Vital Impact Fund
Vital Impact Fund
The Vital Impact Fund is the signature fund of The County Foundation (TCF), bringing together the work of our Vital Signs data and our grants to better serve the needs of the Prince Edward County community.
Goals of the Vital Impact Fund
Goals of the Vital Impact Fund
Program Details
Program Details
Now in its third year, Vital Impact Fund will concentrate its efforts on a defined focus area to deepen impact and respond to community needs. For 2026, the Vital Impact Fund will be accepting applications focused on Food Security, with the aim of supporting the processes, efficiencies, and infrastructure of our local organizations to better serve the community's needs.
The Vital Impact Fund will use Vital Signs data to address community needs in Prince Edward County and direct grants where they will have the greatest impact. The needs of the community will continue to evolve and change, and the Vital Impact Fund will be responsive and shift priorities as needed. Therefore, each year of the Vital Impact Fund could look different in order to adapt and support the needs of the County and its residents.
For 2026:
The Vital Impact Fund will be accepting applications focused on Food Security, with the aim of supporting the processes, efficiencies, and infrastructure of our local organizations to better serve the community's needs.
Total Funding Available: $180k
Maximum Grant: You can apply for the maximum amount of funding available ($180k). Based on the size of the grant, funding may be disbursed in installments, and we also may determine a multi-year schedule.
Grants from the Vital Impact Fund can be applied toward project/program or operational costs (including salaries, equipment purchases, etc).
The following application proposals will be prioritized in the order listed:
Organizations are limited to submitting 1 application for funding, unless they are part of a collaborative project which must be approved by The County Foundation in advance of submitting. The collaborative project must also be distinct from any individual application ensuring applications are clearly defined.
Organizations that have never received funding from The County Foundation are only eligible to apply for up to $10,000.
Eligibility of Applicants & Projects for Vital Impact Fund
- Must be a registered charity or qualified donee as defined by the Income Tax Act
- Must benefit Prince Edward County residents
- Must meet TCF’s General Granting Conditions
- Must demonstrate how they will generate positive impact in Vital Signs area/s
Applications should go beyond activities already supported by The County Foundation and clearly demonstrate opportunities for meaningful, transformational impact. Organizations that currently receive funding are still eligible to apply; however, proposals should focus on initiatives outside of day-to-day operations.
For example, if you receive general operating support or funding for an existing program, you might apply for a project that enhances or expands that program beyond its current scope. Alternatively, you could propose a new initiative or pilot project that is grounded in evidence and has strong potential to deepen or extend your organization’s impact.
Ineligible to apply to Vital Impact Fund
- Funding for fundraising activities for sustaining support
- Funding solely for research or development
- Funding to cover deficits or retire debts
- Funding for sectarian, religious, or political purposes
*Places of worship can apply for support through the Vital Impact Fund for non-denominational and inclusive projects.
- Application deadline is Monday November 2nd, 2026 at 4pm.
- Review and assessment by our Granting & Community Impact and Vital Signs & Community Engagement Committees - mid to late November.
- Notification and funds distributed by end of December 2026.
- Funds spent, project complete, and grant report submitted to TCF by end of December 2027, unless an alternative schedule has been approved by TCF and the recipient.
Understanding Food Insecurity in Our Community
Read the Vital Signs Info Brief on Food Security
Based on a household’s experience, they can be considered food secure or in one of 3 categories of food insecurity:
Marginal food insecurity: Worry about running out of food and/or limited food selection due to a lack of money for food.
Moderate food insecurity: Compromise in quality and/or quantity of food due to a lack of money for food.
Severe food insecurity: Miss meals, reduce food intake, and at the most extreme go day(s) without food.
Important note: The County Foundation has transitioned to a new grants portal. Read the full announcement.
To apply for a Vital Impact Fund grant, you will first need to create a new account for your organization. Once you have created this account, you can add team members to your organization's profile to work on grant applications and reports collaboratively. Moving forward, your organization's grant applications and reports can be found in one central spot.
We highly recommend reading the full announcement on this transition, as it includes detailed instructions and helpful tips to ensure you have as smooth a transition as possible to this new system.
We recommend submitting grant reports for any previous funding received in advance of your new application. If you received grant funding in 2025, and have not submitted your final report yet (due December 31st 2026), please provide a status update to The County Foundation on your previous funding to be eligible for this round of funding if you are applying.
Applying for a grant is a competitive process and we often receive more grant applications than there is funding available. Past funding commitments should not be interpreted as a guarantee that future requests will be approved.
Required Documents
To apply to the Vital Impact Fund, you will need to provide additional required documents along with your application. The above tabs detail what you will need to submit so you can prepare them in advance if you wish to.
Organization Profile
Please upload a brief profile of your organization. Include leadership team and any key staff involved, any community partnerships related to the request, and describe what services/programs you provide in the community.
Vulnerable Sector Check: Please include your organization's current policy regarding maintaining up-to-date vulnerable sector checks for staff and volunteers as part of the Organization Profile if relevant to your application or work.
Budget
Please upload your budget for this initiative including total expenses and revenues.
Be specific about where the grant money requested will be used.
Annual Financials
Please submit your most recent financial statements. It is preferable that the financials have been prepared by an accountant or other qualified third party if available. Financial statements will show the overall financial status of your organization, including income and expenses.
Supplementary Documents
In addition to the other required documents, you can submit up to 2 additional documents along with your applications. This can include images from your programs, an Annual Impact Report, testimonials or stories, or anything else you feel would be relevant to your application that you would like to highlight.
ALIGNMENT to Vital Impact Fund
Goals of the Vital Impact Fund
- Use Vital Signs data to inform decision-making, identify gaps in community need, and direct support where resources can have the greatest impact.
- Support organizations and programs with a strong plan, vision, and ability to "move the needle" on the key issues identified by Vital Signs.
- Support innovative and creative ideas that will serve as a catalyst for positive impact in Prince Edward County.
Funding Priorities for 2026 (Food Security)
The following application proposals will be prioritized in the order listed:
- Applications focused on strengthening County-wide coordination and distribution of food support programs;
- Applications focused on building long-term capacity such as infrastructure investment, volunteer recruitment/retention, and training (governance/financial management/fundraising).
Considerations:
- Uses local evidence (such as Vital Signs data), statistics, or community consultation
- Addresses an identified opportunity/issue/need/gap or underserved population
- Tackles root causes rather than only symptoms
- Demonstrates urgency
- Complements rather than duplicates existing services
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
Considerations:
- Experience delivering similar work: Is this organization the right lead or fit for this proposal?
- Leadership and staffing
- Strong project planning
- Timeline is achievable
- Governance and organizational stability
- Necessary pieces in place (people/resources/partnerships) to be successful
Key Question: Will this initiative create meaningful, measurable change?
Considerations:
- Clear objectives and outcomes
- Strong plan for data collection & tracking success indicators
- Number of people impacted
- Depth of impact versus breadth
- Long-term or lasting benefit
- Potential for systems change or sustained community benefit
BUDGET & FINANCIALS
Considerations:
- Realistic and detailed budget
- Audited financials. Have these been provided? If not, is there a reasonable rationale
- Costs are appropriate
- Funding will have a significant impact on this organization's success and outcomes for the community
- Other funding sources identified - multiple funding sources speak to the viability of a project and organization
- Organization demonstrates sound financial management
- Grant is proportional to the scope of the initiative
- Plan for sustainability beyond grant funding
INNOVATION & COLLABORATION
Key Question: Does this project introduce new approaches or strengthen community collaboration?
Considerations:
- Creative or evidence-informed solution
- Cross-sector collaboration
- Community partnerships
- Builds community capacity
- Unique opportunity
All applications are first evaluated based on their own merits, and then applications are evaluated within the context of other applications. Below are some of the questions adjudicators will consider in regards to merit compared to other applications.
- Does it strengthen County-wide coordination or distribution of food support programs?
- Does it build long-term organizational or community capacity?
- Will the initiative create benefits that extend beyond the grant period?
- Is the project likely to contribute to a more resilient and connected food support system in Prince Edward County?
- Does this application stand out compared to others in terms of community impact, need, and readiness?
- Should this project be prioritized over other strong applications? Why?
- Would not funding this project represent a significant missed opportunity for the community?
For Grant Recipients
For Grant Recipients
supported by the Wynne Thomas estate, the Katherine and Douglas MacPherson estate,
and by contributions from The County Foundation's discretionary funds.
