Our Response to COVID-19
SSCF awards $334,953 in grants through Round 2 of the Emergency Community Support Fund
We are proud to have partnered with Community Foundations of Canada and the Government of Canada to deliver the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) throughout South Saskatchewan.
Round 1 of ECSF was distributed over the summer and Round 2 launched on October 5, 2020. With Round 2, we’ve invested an additional $344,953 through the ECSF towards local charities and other qualified donees supporting populations experiencing heightened vulnerability during this crisis. CLICK HERE to view the ECSF Round 2 grant recipients.
Vulnerable populations across Canada continue to be disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Marginalized groups, youth, children and the elderly, essential workers, and newcomers are just some of the communities that are facing increased challenges right now.
Launched on May 19, 2020, the Government of Canada’s new Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) aims to provide additional and much-needed assistance to charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable populations.
On October 5, 2020, South Saskatchewan Community Foundation re-activated the Government of Canada’s ECSF. This funding will continue to help support qualified donees working with people made vulnerable by the pandemic.
The Government of Canada is flowing funds through national networks, including Community Foundations of Canada, United Way Centraide Canada and the Canadian Red Cross. SSCF is proud to be working with Community Foundations of Canada and the Government of Canada to deliver funding locally in south Saskatchewan to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens are safe and healthy.
Read more: SSCF awards $902,450 in grants through the Emergency Community Support Fund
Questions about the Emergency Community Support Fund can be directed to covid19@communityfoundations.ca.
South Saskatchewan Community Foundation extends a huge thank you to our health professionals and community leaders for their guidance and dedication during this challenging time with the COVID-19 virus.
In keeping with public health advice recommending social distancing, SSCF will not be hosting in-person meetings, travelling or attending large gatherings during this time. We will be using other options: teleconference, email, virtual meeting spaces to ensure business continuity. We will continue to help communities by accepting donations, creating funding opportunities, responding granting information and addressing inquiries by email info@sscf.ca and telephone– 306-751-4756.
We appreciate your understanding as we protect the safety of our community, staff and volunteers with minimal business interruption. With your help our communities will remain strong and resilient.
Please help us to help front-line charities in southern Saskatchewan provide essential support during this time.
SSCF awards $902,450 in grants through the Emergency Community Support Fund
We are proud to have partnered with Community Foundations of Canada and the Government of Canada to deliver the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) throughout South Saskatchewan.
Our community foundation has granted the full funding available to our community through the ECSF. We are unfortunately no longer accepting applications. Since the start of the pandemic, charities and non-profit organizations have been leading the charge to assist those who need it most in the fight against COVID-19. We know the need for funding is still significant. If you would like to be notified if any additional funding becomes available through ECSF, please fill out this form.
The ECSF is a $350 million fund that is being implemented with Community Foundations of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross, and United Way Centraide Canada, in partnership with local foundations across the country. Its goal is to provide support to charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable Canadians.
Launched on May 19, 2020, SSCF has invested $902,450 through the ECSF towards local charities and 21 qualified donees supporting populations experiencing heightened vulnerability during this crisis. We are pleased to announce the ECSF has supported projects.
Heartfelt thanks to the many donors for the Emergency Response Fund for Community Needs! Through this Fund, the community has come together and has raised over $1 million to assist many organizations who are doing tireless work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Within four weeks our community raised $1 million and we returned much needed resources to 34 organizations. Our communities needed help and you were there in many ways – you donated to the Emergency Response Fund for Community Needs, you granted earlier, you were flexible to our grantees, and together we brought help to communities from border to border to border. Our efforts made an immediate difference for many vulnerable and at-risk children and adults right across south Saskatchewan including Swift Current, Oxbow, Estevan, Moose Jaw, Broadview, Regina and so many more places.
With your help, the funds have assisted vulnerable people with all kinds of needs. Families in crisis needed supports for their small children; youth needed virtual connection to counsellors and friends; women and children needed safe shelter space during isolation and single mothers and Elders needed food delivered. You’ve enabled seniors to connect to family with new technology and helped provide resources for rural and remote families struggling during a time of need. Your generosity kept our communities connected to those charities enabling their staff and volunteers to deliver these much-needed services.
We continue to connect with charities regularly to understand their challenges and work to support them through the next stages. Call us any time to learn more.
Community Rallies to Help with Emergent Needs – Full Recipient List News Release – June 29, 2020
Initial Recipients Announced for SSCF Emergency Response Fund for Community Needs
South Saskatchewan Community Foundation (SSCF) has announced initial recipients of the Emergency Response Fund for Community Needs. This Fund matches donations up to a total of $500,000 in order to assist in addressing some of the urgent community requirements as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In just over three weeks, with the generosity of our donors and community partners, we have raised a quarter million dollars, matched by SSCF, and we are now able to initially provide more than $500,000 directly back into emerging community needs to 17 organizations right across southern Saskatchewan. Front line charities are continuing to assist those in most desperate need. We want to help them continue these services as their circumstances change daily. We are indebted for all efforts to help to ensure these essential needs are met.
Click here to read the full news release including a list of the initial recipients.
Additional Recipients Announced for Emergency Response Fund
South Saskatchewan Community Foundation (SSCF) has announced approximately $1 million raised by the community has now been granted to 32 organizations as recipients of the Emergency Response Fund for Community Needs.
An initial $505,358 was granted to 17 Fund recipients earlier this month with further grants totaling $478,967 now being allocated to 15 organizations. Donna Ziegler, Executive Director, SSCF, said this Fund is in response to a plea for urgent and coordinated community action and thanks generous donors who have already made contributions to help charities during this time of need.
“Since the Fund was announced about a month ago, generous donors and numerous organizations have stepped up to ensure front-line charities are able to assist those in most desperate need,” says Ziegler. “With it, almost $1 million will go directly back to the community. This included a matching $500,000 which was made available from the estate of a generous founding member of the Foundation. We are indebted for all efforts to help to ensure essential needs in our community are met.”
Click here to read the news release with additional list of recipients.
The Fund is intended to focus on food security, shelter shortages, helping with children’s needs and those needs of most vulnerable populations. The applications were reviewed by a team of community stakeholders and address all these areas. More than 50 applications were received, and requests far exceeded the current funds available.
As the COVID-19 crisis progresses, we continue to hear inspiring stories about community mobilization, emergency responses, and community foundations creating innovative solutions.