Photo by Maxime Bouffard on Unsplash
What is the Giving Well?
The Cortes Island Community Foundation has been chosen to participate in a one-time experiment in low-barrier, direct giving to our Cortes community. This Giving Well program provides one-time, cash “gifts” to individuals. They never have to be paid back. We do not need receipts of how the cash was spent. There are no strings attached. The amount, typically between $5,000 to $10,000, isn’t taxable and is considered a gift
Please see our FAQ’s
Why is the CICF doing this?
We believe that listening into the deep needs of our community creates a healthier more vibrant ecosystem of care. Care that is the fabric that creates resilience, understanding and more connection. In this case, that may mean an infusion of a little extra cash at just the right time. This program is looking to support individuals and families in acute financial need; namely those who are:
- from a vulnerable community such as:
-
- youth
- elderly
- single-parent
- indigenous, visible minority, female, or other under-represented, vulnerable sector;
- OR
- individuals for whom this gift can give a leg-up in some way to provide essential value to the community at large
When is this program occurring?
In 2023, we will share two opportunities to apply. The deadline to apply for receiving a gift for early December is October 15 2023. The deadline to apply for receiving a gift in the Spring will be late Winter.
How do I apply?
If your application is chosen, you will be contacted and arrangements will be made to send the gift directly to your bank account. Should you not have a bank account we will look at other pathways to grant your gift. We have a team of highly trusted community cultivators engaged to help with this process and the Community Foundation EA, Bella, is available to support both you and them.
What do I need to do in return?
The nature of a gift is that nothing is required in return. If you are inspired to tell your story about how a Giving Well gift helped you, your family, or a loved one, we’d love to hear about it. This could be in the form of a letter, a written story, or sharing orally with a cultivator or Bella. You can do this anonymously or personally. The stories that emerge from experience such as this may illuminate insights or learnings about this community of ours that could assist in how we focus various efforts at the Cortes Community Foundation. The power of story also helps us to show our supporters the impact their generous donations make in the lives of our community. If you prefer to stay quiet, that is absolutely okay too.
The Role of the Community Cultivator
At the Cortes Island Community Foundation, we believe that granting and gifting works best when it’s relational and trust-based. That means having a direct and personal relationship with the person or organization receiving the money and that whenever we are giving, whether a grant or a gift, that it is done in a way that reflects that we trust the group or individual to know what is best for them, to do with the resources what they say they will, and that if changes are made, we trust that it is because those changes were for the best.
The community cultivators are the face of these relationships for the Giving Well pilot project. These individuals will help represent individual and wider community needs, work as a group to make decisions on who will receive the gifts, facilitate successful giving to those individuals with support from CICF staff, and will help with follow-up.
The 2023 Giving Well Project Community Cultivators are:
Dana Solomon
Dana Bass Solomon has lived on Cortes Island for 23 years. She has served on several non profit boards and cares about supporting people and community.
Contact here.
Brenda Hanson
Brenda was born & raised in Powell River BC. She spent multiple years in Vancouver until she relocated to Vancouver Island. She loves animals, music & singing. She is from the Klahoose First Nation
Email here
or call at 778-585-5259
Ester Strijbos
Ester Strijbos is passionate about supporting our community so everyone has equal access to services that they need in order to thrive.
Email here
or call 250-204-2116
Desta Beattie
It takes a village! Desta is a local mama who helps to cultivate concentric circles of support around island children and families. She believes resilient families are the beating heart of a vibrant community.
Contact here.
Giving Well Application
We acknowledge the information collected on this form may be sensitive. Only authorized Cortes Island Community Foundation staff and funders may view your personal information, and only in a way that is consistent with the original purpose for collecting this information (e.g. recieving funds). If you choose not to fill in this form online, please contact us at: outreach@cortesfoundation.ca