The Foundation has, for 25 years, provided loans to a small number of charities. Sometimes, these loans are secured by a mortgage, while in other situations, the Foundation has made available lines of credit and loans to assist a charity with cashflow.
Charities can apply for support under this program if they:
(a) are social-service charities that operate primarily in Alberta or Saskatchewan; or
(b) are umbrella organizations for the voluntary sector or for a subsector, and they have at least some member-organizations that operate in Alberta or Saskatchewan.
The terms of loans vary widely, depending on the type of loan, the Foundation’s assessment of the risk of non-repayment, and the charity’s particular circumstances. Interest charged on loans is generally below market rates and repayment terms vary depending on the type of loan.
Requests for a loan should not be submitted through the Foundation’s application portal. Instead, the request should be sent through our contact form.
Before submitting a request, a charity should review its bylaws and/or incorporating statute to ensure it has the right to borrow and who must authorize the borrowing. In some cases, the board of directors can authorize borrowing; in other cases, it may require a resolution of the membership.
After an initial review of the request, the Foundation will determine whether it will consider it formally. In that case, Foundation staff will have a series of questions for the charity, and will also ask to see certain documentation. This is not always a quick process.
Applications are reviewed by the Foundation’s Investment Committee, which makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors.
Please note that the Foundation has limited resources for loans and our ability to consider an application will depend on the availability of funds.