ABOUT US
To be a community leader, a catalyst and a trusted agent for philanthropy, benefiting our community, today and forever.
Our Vision
To enhance and enrich the quality of life in Portage la Prairie and District by supporting and promoting philanthropy through endowment building, donor services, grant-making and community leadership.
Our Mission
Our History
The Community Foundation of Portage and District Inc owes its existence to the Thomas Sill Foundation's commitment to rural philanthropy and to the dedication of a few Portagers who foresaw the value of a community foundation for all the citizens of Portage and District.
What is a Community Foundation
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Community foundations bring together people who care about their communities. They are independent, volunteer-driven, charitable organizations that aim to strengthen their communities by facilitating philanthropy, partnering with donors to build permanent endowments and other funds from which they support community projects, and providing leadership on issues of broad community concern.
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Founded on trust, community foundations help donors achieve their charitable goals and invest financial capital in their communities. They also stimulate and nurture the relationships that link us to others to create a sense of belonging to community. Social scientists call these vital connections “social capital” and have found that they are linked to many measures of community and individual well-being. Community foundations, experienced in capital for their communities, also have a leadership role in social capital – the glue that holds communities together.
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How the Foundation Works
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The Community Foundation of Portage and District is governed by a twelve member Board of Directors who serve voluntarily for a three-year term. The goal of the Foundation is to:
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provide leadership to identify and address issues and opportunities for community improvement;
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attract and manage gifts of cash, securities, bequests, memorials, life insurance and other assets as permanent charitable capital of the community;
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invest these endowed funds prudently and using the earnings to make productive grants, often in partnership with others, to local non-profit organizations, in support of all types of charitable activities.
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The Foundation holds its capital in perpetuity, increasing its value as prudent investment will permit, and distributing the invested income from it annually. The income is used to provide grants to qualified charitable organizations, spearheading community-building initiatives in diverse fields such as health care, education, arts and culture, environment, and social services.
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