Grants Impact

The Guelph Community Foundation and its fundholders are proud to announce our 2025 Musagetes Fund recipients. The funding decision to distribute $64,000 to sixteen charitable organizations in Guelph and Wellington County was made late last month. Since 2004, this donor advised granting stream has been providing grants to non-profits that provide contemporary art and culture…

We are thrilled to have been able to help distribute the $40,000 from The Sleeman Better Water Fund: an annual grant to support Canadian water conservation and clean water accessibility. To celebrate World Water Day we’re joining with our partners at Sleeman Breweries in announcing the 2025 recipients of the Sleeman Better Water Fund! We’re…

$110,000+ of funds given to 24 local charities through Community Grants & Kids to Camp! The Foundation received a record number of 75 applications this year. These applications highlighted both the increase in demands placed on Guelph and Wellington County’s local charities, and the incredible work that is being done by these organizations. We are…

Accepting Applications: Monday September 9, 2024 – October 4, 2024 On behalf of Sleeman Breweries, the Guelph Community Foundation is proud to be able to administer this grant application process for and distributes funds from the Sleeman Better Water Fund. Sleeman Breweries selects successful applicants and awards funds to those selected. The Sleeman Better Water Fund supports…

For the final story in our 2023 #GCFGrantStories series, we spotlight Community Grant recipient Wyndham House, which received funding for its Youth Transportation Program. 100% of the youth Wyndham House serves live in poverty, are mainly isolated, and cannot afford day-to-day transportation. Their needs continue to grow substantially, so staff buy an additional 100+ bus…

Next up in our #GCFGrantStories series, we spotlight Community Grant recipient The Grove Hubs, which received funding for The Guelph and Wellington Grove Outreach Program. The Grove Hubs provide youth with mental health and wellness programs and services in a safe space. The Outreach Program connected the Grove Youth Ambassador team with youth across Guelph.…

Today in our #GCFGrantStories series, we feature Community Grant recipient Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph (BBBSG), which received funding for its In-School Mentoring Program. The In-School Mentoring Program pairs at-risk youth with an adult volunteer mentor as a role model and friend to help them realize their full potential. For approximately an hour each…

Today in our #GCFGrantStories series, we feature Community Grant recipient Hopewell Children’s Homes (HCH), which received funding for its Hopewell/YMCA Community Partnership Program for Inclusion, Well-being & Improved Health Outcomes. HCH works with individuals with a range of physical and developmental abilities and help their residents in reaching their maximum level of achievement and independence.…

Next up in our #GCFGrantStories series is Community Grant recipient Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition (GNSC), which received funding for its Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program. 100% of the received funds went towards books for local children 0 to five years old. For $45 per child per year, each child received a high-quality, age-appropriate book in…

Today in our #GCFGrantStories series is Community Grant recipient Elora Centre for the Arts (ECFTA), which received funding for The Nest! Community Outreach Program. The Nest! is designed to support local youth ages 10+ seeking to re-engage and reconnect with their peers in a safe, creative, and nurturing space. It is an open-flow, gender-diverse space…

Next up in our #GCFGrantStories series is Community Grant recipient Guelph Community Singers (GCS), which received funding for its Singing is Pure Joy Program. According to its website, GCS Guelph Community Singers is a fun-loving, accessible, and secular community choir with over 100 voices. After the first wave of the pandemic, the choir pivoted from…

Next up in our #GCFGrantStories series, we spotlight Community Grant recipient Seed, Soil and Spirit School, which received funding for its Herbal Immersion Program. Seed, Soil and Spirit School is a plant medicine school for Black, Indigenous, racialized, and allied people who love plants and healing justice. “Community-led” and a “labour of love,” the school…

Today in our #GCFGrantStories series, we spotlight Community Grant recipient Royal City Mission (RCM) which received funding for its Community Drop-In Meal Program. RCM is a food security and relief agency in Guelph that ensures that everyone, regardless of socio-economic status, has access to the nutrition they need to survive by serving lunch five days…

Today in our #GCFGrantStories series, we spotlight the Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS), which received funding for its #ChangeStartsNow Digital Archive Project through The Guelph Community Foundation’s Musagetes Fund. The #ChangeStartsNow Educational initiative provides educational programming on Black history and culture, as well as relevant resources on diversity and discrimination. The initiative’s new Digital Archive…

Today in our #GCFGrantStories series, we feature Community Grant recipients Church of the Apostles’ Helper Bees and the Jobs. Opportunities. Enterprise. (J.O.E.) Program. They received funding for their ongoing emergency food program and are a shining example of fantastic charitable collaboration! The Helper Bees program began in spring of 2020 in response to the COVID-19…

Next up in our #GCFGrantStories series is Community Grant recipient Elora House, which received funding for its Rebuild Project, described as “a journey to build towards self-reliance, resilience, and overall well-being.” Elora House is a three-stage recovery centre offering programs and services focused on rest, therapy, education, and job training post-sex trafficking. These services can…

Today in #GCFGrantStories, we feature Guelph Museums’ McCrae in the Mirror, a play funded through the Guelph Community Foundation’s Musagetes Fund. Since 2004, the Musagetes Fund, a donor-advised granting stream, has provided grants to registered charities (or organizations partnered with a registered charity) that provide contemporary art and culture programming, emphasizing new approaches to building…

Today in our #GCFGrantStories series, we spotlight Rainbow Day Camp, which received funding through The Guelph Community Foundation’s Kids to Camp grant program. This program funds registered charities (or organizations partnered with a registered charity) operating camps that allow them to offer free or subsidized camp registration to children and youth from financially disadvantaged families.…

Next up in our #GCFGrantStories series is Community Grant recipient Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County (FCSGW), which received funding for its Responsive Fund for Families Program. This program provides immediate material support for low-income families who struggle to access the things they need to safely care for their young children, such…

Next up in our #GCFGrantStories series is Community Grant recipient Shelldale Family Gateway, which received funding for its youth Volleyball Program. Shelldale Family Gateway is a non-profit, charitable organization that aims to enrich the quality of life for everyone it serves. Its respectful and multicultural approach strives to meet the needs of its diverse community,…

The first #GCFGrantStories of the year comes from Community Grant recipient The Elliott Community , who received funding for their ‘In Tune’ Ukulele – Music Therapy for Seniors program. This popular music program was designed for local seniors at risk of social isolation during the COVID pandemic. The program helped these seniors gain social connections…

We’re excited to announce #GCFGrantStories – a weekly summer+ series where we’ll share and celebrate some of the work done by our incredible grantees! Starting next Friday, we’ll be spotlighting some inspirational stories from local charitable projects we’ve recently helped fund. Much of the charitable sector work of the last year had to overcome challenges…

The GCF board and staff are pleased to share the 2023 Musagetes Fund recipients. The funding decision was made by the fundholders the week of May 8, 2023 to distribute $49,180 to eleven charitable organizations in Guelph and Wellington County. Since 2004, this donor advised granting stream has been providing grants to registered charities (or…

The Guelph Community Foundation and our fundholders are proud to announce our 2023 scholarship and bursary recipients. Sixteen outstanding Guelph and Wellington County graduating students have been recently awarded scholarships and bursaries set up by generous community fundholders to help these local students achieve their academic goals. Many of these scholarships and bursaries support students…

The Community Services Recovery Fund is open for applications between January 06 – February 21, 2023 for community service organizations. The Community Services Recovery Fund is a $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profits as they focus on how to adapt their organizations for pandemic recovery.