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National Programs

Community Foundations and the Environment

Because the environment touches so many aspects of our quality of life, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) actively works with community foundations across the country to lead and support local environmental action.

With support from the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation CFC started its Community Foundations in the Environment program in 2003 which has grown to include local, regional and national projects that help community foundations work in partnership to tackle key environmental challenges.

Objectives

  • Build local environmental endowment funds and increase the amount and effectiveness of grants to organizations working on environmental issues
  • Provide environmental leadership by acting as educators and convenors
  • Bring a sustainability perspective to all aspects of foundations' work and operations and engage community foundations boards
  • Encourage and facilitate joint work amongst community foundations, and other partners, to mirror the scope and complexity of environmental challenges
  • Broaden and deepen the knowledge and experience in responsible investing so that we begin to reach the potential impact of our assets

Initiatives

Impact

  • Over the last 10 years, a grant program supported by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation has helped community foundations dramatically increase their leadership work in the environment; today many are active grantmakers, convenors and even leaders of multi-stakeholder partnerships.
  • Endowed resources for environmental philanthropy held by community foundations have grown to more $70 million.
  • Environmental grants totaled almost $20 million in 2008, placing the environment among the movement's top three priorities, along with health and social services.
  • Increased national action on the environment has led to a series of new partnerships with organizations like the Ontario Land Trust Alliance and 1% for the Planet, and the creation of new initiatives like the Lake Winnipeg Watershed Initiative.
Lake

CONTACT

Barbara McMillan
Director of Regional Strategies
bmcmillan@cfc-fcc.ca
604.986.3084

RESOURCES