Michelle Hauser

While SYTK was prompted by the pandemic, Dr. Scott Brubacher says that the challenges facing young people are no less urgent today. “There is an increasing body of evidence that points to loneliness and isolation as epidemics arising from the pandemic and that younger Canadians are among the hardest-hit demographics,” says Brubacher. “As a church, we can choose to receive that bad news by responding with good news: claiming our place at the table, and answering the call to champion community-based solutions to this epidemic.”

“We received a number of applications, and in the end the Board provided $75,500 in funding to eleven projects in ten dioceses,” says Dr. Scott Brubacher, AFC’s Executive Director. “The initiatives showed incredible diversity in terms of ministry impact and reflected the goals of the RFP, which were to emphasize creation care—but also the broader theme of newness, of God’s greening or regenerative power at work in the church.” Viriditas is AFC’s 8th RFP since 2014 and brings the total of this special annual funding stream to more than $840,000.

If you have questions about the eligibility of your project for funding, or about the application process itself, please reach out to us. Our mission is to support ministries of the Anglican Church throughout Canada—and having an impactful, effective, accessible granting program is one of the best ways we can make that happen. And remember, at AFC we love to say Yes! Since 2010, AFC has approved over 90% of the applications submitted!

“I was moved by the care and consideration that was given to every grant application,” says Scott Brubacher, Executive Director. “Once again, we saw how the breadth of knowledge and experience that our Directors bring from across the country is essential to the review process, helping to highlight regional considerations that are relevant to our final decisions.”

“The Foundation seeks to be a leader in funding transformational ministry,” says Scott Brubacher. “Fulfilling that objective demands that we grow a culture of abundance, supporting those churches that are reaching beyond their walls. Whether in a rural village, a small town, or a major urban centre, virtually every Anglican church is situated in the heart of a community that has needs, if we open our hearts to the call. AFC’s Community Ministries Fund seeks to build the church’s capacity to respond to these needs.”

The benefits of membership include receipt of AFC’s print and online newsletters which ensure that members are always in the know about new funding opportunities. Through regular grant recipient profiles, our members also learn about exciting projects happening across the Anglican Church of Canada, which feeds the sense of hope and possibility our church needs today more than ever: if it worked for them, maybe it can work for us!

As the church continues to grow programs and build partnerships, while striving for the financial sustainability that is needed to serve the poor and marginalized on this scale, the Rev. Pam Trondson works to keep the congregation spiritually centred. “God is challenging those who are privileged to be open to those who are not privileged. And we live with the messiness of that.”

“This infusion of funding will facilitate the expansion of HFM’s outreach to neighbouring Anglican churches. It is highly symbolic for AFC that a community ministry that builds bridges of love and support for migrant workers—ensuring their well-being, dignity, and inclusion within Canadian society—should receive our first-ever Category C grant.”