Not-for-profit support
Banking for not-for-profits
As a not-for-profit organization, your financial needs, goals, and challenges are unique.
With extensive experience working with not-for-profits of all types, we understand the need for a different approach—one that takes into account social, economic, and community benefits as well as financial success.
We provide responsive, trusted service, tailored solutions, and creatively structured financing options that help you achieve long-term sustainability as your organization evolves and grows.
Our focus areas
We serve a diverse not-for-profit membership that includes faith-based, housing, education, disability, and sports-and-recreation groups. Our focus areas include:
Our services
We offer customized products and services for not-for-profit organizations, including business banking, lending, wealth management, and more.
Business banking
In addition to business chequing and savings options, fund transfers, currency exchange, payroll services, and other banking essentials, we also offer tailored banking options for not-for-profit organizations:
Community service account. Exclusively for not-for-profit organizations, this option offers chequing services and competitive interest rates with no fixed monthly fee. Learn more.
Investment pool account. This service allows unions, co-ops, and other community organizations that belong to selected associations to benefit from preferential interest rates and lower fees. Learn more.
Lending and financing
At Vancity, we recognize the value of your business and support your growth with specialized loans and mortgages and growth capital for not-for-profit organizations.
Microfinancing
Vancity’s microfinance program provides access to credit based on strength of idea, character of the management team, and reputation and strength of the organization. Learn more.
Impact business development
Our role in your success goes beyond helping you manage your money. The Impact Business Development team can help you flourish by:
- Acting as your trusted adviser and partner
- Providing deep expertise in supporting not-for-profit organizations
- Supporting you at every stage of development
- Connecting you to business expertise, partnerships, learning opportunities, financing, and more
- Positively influencing policy and regulatory landscapes
Impact real estate
The Impact Real Estate team supports organizations to buy, develop or expand community-focused real estate, including affordable owned or rental housing and community buildings, and helps to increase community access to high performing environmental housing, workspaces or buildings.
Wealth management
We understand the importance of building equity or saving for endowments or capital campaigns while juggling the day-to-day operations of your not-for-profit organization. We help you build sustainable wealth with direct access a dedicated portfolio manager, diverse investment options, and a low-cost management fee structure.
Capacity building
Every Vancity branch forges strategic, meaningful relationships at the local level to help values-aligned organizations and not-for-profits build capacity. We can navigate you through a range of supports including:
- Social Enterprise expertise
- Each One Teach One financial workshops
- Opportunities to network with other community groups
- Bursaries for Climate Smart certification
- Financial fitness workshops designed for not-for-profit organizations, which include a series of supplementary handbooks, including Accounting Athletics, Legal Limberness, Enterprising Exercises and Cashflow Calisthenics. See our events page for upcoming workshops.
Grants
Vancity makes grants available to not-for-profit organizations who want to make a difference in the community.
Community Partnership Program. Offers investments of time, relevant resources and up to $10,000 for local projects and initiatives that are aligned to our impact priorities in the communities we serve. Learn more.
enviroFund program. Every year, a portion of Vancity’s enviro™ Visa profits go towards a program that grants up to $50,000 to organizations that address local environmental concerns. Learn more.