Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia
Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) is an emerging charitable foundation governed by a volunteer Board of Directors from across the province. Take a look at what's happening and how we're making an impact in rural communities.
RCF Past Chair Arthur Bull talks about the 2017-18 Rural Vitality Grants
“There’s an amazing richness of diverse and innovative work happening at the grassroots level in rural Nova Scotia.” Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) Past Chair Arthur Bull introduces some recipients of RCF granting programs. RCF provides small grants to rural organizations in Nova Scotia for a wide range of community work. Read more[…]
Msit No’kmaq: RCF Vitality Grants
Brennan Googoo of Millbrook First Nation participated in the Msit No’Kmaq Indigenous Youth Leadership Program, which received funding from a Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia Rural Vitality Grant. Googoo was one of 45 youth who sailed the Dutch flagged tall ship Gulden Leeuw from Halifax, Nova Scotia to LeHavre, France. Read more about RCF[…]
The Digby Neck Collective: RCF Vitality Grants
Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) granted funding to the Digby Neck Collective to help create a community newsletter and hold a festival at Lake Midway Provincial Park. Gwen Wilson and Melissa Merritt are members of the Digby Neck Collective, which was formed to initiate projects and activities that give local residents a stronger[…]
The Raising The Villages Movement: RCF Vitality Grants
Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) granted funding to the Raising the Villages Movement to help implement community engagement, communication, research and mapping in Cape Breton. The Raising the Villages Movement is dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of the early childhood years in terms of our lifelong health, learning and behaviour. Read[…]
Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia: RCF Vitality Grants
Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) granted funds to the Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia (CSC-NS) to assist in delivering the Many Hands, Many Voices conference for the province’s community sector in 2017. CSC-NS Executive Director Arlene MacDonald describes the role of her organization as a capacity builder for the not-for-profit and community[…]
North Queens Business Centre and Innovation Hub: RCF Vitality Grants
Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) granted funding to the North Queens Business Centre and Innovation Hub in Caledonia, Queens County to host a series of educational workshops and events that promote understanding of the history and diversity of the community. Don Kimball is co-chair of the North Queens Business Centre and Innovation Hub.[…]
Ulnooweg Development Group: RCF Vitality Grants
Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) granted funding to the Ulnooweg Development Group to assist with the Summer Soltice Run, an event that brings together indigenous and non-indigenous people in celebration of Aboriginal Day and the Summer Solstice. Christopher Googoo is the Chief Operating Officer of Ulnooweg Development Group. Read more about RCF Granting[…]
The Centre for Local Prosperity: RCF Vitality Grants
Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) granted funding to The Centre for Local Prosperity for the ‘Thinkers Retreat’, a gathering of international and local thought leaders at the Thinkers Lodge in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. One of the issues the group discussed was the effects of the climate crisis on rural Nova Scotia communities, and[…]
Clean Annapolis River Project: RCF Vitality Grants
Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP) is a not-for-profit environmental organization that works to address key ecological issues in the Annapolis River Watershed in southwest Nova Scotia. Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia granted funding to CARP to assist in delivering a community consultation in 2018 to determine the community’s environmental concerns. Levi Cliche is CARP’s[…]
Clean Annapolis River Project – 2016
Youth Leading Environmental Change is a program that engages youth throughout the Annapolis River watershed in environmental education, stewardship actions and leadership development training. Youth have the opportunity to learn how landscape features and functions impact human and environmental health, as well as community well being. Participants reinforce their understanding of these concepts and apply[…]
Spark the Change Youth Leadership Camp – 2015
Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association received a 2015 RCF Leadership Grant to host Spark the Change, a weekend retreat for rural high school students from 14 schools across Nova Scotia. The goal of this project was to engage youth in workshops, leadership training, and interactive sessions around relationship violence, healthy communities,[…]
Enhancing Leadership in Rural Communities in response to HIV-STBBIs: A Catalyst for Change – 2014
This was a project of the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia which ended with a forum held at Mount Saint Vincent University on June 17th – 19th, 2015. The purpose of the event three-fold: To foster networking across Nova Scotia of people living with HIV, HCV, and other STBBIs, CBO staff, board members, volunteers, community[…]
Trailblazers for Junior High School Students – 2014
Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation received a 2014 RCF Rural Leadership Grant to start a Trailblazers program for junior high students at Bluenose Academy in Lunenburg. Trailblazers is a free, all-outdoors after school program that aims to get kids physically active and connecting to the natural world. The program leaders report many benefits for[…]
Le Quartier Culturel – 2014
Le Conseil des arts de Chéticamp received a 2014 Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia Rural Leadership Grant to create Le Quartier Culturel. The goal of the project was to bring the arts, school and community together in one building, and to start turning innovative ideas and programs into concrete actions. “Le Conseil des arts[…]
Kitchen Table Green Economics: Sharing What We Have Learned – 2014
The Kitchen Table Green Economics group has been meeting throughout the summer of 2014 to explore ideas about the green economy and how the local economy of Antigonish could be “greened”. We’re not “experts”, just citizens who are concerned about the community and want to explore how the local economy could be more resilient and[…]
The Guys Groupe: South-West Nova Transition House Association – 2014
The Guys Groupe project engages young men within their school and community. It began at École Secondaire de Clare, a French High School, in 2012 and because of the program’s success one of the participants requested another location where it should be offered. In 2014 they received a RCF grant to fund the program’s advancements.[…]
Glace Bay Citizens Service League – 2014
The funds granted to Glace Bay Citizens Service League were put towards developmental assets – building on the work of Citizen Service League (CSL) and the Asset Developmental committee. Through telephone interviews with representatives of Glace Bay CSL the asset headquarters developed a Volunteer Resource Centre. Volunteerism promotes and enhances skills, abilities, and unique attributes[…]
Musical Friends Project: Chester Municipal Heritage Society – 2014
Chester Municipal Heritage Society was awarded a grant of $5000 to be used for the Musical Friends project. Throughout the duration of the project, there were 36 workshops. Participants performed in a community choir, produced a music video and learned important leadership skills. The Musical Friends Project developed leadership and skills in the performing arts,[…]
Looking Beyond the Crossroads – 2013
For the last decade the Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia has supported community-based initiatives that improve understanding of issues facing the province’s rural and coastal communities, and offer solutions to some of the challenges these communities face. The organization has invested in projects that support and sustain rural communities throughout the province. It has[…]
Maggie’s Place: Kitchen Party Talks – 2012
When Hope Harrison left her family farm to live in the senior citizens home in River Hebert, one of the things she missed was working in the family’s garden plot. This summer, the 83-year-old resident of Highland Villa was one of those who oversaw the planning, design and planting of the River Hebert community garden.[…]
Global Tour: Exploring Our Communities – 2011
In the Spring of 2011, 50 grade nine students from Cole Harbour High and Auburn Drive High feeder schools spent three days exploring each other’s communities, learning what it’s like to go to high school, and making new friends. This video documents their experience. Here’s a quote from one of the students interviewed in the[…]
Hope for Wildlife Day Camps and Workshops: 2011
The Hope for Wildlife Society is located in Seaforth, Nova Scotia. Their facilities include an extensive wildlife rehabilitation centre, an education and visitor centre, and a hospital that is dedicated to the care of native injured and orphaned wildlife. In the Summer of 2011, the Society offered educational programs which were funded in part by[…]
Antigonish County Adult Learning Association: Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation Elders Activity Program – 2011
Sheila Bernard recognized the need for the elders of her community of Paqtnkek to have opportunities for social interaction and recreation. With a 2010 Rural Leadership Initiative Grant, Sheila created an elders program that was culturally specific, and included activities and events that integrated Mi’kmaw culture, traditions and language. During the program, 32 elders aged[…]
Education Fund Continues Legacy of Giving – 2011
Photo of Guysborough courtesy Derek Hendsbee Fred and Mary Worsh have chosen the Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia to administer a legacy scholarship fund that the couple has directed to some day help deserving students in Guysborough and Antigonish counties. The fund will be established to help students enrolled in four-year, post-secondary academic programs.[…]
Family Matters: Appreciative Inquiry Forum – 2011
Autumn is usually harvest time in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley but for organizers of a Family Matters’ forum at Camp Brigadoon in Aylesford, September 2012 was a time to plant seeds from which they hope to grow cultural change. The forum was funded with the support of a Rural Community Foundation leadership initiative grant. The[…]
Youth Leadership Takes the Stage – 2010
Two Planks and a Passion Theatre is offering a unique opportunity to assist young people develop leadership skills through theatre work. The Youth Leadership Program in 2010 combines real work in the theatre company with a focus on developing leadership skills. “Involvement in the arts is one of the best pathways to develop leadership skills.[…]
Trailblazers Head to Council – 2010
Elementary school children in Sherbrooke will learn about the great outdoors this winter in a unique afterschool program sponsored by the St. Mary’s River Association and the Recreation Department of the Municipality. The program combines outdoor education, physical activity and leadership skill development. The Trailblazer project intends to teach basic outdoor skills like fishing and[…]
Digby Area Learning Association – 2009
Sheri McBride, Executive Assistant of the Digby Area Learning Association shares the successes and challenges of Project Earl (Educating Adults for Rural Leadership). There are 3 components to this project: group mentorship, skill building and inspirational workshops, and portfolio development and runs from February 2, 2009 until June 15, 2009. This project is one of[…]
Bay St. Lawrence – 2009
Two representatives spoke to the AGM attendees via You Tube about their Seniors-Youth Volunteer Time Banking for Community Development Project as implemented by the Bay St. Lawrence Community Centre in Cape Breton. The reps were Amy Mackinnon, Co-ordinator Bay St. Lawrence Community Center and Rob MacDonald, Co-chair of the Board of Directors of North Highlands[…]
Mersey Tobeatic Research Institution – 2009
Brennan Caverhill from the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institution talked about the student-run leadership conference and network retreat that is funded under the RCF’s Rural Leadership Initiative. Click here to view the Powerpoint Presentation
Local Volunteers on You Tube – 2009
The Lunenburg Queens Volunteer Partnership (LQVP) is using social media to increase awareness about volunteerism and community leadership with young people in the two counties. LQVP will produce a 10 minute promotional video featuring local youth leaders and volunteers talking about their experiences. The video will be featured on their website, Facebook and YouTube. The[…]
2020, the 20th anniversary year of the Rural Communities
Foundation of Nova Scotia has been a year where RCFofNS has had
to deal with many situations, but in the end, we’ve had a very productive year.
Again, funding was available for programs from the Community
Foundations of Canada with the Emergency Community Support Fund,
and the granting committee chaired by director Sherry MacLeod made
$796,980 in 2 rounds available to 56 organizations in rural Nova Scotia through the application process.
The Fund for Gender Equality Grants program contributed $33,000 to two organizations. The Fund
Development and Communications Committee chaired by director Maureen Coady did a comprehensive
review of Fund Development and Communications to give direction of future funding and resources for
funding from CFC, private donors, land sales and future development of the website.
The Community Sparks program for youth and climate change was initiated in 2019 by a private donor,
Susan Hirshberg and family, with $13,605 dispensed to seven youth groups in 2019. Susan continues to
work hard on this program and has been soliciting funds to offer another granting program in 2021.
The RBC Future Launch Community Challenge Program was put on hold, and the Vital Conversations
from the six communities who participated were held in March 2021.
Many programs changed direction and completion dates because of COVID.
Thanks to director Eirinn Fraser who developed a new RCFofNS logo as well as a COVID related Art
Contest for youth. The online gallery is on the RCFofNS website.
I have previously never worked with an organization where directors stepped forward to be on a
committee to deal with RCFofNS issues. Their enthusiasm is contagious! Thanks to all the directors for
your concern and attention to RCFofNS issues. We were pleased to welcome new directors: Ella Lentz,
Mark Embrett, Penny Day and Eirinn Fraser.
Thank you to Jayne Hunter from Literacy Nova Scotia who acts as our CEO and gives direction
to inquiries and programs, and to Heather Lauther and Elaine Frampton who assist in the operations
of RCFofNS. We look forward to 2021 as another productive year as RCFofNS carries out its mission
statement to build on the strength of Nova Scotia’s rural communities by stimulating and establishing
philanthropic giving to develop a permanent endowment and grant funds.
Jean Ward
Past Chair, Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia
Three Pillars
Granting
Fund Development
Convening
Our Team
