Building a Lasting Legacy

Your community foundation plays a vital, lasting role in your hometown by supporting charitable projects that improve life for individuals, families and the entire community.

Why Donate?

If you’ve visited a library, received care at a hospital, toured a heritage site, strolled around a public park, attended a theatre or music performance, or been to a playground in Manitoba, chances are your life has been touched by a community foundation. These organizations support all aspects of community life, making grants to a wide variety of worthy causes – from daycares to seniors’ homes, scholarships to school improvements, food banks to fitness, and much, much more.

These grants are possible thanks to generous gifts from local donors from all walks of life. Community foundations pool and endow (permanently invest) all gifts and the income earned supports a variety of projects within the foundation’s catchment area. The original contributions are never spent, ensuring a lasting legacy for donors and a permanent source of support for the community.

Canada’s community foundation movement started in 1921 with the establishment of The Winnipeg Foundation. One hundred years later, there are 50 community foundations in our province – nearly a third of Canada’s total. These foundations are part of Manitoba’s history of generosity, a tradition in which we can all participate and take pride.

Thank You MANITOBA!

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RAISED IN 2024

You can create a new fund with The Westshore Community Foundation

CREATE A FUND.

Establish your own endowment fund that’s tailored to your specific charitable goals or learn more about existing endowment funds below. If you’d like to discuss creating a new endowment fund contact us here.

I’d like to create a fund

Donor Funds

The Westshore Community Foundation a wide variety of endowment funds available to meet your charitable goals. Perhaps one of the below endowment funds suits your charitable goals or perhaps you would like to discuss establishing your own endowment fund tailored specifically to your goals. In either case, contact the Westshore Foundation for assistance &/or information.

Established in 2005, provides scholarships to assist students within our mandate to pursue post-secondary education.

This fund was established in 2008 from a bequest by the late Carole Ann Clark to assist students within our mandate to pursue post-secondary education. Preference will be given to students pursuing studies in the field of education/teaching.

Established in 2014 from a bequest by the late Alison Olson, this fund seeks to assist students within our mandate to pursue post-secondary education.

Established in 2011, this fund provides a bursary annually to assist a Gimli High School student who has good potential and needs financial assistance to pursue a post-secondary education goal.

Established in 2015 by the Martin Family in memory of their late mother, Lilja Martin. Lilja was a well-known piano teacher in the Interlake Region for many years. She was an inspiration to her students and made an enduring contribution to the musical culture of our community. This Fund provides scholarships annually to worthy piano students participating in the Evergreen Festival of the Arts.

Established in 2018 by Barrie & Ardith Sigurdson, along with Barrie’s parents Alma & Raymond in memory of their beloved sister and daughter, the late Dr. Elaine Sigurdson. This Fund supports students who have graduated from the Evergreen School Division to pursue studies in the Undergraduate Medical Education Program and the Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program at the University of Manitoba.

In recognition of the importance of music in their lives, this Fund was established by Tim & Del Arnason in 2018 to assist a graduating student from the Gimli High School to pursue their post-secondary education in a field of music and/or in the teaching of music.

Our largest fund from which the Westshore Board of Directors provides annual grants to charitable organizations and qualified donees to assist the communities within our mandate in the areas of the environment, heritage & culture, sports & recreation, community services, health and education.

A designated fund established in 2006 “to support people within the Foundation’s geographical responsibility who are in need of assistance to better their lives with priority given to the needs of women and children”. This fund divides its grants between the Evergreen Basic Needs and the Interlake Women’s Resource Centre.

Established in 2007 this fund supports the activities and services of the Northeast Palliative Care Program operating out of the Gimli Community Health Centre.

This is an agency fund established in 2008 by the Gimli Lutheran Church, the annual income from which is used at the discretion of the Church to further its goals and in ways that are consistent with its mandate.

A donor advised fund established in 2008 by Marj & Oli Narfason. This fund under the direction and at the discretion of the Narfarson’s seeks to support charitable causes in the areas of the arts, the environment, education and heritage.

A fund established in 2010 by the Westshore Board of Directors to assist with covering administrative expenses incurred by the Board in pursuing the goals and objectives of the Westshore Community Foundation.

Established in 2012 by Alison Olson in memory of her late husband, Ted Olson. This fund supports charitable causes which promote worthy endeavours in the fields of education, the care and benefit of animals, the care of &/or activities of Senior citizens and the upkeep &/or enhancement of the Gimli Cemetery.

Established in 2015 by the Westshore Community Foundation and the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority to promote healthcare and to address identified health needs within the former Johnson Memorial Hospital District.

An Agency Fund established in 2017 by the Evergreen Foundation of Manitoba. The annual income is used at the sole discretion of the Evergreen Foundation in pursuit of its particular goals and in a manner consistent with its mandate.

This is an Agency Fund established by the New Iceland Heritage Museum under the Manitoba Heritage Trust Program. This Program will provide 50 cents to the Fund for every private dollar donated to the Fund from April 1,2018 to March 31,2021 to a guaranteed maximum grant of $25,000. Further matching monies may be available depending upon the availability of unused monies within the Program.

This is an Agency Fund established in 2018 by the New Iceland Heritage Museum under the Manitoba Heritage Trust Program. In 2021, the Museum’s agency fund established in 2008 was transferred into this Fund .The annual income from this Fund is used at the sole discretion of the museum in pursuit of its particular goals and in a manner consistent with its mandate.

The purpose of this endowment fund, established in 2019, is to support worthy activities and needs of youth in the Westshore Community Foundation catchment area.

An Agency Fund established in 2020 to support the Gimli Film Festival’s mandate to educate, engage, inspire and empower through the medium of film.

An Agency Fund established in 2020 with earnings to be used at their discretion to meet their charitable mandate of promoting & sustaining interest in Icelandic Culture and Heritage.

This designated fund was established in 2020 by the Government of Manitoba to provide a long term sustainable revenue stream for the purpose of operating the Museum. Specifically, to support development activities in the following areas of governance & management, museum standards, and visitor experience.

An agency fund established in 2021 under the Manitoba Heritage Trust Program. The income from this Fund is used at the sole discretion of the Museum in pursuit of its particular goals “To Educate, Enlighten & Entertain” and in a manner consistent with its mandate to tell the heroic story of Air Canada Flight 143 on July 23, 1983. 

An initiative of Marj & Oli Narfason to support musical and visual arts education by assisting musical and visual arts programs and their supporting organizations maintained by schools within the Westshore catchment area. They hope the community will use this Fund to rally in support of educating our young people in these essential arts to strengthen their personal development and to build a healthy and vibrant community.  

 

This fund was created in 2022 by the Board of Directors of the Westshore Community Foundation.  The purpose of this Fund will be to conserve our natural environment, to support climate change initiatives, to assist projects related to the improvement of water, air and food supply, including related education and citizen engagement, and to build the capacity of the local environmental sector.  It is intended that this Fund will focus efforts to meet these objectives primarily but not exclusively on improving the health and sustainability of Lake Winnipeg.

Established by Robert’s family in 2022, in loving memory of a community leader and dedicated educator, to provide an annual post-secondary scholarship to a Gimli High School graduate who has demonstrated a commitment to community service.

In remembrance of Sigurlin Roed (nee Danielson), a beloved mother, a dedicated teacher and an ardent supporter of her Icelandic heritage, this Fund was established in 2023 to assist a graduating student of Gimli High School pursuing post-secondary university education who has demonstrated service and leadership both at school and in their community, and who has shown aptitude for and commitment to their chosen career or area of post-secondary study.

Established by Anna Stevens in 2024 to assist graduating Gimli High School students pursuing a career in teaching. Anna is a believer that if you devote your life to a cause, you can make a difference in your community and people’s lives. Education and community service are dear to Anna’s heart.

Meet the board

Our members are dedicated to the betterment of the community by building a lasting legacy. Learn more about The Westshore Community Foundation and meet our board.

MORE ABOUT US

Learn more about grants

Are you interested in applying for a grant? Find out if you qualify here. You’ll also find stories and information regarding our past grant recipients.

SEE GRANTS

Contact us here

Do you have questions for us? Browse our section of frequently asked questions here. If you’re unable to find what you’re looking for, we’d be happy to help!

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