At The Oakville Community Foundation, we believe that the future strength and prosperity of our community starts with long-term investments made today. Our job is to keep an eye on our community’s needs and put resources where they are needed.
As a community foundation, we understand Oakville – from the local issues and needs to the agencies doing the best work to address these issues, to the people and organizations who are teaming up to make change possible.
The challenge of rebuilding will be to “Build Back Better” as the pandemic exaggerated the inequities and unequal opportunities across our community. To support these efforts we have aligned this plan to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to offer a framework to monitor our progress and that of our local community to “leave no one behind.”
See our 2022-25 Strategic Plan Overview, here.
Frequently Asked Questions and Other Helpful Information
Learn more about The Foundation by exploring the helpful data and frequently asked questions below.
Learn More About the Community
- Oakville is home to many languages and 11.4% of the population regularly speak a language other than English or French at home. Some of the most spoken languages at home are:
- Mandarin (5.5%)
- Arabic (1.9%)
- Spanish (1.4%)
- Urdu (1.2%)
- Hindi (0.5%)
- Oakville is also home to many diverse backgrounds. An estimated 43.2% of Oakville residents identify as racialized or report Indigenous ancestry, including:
- South Asian (13.5%)
- Chinese (10.9%)
- Arab (4.7%)
- Black (3.3%)
- Indigenous (0.7%)
- One in ten children and youth in Oakville are living in poverty, meaning they are struggling to access basic needs including safe, adequate affordable housing and access to nutritious foods.
- More than one in four youth coming out of care are not in education, employment or training.
- 62% of older adults in Oakville, age 65+, spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities
About The Foundation
- We work with all types of donors to help them give back in ways that work for them by offering many opportunities from long term, short term and legacy Donor Advised funds, giving circles, community initiatives and impact investing.
- Our community-based research on current and emerging needs as well as knowledge about the charitable sector helps us facilitate collaborative solutions with strategic impact.
- We are a 360-degree granting organization, meaning we grant to local and national qualified donee’s to support the entire range of charitable activities (health care, social services, environment, community development, arts, culture, fitness, heritage)and help our donors support all areas of granting interest.
- We’re flexible and work with you to determine how you would like to give back to the community, whether that’s now or in the future. We offer opportunities to build up a Donor Advised Fund over time or all at once; start with $0 down, a lump sum or staggered contributions.
- We are also a charity and support the community through our own initiatives like Community Classroom, GIVEOakville, the Halton Youth Collective Program and more. To learn more about our initiatives, click here.
- We offer you the opportunity to enable your donation to support multiple charities and generate more funds annually. As part of our investment pool, your donation will provide a greater return and annual giving opportunities.
- We provide the infrastructure necessary for the community to participate in charity granting, impact investments and scholarships, bursaries and education awards.
- We provide the tools you need to be successful. This includes same-day service, logo creation, fundraising support and research to support your charitable giving.
- We conduct our own research and collaborate with other organizations to determine the areas of highest needs in our community and arm our Fundholders and donors with the knowledge they need to make decisions. Click here to explore our research reports.
- We are part of a network of 191 community foundations across the country and work with Community Foundations of Canada to bring national funding and ideas down to a local level.
- We work with diverse donors to support their charitable giving locally, nationally and to all granting causes.
- We support local charitable organizations with grants and the opportunity to pool their investments in The Foundation’s investment pool to achieve greater returns, minimize investment fees, and benefit from The Foundation’s governance and oversight.
- We conduct research to create local solutions which guide our granting programs and initiatives.
- We work with local companies and organizations and support them in their corporate social responsibility.
- We work with our Indigenous Cultural Advisor, Elder Peter Schuler, Gimaa (Chief) R. Stacey Laforme and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation to facilitate work on Truth and Reconciliation in Oakville and on Debwewin: The Oakville Truth Project.
- We work with the education sector, including students, teachers and both the Halton District School Board and Halton Catholic District School Board to bring them interactive programs through Community Classroom and scholarships, bursaries and education awards through the Community Education Awards Hub.
- We collaborate with all community members and offer our support to community groups working to create solutions to solve issues that impact our neighbours.
Donations, Fund Types and Getting Involved
The Foundation accepts credit card, cheques and money orders payable to Oakville Community Foundation. Tax receipts are issued in accordance to Canada Revenue guidelines and dated as of the date The Foundation receives the gift. Cash is accepted, however generally not encouraged.
Additionally, gifts of Publicly Traded Securities, as well as Insurance Policies and Bequests are all accepted. Tax receipts for Publicly Traded Securities will be dated as of the date the donated shares are received in The Foundation’s brokerage account. The value of the gift on the receipt will be equal to the closing price on the business day the legal ownership transfer of the securities is completed (when they are received by The Foundation’s broker).
We can help you choose the kind of gift that best suits your situation and intent for the future of your gift. Click here to use our donation tax calculator.
When you create a Fund at The Foundation, your dollars are pooled to generate a greater rate of return on investment and create long term, sustainable gifts. Donors do not have to do the administration and monitoring as it is done by The Foundation. Depending on the type of Fund you have opened, you will be able to direct your return to specific charities or causes every year.
We offer all types of Funds, with customizable names and charitable purposes, and can find the best fit for you, whether it’s long term, short term or a legacy fund. Some examples of Funds include:
- Named Donor Advised Endowed Fund: Starting at $20,000, this Fund functions much like a private foundation, with your initial gift invested in our Endowment Fund which will grow over time. Every year, there will be granting dollars available that you can direct to any registered charity in Canada. Click here to see the power of your fund after 20 years.
- Named Community Fund: Starting at $2,500, establishing a Community Fund is a way of pooling your charitable dollars to support the long-term vitality of our community. With a Community Fund, you can choose areas of focus or causes that matter to you and we will align your annual support to our Community Funds. Over time, you can build up to a Donor Advised Endowed Fund.
- Bequest Fund: Create a Fund today and fund it through your estate when the time comes. It’s a way of ensuring the causes you care about are supported beyond your lifetime. In addition, you can change the charities you want the Fund to support at any time without updating your Will.
And more! Click here to explore other types of funds that we offer.
We offer many opportunities for community members to get involved with The Foundation. Take part in one or all, that include but are not limited to:
- Funds: Set up a Fund. The Foundation offers different types of Funds to fit your preferred way of giving back, including: short term, long term and legacy funds. Click here or contact giving@theocf.org to explore all of our Fund types.
- Scholarships: The Community Education Awards Hub is a one-stop shop for a number of local scholarships, awards and bursaries that support students pursuing post-secondary education. Explore the creation of your own scholarship, bursary or educational award to support the youth in our community and fulfill your charitable goals. Click here to learn more about the Community Education Awards Hub and how to create your own.
- Impact Investments: Everyone has the opportunity to donate their dollars and have them invested in Program Related Investments and Impact Investments that have been approved by The Foundation’s Board and Investment Committee. Click here to learn more about how you can support these investments, both as a Fundholder and a donor.
- Giving Circles: Join a giving circle or start your own! The Women’s Giving Collective is a local giving circle stewarded by The Foundation that brings together like-minded women and provides an annual grant. Click here or contact giving@theocf.org to learn more about the Women’s Giving Collective and how giving circles work.
- GIVEOakville: GIVEOakville is your opportunity to try us out! During the holiday season, GIVEOakville offers access to dozens of local charities looking for support all in one convenient place. Click here to learn more about GIVEOakville.
- Sponsorship: Become a sponsor for The Foundation’s initiatives or future research reports and experience the benefits of working within the community. We are grateful to all of our corporate sponsors. Contact giving@theocf.org for more information.
- Volunteer: Volunteer with The Foundation by becoming a committee member or a Board Member. Contact info@theocf.org for more information.
- Contact us: If you’re still not sure about the best way to get involved, contact us at: info@theocf.org.
“When you pool your resources and work with The Oakville Community Foundation, they enable you to amplify your impact in the local community and beyond.”
~Bruce Burrows, Fundholder
Stay in the know about our ongoing work
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We acknowledge all our relations, we acknowledge the first relationship with Mother Earth, the original nations of the trees and plants, the original stewards of the four legged, the flyers, the swimmers, the crawlers. We acknowledge the waters as being life and sacred as we acknowledge the carriers of those teachings, the females. We acknowledge the grandfathers, as well as Father Sun, Grandmother Moon and our distant relations, the stars.
We acknowledge the Oakville Community Foundation is located on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, as well as the Traditional Territory of the Haudenosaunee and Huron-Wendat people. Further, we acknowledge that the Town of Oakville is covered by Treaty No 14, the Head of the Lake Purchase (1806) and Treaty 22 (1820).
