Variety FAQ

Whether you’re an individual, a school or hospital seeking support, or you’re looking for information on how to donate, partner with us or volunteer, find answers to all your questions below.

For Support Seekers

What does Variety BC do?

Variety BC steps in where health care can’t, filling gaps that are not covered by government programs, health care or private health plans. We specifically help lower income families of children 0-19 years of age with disabilities and complex health needs by providing funding for:

As every child is unique, so too is every application, and each is reviewed on an individual basis. Sometimes, Variety tops up funding where another agency cannot fund the entire cost.

To explore Variety Supports, start here.

What supports do Variety grants cover?

Variety provides grants to families who meet all qualifying criteria in the following areas:

Adaptive & Mobility Equipment (e.g. Power and manual wheel chairs, adaptive trikes, hearing aids, standing walkers, custom orthotics, van conversions)
Mental Wellness
Private Autism and Psychoeducational Assessments
Specialized Therapies (e.g. Speech & language, occupational, physical, music, equine & counselling)
Tuition & Tutoring Grants for children with Learning Disabilities
Type 1 Diabetes support

How do I know if I qualify for support?

Families whose child meets all of the following criteria will be considered for an individual grant:

Child must be under 19 years of age. (Note: for autism assessments, the child seeking help must be 4 years old or under.)
Child must be a B.C. resident with a valid Personal Health Number (PHN) or a Yukon resident with a valid Health Care Card
Child must have a qualified medical and/or developmental need as confirmed by a health care professional. (This does not apply to private autism and psychoeducational assessments or mental wellness requests)
Household annual income does not exceed $85,000

Learn more about our qualification criteria here.

How can I learn more about Variety grants?

To learn more about all of our granting programs, start here. There you will find dedicated program pages that will walk you through all you need to know about granting eligibility, our application process, and more.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Variety granting team. You can call, email or fill out the form all on our Contact Page.

Do I need to have a confirmed assessment appointment before applying for a grant?

You do not need to have a confirmed appointment booked before applying. But you will have to select the clinic/professional and obtain a quote for the autism assessment before your grant application can go through the final review process. A grant is approved for a specific professional who then invoice Variety directly for services provided.

I still have questions, how do I contact Variety to learn more?

No problem at all. Please reach out us by phone, email or by filling out the form on our contact page.

For Donors, Corporate Partners & Sponsors

I want to donate. What are my options?

As an individual donor, there’s a lot of impact that can be made through Variety. From one-time gifts to monthly donations to tribute gifts in memory of a loved one to gifts of shares and stocks to giving to one of our dedicated school or hospital programs, we have a lot of options on where and how your generosity can make a difference.

To learn more and explore all the ways you can give to Variety, visit our Ways to Give page.

If you want to become a corporate sponsor or partner with us on fundraising, check out our Corporate Sponsorship page.

Where does my donation go?

All donations to Variety go to our five main support programs for BC kids with disabilities and complex health needs:

Donations support areas of greatest need in each of the support programs. Because Variety is entirely donor-funded, every dollar makes a genuine difference in the lives of BC families.

How can my organization partner with Variety?

We are always developing new partnerships and partnership opportunities in support of our key programs and campaigns.

To learn more and to get in touch with our partnerships team, visit our corporate sponsorship/partnership page.

How can I leave a gift to Variety in my will?

Making Variety a part of your legacy means that your impact will live on through the untold BC families and children your generosity will support.

By choosing to leave a gift of assets other than cash, you can save on capital gains and estate taxes, and therefore make an even bigger impact. Legacy giving can include stocks and securities, life insurance, RRSPs or RRIFs, Annuities and more.

To learn more and to reach out to our philanthropy team, visit our legacy giving page.

How do I become a monthly donor?

Reach out! If you need more information beyond what’s on this page, please feel free to contact us.

You can start by sending us an email here, or you can check out Variety’s Contact Us page and fill out the form there.

How can I sponsor an event?

We have a wide range of sponsorship opportunities that include our 3 signature events – Show of Heart Telethon, Variety Week, and Boat for Hope – as well our annual grassroots events. Each event has a variety of sponsorship levels and we will work with you to develop a sponsorship package that meets your needs. For more information about our campaigns and events, click visit our Events page.

How can an individual or organization support Variety without donating?

So many ways!

To any organization or individual who wants to make a difference, here are just a few of the opportunities:

There are so many ways to get involved! We will work with you to find the best approach to help your customers, employees and suppliers support our cause. To find out more, contact Angela Smith at [email protected].

For those wanting to get involved/volunteer

How can I volunteer with Variety?

We are always looking for passionate and dedicated volunteers to help us both in our community and at key Variety events across the year. Bring your heart, put on the red shirt and start helping kids across the province. You are most welcome here.

You can learn more and sign up on our Volunteer Page.

Can I run my own fundraising event on behalf of Variety BC?

You absolutely can and join others from across the province who are hosting fundraisers year round to support BC’s kids!

Whether you’re just getting started or you already have an event planned, check out everything we have to offer including fundraising resources on our Get Involved page.

Can Variety help me set up and host my own fundraising event?

We are happy to help inspire and bring your event to life! Variety BC can provide you with information and materials that help you share with your guests the important difference Variety donors make for kids in BC.

To make it even easier for the people you inspire to donate to your fundraiser, we can help you create an online fundraising page with your very own photos and messaging! While we can’t guarantee the availability of equipment for your event, we do our very best to support you in whichever way we can!

Learn more here.

Can Variety staff come onsite for my event?

We love to meet our supporters! If you would like our staff to attend your event, or could use the help of some friendly volunteers, please reach out to Angela at [email protected].

How can our business/organization get involved with Variety?

You can easily become a corporate donor with a campaign or event sponsorship, partial proceeds program, round-up in-store campaign, hosting a fundraising event and employee giving campaigns. We are happy to work with you to create meangingful fundraising opportunities that align with your corporate image. For more information, please visit our Get Involved page.

Our school would like to fundraise for Variety BC. Where do we start?

You start right here! In fact, we’ve developed a FREE Fundraising Toolkit specifically for schools!

Let us do some of the heavy lifting with pre-built fundraising campaigns, thoughtful conversation starters and reflection prompts for students, and action planning worksheets that can help take your event to the next level.

Visit the Variety Schools Fundraising Program page on our website to download your toolkit today! If you have a great idea for the toolkit that you feel is missing, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. We’re always thrilled to collaborate with students and teachers, and are here to work with you to build a stronger school community across the province!

For Variety Schools Grants

What are Variety Schools grants?

We want to help schools unlimit their spaces so all students can enjoy them. The Variety Schools Grant program has funds projects up to $10,000 designed to increase accessibility and inclusion for all kids. Here are just a few examples of projects we’ve contributed to:

Sensory rooms & equipment
Indoor & outdoor sensory paths
Inclusive & accessible playgrounds
Outdoor communication boards
Adaptive classroom furniture
Buddy benches

Learn more at our Variety School Grants page.

How can our school apply for a Variety Schools grant?

Download an application from the Variety Schools Grant Program page on our website. You’ll find buttons there to apply on behalf of an individual school or on behalf of a school district. Completed applications with the required supporting documents can be emailed to [email protected]. You can find more information here Variety Schools Grants.

What are the application requirements for the Variety Schools Grant Program?

Along with the application, schools must submit the following supporting documents: quote(s) from your vendors of choice and a fundraising plan including an outline of your school’s planned fundraisers for the year and a list of your school’s current funders and grants. We also welcome letters from school staff and/or parents of students who will benefit most from your project!

Please note that Variety BC only accepts quotes from Canadian vendors, and does not fund items from hypermarket, e-commerce, discount or outlet stores.

If our school is already receiving government funding, are we still eligible to sign up for the Variety School Grants Program?

Yes! It can take a village to transform our communities into accessible and inclusive spaces for all. Variety BC is happy to support your school as a partial funder for larger projects which require multiple sources of support. Please disclose your current funders and grants in your application.

Is there warranty on the equipment funded by the Variety School Grants Program?

Variety BC works with several preferred vendors for the Variety Schools Grant Program whom we have vetted as reliable sources of quality equipment and services. If you experience any issues with the quality of equipment from any of your chosen vendors, please follow up with them directly. You will be copied on the purchase order Variety BC sends to the vendor by e-mail when issuing your grant. Schools are responsible for liaising directly with their vendors regarding delivery and installation logistics, and for delayed or damaged items.

When can our school apply for the Variety School Grants Program?

Please refer to the Variety Schools Grant Program page on our website for the current application deadline. All applications are reviewed after the deadline has closed.

604-320-0505 or 310-Kids(5437)

1-800-381-2040

[email protected]