The Fund for Gender Equality
*Applications arecurrently closed. Grants were awarded to the Cortes Island Women’s Centre, SCCA and CCHA. Funds will be recieved by the selected applicants in 2023.
The Cortes Island Community Foundation takes part in national Fund for Gender Equality.
CICF is proud to be one of the participating community foundations across Canada taking part in the Fund for Gender Equality in Canada, a new collaboration between Community Foundations of Canada and the Equality Fund which is supported by the Government of Canada. In 2022, the Fund will be hosted by participating community foundations who will make a total of $3.4M available to projects in their communities.
We believe that to create communities of true belonging, we need to advance gender equality across the country. By participating in the Fund for Gender Equality, we and other participating foundations are also committing to a number of other actions, including an examination of our own organizational and investment practices for women. By catalyzing the community foundation movement and the thousands of Canadians we connect with each day, we believe we can do more than just foster gender equality. We have an opportunity to begin removing the long-standing barriers to it.
To learn more about the Fund and whether your organization might be eligible to apply:
- Link to the Applicant Guide, including the template application questions:
- Applicant Guide: English, French
- Application Process and Questions: English, French (forthcoming)
- Link to CFC’s national application portal
- To learn more about the collaboration between Community Foundations of Canada, the Equality Fund, visit the CFC website.
- The Fund for Gender Equality is supported by a collaboration between The Cortes Island Community Foundation, Community Foundations of Canada and the Equality Fund, with support from the Government of Canada.
2023 Successful Applications
SCCA Playschool
The Playschool provides quality, affordable and accessible daycare services, essential to gender equality. The program is overseen by certified Early Childhood Education (ECE) staff. They are working on growing the program by maintaining the newly extended days (growth from 2 and a half days per week to 4 full days) and working towards expanding the age group to all ages.
The program supports Caregivers (predominantly women), with respite time and the ability to work. When affordable daycare is not available women are often forced to leave their jobs. This increases financial stress on the family, and exacerbates the gender wage gap. In addition, children benefit from socialization with other children, learning through play, and increasing their readiness for school.
The program is accessible, and accommodation plans are co-created with caregivers to maximize inclusivity. The SCCA strives to keep fees affordable, and SCCA staff provide additional support to caregivers (taxes and subsidy applications) to further reduce financial barriers to participation.
Cortes Women’s Centre
They provide free food, hygiene products, access to computers, internet and phone, in a safe space available 24 hours a day to members. The Women’s Centre is also used for counselling, workshops, office space, support circles, and education. This project aims to continue providing support to women and children in crisis to escape domestic violence, ensure their safety, and help them rise out of poverty, while also educating the community on how to create safe and healthy environments.
CCHA Young Family Lunches
The Cortes Community Health Assocation, through the Family Support Program’s First Years Caring Collective is now offering Young Family Lunches weekly on Thursdays at Mansons Hall. Primarily aimed at supporting parents, and especially mothers of young children, simple meals of soup, bread and crudites are offered. These multigenerational afternoons bring women together for connection, peer support and mentorship while providing some food security to women experiencing poverty. The lunch is be made by women and we hope to be able to provide some skill sharing through preparing the meals together.
