The Brandon Area Community Foundation recently celebrated Community Foundation Day, an annual provincial recognition held on April 26 to highlight the impact of local charitable work across Manitoba.
The day is observed each year to mark the birthday of The Winnipeg Foundation, which was established in 1921. As part of a province-wide network, there are now 57 community foundations in Manitoba, all supported by the Community Foundations of Canada, which work to serve the majority of the province’s residents through philanthropic efforts.
The Brandon-based foundation recently reached a significant milestone, surpassing $15 million in total assets. Since its inception in 1965, the organization has distributed more than $10 million in grants to support various projects in health, arts, recreation, and social services. In 2025, the foundation provided $800,426 in funding to 47 different charitable organizations throughout southwestern Manitoba.
The foundation is currently operating under the leadership of Tanis Chalmers, who was appointed as Executive Director on March 30, 2026. The organization also continues its local youth outreach through the Youth in Philanthropy program, which partners with Crocus Plains, Vincent Massey, École Neelin, and Elton Collegiate.
During this month of reflection, the foundation also paid tribute to the legacy of Sylvia Louise Mitchell, a long-time supporter who passed away on April 2, 2026, at the age of 93. Mitchell and her late husband, Donn, were instrumental in the local philanthropic community. They were the first recipients of the Westman Award for Outstanding Philanthropy in 1998 and were inducted into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1997.
More information about regional initiatives supported by Endow Manitoba and the ongoing work of local foundations can be found through official provincial resources.
