GFCU Savings community

Supporting the Boundary Region community

For many years GFCU Savings has supported countless events, causes, organizations, capital projects – all with a goal to creating positive impact on the quality of life in the Boundary. As part of the Gulf & Fraser family, we remain committed to doing business in a way that contributes to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the communities we serve, work, live and play.

Here are some of the ways GFCU Savings gives back:

Post-secondary bursaries and scholarships
Community economic development
Financial literacy and sustainable economics
Reducing environmental impacts
Business community building
Agricultural and local food sector development

As a part of the Gulf & Fraser family, GFCU Savings can give back even more. See the Community Investment Report and the Do Some Good website for the latest on Gulf & Fraser’s community giving.

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Applying for grants from the Phoenix Foundation

Grants are administered by the Phoenix Foundation of the Boundary Communities. Grant cycles and key dates are provided below:

Grant application period – administered by Phoenix Foundation

Letter of intent submission: March 1 - March 31
Formal grant proposal due: March 31

Grant application criteria

The following outlines what qualifies for funding from GFCU Savings:

Capital projects including construction and equipment purchases
Not-for-profit organizations, cooperatives, charitable organizations
Individuals organizing not-for-profit projects or programs within the Boundary Region
Projects or programs that:
- positively improve quality of life for a proportionate number of Boundary residents
- show strong organizational ability, have a planned implementation process and metrics in place to measure success
- encourage regional innovation
- increase and foster regional collaboration and partnerships
- have realistic goals and expectations

Grants are administered by the Phoenix Foundation, which holds an endowment of $1,000,000 from GFCU Savings. The interest earned on this is eligible for community investment grants each year. Contact the Phoenix Foundation for grant applications.

The disbursement of funds will occur following the close of the application period.

Bursaries and scholarships for students

Together, GFCU Savings and Gulf & Fraser are dedicated to supporting students as they pursue their educational goals. Gulf & Fraser provides bursaries and scholarships to post-secondary students as well as high school students.

GFCU Savings supports local students who are credit union members and are moving on to post-secondary education. Scholarships are awarded in various ways throughout the year.

School District 51: Contact the Grand Forks Secondary School Administrative Team for more information - 250-442-8285
Selkirk College: Contact the Selkirk Administrative Team for more information - 250-442-2704
GFCU Savings / Phoenix Foundation: Applications can be found online from June - August. Click here for application
Credit Union Foundation of BC: a province-wide scholarship opportunity. Click here to learn more.

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Phoenix Foundation of the Boundary Communities

The Phoenix Foundation helps the people of the Boundary Region by bringing people together to identify and address local issues, encourage philanthropy and fund charitable activities.

In 2021, GFCU Savings established a $1,000,000 community endowment with the Phoenix Foundation of the Boundary Communities. The purpose of this endowment is to create a Boundary Community owned asset, which through positive investment returns, will provide annual financial support for community projects in perpetuity.

Though funding is not exclusive to these, we are actively seeking projects in the following areas:

Community economic development
Financial literacy and sustainable economics
Reducing environmental impact

In December 2022, GFCU Savings made a significant donation of $250,000 to the Phoenix Foundation as a thank you to members for supporting their future vision. Gulf & Fraser will donate $150,000 over the next three years, for a total gift of $400,000 to benefit communities in Grand Forks and across the Boundary Region.

The funds will be used to support local health care needs in Grand Forks and surrounding communities. Funds will also support community residents who are in training to become accredited or licensed health care professionals, ultimately building a stronger health care workforce in the Boundary Region.