The CanaColl Foundation was founded in 1972 expressly to promote taxonomic research on the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes. It functions as an independent, non-profit organization that is incorporated under Canadian law. CanaColl is a registered charity, therefore donations are tax deductible.
CanaColl operates through the administration of grants from two funds, the Endowment Fund and the Development Fund. The Endowment Fund is a capital fund that operates from accrued interest (about $15,000 annually). It is primarily used to support out-of-pocket expenses for visiting researchers who develop portions of the CNC that receive little or no attention from staff. The Development Fund is a non-capital fund (with principal and interest available for use) that can be used for a wide range of projects. Substantial donations to the Development Fund can be earmarked for special projects. Since inception 381 grants have been awarded from both funds totalling over $317,000 (as of the end of 2007). These grants have resulted in over 765 person weeks (14.7 person years) of curation and research on the CNC, plus additional miscellaneous activities such as collecting, sorting, and preparing specimens.
