Happy New Year Everyone!
2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the Guelph Community Foundation. The Guelph Community Foundation federally incorporated in 1999 as a registered charitable public foundation, and began its operations in 2000 with $13,000 in donations. The first fund to be established was the William K. Greenaway and Anne C. Bawden Fund, supporting the community as an unrestricted fund. Mr. Greenaway is still supporting GCF 25 years later as a volunteer and a valued member of our office team!
Since 1999 GCF has been strongly supported by our community here in Guelph and Wellington County as we have received millions in contributions in the form of cash, stock, mutual funds, life insurance, and bequests. GCF turns these funds into grants to help give funding where it is needed most in all different sectors of the community: arts & culture, education, health & wellness, environment, children & youth, seniors, social services and animal welfare. Over the last 25 years we continue to be experts in where these areas of need are, in part due to our production of multiple Vital Signs reports which measure the health of our community to inform us in our grant making, highlight issues and opportunities for donors, as serves as a guidepost for conversations and plans.
While the last few months has included some staff turn over, we continue to be as busy as ever as we continue to establish new funds by connecting donors and philanthropic leaders to community needs and opportunities. We are tremendously excited for all that is in store for us during our 25th year. Keep an eye on our media channels for upcoming anniversary related events! We would also like to enthusiastically thank everyone for contributing to and supporting the GCF – without all of you, the work we do would not be possible. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you from the whole Guelph Community Foundation team!