The Fernie Community Fund is set to launch this fall with the aim of supporting secure and sustainable finding for different initiatives and organizations in Fernie.
The fund was made possible by donations from community members, enabling the creation of a permanent endowment fund to benefit the Fernie area.
The Fernie Community Fund is invested through a partnership with the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation (CDFC).
““We are thrilled to partner with the Fernie community on the establishment, growth, and management of this fund,” says Wayne Eburne, President of the CDCF in a press release. “And although the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation will administer the fund, it will be Fernie residents who have the power to grow it, choose outcomes, address community issues, and develop new opportunities based on their intimate knowledge of who they are and what they strive to be.”
A committee made up of local volunteers including Randal Macnair, Eric Johnstone, Tammy Odgen and Aysha Haines governs the fund.
The fund’s first fundraising campaign was a $10,000 donation from the East Kootenay Community Credit Union (EKC).
“The EKC is committed to supporting local initiatives that enhance the health and vitality of our communities. We are proud to make the initial contribution to the Fernie Community Fund, which shares many of our values -- we both take a broad and inclusive view of what a community is and contribute financially to the widest possible range of organizations and initiatives, building a vehicle for long-term increasing participation in the community,” said Eric Johnstone, regional branch manager for the Elk Valley for the EKC.
Because the fund is held in perpetuity, it allows the fund to support local non-profits annually and will grow stronger every year. The CDFC Board of Directors will allocate annual grants with recommendations from the local granting committee. The grants and funds will be distributed based on the changing and specific needs and wants of Fernie residents.