The County Foundation - Prince Edward County - News , News

theROC Youth Services Announces New Bursary for Grade 10 Students

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 08:55:00 -0500

We are thrilled to announce that theROC Youth Services has partnered with The County Foundation to offer ‘theROC Grade 10 Bright Future Award’ bursary.

Starting this year, a bursary of $1,000 will be awarded annually to a Grade 10 student living in Prince Edward County who has demonstrated growth and progress toward personal success through overcoming barriers. Applications can be self-applied or by nomination.

theROC has created this new bursary to support high school students, with the aim of increasing the chances of PEC youth graduating from high school and enrolling in trades programs, apprenticeships, or post-secondary school. In contrast to many post-secondary bursaries and scholarships, the 'Bright Future Award’ will be awarded to Grade 10 students and held for up to 3 years following their graduation from secondary school.

The recipient of this year's ‘Bright Future Award’ will receive:

$1,000 for tuition that will be held up to 3 years following graduation from secondary school until they enroll in a trades program, apprenticeship, or post-secondary school.
A personal laptop gifted by CGI, a Canadian company that provides global IT and business consulting services.

The County Foundation is honoured to be working in partnership with theROC towards their commitment to uplifting and empowering PEC youth.

The full details of the bursary, including its eligibility requirements and application process, will be available in the coming weeks, so be sure to stay tuned for more updates.

This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to share more soon!

More Information

Why give through The County Foundation?

Learn more about our Scholarships and Bursaries

Establishing a Fund

Contribute to an existing Fund

We're Hiring: Grants & Communications Administrator

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:18:25 -0400

The County Foundation is seeking a Grants & Communications Administrator to join our team.

This position is for a 15-month contract with a possibility of extension.

35 hours per week, hybrid working. Compensation range is: $50,000-$55,000.

If you are interested in learning more about this position, we would love to hear from you. Please send your cover letter and resume to info@thecountyfoundation.ca with the subject line: Grants & Communications Administrator.

The deadline to apply is October 23rd, 2024 at 4pm.

Reporting to the Interim Executive Director (ED), the Grant & Communications Administrator is responsible for administering The County Foundation’s grant programs as well as writing and creating content across a number of communication channels.

Key Responsibilities

Administer and coordinate granting programs with Executive Director (ED) oversight

Writing and creating content for TCF website, newsletters, social media and other sources/communication channels

Track, review and file final reports from grant recipients

Manage general email inbox, and office phone voicemail and inquiries. Provide administrative support to ED

Skills & Qualifications

Experience with grant writing or grant evaluation
Previous administrative experience with strong organizational skills
Ability to pay close attention to detail and accuracy
Exceptional communication and writing skills.
Experience with graphic design tools like Canva or Visme is desirable
Tech savvy with proficiency in MS Office
Self-starter with a can-do, roll up your sleeves attitude
Ability to troubleshoot, problem solve and multitask to meet deadlines
Experience in the charitable, not for profit or foundation-sector is desirable
Passion for The County Foundation mission

About The County Foundation

The County Foundation is one of 207 community foundations across Canada, offering collaborative leadership and funding to support initiatives that benefit our community. Our ongoing work as an asset-builder and grant-maker provides a strategic perspective from which to see trends, challenges and connections in our community.

The County Foundation has 3 core activities:

Vital Signs Data – producing vital signs reports to inform decision making related to community well being

Funds & Grants – creating funds for charitable purposes and helping to distribute grants in the community
Collaborative Action – working with partners to support positive, community-led action in PEC

Our mission is to inspire giving, facilitate grants, and support collaborative action to address identify community needs by linking a caring community with causes that matter.

Announcing Interim Executive Director

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:10:43 -0400

Gillian Armstrong

The County Foundation is pleased to announce that Gillian Armstrong, will be stepping up as Interim ED to cover Dominique Jones' maternity leave in February 2025.

Gillian is our current Grants and Communications Manager and has been with the Foundation since April 2023.

"In my current role, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know many of the incredible organizations that support our community" Gillian comments. "I am very glad that I can continue to support their efforts in this new role, while gaining a fresh perspective on our work at The County Foundation.

"I am thrilled that Gillian will be covering the Interim ED position, she has a great background working with non-profits and charities, is a strong communicator and cares deeply about Prince Edward County. The County Foundation will be in very capable hands during my leave." - Dominique Jones, Executive Director

Learning & Sharing Session with Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na

Fri, 17 May 2024 13:28:42 -0400

The County Foundation hosted a knowledge-sharing session on May 10, 2024 featuring Callie Hill, Executive Director of the Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na Language and Cultural Centre (TTO) in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. This event offered Prince Edward County organizations an opportunity to explore TTO’s programs and discover potential collaborations with Indigenous organizations.

Callie Hill gave an in-depth overview and context on the loss of Mohawk language, culture and land. Following this, she provided information on the work of Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na (TTO) starting in the late 90’s to support the reclamation of language and culture and how their programming supports learners of all ages (children and adults). TTO is now undergoing a large capital project to build a new centre, $9.6M was secured through Infrastructure Canada for the project.

Q=What can local employers do to support Indigenous peoples in the workplace and hiring process?
A= It depends on what the employer is hoping to achieve. Is it for employees or customers? More context would be required to fully provide an answer, but as always more learning and curiosity is a good start.

Q=There was much discussion around land acknowledgements, are they meaningful? Would a land apology be better? What is the best way to go about this?
A=There are many different feelings about land acknowledgements. Callie emphasized that they are a responsibility for settlers, not Indigenous peoples. She also mentioned making connections with other Indigenous groups, in particular those that are native to the County.

Q=There were questions around whether TTO and other Mohawk organizations are receiving support from the Province.
A=Yes they are but everything is proposal (grant) based.

Comment = County Kids Read introduced the group to their collection of children’s books that are centered around Indigenous themes and authored by Indigenous writers.

Comment = PEC Arts Council shared their collaboration with TTO on the Indigenous Voices Fund.

Comment = Chris Palmer from the County museums discussed the collaborative efforts involved in creating the Path Forward exhibit at the Macaulay Museum.

Resources & Follow-up Ideas

Callie mentioned the reenactment event with Mohawks Bay of Quinte over the May long weekend. https://southeasternontario.ca/travel_guides/tyendinaga-this-summer-copy/

TTO’s website: https://tto-kenhteke.org/
Join the newsletter

Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte https://mbq-tmt.org/
Join the newsletter

Land acknowledgement resources:

Native Land https://native-land.ca/resources/territory-acknowledgement/
Queen’s University: https://www.queensu.ca/ctl/resources/decolonizing-and-indigenizing/land-acknowledgements
UBC: https://guides.library.ubc.ca/distance-research-xwi7xwa/landacknowledgements

ReconciliACTION plans: https://nctr.ca/reconciliaction-plans/

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: https://nctr.ca/

Native Land digital map showing territories and native lands https://native-land.ca/

Examples of local collaborative efforts:

PEC Arts Council’s Indigenous Voices fund: https://countyarts.ca/indigenous-voices-fund/
A Path Forward exhibit: https://tto-kenhteke.org/apathforward/
The County Foundation’s Marjorie Sero Stailkovich Fund: https://thecountyfoundation.ca/grants-funds/marjorie-sero-stailkovich-memorial-fund/

This information session was facilitated by The County Foundation. If you have any questions, please contact Dominique Jones, Executive Director, at ed@thecountyfoundation.ca.

Announcing PECWA Bursary

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 12:37:10 -0500

The County Foundation is excited to announce a new bursary fund established by the Prince Edward County Winemakers Association (PECWA).

The PECWA Bursary will provide an annual bursary to a youth (aged 30 and under) from the Prince Edward County area, or that have a strong connection to the area, pursuing studies in viticulture or oenology program at a college or university or a sommelier certification program.

PECWA was formed in 2000 as a Not-for-Profit Organization to support the growth and promotion of The County as a wine region through advocacy, education, and mutual support.

Apply for Bursary

"We are pleased to be able to formalize our support for young residents of Prince Edward County to enter the field of winemaking and are grateful for The County Foundation who will administer this bursary,” Lynn Sullivan, PECWA Chair.

Prior to partnering with the County Foundation, PECWA awarded Emily Lacey (pictured to the left) with a bursary to assist her studies at Niagara College for Viticulture and Enology. Today, Emily is a Cellar Master at Niagara’s Southbrook Vineyard.

“Viticulture has become an integral part of our community and culture, this educational support will help the next generation of wine growers and producers learn about the art and science of this industry."

Anyone pursuing an education in a wine-related field is encouraged to apply for this new bursary and The County Foundation is accepting applications now. Apply for the PECWA Bursary.

Did you know? You can support an existing scholarship or bursary fund with a donation through our CanadaHelps page. This is a simple way to have a positive impact on education in the County.

New Board President for The County Foundation

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:39:48 -0500

The County Foundation appoints a new Board President to lead the Board of Directors. Howard Whittaker is assuming the position following tenured Board President Brian Beiles.

Howard has served on the Board of Directors for 2 years and brings with him extensive experience in business, nonprofit and the charitable sector, including leading the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation as Executive Director.

Three new Directors have been officially welcomed onto the Board at the Annual General Meeting including Jane Lesslie, Sarah Moffatt and Teri McNair. Completing the Executive of the Board is Kevin Kelly as Treasurer and Teri McNair as Secretary.

Left Image: Howard Whittaker, Board President

Howard is honoured to build on Brian’s legacy, “I want to thank Brian for building a thriving Foundation for the people of Prince Edward County. Under his leadership, grants to our community organizations have increased significantly, and the Foundation well established for the future."
Howard Whittaker, Board President

Brian will continue to serve on the Board of Directors as past-President and looks forward to being more involved in specific projects for The County Foundation.

“It has indeed been a great privilege to have been entrusted with the leadership of The County Foundation over the past 6 years. I have full confidence in my successor together with our excellent staff, highly committed and competent Board and our volunteers to sustain the organization and continue to increase the significant impact that The County Foundation is making to our community." Brian Beiles, Past President

The County Foundation Board of Directors

The County Foundation’s Staff and Board of Directors at the

Vital Signs 2023 launch at The Regent Theatre in October.

Free Year-End Fundraising Workshop

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 11:37:00 -0400

Strengthening Our Non-Profits and Charities

Earlier this year, The County Foundation facilitated the Community Services Recovery Fund. This one-time investment from the Government of Canada provided support toward operational and system improvements to help strengthen community service organizations.

During this process, we saw a lot of trends between organizations in the applications and noticed that many of our local charities voiced a desire to learn more about improving their fundraising strategies. The County Foundation wanted to respond to this need and we are thrilled to offer this free workshop in partnership with Broccoli as a result.

The County Foundation believes in strengthening the non-profit and charitable sector in Prince Edward County by participating in shared learning, collaborating on impact projects, providing access to local data and by facilitating funding. We're stronger together.

It is our hope to offer more workshops in the future on topics that can help to support the non-profits and charities in Prince Edward County.

Building Bridges of Inclusion: 2023 Vital Signs report

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 12:54:40 -0400

Vital Signs 2023

The eagerly anticipated report unveiling held at The Regent Theatre on October 4th drew an impressive crowd of more than 200 enthusiastic attendees. The high energy level of the crowd added to the excitement of the occasion.

This report has been described as "brave", "will need some time to digest", "shows that as a community we still have lots of work to do to make everyone feel included", "makes one pause to reflect on personal actions". Our hope is that this report sparks meaningful conversations in the community.

Vital Signs 2023 Report

Thanks to all who contributed to this report, and to our Vital Signs sponsors for their ongoing support.

Explore the full report at PECdata.ca for an abundance of rich content that couldn't be featured in the live presentation due to time constraints. Feel free to share this report, along with any event photos you may have captured. Your engagement is appreciated!

Report Highlights

Accelerated rate of change

Defining inclusive community
Populations facing barriers to inclusion
The role of social infrastructure
The human need to connect

We invite you to browse through photos from the event.

Supporting volunteerism and building community

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:46:53 -0400

The County Foundation in partnership with Thrive PEC, has established a Connections Directory at thrivepec.ca/connections to help residents find activities, groups, hobbies and volunteer opportunities in Prince Edward County,

The directory is being promoted at community events, to new residents, and to students who require volunteer credits.

Volunteerism makes a significant difference to the vitality of Prince Edward County, providing time and expertise that allows the delivery of services and programs that could not otherwise be offered. However, especially since the pandemic, local nonprofit organizations are facing volunteer shortages.

Shortage of volunteers is not unique to Prince Edward County. Statistics Canada (Nov/22) data shows that most organizations in the nonprofit sector are facing challenges related to volunteerism; 67% report facing a shortage of new volunteers, 51% report challenges with retention, 42% report that volunteers aren’t able to commit long term, 29% lack time or resources to recruit volunteers and 26% report high volunteer burnout and stress.

A helpful resource for volunteer recruitment is Volunteer + Information Centre of Hastings Prince Edward. Their free services include volunteer recruitment and referral, volunteer appreciation campaigns and celebrations, and training & education.

Linda Downey, President of the Wellington & District StoreHouse Foodbank,
talks about the value of volunteerism and building community.

Do you love Prince Edward County and want to contribute to making it a place where everyone belongs and thrives?

Are you looking for a way to be connected and meet new people in your community?

thrivepec.ca/connections. Volunteering is not only vital to our rural community but can also provide you with benefits including greater sense of place, positive sense of wellbeing, career pathways, and greater connectivity.

County Foundation ED receives emerging leader recognition

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 03:42:10 -0400

Dominique Jones, Executive Director of The County Foundation, received distinction as one of The Peak’s emerging leaders of 2023 in the area of social impact. The list identifies up and coming young leaders (under 40) shaping Canada’s culture, economy and society. Jones was listed as one of the thirty recipients under the area of social impact. Other categories include entrepreneurship, media entertainment and sports, technology and healthcare to name a few.

The Peak, for those unfamiliar with it, is an e-newsletter with over 110,000 subscribers that provides busy Canadian professionals with the news they need every morning to understand business, tech and other must-know stories of the day. The emerging leaders list is sponsored by CIBC and Microsoft and was started as a way to acknowledge the contributions of youth leaders across Canada. Jones was nominated in the fall and underwent a panel review to make the list.

“I was pretty humbled to be recognized in this way, I didn’t think I would make it past the panel review as comparing my work to other youth leaders across the country seemed daunting. I think ultimately it is the work of The County Foundation and its impact that gained that recognition, but I am pleased to be part of this group of emerging leaders, and I hope I can live up to the title.”
Dominique Jones

Devon Jones is a Board member and former Chair of Community Futures of Prince Edward Lennox and Addington where Dominique Jones worked as a Social Finance Specialist prior to moving on to the County Foundation.

“The recognition of Dominique as one of the emerging leaders helping to shape Canada’s economy, culture, and society is well-deserved and comes as no surprise to those who have had the pleasure of working with her. We are fortunate to have Dominique dedicated to making a positive impact locally, as the County Foundation consistently provides a model for pursuing excellence. It reflects well on our community that we continue to nurture and develop young leaders who are being recognized as changemakers.”
Devon Jones

What does this recognition mean to The County Foundation? Brian Beiles, Board President elaborates …

“The County Foundation is indeed privileged to have someone of Dominique’s caliber as Executive Director in embracing our vision of working together to build a place where everyone belongs and all can thrive. We totally endorse and congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition.”
Brian Beiles

The County Foundation is one of 201 Community Foundations in Canada. Since it was founded in 2008, The County Foundation has facilitated granting of over $4.2 million in Prince Edward County and works with individuals, families and organizations to address community needs that matter.

Featured in the Picton Gazette March 30/23:
County Foundation’s Jones recognized as emerging leader

The County Foundation - Prince Edward County - News , News

theROC Youth Services Announces New Bursary for Grade 10 Students

The recipient of this year's ‘Bright Future Award’ will receive:

More Information

We're Hiring: Grants & Communications Administrator

Key Responsibilities

Skills & Qualifications

About The County Foundation

Announcing Interim Executive Director

Learning & Sharing Session with Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na

Resources & Follow-up Ideas

Announcing PECWA Bursary

"We are pleased to be able to formalize our support for young residents of Prince Edward County to enter the field of winemaking and are grateful for The County Foundation who will administer this bursary,” Lynn Sullivan, PECWA Chair.

New Board President for The County Foundation

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Free Year-End Fundraising Workshop

Prepare for Year-End Fundraising Campaigns in Free Workshop​

Prepare for Year-End Fundraising Campaigns in Free Workshop​

Strengthening Our Non-Profits and Charities​

Strengthening Our Non-Profits and Charities​

Building Bridges of Inclusion: 2023 Vital Signs report

Vital Signs 2023

Report Highlights

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Supporting volunteerism and building community

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County Foundation ED receives emerging leader recognition

Prepare for Year-End Fundraising Campaigns in Free Workshop

Prepare for Year-End Fundraising Campaigns in Free Workshop

Strengthening Our Non-Profits and Charities

Strengthening Our Non-Profits and Charities