Wood Buffalo Community Foundation (WBCF) is coordinating a Rapid Response Fund to help address the urgent and longer term needs of the non-profit and charitable sector in the Wood Buffalo Region. We are partnering with Edmonton Community Foundation to accept donations and will collaborate with United Way of Fort McMurray on fund distribution. We are pleased to acknowledge the support of the Government of Alberta, which is matching donations.
As the magnitude Covid19’s impact becomes more evident, so does the need for a strong social support system in our community. Our region is still struggling to deal with the social, economic and mental health impacts of the wildfire. For many, Covid19 and the associated economic fallout could be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Income and social supports from the federal government are welcome, but we need to ensure the local agencies who provide direct services in our region have the resources to address increased needs. Like governments, these agencies are being called upon to address immediate impacts due to COVID19 while preparing for longer term impacts. The whole sector is in danger as events are cancelled, people are laid off, and revenue is restricted.
Following the Fort McMurray wildfire, the social profit sector learned the value of information sharing and collaboration. WBCF will collaborate with United Way and others to ensure we build on these lessons.
WBCF is adapting our fund development and granting strategies to address the urgent needs created by this pandemic and the associated economic hardships. This is not an endowed fund and we are not publicly fundraising. If you see the potential for this kind of nimble and strategic response, we invite you to contribute, by using Edmonton Community Foundation’s Rapid Response Fund. Donations to this Fund will be accepted until May 31st, to align with Edmonton’s campaign and the deadline for achieving the government match.
How does it work?
Edmonton Community Foundation will receive donations on our behalf via a web page set up for Edmonton’s Rapid Response Fund. Donors should assign their donation to Wood Buffalo Community Foundation or WBCF in the “comments” section on the web page or via the designated phone line when they make their donation.
Please note: to help save on fees charged for online donations, if you plan on making a gift larger than $1,000, please contact Matt Mandrusiak (mmandrusiak@ecfoundation.org) to discuss your options.
Edmonton Community Foundation will forward the donated funds along with the corresponding matching support from the Government of Alberta to WBCF when the campaign ends.
WBCF will leverage our extensive granting experience and strong relationships with other funders in the region to determine grant recipients and amounts granted. WBCF’s grants committee includes representatives from United Way, municipal government, education, arts, recreation and social services. They understand the urgent needs of the region and will help ensure those needs are met.
What else is WBCF doing to support our region during this crisis? In March, WBCF advised 2019 grantees not to worry about reporting on projects and to let us know if they need to use the grants they received for other purpose.
Grants from WBCF’s endowed funds in 2020 will focus on addressing programs or projects that increase accessibility to mental health supports for specific populations such as youth, seniors, health care and emergency service providers. The call for applications for these grants will be announced soon.
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to Fund Development and Donor Stewardship Chair Brenda Erskine at bmerskine2@gmail.com or (587) 432-5325.
In closing, WBCF thanks you for your ongoing support. Stay healthy, stay home and be kind to each other.
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About Wood Buffalo Community Foundation
The WBCF is a registered Canadian charity. Our mission is to enhance quality of life in our region by supporting community members and organizations in building long term, mutually beneficial relationships between donors and grantees. We provide grants to improve and enhance the stability and sustainability of the community.
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