About

Mission Community Foundation is pleased to announce that we will disburse $275,000 through a new, one-time grant stream called the Mission & Region Prosperity Fund to enable a quick, community-informed distribution of funds.
The origin of these funds is the Community Prosperity Fund, a $25 million investment from the Government of British Columbia that advances poverty reduction and social inclusion—announced on the inaugural B.C. Nonprofit Day. This fund is part of the Government of B.C.’s commitment to supporting the non-profit sector and empowering local communities to make local decisions.

The fund is directed towards organizations who plan to produce initiatives related to poverty reduction and social inclusion.

What makes this fund different?

  • Funding can support operational expenses or project delivery
    • Operational expenses that contribute to your organization’s long-term resiliency (e.g., investment in digital infrastructure, support for staff training, developing organizational strategies and policies, salaries, rent, and other organizational costs)
      OR
    • Project delivery funding that addresses community needs relating to poverty and/or social inclusion.
  • Less restrictive time constraints
    • The Mission & Region Prosperity Fund gives you the space to complete your best work. You have up to three years for your activities, giving you time to implement the funding in a way that works best for your organization.

If your project is happening in the City of Mission or the Fraser Valley Regional District (Hatzic Prairie, McConnell Creek, Durieu, Dewdney, Deroche, and Lake Errock) you may be eligible.

Timeline

Applications OpenOctober 16, 2024
Applications CloseNovember 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM PST
Applications ReviewedNovember 16-28, 2024
Applicant Notified ByDecember, 2024
Activities Must End ByJune 30, 2027
Final Reporting to MCF Done ByNovember 30, 2027

Eligible Organizations

  • You are located in the region that the Mission Community Foundation serves (City of Mission or the Fraser Valley Regional District (Hatzic Prairie, McConnell Creek, Durieu, Dewdney, Deroche, and Lake Errock)).
  • You are requesting funding for a project that is located in our region
    • You support communities in our region;
    • You are a charity, a non-profit organization, or an Indigenous-serving organization,
      and;
    • You have not received funding from the Vancouver Community Foundation, Lighthouse Organizations Fund, Recovery & Resilience Fund or Level BIPOC Grants.
  • *Non-qualified donees will need to work in partnership with a collaborating organization to apply.

Ineligible Organizations

  • For-profit organizations;
  • Unincorporated nonprofits;
  • Recipients of the Vancouver Community Foundation Lighthouse Organizations Fund, Recovery and Resilience Fund or LEVEL BIPOC Grants;
  • Business non-profit institutions, including business associations, chambers of commerce and condominium associations;
  • Organizations that provide provincial services, including hospitals, medical centers, schools (both public and private), universities, colleges and regional health authorities,
    and;
  • Local governments, regional districts, and organizations that are financially managed by them.

How do I know if my organization is eligible?

If your organization has its own accounting and finances separate from the municipality and you meet the other eligibility criteria, you may be eligible. But if you do not have separate accounting and finances, you are not.

Eligible Activities

Eligible organizations can apply to the Mission & Region Prosperity Fund for operational expenses or project delivery. Organizations and projects must be geared toward the poverty reduction and/or social inclusion sectors to be considered.

You get to decide what would benefit your organization most so that you can advance the incredible work that benefits your community. We’ve included some project examples below, but please know that the list is not exhaustive and by no means captures the breadth of ways you advance poverty reduction and social inclusion in local communities. If your organization meets the eligibility criteria, we encourage you to apply.

Examples

  • A non-profit organization that focuses on local food security is applying to expand its food redistribution program;
  • A charity that supports youth with financial literacy is applying to improve its online platform and provide additional webinars on financial literacy;
  • An Indigenous-serving organization is applying so that they can support language revitalization programs;
  • A family centre is applying because they want to create a new branch of services focused on supporting LGBTQ2SIA+ youth;
  • A charity that focuses on jobs for new immigrants is applying so they can continue to pay their rent and operate out of the same building;
  • A non-profit organization that provides mental health and addiction services is applying to create a branch-out program for new mothers experiencing addiction;
  • An Indigenous-serving organization that provides justice support to rural communities is applying to cover transportation costs, and;
  • An Indigenous-serving organization is applying to develop a coalition on food security in their region.

Ineligible Activities

  • Activities that take place outside of the Mission & Fraser Valley Regional District region area (Silverdale to Lake Errock);
  • Major capital activities, including building infrastructure, purchasing land or buildings;
  • Partisan, political or election-related activities;
  • Activities that generate a profit, including direct fundraising activities or events;
  • Activities that benefit only private interests;
  • Activities that undermine, restrict or infringe on human rights legally protected in Canada;
  • Sub-granting activities
    and;
  • Sponsorship, endowment funds, and donations.

Eligible Expenses

Expenses can begin as soon as approval is received and can continue for up to three years as long as all activities are completed by June 30, 2027:

  • Staff salaries and employment-related costs;
  • Contractors and fees for professional services;
  • Materials and supplies;
  • Equipment;
  • Travel expenses;
  • Training and events;
  • Rent;
  • Gift cards;
  • Honorariums;
  • Transit passes,
    and
  • Administration.

Ineligible Expenses

  • Expenses incurred before your application is approved;
  • Expenses incurred after June 30, 2027;
  • Expenses that have already been paid for by another funding source (organizations may receive funding from other sources, but those funds may not cover the same expenses);
  • Purchasing land or buildings, real estate fees and related costs;
  • Setting aside funds for losses or potential future liabilities and contingencies;
  • Legal penalties, including fines and other punitive measures;
  • Taxes for which an organization is eligible for a tax rebate;
  • Individual membership fees for private clubs (e.g., golf clubs, gyms);
  • Costs associated with profit-making activities, including fundraising activities;
  • The financing of deficits;
  • The purchase or sale of alcohol or cannabis, financing related licenses or permits, or capital renovations or repairs to facilities or spaces used to sell alcohol or cannabis;
  • Political activities supporting or opposing any political party, elected representative, or candidate for public office;
  • Activities which are religious or include a requirement to participate in any dimensions of faith or that only benefit your members (for example, a church running a community-based kitchen can apply for supplies and staffing costs are eligible but not primarily religious activities);
  • Capital renovations or repairs of premises used exclusively for religious observance or practice, and;
  • Activities, projects, or services carried out or provided outside of Canada.

Additional Information

Budget

In your application, you will be asked to complete a simple budget outlining expenses you expect to incur for the duration of your activities. Expenses can begin as soon as your organization’s funding is approved and can continue for up to three years as long as all activities are completed by June 30, 2027.

Recipient Check-ins

Organizations approved for funding will sign a funding agreement outlining their responsibilities for participating in the Mission & Region Prosperity Fund, including check-ins. Check-ins are a chance for approved organizations to share how activities are progressing and reflect on the impact of the funding. Over the grant period, there will be a few short check-ins, which are a space to summarize your activities and how the funding is being used.

Are You a Non-Qualified Donee?

Your application process will be slightly different depending on whether you are a qualified donee or a non-qualified donee. Qualified donees can apply directly to the Mission & Region Prosperity Fund, while most non-qualified donees will need to work in partnership with a collaborating organization to apply. Non-qualified donees must provide a signed letter demonstrating the partnership with the collaborating organization, and the collaborating organization must accept the funds on behalf of the non-qualified donee.

Qualified DoneesNon-qualified Donees
Charities registered with the CRA, including Indigenous-serving organizations registered with the CRA.Incorporated non-profits registered with the Government of BC, or federally incorporated.
Indigenous-serving organizations listed by the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations or the Government of BC.

Selection Process

Reviewer Rubric

Questions reviewers will use to guide funding decisionsQuestions you’ll answer on the application
Mission and leadership alignment: Who are you as an organization?
To what extent does the mission of the organization align with the request?Describe your organization’s mission and purpose and how they support the purpose of the Mission & Region Prosperity Fund.
To what extent is the organization connected to the communities it serves, including through ‘nothing about us without us’?Describe how your organization actively brings an equity lens to its work using the ‘nothing about us without us’ principle.
Community needs: How are you supporting your community?
To what extent does the organizational activity meet community needs?What are your community’s primary needs? Explain how this funding will support the needs of your community.
To what extent will the request benefit one or more equity-deserving groups?What is the primary population that would be served by this funding? What other populations would this funding serve?
Organizational needs: How will this funding support your work?
To what extent will the funding support your organization’s needs?Describe the purpose of your funding request.
To what extent will the funding support the organization’s long-term operations or mission?If you are applying for operational expenses, what are your organization’s primary need(s) to support long-term operations? How will this funding support these organizational needs (s)?
If you are applying for project delivery funding, how will this funding support your organization’s mission long-term?
Feasibility & viability: Is your funding request realistic?
To what extent is the timeline of activities appropriate?Select the number of years your activities will take place. Please describe the activities and the month and year in which they will take place. For example, “December 2024 to March 2025: Carry out six staff training sessions.”
To what extent does the budget support the planned activities?Budget table.

Apply Now

Apply Online
PDF Application

Additional Support

Unsure of what type of organization you are?

Here are some databases that may help you search your organization and confirm your organization type.

Other Questions?

We are here to help. We encourage you to contact us at info@missioncommunityfoundation.org if you have additional questions that are not addressed in this guide.

Key Terms

COLLABORATING ORGANIZATION: A collaborating organization is a qualified done who works in partnership with a non-qualified donee and agrees to take on an application and its activities as its own and engages a non-qualified donee as an intermediary to carry out the activities. The agreement should be made between organizations with a mutual alignment of values and missions. If an application with an agreement is successful, payment will be made to the collaborating organization, which will be responsible for disbursing funds to the non-qualified donee.

INDIGENOUS-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS: Indigenous-serving organizations include qualified donees, non-qualified donees, charities and non-profit organizations serving Indigenous peoples.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: In B.C., not-for-profit/non-profit organizations are known as societies. Societies are independent, democratic organizations that are required to comply with the Societies Act and their own constitution and bylaws. Societies do not earn any profits for its members. All money is donated to the organization’s cause or goal.

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US: This principle recognizes that individuals with lived experience know what is best for themselves and their community and that their participation is integral to success. When the principle is used, the organization’s work is guided by the needs and aspirations of the people being served. Those people served are provided meaningful opportunities for participation in activity planning, leadership, evaluation, and promotion.

OPERATIONAL EXPENSES: Operational expenses cover operating costs that organizations require to function, such as rent, insurance, staff salaries, technology, etc.

QUALIFIED DONEE: Qualified donees are all organizations that are listed in the CRA’s database of qualified donees and this includes registered charities. A qualified donee can issue official donation receipts for gifts it receives from individuals and corporations.

Funded by the Government of British Columbia through the Community Prosperity Fund.