Celebrating 90 years of the Victoria Foundation!

The Victoria Foundation is celebrating a milestone 90 years of impact, partnerships and creating a sense of belonging for everyone in the capital region and beyond.

The Foundation was formed by Burges Gadsden in 1936 during the Great Depression, in the Sunshine Inn soup kitchen on Pandora Avenue. The organization was formalized on April 1, 1936, by an Act of Legislature from the Government of BC, making the Victoria Foundation the second oldest community foundation in Canada.

The first gift to the Victoria Foundation was received in 1937 from Burges’ mother Fannie. It was a gift of $20. Over the decades, thanks to the profound generosity of community members including Fannie Gadsden, the Foundation has granted out over $406 million, including over $31 million in 2025.

The Foundation is honoured to receive an official proclamation for the 90th Anniversary from the Province of BC. The proclamation can be seen here: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/proclamations/proclamations/90thAnvrsryVicFndtn2026

90 years of milestones

Since its inception, the Victoria Foundation, along with our partners, has made a tremendous impact on the region by championing philanthropy across all ages.

It took time for the Foundation to build its capacity – with the first grants being distributed in 1969. At that time the Foundation had $22,000 in assets under administration. The grants went to the Victoria Boys Club (now BGC South Vancouver Island), the Maritime Museum of BC and the predecessor of the Victoria Association for Community Living.

In later decades, the Foundation created influential programs that continue to foster philanthropy and community engagement, including Vital Youth for high school students, the Gadsden Initiative with a cohort of primarily Generation X and Millennials, and the Victoria Circle for those who’ve left a legacy gift to the Foundation.

A key community leadership and engagement program is Victoria’s Vital Signs, an annual, flagship report card on the region’s wellbeing, and a key indicator of the region’s most pressing issues. Last year marked the Vital Signs’s 20th anniversary, and the start of a re-imagining on how the program will evolve to capture the community’s changing needs.

This program also paved the way for other groundbreaking initiatives, including the Civil Society Report in 2018 which was followed up by the Architects of Belonging report in 2025/2026 on the impacts of civil society in the capital region. The 2025/2026 research found that registered charities contribute $5.4 billion directly to the local economy, a $1.4 billion increase from the first report!

Collaborating into the future

Moving forward, the Victoria Foundation continues to expand on its mission to uplift the region through granting and partnerships. This year, the Foundation is leaning into its work to help foster local collaborations that tackle the region’s most pressing challenges.

The Foundation is supporting collaboratives that address three priority impact areas. These include preventing youth homelessness, sustaining cultural arts spaces and creating an inclusive local food economy. The priority areas were informed by the findings in Victoria’s Vital Signs and by decades of building relationships with charitable organizations in the region.

Sharing skills and knowledge is the way toward strengthening a region where everyone can belong. The Victoria Foundation is committed to helping the community make lasting impact together for decades to come.

Save the date

On April 1, the Victoria Foundation is proud to celebrate its official anniversary date with the Government of BC.

The Foundation will also be recognizing its 90th anniversary at events in the community throughout 2026. This will include a major 90th celebration event at the Victoria Conference Centre the afternoon of September 26, 2026. Tickets and more information on keynotes and entertainment will soon be released.

We are thrilled for you to join us!

Make sure to check out our 90th anniversary webpage at victoriafoundation.bc.ca for more details.

Quotes

90 years is a major milestone for the Victoria Foundation. The Foundation’s successes are thanks to the community and our partners. It is remarkable what we can achieve when we work together to uplift our community. I look forward to celebrating with you at the 90th anniversary celebration event on September 26!

Sandra Richardson, Victoria Foundation CEO

The Victoria Foundation is a driving force for community wellbeing in Greater Victoria. The Foundation is thankful for the support from donors, partners, and the community over the past nine decades. Moving forward, the Foundation looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively to build a sense of belonging for all in Greater Victoria and beyond.

Rob Gareau, Victoria Foundation Board Chair

The Victoria Foundation has been lifting up people and other local organizations for 90 years. Their dedication and care has made a lasting positive change in our community and I know we all thank them for this work.

Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill

Media contact