The FIG Fund is delighted to announce that in  2022 we will be celebrating our tenth anniversary!

To mark this special occasion we will be awarding an additional $10,000 in grants this year! The FIG Fund Grants Committee is currently seeking applications for projects scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023. If your organization has any projects or programs that assist women and/or girls exclusively, we invite you to complete the Grant Application Form and return to thefigfund@gmail.com by October 14th 2022.

2021 Grant Recipients

In keeping with our Mother’s Day tradition, we are delighted to announce the grants awarded by The FIG Fund in 2021.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 received $3000 for “My Sister’s Kitchen”. As a result of a focus group with some of its female clients, the participants suggested evening cooking classes where women would learn some cooking skills and be able to take the leftovers from the evening home. The women will decide on the menu, make the grocery list, determine amounts, prepare the food and pack containers to take food home. The program will develop resilience for those experiencing food insecurity, improve social skills, provide nutritious food and build confidence and enjoyment in cooking.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙧 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝘾𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙚 received $2331 to conduct a rug hooking workshop. It is located in HVGB and serves the Innu, Inuit and Metis in the Lake Melville area. The grants will enable the Centre to conduct a class in traditional rug hooking for 20 women in the Women’s Circle, an established group. The class will be conducted by Peter Barrett, a local artist. The objective is to teach women a traditional skill which will be preserved and which they in turn can teach their daughters and other family members.
These programs will be completed this year and we look forward to updating you all on their progress!

What’s New

As announced at The 2022 FIG Fund Fête, we are over the moon to share that after a thorough application process, The FIG Fund has just been accepted as a 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆!
We also want to thank everyone who made The FIG Fund Fête 2022 such a successful fundraiser! Especially to our events committee, Quidi Vidi Brewing Co. for hosting, Figs & Fromage NL for catering, to our treasurer, Jessie Cooper, for the beautiful photos, to those who donated items and to everyone who attended.
It was also wonderful to hear representatives of Big Sisters Big Brothers NL speak passionately about the value of their FIG Fund grant, emphasizing how it deeply affected the lives of young girls who worked under the guidance of mentors to improve their self-esteem and general outlook on life.
We were incredibly grateful to celebrate in-person and we are humbled by the enthusiasm our peers continue to show in support of our mission to help women & girls in need, throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

How We Started

The FIG Fund was created in 2012 by St. John’s resident and well-known community leader, Adele Poynter. With a $20,000 donation and a desire to make a difference to the lives of women in Newfoundland and Labrador, the seeds of The FIG Fund were planted.  The donation was matched by Adele’s good friend Gretchen Bauta, a philanthropist and a major supporter of the FIG Fund concept from the beginning. Adele passed away in 2016, leaving the fund in the hands of her daughter, Kate and her trusted board of colleagues, family and friends.

The FIG Fund disburses annual grants to assist women and girls, who have had to overcome obstacles and would benefit from some extra assistance to pursue their goals.

Learn More

What We’ve Achieved

Since it was established, the fund has created a jewellery-making program for clients of The Gathering Place, provided services for sex workers in St. John’s through S.H.O.P., built a community garden for the Bay St. George women’s shelter, helped the YWCA cultivate the province’s next generation of female leaders, and supported other innovative projects.

Grants Awarded

Registered Charity Number: 775281603RR0001

Could your program benefit from a FIG Fund grant?