Apply for a grant up to $10,000
Our annual Responsive Community Grants provide up to $10,000 to support community programs and projects that respond to local and current needs.
GUIDELINES
1. The concept of community strengthening is the cornerstone of the Foundation’s community grants program. Community strengthening occurs when the resilience, skills, infrastructure, and/or well-being of the community is enhanced.
2. Funding proposals will be assessed against four key pillars of community strengthening:
a. Resilience and Sustainability: Does the proposed project or program increase the community’s or organization’s ability to adapt, survive, and thrive in the face of challenges (e.g., economic, environmental, social)?
b. Skills and Knowledge Development: Does the proposed project or program provide local individuals or groups with new skills, knowledge, or leadership abilities that will contribute to the community’s growth and well-being?
c. Infrastructure and Resource Enhancement: Does the proposed project or program strengthen or develop the physical or organizational resources that the community needs or relies on?
d. Leadership, Collaboration and Community Engagement: Does the proposed project or program foster leadership, encourage collaboration, or increase community participation?
3. The Foundation will consider applications to support general programming, operating costs, small capital projects, or the purchase of equipment, materials, and/or supplies for eligible organizations.
4. The Foundation will accept and review one application per eligible organization.
5. The Foundation will award one Responsive Community Grant per year to an eligible organization. NOTE: The Foundation will not award a new community grant to organizations with outstanding Final Project & Expense Reports for previously awarded community grants.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to receive the Foundation’s charitable funding, the applying organization must:
1. Be listed by the Canada Revenue Agency as a registered charity or other qualified donee with a status eligible to receive charitable funding,
2. Benefit the people of the Sunshine Coast* directly through its charitable activities,
3. Use the Foundation’s funding to carry on its own charitable activities and be able to meet the ‘own activities test’ by carrying on these activities through its staff, volunteers or through an intermediary, and
4. Complete the Foundation’s required paperwork:
➤ Community Grants Application Form
➤ Community Grants Project Budget
➤ Community Grants Agreement
➤ Community Grants Final Project Report
➤ Community Grants Project Expense Report
*The Sunshine Coast refers to the Sunshine Coast Regional District, British Columbia, comprised of the following three Municipalities and five Electoral Areas: District of Sechelt, Town of Gibsons, shíshálh Nation Government District, Area A: Egmont / Pender Harbour, Area B: Halfmoon Bay, Area D: Roberts Creek, Area E: Elphinstone, and Area F: West Howe Sound.
RESTRICTIONS
Are You a Non-Qualified Donee?
Non-qualified donees cannot apply directly to the Responsive Community Grants program. If you are unsure about your organization’s status, please consult this CRA resource or contact the Foundation’s Communications and Grants Administrator, Emily Schach, for more information
Responsive Community Grants will not be made for:
✗ Academic research (i.e., research intended for publication only without application to current activities),
✗ Tours or travel outside the community,
✗ Scholarships or bursaries,
✗ Activities of partisan political organizations or religious organizations that serve primarily their membership and/or their direct religious purposes (community programs delivered by religious institutions are eligible),
✗ General endowments,
✗ Major capital or building fundraising campaigns,
✗ Operating or capital deficits, or
✗ Individuals.
**NEW APPLICATION PROCESS**
No more Letter of Intent — just one full application from the start.
In 2026, we’re implementing a streamlined one-step application process. We’ve eliminated the Letter of Intent stage to make applying more straightforward and efficient.
With this change comes a new program timeline, which is outlined below.
**NEW PROGRAM TIMELINE**
One-Step Application
Eligible organizations are invited to submit one Application during the intake period.
Web Portal Opens
→ January 5, 2026 at 9:00 AM PST
Web Portal Closes
→ February 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM PST
Applications Reviewed
→ February–March 2026
Organizations Notified
→ No later than April 2, 2026
→ Successful organizations will be required to sign a Grant Agreement prior to receiving any funds.
Funding Distributed
→ April–May 2026
→ Successful organizations will receive 100% of funding up front.
HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION
Once you have reviewed the Guidelines, Eligibility, and Restrictions sections above, you can start your Application from January 5, 2026, via the Foundation’s grants management system.
NOTE: Applications must be completed and submitted online. However, if you’d like to prepare in advance, a sample Application form will be available to download in early December.
For any assistance in navigating the grants management system, various tutorials can be found in the ‘Links & Resources’ section below.
LINKS & RESOURCES
Acknowledgement
If you receive a Responsive Community Grant, please acknowledge the Sunshine Coast Foundation as a supporter of your organization and/or project on your website, in your social media posts, and in any media stories, newsletters, displays, and posters, or at any project-related events.
SCF logo – PNG
SCF logo – JPG
Fields of Interest
Grants in support of specific Fields of Interest – youth, health & wellness, the environment, literacy & reading, choral music, fibre arts, seniors, and food & shelter – are also available. To view of list of our Field of Interest funds, please visit Our Endowments.
Grants Management System
Foundant Technologies has created some video and written tutorials to help you navigate the grants management software:
Applicant Tutorial Video
Create an Account/Log on
Apply for a Grant
Manage Your Requests
Additional Information on Completing Forms
Other Sources of Funding
Other local sources of funding include: District of Sechelt, Sunshine Coast Regional District, Sunshine Coast Community Forest, Sunshine Coast Health Care Auxiliary, and TELUS.
Previous Grant Recipients
To view past Responsive Community Grants recipients, please visit this page.
Program Updates
Follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram) or subscribe to our mailing list to get updates about this program, as well as future grants opportunities.
Questions?
For any questions related to our grants programs, please contact Emily Schach, Communications and Grants Administrator.