Since its beginnings, the Sudbury Community Foundation has awarded grants to over 1,000 charities and nonprofit organizations within the Greater Sudbury area, since 1996. 

In 2014, Nickel District Conservation Foundation (NDCF) was looking to enhance their services for the public by adding GPS units and developing GPS activities for school groups and other visitors. By the end of December 2014, over 400 youth had benefitted from this equipment.

In 2015, NDCF requested funding for replacement snowshoes for children attending their day-camp programs and other free winter activities for children using the LLCA trails. NDCF’s focus on equipment and programming for trail users has greatly enhanced this community’s recreational enjoyment of the outdoors.

In 2014, Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre (NORMHC) received a grant from the Professional Engineers of Ontario (Sudbury Chapter) Fund to improve the accessibility between the museum house and Prescott Park for school groups, the elderly, and disabled patrons.

The project has tremendously enhanced the accessibility of the NORMHC site. Visitors with mobility limitations are now capable of exploring the gardens and rail exhibits in Prescott Park...[and can access] the facilities located on the main floor of the museum house (check-in, tearoom, gift shop, washroom). – Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre, Minnow Lake Restoration Group

At the beginning of 2013, Greater Sudbury had only four community gardens, none of which were located in the Minnow Lake community. Minnow Lake Community Garden (MLCG) dedicated 4 plots to providing produce to their community partners: Meals on Wheels, Blue Door soup kitchen at the Elgin Street Mission, and the Medicine Lodge at Health Sciences North.

Sudbury Symphony Orchestra (SSO)’s “Share the Music” program made live performances accessible to many who face significant barriers to attend concerts. That was a first-of-its-kind music program in Sudbury. Through partnerships with front-line social service agencies in the 2013-2014 series, between 425 and 600 individuals had received free concert tickets, many attending a live musical performance for the first time.

I liked it a lot. If felt good in my ears and made my arms all tingly.
– 4 year old on his first concert experience

My grandmother used to play classical music all the time in her house. When she passed, we gave away all of her old records and never gave it a second thought. This [performance] brought back so many great memories that I am now sharing with my kids.
–   Mother who brought her two children to a concert

In 2012, Myths and Mirrors received a grant to undertake a series of murals in the Flour Mill and Donovan neighbourhoods. They engaged 100 people in a forum to develop a mural at the corner of Mackenzie and Kathleen Streets entitled “We are Here.’’ The forum enabled people to open a collective dialogue about issues of concern in their neighbourhoods, and broaden their understanding and sensitivity to issues of concern.

The process of the mural provided an opportunity to engage in dialogue around issues of graffiti and tagging. Many people began to talk about these issues and see the various sides of the story. The taggers who continued to tag were engaged with in alternate ways. Rather than erasing their marks, we engaged in an artistic and symbolic dialogue. A space was offered for this kind of dialogue to take place and the tagging ceased. We are grateful for the support we received from Sudbury Community Foundation!

"Our vision is to work with people to create innovative experimental art, to engender a sense of community identity, and to provide a forum for the marginalized to develop a voice. "

L’Arche Sudbury was awarded a grant in 2017 that was put towards hosting “Our Story: Rythym and Colour” which will be available to the general public.

Through the support of the Sudbury Community Foundation Grant, we will be hosting 2 events where members of our L’Arche Sudbury community and others from the City of Greater Sudbury and surrounding area will come together for art and music. Visual art and music therapy are 2 ways to assist members with and without intellectual disabilities to creatively express themselves and find common gifts and talents. We are happy to provide this opportunity for meaningful artistic expression.

In June of 2017, the Northern Cancer Foundation received a grant to help fund the Daffodil Lodge Music Program.

The Daffodil Lodge Music program is a community partnership that has local musicians come to the Lodge and play for our patients. These patients are undergoing treatment at the Lodge and are all away from their homes and in many cases, their support systems and loved ones. Our patients tell us that they appreciate the opportunity to listen to great music and find it very therapeutic, but they also love the fact that it offers a gathering opportunity for all of the patients. The patients are then able to share their stories, offer hope and advice to each other. Music is an equalizer for these patients and regardless of their health or mobility they are able to listen to the same music and share in a sense of community. We are so appreciative to be able to offer this program and not only showcase amazing local talent, but to bring together a community of patients that need the support, camaraderie and respite.