CANADIAN
GEOLOGICAL
FOUNDATION

VISION

The Canadian Geological Foundation (CGF) will continue to grow its endowment trust funds and investment revenue, enabling financial support of geoscience projects that respond to the educational needs of the geoscience community and the general public in Canada.

MANDATE

The Letters Patent of the Canadian Geological Foundation state that its funds are to be used "...for charitable and educational purposes in Canada relating to the science of geology...." This is to be achieved by providing assistance to the education of students and the dissemination of geoscientific knowledge. Such assistance may be rendered directly to proponents or effected through the support of activities of charitable and/or educational organizations that promote the objects of the Foundation. The logos of some of the more active organizations are shown below.

Geological Association of Canada   Association géologique du Canada

Atlantic Geoscience Society

Mineralogical Association of Canada   Association minéralologique du Canada

Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists

OPERATIONS

The Foundation has a membership of 14 geoscientists who are broadly representative of the geoscience community in Canada as designated by the Letters Patent. From this membership, seven Directors and three Officers are elected.

Members and the Board of Directors meet once a year in the spring when the Foundation’s financial performance is reviewed and final decisions made on grants for the year. Grants are made based on applications submitted to the Secretary by March 31 and assessed by the full Membership acting as the Grants Selection Committee.

The Foundation’s assets are held in trust. Investment transactions are effected by the Treasurer, in consultation with the Board, through the advice and services of an independent investment advisor. A conservative investment policy has been adopted by the Board such that approximately two thirds of the portfolio is in fixed-income instruments and one third in blue-chip equities. Accounting and auditing services are provided by a firm of chartered accountants.

"the science of geology.." Coastline carved by glaciers

Trilobite Wanneria

Underground mining

Vesuvianite crystals

PROJECTS

The Foundation, as of 2002, had awarded 325 grants representing approximately $1,250,000. These awards were mostly in support of projects proposed and sponsored by professional associations, university Earth-science departments and museums. The projects include scientific publications, interpretative displays, technical and student conferences, guidebooks, teacher- and public-education initiatives, museum exhibits, student information materials and field trips. Some examples are depicted below.

GAC Publication

Redpath Museum publication

 

Stratigraphic-boundary plaque, ratified by the
IUGS International Comission on Stratigraphy

 

Learned-society field excursion

HISTORY

The Canadian Geological Foundation was incorporated in 1968. The first President of the Foundation (1968-1969) was Dr. Yves O. Fortier, then President of the Geological Association of Canada and Director of the Geological Survey of Canada. The longest serving President (1983-1990) was Dr. W. Glen E. Caldwell, then Head of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan.

In 1969, the Foundation received Cdn$ 625,000 from its first benefactor, Mr. Thayer Lindsley of New York. Mr. Lindsley was an American geologist and mining executive who had devoted a large part of his life to geoscience and mining in Canada. After initial grants stipulated by Mr. Lindsley were made, the remaining $250,000 became the sustaining capital of the Foundation’s first trust fund.

Builders and benefactors... Yves O. Fortier	Glen Caldwell
Thayer Lindsley	Jérôme H. Remick III

Today, the Foundation has an investment portfolio valued at over $1,000,000. Much of the new growth has come from the benefaction of Mr. Jérôme H. Remick III. Mr. Remick is a former geologist with the Québec government and a renowned numismatist. As of 2002, he had donated nearly $500,000 to the Foundation; this amount is accounted for in a trust fund bearing his name. ( Mr. Remick passed away on March 1, 2005. Click here for tribute. )

FUNDING

Most of the Foundation’s assets derive from its two principal benefactors. Mr. Remick has also identified the Canadian Geological Foundation as an important beneficiary in his Last Will and Testament.

Hundreds of individuals have made taxdeductible donations to the Foundation over the years, including a few multithousand- dollar contributions by Canadian geoscientists. The Foundation’s annual grants program is funded by donations and the revenue earned on the investment of its two trust funds. The principal value of the trust funds is also increased yearly to offset, or partially offset, inflation erosion.

     "the science of geology.."

Neoproterozoic red beds dip into the North Atlantic

DONATIONS / BEQUESTS

Individuals who wish to support the worthwhile and numerous activities of the Foundation are invited to make a taxdeductible donation payable to the Canadian Geological Foundation. An official receipt for income-tax purposes will be issued for donations over $10.

Anyone wishing to make significant gifts and/or bequests is invited to contact the President to discuss the opportunities for creating a lasting legacy of supporting geoscience through the Canadian Geological Foundation.

CONTACT

To contact the Foundation to discuss any aspect of the CGF, from making grant applications to giving financial contributions, please see the current list of Officers at the Foundation’s website:
www.canadiangeologicalfoundation.org/OfficersMembers.html