What Vancouver Foundation does

Vancouver Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one of the country's oldest and largest community foundations, founded in 1943 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Foundation operates on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. Its core function is intermediating philanthropy in British Columbia: donors establish endowment funds (Donor Advised Funds, Memorial Funds, and Legacy Gifts) with the Foundation, which then distributes grants to charitable organizations across the province. Since 1943, donors have created 2,200 endowment funds and the Foundation has distributed more than $1.5 billion to charities. The Foundation is affiliated with Community Foundations of Canada and is the central node of the Connect BC network linking 62 community foundations across the province.

The Foundation's product portfolio spans three core donor services — Donor Advised Funds, Memorial Funds, and Legacy Giving — and a suite of specialized grant programs including LEVEL BIPOC Grants ($150,000 over three years for BIPOC-led organizations), the Thriving Indigenous Systems Fund (up to $100,000/year for three years for land-based First Nations), Transforming Systems Grants (Explore up to $50,000 and Influence up to $100,000/year for three years), Participatory Action Research Grants (Convene up to $25,000; Investigate up to $100,000/year), Neighbourhood Small Grants (up to $500), and Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants (up to $1,000 via Carnegie Community Centre). It also runs the LEVEL Youth Engagement initiative and Giving Well Women in Philanthropy initiative.

Operationally, the Foundation runs a Salesforce-based donor portal (vancouverfoundation.my.site.com) and a SmartSimple-based grant management system (vf.smartsimple.ca), employs 51–100 staff across two Vancouver offices, and is led by President and CEO Kate Hammer, appointed April 29, 2026. Its revenue model is endowment-driven: contributions and investment returns on $1.5B+ in cumulative endowment assets fund annual grant distributions, with no direct revenue disclosure available. Marketing and outreach are conducted through the corporate website, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn), email newsletters, and the annual Vancouver Foundation Magazine.

Name

Vancouver Foundation

Legal name

The Vancouver Foundation

Website

https://vancouverfoundation.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Vancouver Foundation is a registered Canadian community foundation founded in 1943 that connects donors with charities across British Columbia through 2,200 endowment funds and a diversified portfolio of grant programs serving BIPOC-led, Indigenous, arts, and social-service organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Philanthropy and Grantmaking Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Community foundation grants
• Donor advised funds
• Endowment fund management
• Charitable giving services
• Grantmaking programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions and Endowment Funds: Vancouver Foundation operates as a community foundation that connects donors with charities. Donors create endowment funds and the foundation distributes grants to charitable organizations. Since 1943, donors have created 2,200 endowment funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vancouver Foundation is a community foundation that connects donors with charities across British Columbia, holding 2,200 endowment funds and distributing grants through specialized programs targeted at BIPOC-led, Indigenous-led, systems-change, arts, and grassroots community organizations. It accepts donations through Donor Advised Funds, Memorial Funds, and Legacy Giving vehicles, and channels the resulting capital into a portfolio of competitive and partnership-administered grant programs.

Product overview

Vancouver Foundation is a community foundation that operates as a unified platform connecting donors with charitable causes across British Columbia. Since 1943, it has facilitated philanthropy through donor-advised endowment funds, memorial funds, and legacy giving programs. The Foundation distributes grants through multiple specialized programs including LEVEL BIPOC Grants, Participatory Action Research Grants, Transforming Systems Grants, Thriving Indigenous Systems Fund, Neighbourhood Small Grants, and Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants. The organization also runs youth engagement and women's philanthropy initiatives. Its technology infrastructure includes a Salesforce-based donor portal and SmartSimple-based grant management system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LEVEL Youth Engagement: Youth engagement initiative
• Giving Well Women in Philanthropy
• LEVEL BIPOC Grants
• Transforming Systems Grants
• Participatory Action Research Grants
• Neighbourhood Small Grants
• Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants
• Thriving Indigenous Systems Fund (TISF)

Products and services

• Donor Advised Funds Charitable endowment funds allowing donors to establish a fund, receive a tax credit, and recommend grants over time. Vancouver Foundation provides expertise and investment options to support the donor's philanthropic goals.
• Memorial Funds Charitable funds established to honour and celebrate the memory of a loved one by donating to charity, providing family and friends an opportunity to pay tribute while helping the community.
• Legacy Giving Planned giving through bequests in wills, allowing donors to leave a lasting gift that helps build a better world for future generations.
• LEVEL BIPOC Grants Flexible general operating grants of $150,000 ($50,000 per year for three years) for BIPOC-led and BIPOC youth-led and/or engaging organizations in British Columbia.
• Transforming Systems Grants Grants supporting organizations addressing root causes of inequality, with Explore grants up to $50,000 and Influence grants up to $100,000 per year for up to three years. Total 2026 cycle around $9.5 million.
• Thriving Indigenous Systems Fund (TISF) Flexible multi-year grants of up to $100,000 per year for three years to land-based First Nations and Indigenous-led organizations serving land-based First Nations in British Columbia.
• Participatory Action Research Grants Health-related research grants with Convene grants (up to $25,000 for up to one year) and Investigate grants (up to $100,000 per year for up to three years) for projects investigating root causes of pressing health issues through community-institution collaborations.
• Neighbourhood Small Grants Grassroots grantmaking program with grants of up to $500 for individuals with ideas to help connect and engage residents in their neighbourhood, administered through partner organizations.
• Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants Grants up to $1,000 for artists who live or work in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, administered in partnership with Carnegie Community Centre to advance emerging artists' careers.
• Indigenous Priorities Granting Program Indigenous-led initiatives can apply for grants of up to $50,000 for initiatives that encourage community inclusiveness, belonging, or healing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1.5 billion distributed to charities since 1943
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• NorthWest Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Educational partner for the Totems in the Forest project, providing safety and training courses, entrepreneurial instruction, and supporting apprentices' portfolio development.
• Connect BC (62 Community Foundations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnect BC is a partnership with 62 community foundations across British Columbia. These foundations act as the heart and voice of their regions, connecting people, resources, and ideas to create lasting change. The partnership is supported by the Community Prosperity Fund and focuses on strengthening communities throughout BC.
• Carnegie Community CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Vancouver Foundation and Carnegie Community Centre to administer the Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants. Vancouver Foundation distributes funds to the Carnegie Community Centre, which administers the grants to DTES artists.
• Neighbourhood Small Grants Partner OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVancouver Foundation partners with qualified organizations (often local community foundations or neighbourhood houses) to administer Neighbourhood Small Grants to individuals. These organizations are registered charities that manage local grant programs.
• Community Foundations of CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVancouver Foundation is affiliated with Community Foundations of Canada, a national network of community foundations.
• University of British Columbia OkanaganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for the Through A Different Lens project with School District #67 – Okanagan Skaha, focusing on innovative teaching methods for vulnerable students.
• BC Ministry of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Through A Different Lens project, working with First People's Principles of Learning and new B.C. curriculum.
• Penticton Indian BandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous partnership group for the Through A Different Lens education project.
• School District #67 – Okanagan SkahaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner for the Through A Different Lens project encouraging teachers to use innovative methods to engage vulnerable students.
• School District 53minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner connected to the Through A Different Lens project.
• Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity (CGSHE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaborator with PACE Society on the Navigating Sex Work Spaces project, focusing on intersections between criminalization of sex work, COVID-19, and the opioid epidemic.
• Skookum Lab (Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous-led social innovation lab funded by Vancouver Foundation's three-year grant to address child poverty in Surrey, focusing on how Surrey can be a leading city to raise an Indigenous child.
• SFU Centre for the Study of Educational Leadership and PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Skookum Lab's ambassador program, co-developing urban Indigenous women's leadership theory with national research grant.
• Adler UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner with ZICUSO BC for Participatory Action Research study on social determinants of health for Black African immigrants.
• University of VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Afro-Canadian Positive Network of BC for research project on impacts of stigma.
• University of British ColumbiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Afro-Canadian Positive Network of BC for participatory action research on stigma.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toronto Foundation: Toronto Foundation is Canada's largest community foundation by assets, operating in Ontario with a comparable model of donor-advised funds, endowment management, and equity-focused grantmaking. It is the closest national peer to Vancouver Foundation in scale, structure, and program breadth.
• Calgary Foundation: Calgary Foundation is one of Canada's major community foundations, serving Alberta with donor-advised funds, endowments, and community grant programs structurally analogous to Vancouver Foundation's BC operations. It offers a comparable scale and product mix.
• Edmonton Community Foundation: Edmonton Community Foundation is a long-standing Alberta-based community foundation with similar donor-advised fund, endowment, and community grant programs. It competes for institutional and high-net-worth donors across Western Canada in the same category as Vancouver Foundation.
• Fondation du Grand Montréal: Quebec's largest community foundation operates a comparable donor-advised fund and community grant model serving the Greater Montreal region. It is a direct peer in the Canadian community-foundation category with similar scale, mission, and program structure.
• Ottawa Community Foundation: Ottawa Community Foundation serves the National Capital Region with donor-advised funds and community grants analogous to Vancouver Foundation's BC model. It is a comparable mid-to-large Canadian community foundation.
• Winnipeg Foundation: The Winnipeg Foundation is one of Canada's oldest community foundations, operating with a similar donor-advised fund and community grant model in Manitoba. It is a direct structural peer in the Canadian community-foundation category.
• Victoria Foundation: Victoria Foundation is a BC-based community foundation serving Vancouver Island with a comparable donor-advised fund and community grant model. It is a direct regional peer operating within Vancouver Foundation's Connect BC network.

Broad incumbents

• Community Foundations of Canada: Community Foundations of Canada is the national umbrella organization of which Vancouver Foundation is a member affiliate. While not a direct competitor, it provides sector-wide infrastructure, advocacy, and national programming that complements and overlaps with Vancouver Foundation's role.

Emerging players

• Tides Canada Foundation: Tides Canada is a national public charity and grantmaking organization focused on social, environmental, and equity causes. It overlaps with Vancouver Foundation's equity and systems-change grantmaking but is structured as a national sponsor rather than a community foundation.
• Maytree Foundation: Maytree Foundation is a Canadian private foundation focused on poverty reduction, immigration, and systems change with multi-year grants to nonprofits. It overlaps thematically with Vancouver Foundation's equity and systems-change programs, especially Transforming Systems Grants and LEVEL BIPOC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vancouverfdn
• Facebookfacebook.com/VancouverFdn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vancouver-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/vancouverfdn

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vancouver Foundation