The following is an excerpt from an article in the Kitchissippi Times, which highlights the Hampton Iona Community Fund, a fund at the Ottawa Community Foundation.
Throughout Kitchissippi Ward there are a number of charities and not-for-profit organizations that serve our community. A common theme amongst most of these organizations is the need for funding.
The Hampton Iona Community Group (HICG) has established a charitable fund with the Ottawa Community Foundation that is designed to support these types of organizations in Kitchissippi.
Several years ago, HICG was involved with two other appellants in a land planning challenge against Ashcroft Developments over the development at the Soeur de la Visitation Convent site on Richmond Road.
It was determined that it was best to reach a negotiated settlement due to the cost of legal and planning fees, and the low likelihood of winning at the Ontario Municipal Board.
As part of the settlement, the three appellants received $200,000 from Ashcroft, which had to be used in order to benefit the community. A portion of these funds were also used to pay for legal and planning fees.
HICG ultimately decided the best way to utilize these funds was to engage the experience and expertise of the Ottawa Community Foundation (OCF), which is a charity for charities. Working with donors all types, it leverages philanthropic resources to strengthen and empower the charitable sector in the National Capital Region and beyond.
In late 2021, HICG took its share of approximately $59,000 from the settlement funds and established the Hampton Iona Community Fund with OCF. While HICG set out the criteria for eligible projects under the Fund, it is up to OCF to select appropriate projects that meet the agreed upon criteria and then distribute and administer the funds. The Fund is set up to be drawn down over a maximum period of 10 years.