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What’s your opinion worth? Potentially millions!

A simple survey can help direct vital community funds … and help you win a dinner out
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Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association is one of many local organizations that has benefited from the Victoria Foundation and Victoria Vital Signs.

Can a few minutes of your time have an impact worth millions?

By taking a few minutes to share your thoughts about the most pressing local issues, you’ll have a hand in directing millions of dollars in vital funding for organizations in your community.

(You’ll also be entered for the chance to win a gift card from some of the community’s most popular restaurants!)

For the 13th year, the Victoria Foundation asks Capital Region residents to weigh in about 12 areas critical to our community through the online Vital Signs survey.

The community check-up becomes part of the Vital Signs report, used by the Foundation and individual donors to direct funding, and by local governments and organizations as they plan programs and initiatives, explains Rob Janus, Victoria Foundation Director of Communications.

“Vital Signs reflects the perceptions and experiences of residents from the West Shore and Sooke right through to the Saanich Peninsula, so as we look at how to direct our annual grants most effectively and create the most impact, the Vital Signs Report becomes our guide,” Janus says.

20 million reasons to have your say!

Last year, the Victoria Foundation distributed $20 million in grants, based largely on the feedback received during previous surveys. Many grant recipients serve residents from throughout Greater Victoria and beyond – the Island Prostate Centre, Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association, Power to Be: Adventure Therapy Society and the Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, for example – others are hard at work closer to home.

Local grant recipients in recent years have included:

Pacific Centre Family Services Association – Funding supported the Skookum Cafe, offering vulnerable youth the opportunity to raise their self-esteem and confidence, learn skills, acquire knowledge, build relationships and gain experience in an empowering and supportive setting by running a healthy cafe in the West Shore Family Centre.

Rocky Point Bird Observatory Society Monitoring – Birds are key indicators of the health and sustainability of the natural environment, and this ongoing project helps assess whether natural or human-caused changes are negatively impacting our natural spaces.

M’akola Housing Society – The West Shore Aboriginal Day Festival, hosted by eight Aboriginal-serving agencies, with participation from the Sooke School District and 10 local First Nations, offers activities, food and entertainment free of charge, to remove barriers to participation.

Sooke Family Resource Society – Prenatal Education and Outreach Program, providing pregnancy education, prenatal/postnatal support and outreach through locally accessible group and individual services for families from Sooke to Port Renfrew.

Take the survey today!

The 2018 survey, open through July 1, is easily completed on mobile and tablet, so respondents can participate no matter how they get online.

The Foundation has added a panel survey this year, which will mirror the demographic makeup of Greater Victoria and provide a second data source, Janus says.

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Established in 1936, the Victoria Foundation is Canada’s second oldest community foundation and the sixth largest of nearly 200 nation-wide. Managing charitable gifts from donors whose generosity allows them to create permanent, income-earning funds, proceeds from these funds are distributed as grants for charitable or educational purposes. To date the Victoria Foundation has invested more than $200 million in people, projects and non-profit organizations strengthening communities in B.C. and throughout Canada.

Vital Signs is a national program co-ordinated by Community Foundations of Canada that leverages community knowledge to measure the vitality of our communities and support action towards improving quality of life.

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The 2018 Vital Signs survey, open through July 1, is easily completed on mobile and tablet, as well as on your computer.