Philanthropy

The Sitka Foundation only grants to qualified donees. Currently, applying to Sitka Foundation’s granting program is by invitation only. Email info@sitkafoundation.org to learn more. The application process involves a letter of interest and a full application submitted through an online portal; however, we encourage you to re-use applications that you may have created for other funders. You will also connect with a member of the Sitka Foundation team who will support you in the application process. The full time turnaround for this may be a few months.

The Sitka Foundation reviews all complete and qualified applications on an ongoing basis with approximately four grant review meetings taking place per year. Due to calendar fluctuations a specific date cannot be provided to applicants and we have no deadlines. We will provide more information during our relationship building calls and meetings. The Sitka Foundation does not have a large staff and appreciates your patience and understanding around our process.

We work with each group individually. Please discuss these topics during your initial conversation with the Sitka Foundation. Multi-year grants are funded at the invitation of the Sitka Foundation typically after the start of a relationship: these look like two to five year recurrent grants.

Yes. We try to work towards multi-year relationships with our grant recipients. We often offer multi year general operating grants. Similarly we cannot guarantee programmatic support for an ongoing duration of time due to the nature of philanthropy and our catalytic focus. 

Requests that we cannot fund may include:

• general fundraising campaigns
• endowment funding
• funding of scholarships or fellowships
• partisan activities
• emergency needs or for a deficit
• purposes other than those listed under the Sitka Foundation’s mandate
• individuals

We encourage you to review our strategic framework under Our Approach / Our Philanthropy section to learn more about our three grant programs for 2021-2026.

Yes! We encourage all grant applicants to submit requests that are inclusive of their organization’s needs (i.e. inclusive of administrative or operating costs) and to discuss with the Sitka Foundation staff openly what these needs are.

No. We generally fund one request per calendar year to allow for an abundance of grant relationships.

Generally, a qualified donee will have a registered charitable number and most are accordingly called charities under Canada’s Income Tax Act. However there are additional entities that are qualified donees. Please refer to the Canada Revenue Agency website to learn more. If you are not, you will need a charitable partner or fiscal sponsor who is able to carry on charitable activities, in support of its purposes, through an intermediary (this could be you/your organization).  More information about this type of relationship can be found here  in guidance from the Canada Revenue Agency. Please connect with us if you are unsure. 

We use a variety of tools and resources to work towards alignment of values and goals between the Sitka Foundation and a grant applicant. While most decisions are made at a board level we also pass on decision making power through pooled funds and participatory grantmaking protocols. In this way we feel we are able to have those on the frontlines make decisions that are best for their communities. See our strategic philanthropy section to learn more about current priorities.

As a grant-making foundation, we have a responsibility to ensure we are supporting Indigenous sovereignty, stewardship, resilience and resurgence in the fight to protect nature, where welcome. We recognize that this is an ongoing process that requires engaged listening, learning, and accountability.

The Sitka Foundation is a signatory to the Circle on Philanthropy’s Declaration of Action (Declaration of Action) which is a sector wide application of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action (Calls to Action). We affirm the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Sitka Foundation staff will confirm your organization’s contact details and banking information. A grant letter outlining the payment details and reporting expectations will be sent to the lead contact of your organization the same day that we send the grant payment via EFT (electronic funds transfer). Sitka Foundation does not require an official tax receipt as we are a CRA registered charity but we do require a confirmation of receipt of funds so we know that they’ve landed in the right place. Informal progress updates or questions are always welcome! Other annual reporting details will be available on Sitka’s online platform and we will be able to talk and walk you through that when the time comes.

The relationship that we will share is important to Sitka, and we try to respond in a helpful but not burdensome way. We celebrate working together to build a relationship “beyond the money” to work to amplify the values and goals that brought us together. We welcome invitations for meetings, updates, site visits, celebrations, and the use of our logo, so please reach out to Ross or Carolynn to discuss this further. We are a small team; however, so are sometimes spread thin. Thank you for understanding.