The Kootenay Savings Community Foundation is marking its 30th anniversary with $100,000 in grants for community projects across the Kootenays.
The foundation will award 10 Community Impact Grants worth $10,000 each, with funding focused on economic development, health, housing and youth employment and retention.
“These grants are about more than celebrating where the Foundation has been. They are about investing in where our communities are going,” said Clara Reinhardt, Board Chair of the Kootenay Savings Community Foundation. “We want to support local organizations and community leaders who understand what their communities need and have strong ideas about how to make a lasting difference.”
The foundation said non-profit and community organizations, grassroots groups and partnerships serving communities in the Kootenay Savings service area are eligible to apply.
Applications will be assessed based on community need, potential impact, geographic reach and population. The foundation said it will also seek to ensure smaller and rural communities have access to the funding.
“Kootenay Savings has always believed that strong communities create a stronger region,” said Mark McLoughlin, CEO of Kootenay Savings Credit Union. “These grants are an opportunity to help community organizations turn local ideas into meaningful action.”
Applications will be accepted from Sept. 1 to 30 through the community page at kscu.com.
“We’re looking for ideas that may not fit the traditional model of community funding,” said Paul Butler, Manager of the Kootenay Savings Community Foundation. “This $100,000 offers an invitation to think bigger, bring people together and show us what could be possible for our communities.”
The foundation said its regular grant program will resume in 2027 with one application period in the fall.
The Kootenay Savings Community Foundation said it has distributed nearly $6 million to communities across the Kootenays since it was established, supporting projects related to culture, education, economic development, the environment, health and social well-being.
