The Stark Family Fund

The Stark Family Fund supports charitable projects that benefit residents of the Municipality of Prince Edward County. While applicants may be based outside the County, projects must clearly demonstrate local impact. This geographic focus reflects the Stark family’s deep roots in PEC and their commitment to strengthening this community.

All proposals must meet the Community Foundation’s general eligibility criteria:

• Any applicant organization must be a charity registered with Canada Revenue Agency or formally partnered with an organization that is either a charity registered with Canada Revenue Agency or a municipality.
• The applicant organization must have a strong community presence in the geographic area we serve through a local Board of Directors, a local, well-defined accountable committee, or a local office with strong community involvement.
• All applications involving activities with primary and secondary schools must be accompanied by a Letter of Permission from the relevant School Board(s).
• Any overdue final reports for previously completed projects funded by the Foundation must have been received.

Successful Proposals Will:

• build on existing community strengths and assets.
• respond to clearly identified local needs and provide demonstrable enrichment to the community.
• use resources efficiently and effectively.
• involve meaningful partnerships.
• strive for a significant and/or lasting impact.
• benefit a wide audience.
• show innovation, creativity, proactive thinking, and a degree of risk.

Grants for the following will NOT be considered:

• to cover deficits or retire debts.
• to provide endowment funds.
• for sectarian, religious, or political purposes.
• to respond to annual fund drives for sustaining support.
• to contribute to major renovation or capital construction costs.
• to provide money for fundraising activities.
• to individuals.

How to Apply:

• The application form will be available in the Grants Portal on the first day of the application period.
• Applications must be completed and submitted through the Grants Portal by the posted deadline. Late applications cannot be accepted.
• Accessibility Note: Applications may be completed orally by appointment with the Grants Officer. To request an accommodation, please email grants@cfka.org to book a time.

Who Evaluates:

• Applications to the Stark Family Fund are reviewed by the Stark Selections Committee—a group of dedicated community members from Prince Edward County.
• The Committee carefully considers how available funds can make the greatest local impact before making recommendations.

When to Expect a Decision:

• After the application period closes, applications are evaluated by the Stark Selections Committee.
• Their recommendations are reviewed by the Foundation’s Grant Strategy & Impact (GSI) Committee, and then forwarded to the Foundation’s Board of Directors for final approval.
• Applicants are typically notified of funding decisions within 8 weeks of the application deadline.

If Successful, What Comes Next:

• Grant Agreement: You’ll receive a Grant Agreement Form through the Grants Portal, outlining the Terms and Conditions of the grant. This must be completed before funds are released.
• Stark Family Fund Celebration: Each year, grantees are invited to a special event in Prince Edward County to receive their funding cheque, celebrate with fellow grantees, and share their work with the community. This much-loved tradition honours the Stark Sisters’ legacy.
• Final Reporting: A Final Report is due within 30 days of the stated end date of your grant. The report is intended to help you reflect on your work and for us to understand the impact of our grants.
  • Accessibility Note: Final Reports may also be completed orally by appointment with the Grants Officer. To request an accommodation, please email grants@cfka.org to book a time.

The Stark Family Fund was established in 2002 at the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area with an extraordinary gift from the last surviving members of the Stark family, sisters Ival and Ruth. Together with their late sisters—Leata, Keitha, and Sylvia—the five Stark women were lifelong residents of Bloomfield in Prince Edward County. Without heirs of their own, they chose to create a permanent endowment from the combined estates of the sisters and their spouses, ensuring their love for this community would continue to have an impact for generations.

The Stark sisters were well-known throughout Prince Edward County for their quiet generosity, often supporting local initiatives and charities anonymously. In their will, they expressed their desire to support projects that would relieve poverty and suffering, expand educational opportunities, provide scholarships, promote the arts and culture of the County, and improve quality of life for residents—from care for the elderly to access to public concerts and libraries.

Their original bequest of $1.2 million (later growing to $1.3 million) laid the foundation for what has become a cornerstone of community support in Prince Edward County. In its first decade alone, the Fund supported 116 grants totaling more than $500,000, while also growing the endowment itself—a demonstration of the power and sustainability of community foundation funds. Today, the Fund has granted more than $1.32 million to local projects in education, health, social services, animal welfare, arts, and culture. It also supports scholarships at Loyalist College and St. Lawrence College for PEC students.

From 1879 through 2001, the Stark sisters and their spouses lived and worked in Bloomfield, embodying a strong sense of civic responsibility. That spirit lives on through the Fund. Long-time neighbours and family friends, Tim and Linda Beatty, have helped steward the Fund as volunteer committee members since its creation. As Tim Beatty fondly recalls: “They led ordinary, hardworking lives and they loved their community. Knowing that they are supporting projects that provide care for the elderly, benefit children and young people, and assist those less fortunate would make them very proud.”

Through this enduring legacy, the Stark family continues to sustain worthy projects and causes in Prince Edward County—a gift of care and commitment that will last forever.

Scholarships & Bursaries

In addition to its competitive granting program, the Stark Family Fund provides annual scholarships and bursaries to support local students in pursuing postsecondary education. Each year, $15,750 is distributed through a longstanding partnership with the Rotary Club of Picton.

Students are identified and nominated by their teachers, principals, or guidance counsellors—there is no public application process for these awards. This approach ensures that support reaches students facing financial barriers who are best positioned to benefit from the opportunity, and it allows school officials to exercise their discretion in selecting recipients.

For more information about the Scholarship and Bursary Programs, please contact the Community Foundation.