Contributing to the growth and endurance of Bermuda’s community foundation.

Established with founding investments from the Buchanan Charitable Fund, RenaissanceRe in honour of the 20th anniversary of its founding, The Allan and Gill Gray Foundation and The Atlantic Philanthropies, this fund supports the Bermuda Foundation as a vital infrastructural force in the nonprofit sector. Grants to the Bermuda Foundation Endowment fund are unrestricted and dedicated to the growth and development of the Foundation.

Contributions for the long-term growth and security of the Foundation allow it to administer donor funds in perpetuity. All contributions to this fund leverage critical matched donations from key funders.

At its 5th Anniversary Reception, the Board of Directors of the Bermuda Foundation established the Chairmen’s Fund with an initial gift made in the name of the foundation’s first Chairman, Mr. Peter Durhager, JP. Another gift was made to the fund to honour the contributions of Michael Schrum, the Foundation’s second Chair and a founding Director of the Board. The Chairmen’s Fund recognises service and leadership to Bermuda through leadership of the jurisdictions first and only community foundation.

This fund was set up to support charitable and philanthropic initiatives, including the advancement of racial equity and diversity, with an emphasis on systemic change. A legacy pledge to support the ongoing operations of the community foundation has been made possible by Mr. Cummings Zuill.

The fund supports the development of youth football, refereeing programmes, and activities of football clubs and entities in Bermuda.

The Marshalls believe that sport builds character and self-discipline, benefiting young people as they embark on their journey through life, including their careers.

Since its inception in 2017, the Charles E. and Lesley Marshall Family Fund has disbursed more than 81 grants to 23 organisations.

This is a donor-advised fund. The actual donor wishes to remain anonymous.

The Durhager Family Endowment Fund was established to tackle emerging and contemporary social problems, with a focus on youth and educational initiatives.

“Our family believes in giving back and volunteering. By starting a fund with the Bermuda Community Foundation, the four of us will be able to support charities whose efforts resonate with us. The fund is another way for our family to be actively engaged in both our community and our giving. We cannot think of anything more rewarding and fulfilling as a family to do together and are pleased our daughters will be involved in helping future generations of Bermudians.” —Peter Durhager

Established by Olympic gold medallist Flora Duffy, this endowed fund creates a lasting source of support for Bermuda’s aspiring youth athletes, helping them pursue excellence and reach their full potential.

Irene’s family established the Irene Dale Memorial Fund to support nursing education and to celebrate the life of Irene and her passion and commitment to the field.

“Irene Dale’s passion was nursing. She graduated from the Halifax School of Infirmary in 1953 and was a registered nurse in both Bermuda and Canada.  She was the nurse every patient would want to have. She sought to make every patient ‘s journey as comfortable as possible, and she served with love and compassion. – Brenda Dale 

A fund established in memory of Joan Darling by her daughters Amanda, Penny, Gill and Robin, to support nonprofits delivering services to people who experience challenges every day, particularly the sight and hearing impaired and those with learning disabilities.

Established to support a wide range of charitable and nonprofit initiatives, the O’Hara Family Fund places a special emphasis on philanthropy, the arts and dance — areas close to the family’s heart.

“The Bermuda Community Foundation is enabling us, and will enable a lot of other Bermuda people, to build a lasting legacy for the nonprofit sector. It works in a number of ways. My wife has handled our accounts from the day we were married and has always taken care of our charitable giving, and it’s a lot of work. Giving a lump sum, building an endowment with the Foundation, frees her up and we can now simply instruct the Foundation as to where we want the money to go. We can also continue to build up the endowment over time and leave something lasting for our children and their families, something that will be perpetual in the market.

“As an American who pays taxes, I also feel it works from a tax perspective. The endowment can be invested and grow compounded tax-free—whereas if we were funding our third sector by giving piecemeal each year, that would be after-tax money. So it works in a virtuous circle in many ways.” —Brian O’Hara

A fund established to champion social and economic justice for the most disenfranchised members of the community and to advocate for the protection of the vulnerable.

“My wife and I met as volunteers at a Montreal inner-city youth centre in 1992. We knew we would remain committed to championing the causes of disadvantaged families and at-risk kids. When our daughters came along, we continued to take very seriously the belief that it is important to do what you can for people who may not be in a position to advocate for or protect themselves. The idea of being able to give to the causes we care about throughout our lives and then passing our family’s interests in philanthropy on to future generations excites us. Structuring our giving in this way means we’ll be able to contribute to charity in perpetuity—the monies will have been secured and the Foundation will be there to administer the fund through our descendants.” —Marc Quig

RenaissanceRe provides challenge-match opportunities for nonprofits electing to set up their own agency endowments. 

Established by the family of photographer Roland Skinner to celebrate his passion for photography, his love for Bermuda and his belief in arts education.

This fund celebrates Roland’s passion for photography, his love of Bermuda and his belief in arts education.

All proceeds of the Roland Skinner Memorial Fund will be distributed to talented Bermudians in the field of visual arts, in support of the furthering of visual arts in Bermuda.

The Skills Development Program (SDP) provides young people with practical training and development opportunities in horticulture and landscaping. Participants gain hands-on skills designed to support pathways into employment in the field and/or further study, including the opportunity to pursue qualifications at Bermuda College, such as a certificate in basic horticulture.

This is a donor-advised fund. The actual donor wishes to remain anonymous.

The Toogood Family Fund was established to support environment education, research and conservation with a focus on the protection of the ocean environment.

Building reserves to support the great work of the local nonprofit sector is one of our primary goals. Individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit organisations are invited to contribute to a permanent, pooled charitable fund, the returns of which will help community groups and nonprofits make Bermuda a better place to live, now and in the future.

This fund is dedicated to building a permanent charitable endowment for enduring support of local non-profits. Without a doubt, donor support in tackling the critical and emerging needs arising from the pandemic has been unsurpassed. However, we hope never to find ourselves in a position where we have to help the nonprofit sector secure rapid funding to ensure equitable and efficient access to the resources that make their work possible such as: ensuring food is on the table for families in need during an unanticipated island-wide shut-down; helping seniors homes stay staffed or keeping its residents connected and safe; or ensuring antigen tests for front-line workers are accessible to volunteers and employees in a way that is fair and worthy of their sacrifice.

The Foundation is growing a community asset that will stand the test of time. Consider making a contribution to its permanent endowment funds, which will be a source of funding for future needs like these and those we can’t yet imagine. Funds from different donors are then aggregated and managed to achieve greater returns for maximum long-term impact.

Arising amid calls for support for initiatives that improve access, equity, diversity and inclusion, and belonging outcomes, this fund creates enduring support for future generations of nonprofit programmes that seek racial and gender equity, diversity or representation and equality of opportunity, barriers to them and the identification and resolution of their root causes. These initiatives are perpetually underfunded despite global prioritisation and urgency around the issues. This fund remains underfunded but is available for investment for people who envision an end goal where identity is not a predicator for equitable access to areas that impact quality of life. The lead donor to this fund is Validus Re.

The Vital Bermuda Fund was set up to support local organisations working in areas highlighted as priorities in the Vital Signs research conducted by the Bermuda Foundation since 2017. The Foundation introduced the Vital Signs® programme to Bermuda to give the community the opportunity to evaluate what was important to their quality of life. This resource guides the Foundation’s own grantmaking and advisory services, helps donors to become better informed and supports community service providers to remain targeted on the most important quality of life issues.

To ensure the livelihood of the Bermuda Debate Society in the future by growing investment returns that will be re-invested into its programmes and operations for Bermuda’s youth.

“As a small, but vibrant charity fostering debate among students in Bermuda, the Bermuda Debate Society is excited to partner with the Bermuda Community Foundation. We see the Bermuda Foundation as an innovative vehicle that will preserve our finances for future operations even in the event that many years from now, we, as existing Board members, are no longer involved. By establishing —and growing—an agency fund, we hope to show our donors that we are forward-thinking and that their contributions are being used responsibly and in a sustainable fashion. We have confidence in the Foundation; in addition to Bermuda Foundation’s Board members being recognised and respected members of the community, it has the financial backing of prominent organisations. We suggest other charities consider taking advantage of this exceptional opportunity to ensure their longevity.” —Marisa Sharpe, President, The Bermuda Debate Society

This endowed fund’s returns go towards the annual recognition of student leaders who epitomize the PTA mission and ideals. Student winners are awarded 1) a cup of recognition and 2) to grow their capacities as civic leaders and emerging philanthropists, the opportunity to determine how the fund’s grants will be spent on projects and programmes that improve the educational experience at BHS.

“Every year, the PTA raises funds that go towards enhancing the school. We wanted to find a way to augment our annual efforts with an investment that will grow over time. We also sought a way to engage students as civic leaders and as potential philanthropists. The PTA Excellence Prize Fund helps us get to that goal. Using funds that might have gone towards gifts of appreciation to PTA volunteers last year, we established this fund at the Bermuda Foundation in the name of the PTA.”  —Lacey Fraser, Secondary Chair, PTA Executive

Established with contributions from the Diversity Institute of Bermuda and its key supporters to support diversity initiatives that encourage and advance an understanding of human diversity in Bermuda, whether related to age, class, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or otherwise.

When the Bermuda National Association of Social Workers decided to honour respected colleague, the late Ida James, they believed an endowment fund would be a respectful tribute. Established in October 2014, investment returns will provide capacity building and professional development funding opportunities for practicing social workers, service providers and social work students – or for community-based social work programmes.

The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda Funds, held at the Bermuda Foundation since 2016, support the development of Bermuda’s most promising dancers and dance educators.

The Bermuda Foundation Fund was established with founding investments from The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Buchanan Charitable Fund and RenaissanceRe in honour of its 20th Anniversary celebrations, and with contributions from Bloomberg Philanthropies and other foundations and companies. It provides financial support for the day-to-day programmes and operations, including the management and administration of the Bermuda Foundation.

The Foundation generates revenues from investment income, fees on donor services and structured giving arrangements (i.e., payroll tax deductions), not tag days, dinners or events.

An unrestricted donation to the Bermuda Foundation, allows us to administer donor funds, build the organisation and encourage other potential donors to set up funds.

Launched in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Culture & Sport, the Bermuda Day Fund supports community groups taking part in the annual Bermuda Day parade.

Founded by Cummings V. Zuill, the Early Years Nurturing Bermuda Initiative Fund illuminates the vital role of early childhood development in shaping resilient, curious, and emotionally secure individuals.

Established by Olympic gold medallist Flora Duffy, the Flora Fund empowers Bermuda’s youth to reach their full potential in sport. By providing grants for equipment, travel, training, and coaching, the fund helps young athletes build skills, pursue excellence, and inspire their community.

This fund supports organisations advancing work in housing, career readiness, small business and entrepreneurship, and education, particularly for opportunity youth in Bermuda.

A fund established by the Hemera Foundation to support a variety of charitable initiatives, including the advancement of the fields of early childhood development and mindfulness in Bermuda. 

Established with a generous founding donation from RenaissanceRe as part of its 20th Anniversary celebration, this Fund supports nonprofits by providing annual programme and operational grants to nonprofit groups, causes and community projects. RenaissanceRe’s global theme is “Bridging the Gaps – Investing in Our Future”. Funding priorities include supporting educational opportunities impacting children with an emphasis on programs that fill gaps in the educational system. To apply for a RenaissanceRe grant, click here.

This fund supports TEDxBermuda’s mission to spark dialogue, inspire innovation, and share ideas that matter—locally and globally—from the Bermuda stage.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.

For more information, please visit the TEDx Bermuda website.

The XL Foundation has made significant contributions to nonprofits in Bermuda in the fields of education, youth development, health, human services, and the environment.

The Access to Tech fund was established in connection with the Lighthouse Connect Initiative, a donor-advised fund established by Thomas Olenyolo of L&G Bermuda. The primary purpose of the Fund was to raise funds to provide free laptops to Bermuda public school students whose education has been affected by the pandemic. An expanded purpose of the fund ensures that public school students have access to computers, devices and internet connectivity – basic, critical needs in a technological-focused era, minimising learning disruption. The Mirrors Programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has taken on the big job of managing requests, tracking disbursements, and placing orders. 

This fund acknowledges the efforts of nonprofit organisation that have committed to standards of service excellence by successfully achieving Bermuda National Standards Committee (BNSC) accreditation or certification with a grant that subsidises their annual registration costs.

Although the Foundation is the primary sponsor of this initiative but welcomes contributions from donors wishing to help nonprofit sector organisations achieve higher standards of governance, operational and programme performance. Congratulations to the following nationally accredited and certified organisations.

This fund builds capacity in nonprofit leadership to manage and grow health organisations. To date, between $10,000- $12,000 has been deployed annually to deliver top-rated nonprofit management programmes, combined with on-island group support, knowledge sharing and cultivation.

The Foundation is the primary sponsor of this programme as well but welcomes contributions from donors who have a passion for professional development and ensuring the success of the third sector’s emerging leadership at all levels.