Giving to the Interlake Community Foundation is easy and the funds will help your community forever!
The Interlake Community Foundation connects donors with local charities
There are many ways to become involved, and our purpose is to help you determine how philanthropy best fits your needs. Our Foundation gives the opportunity to keep your investment locally and build the communities we are all part of. Working together, we can help build a future filled with compassion, opportunity and prosperity. To all donors, charities and volunteers, thank you for your tireless work. Together we are building a legacy for the generations that follow us.
-Bob Beck, ICF Board Chair
Your gift will be pooled with other gifts that will ensure maximum potential earnings at a minimal administrative expense. It’s a great way to create a lasting legacy.
New! The ICF has created its own comprehensive Giving Guide! If you have ever thought about making a donation or starting a fund to create a legacy, this is for you! Please check out the guide, and then contact us to discuss further!
Download ICF Giving Guide 2026
Gifts and donations to the ICF may qualify as gifts to a registered charity for income tax purposes, and the ICF will issue the required receipt.
Why Give?
Because it simply feels good to give back. Some are inspired to give through personal values or family tradition, while others seek to channel their philanthropic desires into lasting community impact. The Interlake Community Foundation helps caring individuals turn their interests into meaningful local contributions, showing that building compassionate communities doesn’t require large gifts.
“A winner is a person who plants a shade tree knowing he or she will never sit under it.” – Dennis Waitley
The Power of Endowment Funds
Why give to the Interlake Community Foundation?
The ICF invests our endowment funds with the Winnipeg Foundation. Your donation stays forever; we use the income on the investment for grantmaking and to support the ICF’s operations. We typically grant out 4% to 5% of the fund’s market value annually.
Getting Started
We’ve made it simple to start your giving journey, working with you, your family, or your professional advisor to guide you through the steps below. Once you know how you want to give, give us a call, and we can meet to discuss all of the details. We will then draft a fund agreement according to your wishes to start your Fund!
Who is the donor?
- Registered Charity
- Community Group/Service Club
- Company/Business
- Individual/Family
We honor fund stakeholders through our website, financial statements, social media channels and at our Grant Celebration Event to acknowledge the lasting contributions to the community. We provide an annual report to our fund stakeholders.
How Do I Want To Give?
- Cash
- Life Insurance
- Securities
- Wills, Estates and Bequests
What Type of Fund?
- Unrestricted: Disbursement for ICF’s Community Granting Program (supports the community’s evolving needs through our annual Community Granting Program)
- Partially Restricted: Field or Region of Interest Fund (supports the causes you care about, like arts, youth, seniors, health, or the environment) or Student Award Fund (provides scholarships or bursaries to local students)
- Restricted: Designated Charity Fund (supports specific charities with reliable, long-term funding)
What Length of Time?
- Existing Fund (our current funds)
- Permanently Endowed
- Short Term (Non-Endowed): Spend-Down Fund (distributes a lump sum over a defined period) or Flow-Through Fund (quickly passes funds to another organization or project)
These are usually used by a Community Group when raising capital funds. Please contact us for details.
When Am I Giving?
- Now
- In my Will
- Both
Your donation can be made in several ways
Give cash, cheques, e-transfers, credit cards, or pre-authorized contributions on any schedule. Suitable for donors of any age who want an immediate impact and a charitable receipt.
Appreciated Securities: Maximize Your Impact, Minimize Your Taxes
Donate shares, mutual funds, or other securities to receive a charitable receipt for fair market value and avoid capital gains tax. We handle transfers through our partner, the Winnipeg Foundation, to ensure your generous gift benefits the community. We will prepare the form here in our office, or have your financial planner contact us.
Wills, Estates, and Bequests: Your Enduring Impact
Include the Foundation in your estate plan to leave a lasting legacy and potentially reduce estate taxes. We accept cash, securities, RRSPs, RRIFs, real estate, or other property.
Please note: We strongly suggest that you consult your lawyer, accountant or estate planner before making a substantial gift. We do not provide tax advice.
Endow Manitoba’s website
Donate to the Interlake Community Foundation securely with a credit card online.
All credit card donations are processed and receipted for us by the Winnipeg Foundation and you will receive a charitable receipt by email.
Mail in a Cheque
Mail a cheque payable to the Interlake Community Foundation, PO Box 1575, Stonewall, Manitoba, R0C 2Z0
Download our donation form if you wish to mail in a cheque.
E-transfer
If you would like to send an e-transfer, please use info@interlakefoundation.ca and follow up with an email to us with your name and mailing address so that we can send you a donation receipt.
Annual or Monthly recurring gift
You make an initial contribution and a commitment to add to the initial donation over a period of months or years. Set up with a credit card and click “make a repeating gift”.
Publicly listed securities
This link will take you to the information needed at the Winnipeg Foundation, where most of our funds are invested.
Donating gifts of securities (including stocks, mutual funds and bonds) is a great way to support your community and reduce your tax bill.
When you transfer securities to the ICF through the Winnipeg Foundation, you receive a tax receipt and eliminate capital gains tax.
The Winnipeg Foundation does not charge the ICF a fee to process these transactions.
Please speak with your financial or tax advisor to see if this is the best option for you.
A bequest in a will
A gift of life insurance
By naming the Interlake Community Foundation as a beneficiary.
A gift in memory of a relative or friend
If you give us the name and address of the family, we will send them a card to let them know you have made a memorial donation.
Pop by our office
In the Town of Stonewall Building at 293 Main Street in Stonewall, top floor.
If no one is in the office, just slide it under our door. Tracy and Joanne are working there two to three days each week.
Office hours are Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30AM to 3:30PM.
Please call 204-467-5634 if you’d like an appointment at a different date/time; we will do our best to accommodate you.
You can donate to any of our funds or leave it unrestricted to be used where we need it.
For a list of our funds, visit http://interlakefoundation.ca/funds/ click the fund name for more info on each fund.
The Foundation provides an excellent opportunity to help your community forever.
Named endowment funds
It can be set up for as little as $5,000, which will ensure your family, business, or loved one is remembered in perpetuity.
Named funds will receive continuous recognition in various formats – on our social media, on our website, in our annual newsletter, in our financial statements, at our Grant Celebration and our Annual General Meeting.
Your fund can provide a scholarship to a student, a grant to a designated charity, or be unrestricted for the ICF to allocate with our Community Grants Program. Contact us, as there are several options, including permanently endowed funds, flow-through funds and spend-down funds.
Fund grant allocations can only be paid to a qualified donee as listed by the Canada Revenue Agency.
Our permanently endowed funds are intended to last forever! We invest the donations and only pay out the grant disbursements from the income on the fund. This amount is usually between 3.5 and 5% of the Fund’s market value annually. A fund with a market value of $10,000 would annually make a grant of $350 to $500.
Community Builder Club
The Community Builder Club is another alternative that only requires a commitment to give monthly or annually with your credit card to the fund that supports your community.
Please contact Tracy Holod at 204.467.5634 tracy@interlakefoundation.ca or speak to any of our Board members for more information.
How to Make a Donation: Frequently Asked Questions About Donating to the Interlake Community Foundation
How do I know my donation will actually stay local?
This is one of the biggest concerns donors have before giving.
The Interlake Community Foundation focuses specifically on supporting communities in the South Interlake region, including Stonewall, Teulon, Rockwood, Rosser, Woodlands, and surrounding areas. Grants and scholarships are directed toward local charities, students, programs, and community initiatives within the region.
Unlike many large national organizations, your donation directly benefits the communities you know and care about.
What if I can’t afford to make a large donation?
You do not need to be wealthy to make a meaningful impact.
Many donors contribute through:
- Small monthly donations
- Memorial gifts
- Annual contributions
- Community Builder Club commitments
- Gifts left in a will
Even modest donations grow over time and help strengthen the community for future generations.
How do I know the money will be managed responsibly?
Trust and transparency are major concerns for many donors.
The ICF invests endowment funds through the Winnipeg Foundation, one of Canada’s most established and respected community foundations. Annual reports are provided to fund stakeholders, and grants are distributed according to CRA-qualified charitable guidelines.
The goal of the Foundation is long-term community stewardship — not short-term spending.
Will I be pressured for more donations after I give?
Many donors hesitate because they worry about excessive emails, phone calls, or fundraising pressure.
The Interlake Community Foundation values respectful donor relationships. We understand that every donor has different preferences and comfort levels when it comes to communication and future giving opportunities.
What if I want my donation to create impact now, not decades later?
Some donors prefer immediate community impact, while others value long-term support.
The Foundation offers several options, including:
- Immediate community support through grants
- Flow-through funds
- Spend-down funds
- Permanently endowed funds that support the community forever
This flexibility allows donors to choose the type of impact that matters most to them.
Can I choose exactly where my donation goes?
Yes. Donors can support:
- A specific local charity
- Scholarships
- Youth, arts, health, seniors, recreation, or environmental initiatives
- Community grants
- Existing named funds
You may also leave your donation unrestricted so it can support emerging community needs over time.
What if I’m not sure which giving option is right for me?
That’s very common.
Many people are unsure whether they should:
- Donate now
- Create a fund
- Give securities
- Leave a gift in their will
- Set up recurring donations
The Foundation can work with you, your family, lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor to help determine the giving option that best matches your goals and comfort level.
Can I change my mind after making a donation?
Charitable donations are generally considered irrevocable once completed because the funds immediately become dedicated to charitable purposes under CRA regulations.
This is especially important for endowed and legacy gifts designed to support the community permanently.
I’ve heard charities spend too much on administration. How does the ICF handle this?
Administrative efficiency is a common concern among donors.
The Foundation pools donations together to maximize investment growth while keeping administrative expenses low. The long-term endowment model is designed to create sustainable community support while carefully managing operating costs.
Can my donation honour a loved one or family legacy?
Absolutely.
Many donors create named funds or memorial gifts to honour:
- Family members
- Loved ones
- Businesses
- Community leaders
- Important causes
These gifts create a lasting legacy that continues helping future generations.
What if I already support charities through taxes or volunteering?
Many donors feel they already contribute through taxes, volunteering, or supporting local businesses.
Charitable giving through a community foundation allows individuals to go one step further by directly investing in local opportunities, scholarships, charities, and community priorities that may not otherwise receive funding.
Is setting up a fund complicated?
Not at all.
One of the most common misconceptions online is that creating a charitable fund is only for large estates or financial experts.
In reality, the process is usually straightforward, and the Foundation helps guide donors through each step. Many funds are created through simple conversations about community goals and charitable interests.
What if I don’t know where community needs will be in the future?
That is actually one of the advantages of a community foundation.
Unrestricted endowment funds allow future grants to respond to changing local priorities over time — helping communities adapt to future challenges, opportunities, and emerging needs that may not exist today.