Welcoming Carissa Ferguson as New Office & Grants Administrator

The Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes (CFKL) is pleased to welcome Carissa Ferguson to the team as the new Office & Grants Administrator. With a strong background in nonprofit administration, grant management, and stakeholder engagement, Carissa brings a wealth of experience that aligns with the Foundation’s mission to foster lasting community impact through strategic philanthropy and accessible grant making.

Carissa joins CFKL with over a decade of experience supporting community-focused organizations and businesses. As a former Funding Specialist at GrantMatch, she managed over 100 high-impact grant applications and helped secure more than $5 million in funding for small medium enterprises. Her work supported diverse initiatives in food security, the environment, labour relations—areas that directly reflect CFKL’s commitment to the Kawartha Lakes region.  Carissa also holds a Graduate Diploma in Culture & Heritage Site Management from Centennial College and a B.A. in Anthropology from Trent University.  

In her new role, Carissa will support day-to-day operations, manage donor and community communications, and oversee CFKL’s grant programs—including the launch of the Social Sustainability Fund, an annual grant initiative designed to address urgent social challenges. The Fund, developed in collaboration with the City of Kawartha Lakes, will support projects that promote poverty reduction, equitable labour practices, housing support, food security, mental health and addiction services, and efforts to reduce inequality in the region. More details on the Social Sustainability Fund will be announced in the coming weeks.

Carissa’s passion for local development and digital fluency—including experience with tools like Squarespace, Canva, and donor databases—makes her a perfect fit for this dynamic and evolving role.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Carissa to the Foundation,” said Mark Knoester, Board Chair of CFKL. “Her experience, enthusiasm, and deep understanding of both grants administration and community engagement will be invaluable as we continue growing our impact across Kawartha Lakes.”

Please join us in welcoming Carissa Ferguson to the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes. We are excited to see the contributions she will make to our team and to the broader community.

Carissa Fergusson