Philanthropy program guidelines
We believe it is our responsibility to be good corporate citizens. Our philanthropy program has supported hundreds of registered charities and their various causes over the years, helping to improve the lives of individuals and families in the communities where we live, work and do business.
We are proud to help people obtain improved medical treatment, rich cultural experiences and higher education. We selectively choose programs that represent our corporate values and strengthen our reputation among our employees, advisors and the communities we serve.
And we only support organizations that provide their services or activities without regard to race, religion, creed, sex or sexual orientation.
Health
Health is our number-one priority. We have a large stake in health issues, since a major portion of our business is made up of life, health and disability insurance. And we believe that there’s a direct correlation between helping people with their future financial security and the ability to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Our philanthropy program supports health-related causes such as illness prevention, fitness, rehabilitation, care of the sick, medical research, nutrition and aging. We give priority to:
- Organizations discovering proactive ways to prevent illness and disease
- Organizations that, through effective awareness, research and education programs, promote the responsibility of each of us as individuals to make lifestyle choices consistent with healthier futures
- Innovative programs that focus on improving the health of communities; especially those that emphasize wellness and healthy lifestyles
- Initiatives that are preventative in nature; actively moving from short-term remedies to long-term solutions
- Organizations that demonstrate they are adapting to opportunities and resource challenges in our healthcare environment and are proactively developing unique and effective ways to meet needs
- Organizations and institutions whose programs focus on health research
- Programs or initiatives with a national scope and impact, which benefit a wide segment of the population
- Programs and services with long-term, measurable results
Arts and Culture
Arts and culture make a tremendous contribution to our communities and our country. We’re proud to help sustain and celebrate Canada’s cultural institutions, which are among the world’s finest. This is consistent with one of our foremost values – a commitment to excellence.
We also believe in the importance and value of bringing the experience of performing and visual arts to a wider audience, a focus we formalized through our Making the Arts More Accessible program.
- By funding free admission, reduced-price, and Pay-What-You-Can programs, Sun Life’s Making the Arts More Accessible program has made the arts available to thousands of individuals, children and families who might not otherwise be able to attend performances or exhibitions
- The program also supports surtitles technology, which provides English translation for operas and French-language theatre, thereby increasing the understanding of the storyline and making these art forms more accessible to audiences
Education
In some circumstances, we fund opportunities with educational institutions at the post-secondary level. Programs fall within the field of health sciences, or focus on areas specifically related to our business.
Exclusions
Sun Life Financial will not consider funding applications for the following:
- Organizations that do not qualify as a registered charity
- Religious organizations whose programs are limited to members of a specific religious denomination. However, non-denominational programs by religious groups intended for the general good of the community may be considered
- Individuals or individual pursuits
- Fraternities, lodges, Toastmaster societies, and other recreational or self-improvement organizations where participation is intended primarily for the personal advancement or benefit of the participant
- Service clubs such as the Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc.
- Educational institutions below the post-secondary level
- Operating expenses of United Way member agencies
- Advocacy or special interest groups
- Major capital campaigns
- Debt-reduction campaigns
- Conferences, seminars and workshops
- Fundraising events and galas; luncheons and dinners (including the purchase of tickets or tables)
- Sports clubs, sports teams, or sporting events such as golf tournaments
- Local, regional or provincial campaigns or agencies affiliated with a national organization that is already receiving corporate support
- Professional and technical associations
How to apply for funding
The following information should be included in your proposal so the Sun Life Donations Committee can effectively consider your application.
- Name of your organization, the contact name and title, address and phone number
- Brief history of your organization, including your mission statement/key objectives, previous activities and/or projects, and the clients you serve
- List of officers and directors
- Description of your funding request
- Description of the community need for this program
- Geographic scope
- Number of people impacted by the program
- Does it target any specific segment of the population?
- Program timelines and the expected outcomes
- Whether anyone in your organization has spoken to anyone at Sun Life about this request. If so, whom?
- Details of the program budget
- If there are to be additional donors contributing to this program, a list of the donors and level of support
- Charitable registration number
- Amount requested
