The Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island (the 'Foundation') was established in 1985 by a Deed of Trust (the 'Trust') for the purpose of raising funds to enable the Foundation to create, nurture and shepherd an endowment fund.

An endowment fund uses income earned from donations to provide grants to organizations, institutions, groups, or individuals to help them undertake spiritual, educational, social, and charitable projects and programs. Endowment fund donations are prudently invested and only the interest earned annually is used for grants. Thus a donation is a personal legacy that keeps on giving year after year after year.

The Foundation uses its funds to support a variety of eligible projects within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria, including capital projects; the establishment, development, support, or maintenance of a parish or ministry; Catholic education or Catholic schools; social welfare projects; the support or maintenance of Diocesan seminarians; the support or maintenance of retired clergy; support or maintenance for missionary work; or, for other charitable objectives the Trustees may consider appropriate.

The endowment fund is now over $1.1 Million which generates enough interest each year to award over $30,000 in grants each year. Since 1985 the Foundation has given over $2.5 Million in grants. The combined power of all donations, large and small is significant, as all donations become part of an endowment fund, interest income is generated which enables the Foundation to assist various programs and ministries throughout the Diocese.

Requests for grants from the Foundation, which prudently considers them against the charitable intentions of  the Trust, are examined at the regular meetings of the Foundation. For more information about Grant criteria and deadlines for applications, click on 'Guidelines' above.

History  

History of the Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island

In early 1984, a regional development meeting at St. Edwards in Duncan sowed the seeds of the Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island. Those present included Bishop Remi de Roo and Everald Compton of E. Compton and Associates, consultants.

On June 6, 1984, in a memo to all parishes, Bishop Remi de Roo announced the establishment of a trust fund, to be known as the Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island. On October 10, 1984, Bishop Remi de Roo appointed the Foundation’s first trustees: Fr. Ken Bernard, Frances Beaton, Bishop Remi J. de Roo, Joe Di Marco, Msgr. Philip Hanley, Sister Mary Ellen King, SSA, Ed Lovick (chair), Les McKinnon and Linda O’Shea.

By September 24, 1988, the Foundation was officially a registered charity.

Trustees  

Many individuals have served as trustees of the Foundation, on a voluntary basis, over the years. We give thanks for the service of all these volunteers.

2022 – 2023
Bishop Gary Gordon; Fr. Alfredo Monacelli; Egils Anderson; Sheridan Cooper; Terri-Ann Wynans; Wendy Payne

2021 – 2022
Bishop Gary Gordon; Fr. Alfredo Monacelli; Egils Anderson; Sheridan Cooper; Thomas Cunniffe; Catherine Minvielle

2020 – 2021
Bishop Gary Gordon; Fr. Alfredo Monacelli; Egils Anderson; Sheridan Cooper; Thomas Cunniffe; Catherine Minvielle

2019 – 2020
Bishop Gary Gordon; Fr. Alfredo Monacelli; Egils Anderson; Sheridan Cooper; Thomas Cunniffe; Sergio Gallego; Ronald McClelland; Catherine Minvielle; Aurel Muego

2018 – 2019
Bishop Gary Gordon; Fr. Alfredo Monacelli; Thomas Cunniffe; Brendan Holden; Phillip Jennings; Ronald McClelland; Catherine Minvielle; Aurel Muego; Thomas P. Siemens

2017 – 2018
Bishop Gary Gordon, Fr. Stephen G Paine, Thomas Cunniffe, Brendan Holden, Phillip Jennings, Ronald McClelland, Aurel Muego, Margaret Walters, Thomas P Siemens, Sr. Kerry M Rowland, Colleen Lissamer, Catherine Minvielle

2016 – 2017
Bishop Gary Gordon, Fr. Stephen G Paine, Thomas Cunniffe, Phillip Jennings, Ronald McClelland, Margaret Walters, Thomas P Siemens, Sr. Kerry M Rowland, Colleen Lissamer, Catherine Minvielle

2014 – 2015
Bishop Gary Gordon, Fr. Stephen G Paine, Charlotte Herkel, Phillip Jennings, Ronald McClelland, Margaret Walters, Thomas P Siemens, Sr. Kerry M Rowland, Colleen Lissamer, Judy Roberts

2013 – 2014
Bishop Richard Gagnon, Fr. Stephen G Paine, Charlotte Herkel, Phillip Jennings, Kerry M Rowland, Rose Marie Hague, Terence T. Penney, Thomas P Siemens, Sr Marina Smith SSA, Colleen Lissamer

2012 – 2013
Ben Pires (Chair), Colleen Lissamer, Charlotte Herkel, Judy Roberts, Keith Jones, Sr. Marina Smith SSA, Bishop Richard Gagnon, Rose Marie Hague, Fr. Stephen Paine, Terence Penney

2011 – 2012
Ben Pires (Chair), Colleen Lissamer, Charlotte Herkel, Judy Roberts, Keith Jones, Sr. Marina Smith SSA, Bishop Richard Gagnon, Rose Marie Hague, Fr. Stephen Paine, Terence Penney

Grants Awarded  

Grants Awarded in 2023 totalled $45,500:

  1. Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Rectory Relocation Project - $10,000
  2. Saint John Paul II School 20th Anniversary Lobby Upgrade - $10,000
  3. Faith & Sharing Vancouver Island - $4,000
  4. St. Patrick's Parish Camp Homewood - $7,500
  5. L’Arche Comox Valley  - $3,000
  6. Umbrella Society for Addictions and Mental Health - $6,000
  7. The retired clergy of the Diocese of Victoria - $5,000

Grants Awarded in 2022 totalled $43,500:

  1. Faith & Sharing Vancouver Island - $4,000
  2. Mount St. Mary Hospital - $7,500
  3. L’Arche Comox Valley  - $1,000
  4. St. Patrick's Parish Camp Homewood - $6,000
  5. The retired clergy of the Diocese of Victoria - $25,000

Grants Awarded in 2021 totalled $40,600:

  1. St. Andrew's Regional High School in Victoria - $10,000
  2. John Paul II School in Port Alberni - $8,000
  3. The South Island Centre for Counselling & Training - $5,000
  4. L'Arche Comox Valley Jubilee House Renovations - $3,000
  5. Faith & Sharing Retreat - $3,000
  6. L’Arche Comox Valley Hello Homemade Project - $1,600
  7. The retired clergy of the Diocese of Victoria - $10,000

Grants Awarded in 2020 totalled $30,450:

  1. L'Arche Comox Valley - $1,500
  2. St. Andrew's High School Performing Arts Wing - $15,000
  3. Faith & Sharing Retreat - $2,450
  4. L'Arche Comox Valley - $1,500
  5. Anawim House - $5,000
  6. Marie Esther Society at Mount St. Mary Hospital - $5,000
Grants Awarded in 2019 totalled $42,650:
  1. Greater Victoria Acting Together - $1,650
  2. South Island Centre for Counselling & Training - $6,000
  3. L'Arche Comox Valley Platform Lift for Jubilee House - $3,000
  4. Diocese of Victoria - Priests Retirement Fund - $5,000
  5. Queen of Angels Security Camera Project - $6,000
  6. Marie Esther Society at Mount St. Mary Hospital - $5,000
  7. L’Arche Comox Valley - I Belong Centre Program - $4,000
  8. St. Patrick's Camp Homewood - $4,000
  9. Kackaamin Family Development Centre - $8,000
Grants Awarded in 2018 totalled $37,044:
  1. Greater Victoria Acting Together - $350
  2. Faith and Sharing Vancouver Island - $2,750
  3. South Island Centre for Counselling - $12,000
  4. St. Edward’s the Confessor – Warmland House - $2,900
  5. L’Arche Comox Valley – Jubilee House Kitchen Renovation - $5,000
  6. St. Lawrence Church, Ahousaht, BC - $10,000
  7. L’Arche Comox Valley, Advent Candle Sales - $1,044
  8. St. Patrick’s Church CR, Camp Homewood Annual Retreat - $3,000
Grants Awarded in 2017 totalled $35,750:
  1. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Energy Efficiency Upgrade - $4,000
  2. South Island Centre for Counselling & Training - $6,750
  3. St. Patrick’s Parish, Camp Homewood Annual Retreat - $3,000
  4. Sponsorship Request from South Island Centre - $2,500
  5. Oasis Society for the Spiritual Health of Victoria - $1,500
  6. Oceanside Hospice Society, Grief Counselling Program - $2,000
  7. John Paul II Upgrade to Building Security - $15,000
  8. Holy Cross Parish, Festival of Hope - $1,000
Grants Awarded in 2016 totalled $ 38,250:
  1. Southern Interior Center for Counselling/Training - $5,000
  2. Victoria Hospice - $4,000
  3. Habitat for Humanity, Vancouver Island North - $3,000
  4. John Paul II School, Fire Panel - $5,000
  5. Bishop of Victoria, Retired Clergy - $3,000
  6. Marriage & Family Life Conference - $1,000
  7. South Island Center for Counselling/Training, Sponsorship - $2,000
  8. 9-10 Club, Serving Soup to the Hungry - $5,000
  9. The Oasis Society, Spiritual Health - $750
  10. Diocesan Youth Office, Camp Homewood Retreat - $1,500
  11. St. Andrew’s Cathedral, 125th Anniversary Music - $3,000
  12. Diocesan Youth Office, Youth Ministry Leaders Training - $5,000
Grants Awarded in 2015 totalled $40,500:
  1. 9-10 Club Serving Soup to the Hungry - $5,000
  2. Diocesan Marriage and Family Life Conference - $2,000
  3. Faith & Sharing (summer retreat) - $1,500
  4. Anawin Companions Society – Counselling for Residents - $5,000
  5. South Island Center for Counselling & Training - $6,000
  6. Oasis Society for Spiritual Health – Ignatian Spiritual Retreat - $3,000
  7. The Bishop of Victoria, Priest Retirement Fund - $2,500
  8. L’Arche Comox Valley - $2,500
  9. St. Patrick’s CR - $1,500
  10. Oasis Society for Spiritual Health – Rose Prince Pilgrimage - $500
  11. Diocesan Youth Ministry – Leaders Training/Networking - $5,000
  12. John Paul II School – Fire Panel/Detector Upgrade - $5,000
Grants Awarded in 2014 totalled $36,150:
  1. Multifaith Services – Family Conference - $2,000
  2. St. Ann’s Parish – Children/Youth Ministry - $3,200
  3. St. Ann’s Parish – Feeding Sunday Catechisms Children - $3,500
  4. Oasis Society – Retreats for Homeless - $2,000
  5. University of Victoria – St John’s Bible - $2,500
  6. Sacred Heart Church – Hymn Contest - $1,750
  7. Diocesan Youth Office – Youth Ministry Studies - $8,000
  8. Queen of Angels School – Children/Youth Ministry - $5,500
  9. Oasis Society for Spiritual Health - $1,500
  10. St. Patrick’s Church CR - Camp Homewood Retreat - $5,000
  11. St. Joseph’s Elementary Chemainus – Garden Club Project - $1,200

Donate

Make an online donation

WAYS TO DONATE  

How to Donate At Any Time

Send an E-Transfer to catholicfounation@rcdvictoria.org

If you would like to transfer funds electronically from your bank account, the following steps will guide you.  Each bank can be a little bit different, but generally the process is:

  1. Go to your on-line banking site
  2. Select Transfer/Pay Bills
  3. Select Interac e-Transfer (or electronic transfer)
  4. Follow the steps outlined by your bank
  5. Funds should be directed to catholicfoundation@rcdvictoria.org   

Make an Automatic Debit Deposit (PAD) to the Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island by directing your bank to make weekly or monthly payments from your credit card or bank account.

You set up this Automatic Debit Deposit just once and subsequent payments are automatically withdrawn. It is quick, safe and the easiest method to make a donation.

You will need to fill out the form, print it, and take it to your bank. An income tax receipt will be provided at the end of the year for all donations made during the year.

Mail a cheque payable to Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island. An income tax receipt will automatically be issued for all donations over $20 and on request for donations under $20

Mail your cheque to: 

The Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island
1-4044 Nelthorpe Street
Victoria, British Columbia V8X 2A1

Donate online through CanadaHelps.org.

This is a safe and secure site that provides you with the choice of an immediate income tax receipt or a receipt that you can download at tax time. You can use your credit card to make the donation. You can donate on a one-time basis or set up automatic periodic donations.

Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org!

Make a donation as part of your estate plan.

  • Registered Plans: you can make the Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island a beneficiary of your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF). This gift will not occur until your death, and your estate will benefit from a tax deduction based on the portion of the plan that is donated to the Foundation.
  • Bequest: leave a bequest in your will to the Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island. Again, your estate will benefit from a tax deduction based on the amount donated in your will.
  • Life Insurance: you can make the Foundation a beneficiary of your life insurance policy by revising your existing policy or taking out a new one. By paying relatively small premiums now, your policy will make a large gift to the Foundation later. Your estate will be able to benefit from a tax deduction equal to the death benefit that is donated to the Foundation.

Other Points to Ponder

The following donation strategies are a little more involved. You should consult with a professional in order to determine whether these strategies are right for you.

  • Securities: you can transfer your publicly traded stocks and bonds (including mutual funds) to the Foundation without converting them to cash. This can provide a better tax result than converting the securities to cash and donating the cash.
  • Real Estate and Other Property: you can receive an immediate tax deduction and continue to use and enjoy your real estate and other property for the remainder of your life (or the joint lives of you and your spouse) by placing the real estate in a charitable remainder trust.
    • Because the Foundation would not have access to your property until after your death, the tax deduction would be discounted by your remaining life expectancy but would be deductible from your current income (the deduction would not be postponed until your death).
  • Gift Annuities: you can make a gift of investments to the Foundation now without giving up the income you receive from those investments.
  • Named Endowment Funds: you can name a fund after yourself or someone you wish to honour if you donate a minimum amount of $50,000. You may direct this fund to a specific purpose of your choice as long as the purpose is compatible with the objects of the Foundation.

Apply for a grant

Please complete the application form, complete with requested documentation uploads, and click 'submit'.

Grant applications must be submitted by October 31 and May 31 in order to be considered by the Trustees at their regularly scheduled meetings.

Trustees reserve the right to request documented proof that the funds have been disbursed in accordance with the intent of the grant.

General information and guidelines for organizations seeking support from the Foundation

All grants must be made to Canadian Registered Charities and fall within the following categories:
  • Any capital project undertaken by any of the following:
    • The Diocese of Victoria.
    • A parish within the Diocese.
    • A Roman Catholic school situated within the Diocese.
  • The establishment, development, support or maintenance of any of the following within the Diocese:
    • A Parish (including a new Parish).
    • A ministry, whether at the Parish or Diocesan level.
    • Roman Catholic religious education.
    • Social welfare projects.
    • A Roman Catholic school situated within the Diocese.
  • The support or maintenance of Diocesan seminarians.
  • The support or maintenance of retired clergy of the Diocese.
  • The support or maintenance of retired lay workers of the Diocese.
  • The support or maintenance of missionary work of the Diocese.
  • The support or maintenance of the Roman Catholic faith, as practiced within the Diocese.
  • Such other charitable objectives as the Trustee may consider appropriate, provided that those objectives are consistent with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church as understood and applied within the Diocese.

The Foundation is limited to granting funds from interest revenue only and in accordance with its Trust Deed.

Generally requests will not be considered for:

  • Ongoing operating expenses
  • Grants to individuals
  • Deficit reduction
  • Repairs and maintenance
  • The entire capital cost of a project

Grant applications are to be submitted by October 31 and May 31 in order to be considered by the Trustees at their scheduled meetings.

The Trustees reserve the right to request documented proof that the funds have been disbursed in accordance with the intent of the grant.

 

Contact us

Catholic Foundation of Vancouver Island

1 – 4044 Nelthorpe Street
Victoria BC V8X 2A1

Telephone: (250) 479-1331
Fax: (250) 479-5423
Email: catholicfoundation@rcdvictoria.org

Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria

1 – 4044 Nelthorpe Street
Victoria BC V8X 2A1

Telephone: (250) 479-1331
Fax: (250) 479-5423
Email: chancery@rcdvictoria.org