GFCU Savings community

Supporting the Boundary Region community

To help create a positive impact on the quality of life for people who live and work in the Boundary region, GFCU Savings has supported various events, organizations, and projects over the years. As part of the Gulf & Fraser family, we are committed to doing business in a way that contributes to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the communities we serve, work, live and play. We invest our time, funding and enthusiasm to empower people and organizations to do greater things. As an organization, we support our communities in several ways, including:

Sponsorships and donations
Education awards
In-kind support (i.e. gift baskets, promotional items)
Volunteer hours
GFCU Savings Legacy Fund (administered through the Phoenix Foundation)
Phoenix Foundation Endowment Fund
Beem Foundation

Scholarships and bursaries for students

Supporting students pursuing higher education

Together, GFCU Savings and Gulf & Fraser are dedicated to supporting students as they pursue their educational goals to become leaders of tomorrow. To assist with the financial costs of post-secondary education, GFCU offers the following bursaries and scholarships to full time students:

Community high school bursaries

Highschool bursaries are available through Boundary Central Secondary School and Grand Forks Secondary School. To apply, contact your counsellor or visit the school website.

Post-Secondary scholarship

Students can apply for post-secondary scholarships that are funded through the Phoenix Foundation. To learn more about the criteria visit the Phoenix Foundation. Applications closed on September 15, 2024.

Credit Unions of BC Bursary Program

The Credit Union Foundation of BC (CUFBC) offers bursaries to BC residents who are attending a public Canadian post-secondary school. For more information, and to apply, please visit their website.

GFCU legacy fund

Investing in our communities

GFCU Savings is committed to supporting local communities through donations, sponsorships, education awards, in-kind support and volunteerism.

In December 2022, GFCU Savings made a significant donation of $250,000 to the Phoenix Foundation as a thank you to members for supporting their future vision. Gulf & Fraser donated $150,000, for a total gift of $400,000 to benefit communities in Grand Forks and across the Boundary Region.

The GFCU Legacy Fund supports local health care needs in Grand Forks and surrounding communities, which includes community residents who are in training to become accredited or licensed health care professionals.

To ensure the sustainability of health care in the Boundary and surrounding communities, the Foundation will consider the following criteria in determining the recipients:

Employ ethical methods of publicity, promotion and solicitation of funds
Administration costs of the organization are reasonable and minimal
Demonstrate strong support and need for the programs/services provided
Have a long-term impact and has a measurable benefit to that segment of the community served by the organization (affect significant numbers of people)
Minimum funding request is $2,500
Multi-year funding will be considered
Funding for education and/or training in health care or a related field

Applications closed on March 31.

GFCU $1 million endowment fund

Phoenix Foundation Community Grant Program

In 2021, GFCU Savings reached its goal of building a $1,000,000 community endowment with the Phoenix Foundation. This money will live on permanently, providing grant funding to local groups that are working to improve quality of life in the Boundary area.

If you have a community building / improvement project in the Boundary that aligns with the following criteria, be sure to submit an application.

The following outlines what qualifies for funding from GFCU Savings:

Capital projects including construction and equipment purchases
Not-for-profit organizations, cooperatives, charitable organizations
Individuals organizing not-for-profit projects or programs within the Boundary Region
Projects or programs that:
- positively improve quality of life for a proportionate number of Boundary residents
- show strong organizational ability, have a planned implementation process and metrics in place to measure success
- encourage regional innovation
- increase and foster regional collaboration and partnerships
- have realistic goals and expectations

Application deadline: March 1 - 31

Contact the Phoenix Foundation for grant applications.

Beem Foundation

The Beem Foundation provides financial assistance to charities and non-profit agencies that build on the values of Gulf & Fraser to make a positive and lasting impact in the community. The Beem Foundation is funded primarily through discretionary allocations from Gulf & Fraser, which are approved by the Board of Directors and also through donations from fundraising events. Learn more.