the gift to CFKA. The form contains all the information your advisor will need to make the transfer. They will then submit this form to our broker at CIBC Wood Gundy to advise that the transfer is pending.
Form 2: Notice of Transfer of Securities
Complete Form 2 and send it to CFKA to advise us of your gift, and instruct as to what you would like your donation to support.
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Your AMT may be higher in 2024 (compared to 2023) if your taxable income is over about $173,000, and you have income taxed at lower rates than ordinary income, or deductions or credits that reduce taxes payable, including: Capital gains, Stock options, Canadian dividends, Unused non-capital losses, net capital losses, or limited partnership losses from prior years, and Non-refundable tax credits, including the donation tax credit. Speak to your tax profession to see how AMT could affect your situation in 2024, and, if appropriate, to consider triggering a gain or exercising employee stock options.
Contact us at 613.546.9696 or giving@cfka.org if you need any further assistance.
