Local Journalism Initiative
Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative, The Northern View
The Prince Rupert Regional Community Foundation (PRRCF) awarded cheques to six deserving local organizations on Sept. 28.
During the event at the Crest Hotel, directors Linda Lutz, Richard Lutz, Doug Kydd, and Shala Robbins handed over cheques to:
- Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge for heating its building and assisting people travelling to Vancouver for medical treatment ($63,135).
- Prince Rupert Seniors’ Centre for a new defibrillator, which they hope will never be used ($731).
- The Prince Rupert Curling Club for a dehumidifier ($61,875).
- Prince Rupert Gymnastics Association to improve athlete support ($6,250).
- Prince Rupert Community Arts Council to improve location support ($6,250).
- 333 Recovery Homes Society for Trinity House support ($12,500).
Many notable people attended the event, including Mayor Herb Pond, the foundation’s directors, and representatives of other prominent local societies.
Representatives from the Lester Centre for the Arts, the Kaien Island Trail, and the Prince Rupert Chinese Lions Dance Club also attended. These organizations were previously granted funds this year.
The Lester Centre bought two new refrigerators with its funding. The Kaien trail group will use theirs for an art installation and deer sculpture. The dance club will buy new equipment with its grant.
Community-minded volunteers established the PRRCF in 2001. Since then, businesses and residents in the city have collectively donated around $500,000 to its Endowment Fund, resulting in an endowment now valued at $700,000. The organization officially began awarding grants in 2003 and has funded 105 projects costing about $340,000. In 2024, it is distributing an additional $27,082 to local organizations.
“The magic of an endowment fund held by a community foundation such as ours is that the value does not diminish. The capital remains intact and continues to grow.”
Prince Rupert Regional Community Foundation
The foundation functions as a consolidation of individual charitable donations that are pooled and carefully invested. Eighty per cent of the investment income is distributed as grants to local charities, and 20 per cent is returned to the principle to grow the fund.
Co-chair Linda Lutz shared that their goal is for the legacy fund to grow to $1 million to reinvest significant money in the Rupert community.
“The magic of an endowment fund held by a community foundation such as ours is that the value does not diminish. The capital remains intact and continues to grow. The grants that we are able to award to our region each year come from the interest earned on our capital investment,” the foundation said in an informational leaflet.
Director Doug Kydd is grateful for the foundation’s partnership with the Vancouver Foundation, which provides access to a team of experts in the field to guide the local chapter. Thanks to this connection, Rupert can participate in a large pool of funds, which has generated excellent returns for several decades.
He says the Vancouver Foundation is the largest community foundation in Canada, with more than $1.38 billion in assets and excellent fund management.
PRRCF collaborated with the federal government in 2023 for the Community Service Recovery Fund, enabling them to distribute $116,730 to deserving non-profits.
In 2024, they partnered with the provincial government for the Prosperity Fund, through which they granted another $150,000 to more non-profit institutions.
Their motive is to continue wisely investing contributors’ gifts so they have a lasting impact in Prince Rupert for decades to come.
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