The Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia (RCF) is all about supporting community organizations in rural Nova Scotia. We do this through grantmaking, convening and capacity-building. Of these three functions, grantmaking is the by far the most important. Basically, our job is to get resources into the hands of the most dynamic and innovative grassroots organizations in rural Nova Scotia.

Our work is based on the belief that many of the solutions to the challenges facing rural Nova Scotia lie within those communities, where local groups are developing innovative approaches and creating new pathways to the future they want.

Lately, we have been focusing our grantmaking efforts on specific areas of rural development, including youth, seniors, woodlot owners, non-profit organizations and citizen engagement. For each of these grant programs, we take a collaborative approach to grantmaking, partnering with a provincial umbrella group that knows the issues and participants in that particular field.

We believe that this kind of collaboration is the key to rural Nova Scotia’s future. With philanthropic organizations, community groups, private sector, Indigenous communities and all levels of government working together to support community-based solutions, we begin to see the potential for real collective impact across the province.

Whether you are a prospective grantee, donor, volunteer or partner, we invite you to join us in this exciting work.


Arthur Bull
Chair, Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia