The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area is now accepting applications for the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). Together with Community Foundations of Canada and the Government of Canada, this funding will help support qualified donees working with vulnerable populations.

Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF)

The Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) provides financial support to charities and other qualified donees adapting and expanding their frontline services to support vulnerable Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The $350 million ECSF was announced by the Government of Canada on April 21, 2019 and is administered in collaboration with United Way Centraide Canada, Community Foundations of Canada and the Canadian Red Cross.

The  Community Foundation for Kingston & Area (CFKA) and the United Way KFL&A are proud to be a part of this important investment and will collectively receive over $900,000 from the Fund for distribution into local communities ($500,000 through United Way KFL&A and $413,000 through Community Foundation for Kingston & Area).

We encourage charities in the community who are serving vulnerable populations to apply to the Fund. Grants can be used for a variety of purposes, including to cover staffing or resource needs, purchase assistance and more.

You may apply to more than one funder.  Applicants may not, however, apply to more than one funder for the same program activities and related costs. The three organizations will be coordinating locally to ensure that funds are being distributed to have the best possible local reach to serve vulnerable populations.

While the ECSF eligibility and application processes for the Community Foundation and United Way funding are very similar, there are slight differences due to their different funding agreements with the government. For example, the Community Foundation will review applications on a rolling basis, while the United Way KFL&A has set a grant application deadline of June 9th.  United Way KFL&A will fund projects from $5,000 – $40,0000.  The Community Foundation has no minimum, and while it will normally have a maximum of $40,000 per project, it will consider requests of up to $75,000 on an individual basis.   All funding will be issued by July 31, 2020 and must be spent by March 31, 2021.

It is up to you as a qualified donee to decide where you wish to – and feel it’s most logical – to apply.  You may apply to one, or both, as long as it’s not for the same project costs.   Know that our teams are coordinating efforts and sharing information about ECSF applications on an ongoing basis. Please refer to this infographic for guidance on which program(s) to apply to.

Learn more about the program and find out if your organization is eligible to apply, visit:

Community Foundations Application Portal – Applications Due July 10, 2020 at 12 noon.

Canadian Red Cross Application Portal

United Way KFL&A Application Portal – Applications Closed June 9, 2020

To apply for Community Foundation funding please read the Community Foundation of Canada’s Applicant Guide to clearly understand what is eligible. The Applicant Guide will also provide very concrete examples for your consideration.

If you need any further assistance or information about the program, please contact Penny Scott, Grants Coordinator via email at grants@cfka.org with your inquiry or to book a time to connect in person via Zoom or telephone.

Local charities have been working tirelessly to support those who need it most right now. This additional funding will give a much-needed boost to their efforts. We’re looking forward to flowing funds quickly to help them carry out their vital work to ensure no one in our community is left behind!