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Community foundation in the works

Castlegar is on its way to establishing a community foundation after last week’s meeting on the topic.

Castlegar is on its way to establishing a community foundation after last week’s meeting on the topic.

A community foundation is an organization that works with donors to build endowment funds, grants funds to the widest possible range of organizations and initiatives and brings people together from all over the community to stimulate new ideas and build participation.

Last Thursday, 15 people attended Castlegar’s meeting to hear Barb McMillan, director or regional strategies with Community Foundations of Canada. She provided information about the history of community foundations, as well as facts, principles and special features.

McMillan said there are 170 community foundations in rural and urban areas, and together they share more than $2.8 billion in shared assets.

For Castlegar’s community foundation, the Columbia Basin Trust is able to donate $50,000 to match donor dollars and Kootenay Savings has over $100,000 ready to donate to the foundation.

“The process to establish a foundation includes formation of a steering committee, establishment of a board of directors, and application for official status,” Roberta Hamilton of the Castlegar & District Social Planning Society said. “There will be much support available to start and continue the process of creating Castlegar’s own community foundation.”

More information will be available at the second meeting, to be held on April 21 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m at the Castlegar & District Public Library.

If interested, call Dan Salekin at dan@tnibroadband.com or phone 250-608-0451.