making meaningful and lasting impacts in our community since 1995

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Create your own fund or contribute to an existing one.

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Learn more about our grants & how to apply.

We strengthen our community by connecting the generosity of donors with the energy and ideas of people and charities addressing community needs.

For Donors

You want to make a difference. Here’s how we can help.

The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area serves as a conduit between donors and the needs of the community, pooling charitable gifts of many donors into permanent, income earning funds, called endowments, that benefit our community in perpetuity.

By placing collaboration, integrity, and responsiveness at the forefront of our work, donors have trusted us with over $33.9 million in total assets of which, we put back into the community through our various granting programs.

267+ charties supported

Contribute to one of over 240 funds aimed at making a lasting impact on our community!

We partner with hundreds of generous donors—individuals, families, local businesses, and charitable organizations—who share a passion for building stronger communities. With a wide range of giving options, we make it easy to align your contributions with your values, interests, and goals.

Don't see a fund that reflects your vision for a better future? Start your own and become a catalyst for change.

Community Fund

Support charities by funding impactful projects in Arts, Mental Health, Community Development, Education, Environment, Health, Heritage, Recreation, and Youth.

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General Operating Fund

Support the Community Foundation's daily operations, empowering its mission to link philanthropy with community needs and opportunities.

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Tha'teioneniienawa'khontie: In the Spirit of Cooperation

To support projects led by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples to nurture the healing and wellness of the Katarokwi community and Indigenous People in the area served by the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area. Projects to support young people will be especially encouraged.

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Livable Solutions Flow Through

In partnership with St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, your donation will help to build Crossroads Village at 690 Sir John A Blvd, and enable Our Livable Solutions to assist people.

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Great Lakes Museum Fund

Your contribution will support the Museum and its activities, preserving Kingston’s rich marine heritage and culture.

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Wally's Imaginarium Fund

The Fund will provide grants to schools/libraries/other settings so that artists can provide creative visual arts workshops and presentations to children.

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Lionhearts Endowment Fund

Your contribution will create a lasting source of support for Lionhearts Inc., ensuring the organization's sustainability and continued impact for many years into the future.

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When you give to the Community Foundation you can have confidence that your community will continue to benefit from your gift for many years to come.

For Granting

You need funding.
Here’s how we can help.

The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area holds over 240 endowment funds from which it makes charitable grants to support projects and organizations in our communities. We have five different granting programs, each with its own set of criteria, granting area, and application process.

$15+ million granted

General Eligibility for All Grants:

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CRA Registered Charity

Any applicant organization must be a charity registered with Canada Revenue Agency or formally partnered with an organization that is either a charity registered with Canada Revenue Agency or a municipality.

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Strong Community Presence

The applicant organization must have a strong community presence in the geographic area we serve through a local Board of Directors, a local, well-defined accountable committee, or a local office with strong community involvement.

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Letter of Permission (If Applicable)

All applications involving activities with primary and secondary schools must be accompanied by a Letter of Permission from the relevant School Board(s).

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Previous Grants Paid

Any overdue final reports for previously completed projects funded by the Foundation must have been received.

Discover the perfect grant to support your organization’s mission!

We provide grants to a wide range of local charities and nonprofit organizations working to make a difference in our communities.

Whether you're addressing urgent needs or launching new initiatives, our funding opportunities are designed to support your mission and amplify your impact.

Community Grants Program

The Community Grants Program provides flexible support for local organizations through Equipment, Program, and Operations grants, helping community projects grow and thrive.

Applicant Info Sessions:
Thursday, September 25 | 1:00-2:00pm
Tuesday, September 30, 2025 | 6:00-7:00pm
https://cfka.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=3052

Community Grants are available in three streams:

  • Equipment Grants — Support the purchase or upgrade of essential equipment needed for your organization’s work or project (e.g., computers, tools, or medical devices). (No formal funding cap; requests are assessed based on need and available funds.)
    • In 2024, awarded Equipment Grants ranged from $3,000 to $15,000, with an average of $6,353.
  • Program Grants — Provide funding for the development, implementation, or expansion of a specific program or initiative. Eligible expenses may include staffing, materials, and program delivery costs. (Up to $25,000 per grant.)
    • In 2024, awarded Program Grants averaged $13,426.
  • Operations Grants — Offer flexible funding to support general operating expenses such as salaries, rent, utilities, and administrative costs, helping sustain your organization's day-to-day activities. (Up to $16,000 per grant.)
    • In 2024, awarded Operations Grants averaged $13,910.

The program runs twice each year, with applications reviewed by our volunteer Community Grants Committee. In 2024, the Community Grants Program awarded over $660,000 across two rounds, supporting nearly 50 community projects throughout Kingston & Area.

Up to $25,000

The Stark Family Fund

The Stark Family Fund supports community projects and charities across Prince Edward County with a focus on Animal Welfare, Arts & Culture, Community Development, Education, and Health & Social Services. Established in 2002 through a bequest from the Stark Family of Bloomfield, ON, the Fund has granted over $1.321 million since its inception.

Up to $15,000

Nan Yeomans Grant for Artistic Development

Nan Yeomans was a prominent Kingston artist dedicated to supporting local and emerging artists in the visual arts. In her late twenties she enjoyed three summers at Queen’s University Summer School of Fine Arts, and subsequently she lived most of her adult life in Kingston. From then and for the rest of her 82 years she stayed busy with her art and her other responsibilities, but always found time to contribute to the community. She died in 2004, leaving all of her art and almost all of her estate to the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area.

It was Nan’s wish to fund a grant for promising young artists and artisans developing their talents in the greater Kingston area. The Nan Yeomans Fund, established at the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area with her bequest, now provides for an annual award in her name that is administered by the Kingston Arts Council.

This annual award of $4,000 is intended to help promising young artists and/or artisans in the visual arts to further their professional artistic growth.  Applications are evaluated by a peer jury, which will select one applicant to receive the award, based on the artistic merit of the applicant’s work, previous accomplishments, and the eligibility of the proposal.

The Nan Yeomans Grant is made from the Nan Yeomans Fund held at the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area. The Kingston Arts Council administers the competition for this annual grant.

$4,000

To date, the Community Foundation has provided $15 million in grants to 360+ unique organizations in Kingston & Area. Add yours to the list today!

The Foundation

Creating a more welcome and resilient community since 1995

The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area is community inspired. We are a local charitable organization supported and run by residents of Kingston and the area – people like you.

We support charities and other agencies by providing grants to create a more welcoming and resilient community. We engage the community in conversations that matter and facilitate connection between individuals and groups to strengthen our community.

Our Mission

“We are a catalyst for impact by transforming lives through connecting people, ideas, and resources to build a more resilient community.”

Who We Support

We fund A wide range of registered charities and projects each year

We fund a wide range of registered charities and projects each year to help build a caring, healthy, and vibrant community.

Funding for the grants we provide comes from earnings from over 240 endowment funds; funds that were established by individuals – people like you – as well as local businesses and organizations.

How we Fund:

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Granting Programs

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Generous Donors

Land Acknowledgment

The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area is situated on Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Huron-Wendat territory. We acknowledge the significance of this land and all that is within it for the Indigenous Peoples who lived and continue to live here and who are sustained by this land.

It is our understanding that this territory is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee to share and protect this land. In the spirit of peace, friendship and respect, all subsequent Indigenous Nations and newcomers were invited into this living treaty to care for this land and its resources.

We affirm our commitment to continuously listen, learn, and honour Indigenous histories and perspectives as we work towards building a more resilient and welcoming community. We affirm our commitment to be a space for reconciliation in action.