What Central Okanagan Foundation does

The Central Okanagan Foundation is a registered Canadian public foundation (CRA BIN #11884 3481 RR0001) established in 1977 and headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia. It serves the Central Okanagan region — encompassing Peachland, West Kelowna, Kelowna, and Lake Country — as the area's sole community foundation and the federal government-designated Community Entity for the Reaching Home homelessness strategy in Kelowna. The Foundation pools charitable contributions from individuals, families, and organizations into 357 endowment funds totaling $47 million in assets under management, with investment income distributed as grants to local registered charities; over its history, it has granted $35 million back into the community.

The Foundation's product portfolio includes four core grant programs (Central Okanagan Foundation Grants, City of Kelowna Grants administered on the city's behalf, Reaching Home federal homelessness grants, and the Kelowna Kiwanis 2017 Legacy Fund), donor services spanning unrestricted, field-of-interest, designated, donor-advised, and flow-through fund vehicles, and a scholarship administration practice managing over 50 endowed scholarship funds through the Central Okanagan Bursary & Scholarship Society partnership. It also produces Vital Signs community research reports and operates emergency response funds such as the 2023 Wildfire Response Fund. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations are supported by a staff of eight under CEO Simon Adams, with a governance board and a Community Advisory Board on Homelessness overseeing Reaching Home distribution.

The Foundation's economic model is that of a community foundation: revenue derives from charitable donations (cash, securities, property, bequests, life insurance, trust transfers), endowment investment income, and federal/provincial program administration fees. It is not a product- or service-selling entity and does not have a public pricing structure. Distribution occurs through grantmaking to local charities, scholarships to students, and pass-through federal funding to homelessness service organizations — with nearly $18 million in Reaching Home funds administered since 2019, including a $3.9 million federal top-up secured in January 2026.

Name

Central Okanagan Foundation

Legal name

Central Okanagan Foundation

Website

https://centralokanaganfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Central Okanagan Foundation is a community foundation in Kelowna, BC, managing $47M across 357 endowment funds, granting to local charities, administering scholarships, and serving as the designated Community Entity for the federal Reaching Home homelessness program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation / Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Endowment fund management
• Charitable grantmaking
• Donor advised funds
• Scholarship administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Kelowna

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Gifts: The foundation receives donations from individuals, families, and organizations that are pooled into endowment funds. Donations are invested and generate income used for grants to local charitable organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Central Okanagan Foundation is a community foundation that pools charitable contributions from individuals, families, and organizations into 357 endowment funds worth more than $47 million. It invests these funds professionally and uses the investment income to award grants to registered charities in the Central Okanagan region, administers scholarship programs for local students, and serves as the Designated Community Entity for the federal Reaching Home homelessness program in Kelowna.

Product overview

Central Okanagan Foundation is a community foundation offering a portfolio of philanthropic products including grant programs (Central Okanagan Foundation Grants, City of Kelowna Grants, Reaching Home Grants, Kelowna Kiwanis 2017 Legacy Fund), scholarship management through the Central Okanagan Bursary & Scholarship Society partnership (including Evan Guthrie, Kelsey Serwa, Volunteer Spirit, and Cailen Vilness Angel Art scholarships), endowment fund management services, donor services (unrestricted, field of interest, designated, and donor advised funds), Reaching Home federal homelessness program administration, Vital Signs community research reports, and emergency response funds. The organization connects donors with charitable causes by pooling charitable gifts to create endowment funds, using investment income to make grants to registered charities in the Central Okanagan region (Peachland, West Kelowna, Kelowna, Lake Country).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Central Okanagan Foundation Grants Grant program providing funding from investment income earned on community endowment funds to registered charities in the Central Okanagan region, including project grants (up to 12 months) and multi-year grants (2-3 years).
• City of Kelowna Grants Grant program administered on behalf of the City of Kelowna, including Community Social Development Grants for registered non-profit organizations and emergency grants up to $5,000.
• Reaching Home Grant Federal homelessness prevention program funding under Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy, with the Foundation serving as the Designated Communities Community Entity for Kelowna.
• Kelowna Kiwanis 2017 Legacy Fund Partnership fund between the Foundation and Kiwanis Clubs of Kelowna to support registered charities focused on children and youth within the Central Okanagan (by invitation only).
• Central Okanagan Bursary & Scholarship Society Partnership Partnership with COBSS to manage and steward over 50 endowed scholarship funds supporting local students in pursuing educational goals, with approximately $107,500 distributed in 2025.
• Evan Guthrie Scholarship $500 scholarship for grade 12 student athletes to recognize their journey through sport and education, helping relieve financial tension for student athletes.
• Kelsey Serwa Scholarship Two $5,000 scholarships for student-athletes from School District #23 who demonstrate commitment in both academics and sport, providing over $48,000 to 27 student-athletes since inception.
• Volunteer Spirit Scholarship Scholarship celebrating volunteerism in the Central Okanagan, created for the Foundation's 40th Anniversary in 2017, supporting residents engaged in substantial volunteering for accredited post-secondary education.
• Cailen Vilness Angel Art Foundation Scholarship $5,000 scholarship supporting male students in Fine Arts at UBCO or Okanagan College, or Carpentry at Okanagan College, honoring the memory of Cailen Vilness.
• Endowment Fund Management Professional management of pooled donor endowment funds where donations are invested and investment income is distributed as grants to local charitable organizations while capital continues to grow.
• Donor Services Range of giving options including unrestricted endowed funds, field of interest funds, designated funds, donor advised funds, and flow-through funds for immediate community impact.
• Reaching Home Program Administration Federal homelessness strategy administration where the Foundation serves as Community Entity, managing funds and implementing Housing First approach in Kelowna, with total funding of nearly $18 million since 2019.
• Vital Signs Reports Community vitality reports using local knowledge to measure and support action towards improving quality of life in the Central Okanagan region.
• 2023 Wildfire Response Fund Emergency response fund for 2023 wildfires, distributing $186,940 to support organizations providing immediate relief efforts including food banks, emergency response teams, and community resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• $549,460 awarded in Spring 2025 to 16 organizations across arts, environment, health, youth, and social services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ki-Low-Na Friendship SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Indigenous homelessness services provider receiving $2 million through Reaching Home Indigenous Homelessness Stream, part of the collaborative approach between government, Indigenous partners, and community organizations.
• Canadian Mental Health Association KelownacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Major recipient of Reaching Home Designated Communities funding with multiple projects: Housing and Housing First 4 Youth ($449,600), Bright Mindz Youth Housing ($176,949.90), Central Okanagan Rent Bank ($170,000), and Shelter Hub ($27,698).
• City of KelownacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024City receives Reaching Home Designated Communities funding ($360,794 for Coordinated Access) and partners with the foundation for homelessness prevention initiatives, including $15,000 for tents and sleeping bags.
• Metro CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Receiving $344,000 for Metro Warming Centre and Hygiene Program, and $100,000 for warming day program through Reaching Home Winter Top-Up funding.
• John Howard SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Receiving $164,900 for Bedford Place project and $45,000 for outreach/basic needs through Reaching Home funding.
• Central Okanagan Bursary & Scholarship Society (COBSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOBSS coordinates application and adjudication process for School District 23 graduating students while Central Okanagan Foundation provides professional fund management, stewardship, and donor support for over 50 endowed scholarship funds.
• Community Advisory Board on Homelessness (CAB-H)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CAB-H is comprised of community stakeholders including municipal government, mental health providers, Indigenous organizations, housing providers, and lived experience representatives to facilitate Reaching Home delivery in Kelowna.
• Community Foundations of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of community foundations that provides support, resources, and facilitates partnerships such as the Coca-Cola Canada Bottling $100,000 grant to support community initiatives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vancouver Foundation: Canada's largest community foundation managing over $1.5B in assets, providing grants to charities in British Columbia. Comparable as a community foundation serving a defined regional geography through endowment management, donor services, and grantmaking.
• Ottawa Community Foundation: National-capital community foundation managing endowment funds and distributing grants to local nonprofits. Comparable structure and functions including donor-advised funds and community grant cycles.
• Calgary Foundation: Major Alberta community foundation managing pooled endowment funds and distributing grants across the Calgary region. Shares the community foundation model of pooled investments, donor stewardship, and regional grantmaking.
• Toronto Foundation: Toronto-based community foundation pooling endowments and making grants to local charities. Operates the same pooled-endowment grantmaking model with Vital Signs community research as a comparable product.
• Edmonton Community Foundation: Alberta-based community foundation managing donor endowments and providing grants to local charities. Operates with the same core model of endowment-driven grantmaking and donor services.
• Hamilton Community Foundation: Ontario-based community foundation managing pooled endowment funds and distributing grants across the Hamilton region. Closely comparable community foundation with similar AUM scale and grantmaking operations.
• Victoria Foundation: BC-based community foundation managing endowment funds and distributing grants to charities on Vancouver Island. Directly comparable in mandate, structure, and grantmaking approach to Central Okanagan Foundation.

Broad incumbents

• Community Foundations of Canada: National umbrella network for Canada's 191 community foundations, of which Central Okanagan Foundation is a member. Provides shared infrastructure, advocacy, and facilitates inter-foundation funding flows including the Coca-Cola partnership.
• United Way British Columbia: Regional branch of United Way operating across BC including the Central and Northern Interior regions. Comparable as a nonprofit fundraising and grantmaking intermediary supporting community social services, though operating a different model (annual campaigns rather than permanent endowments).

Regional players

• Kelowna Community Foundation: Smaller community foundation also serving the Kelowna area, representing a potential overlap or co-existence peer in the same regional philanthropic ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/centralokanaganfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Central Okanagan Foundation