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Across the country, this past year reminded us of the strength and creativity within our communities. While many continued to navigate rising costs, climate pressures, and changing local needs, community foundations showed up with steady, local leadership. They listened. They collaborated. They helped create spaces where people feel connected, supported, and empowered to shape local solutions. At the national level, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) continues to strengthen the network, amplify community-led action, and advance a shared effort to build a future rooted in the simple but powerful belief: You belong here.
In a time when the world can feel increasingly fractured, the work of community foundations reminds us that community is not just a place, it’s a promise. A promise to show up, to listen, and to lead in ways that honour the voices and experiences of those around us.
Gordon Holley and Lisa Kolody, Board Chairs
Throughout 2024, one thing has remained clear: community foundations continue to accept this invitation. To listen. To lead. To build boldly and locally toward a future where everyone belongs.
Andrea Dicks, President & Andrew Chunilall, CEO
WORKING TOGETHER, ROOTED IN COMMUNITY
At Community Foundations of Canada, we know that lasting change happens through relationships. The work of CFC is made possible by our partners. Working in partnership allows us to go further, think bigger, and stay rooted in the people and places we serve. Changing not just what we can do but how we do it.
Highlights from the Network
In 2024, community foundations across the country continued to respond to complex challenges with creativity, care, and courage. From shifting how decisions are made to deepening relationships in community, the network is rethinking what’s possible and putting belonging into practice. Here are just a few examples that reflect the power of local leadership:
The Banff Canmore Foundation didn’t just collect data, they sparked dialogue. With the launch of their Bow Valley Vital Signs reports on housing and mental health, they turned urgent local issues into action. These reports shaped community conversations and are already informing local strategy. From the cost of shelter to the state of wellbeing, this is data with direction.
Toronto Foundation led the inaugural Top 50 Equitable Funders ranking by Future of Good and QuakeLab. This distinction reflects the foundation’s comprehensive approach to embedding equity and inclusion across its governance, grantmaking, and investment strategies. Through transparent practices and a commitment to community-led initiatives, the Toronto Foundation is setting a national benchmark for equitable philanthropy.
Kw’umut Lelum Foundation continued to lead with Indigenous youth at the centre. This year, they introduced new community-led grantmaking through Snuw’uy’ulh for Success, supported hands-on cultural learning, and partnered on an international education exchange, all designed to foster leadership grounded in identity and belonging.
The Fondation fransaskoise is fueling the future of Francophone life in Saskatchewan. Through standout initiatives like Francothon, they’re rallying community support and raising critical funds for culture, education, and heritage. Fondation fransaskoise is making bold investments in language, identity, and the next generation of Fransaskois leaders.
The Carberry and Area Community Foundation built momentum in 2024. They supported everything from heritage restoration to youth sports and rural healthcare. Whether it was restoring schools or improving community events, these investments show how small communities can drive big change, one project, one partnership, one spark at a time.
What We’re Learning
CFC is a learning organization. Whether we’re exploring new approaches to trust-based philanthropy, evaluating impact with community voices at the centre, or supporting equity-deserving groups to access new opportunities, we believe learning is a form of accountability. It keeps us rooted in our values, responsive to complexity, and bold enough to imagine better.
Here are our top programming learnings for 2024:
1. Funding Trust, Not Just Projects
Throughout our national granting programs, and those led locally by community foundations, we were reminded that trust is one of the most powerful tools in philanthropy. We worked to support community foundations in navigating real-world complexities, whether that meant adapting processes or walking alongside recipients through evolving projects. These weren’t perfect processes, but they reflected our commitment to meet communities where they are. Trust-based philanthropy is the bridge between intent and impact. It’s how we move from simply distributing funds to helping build stronger, more resilient communities.
2. From First-Time Funders to Lasting Relationships
CFC’s national programs reached over 8,500 projects, and nearly every grant round brought in new recipients. Just 8% of grants went to repeat recipients, showing that these programs helped open doors for organizations that had never received national funding before. From urban social enterprises to rural Indigenous land trusts, each grant was an invitation: you belong here.
3. Community Foundations as Laboratories for Change
Across the country, community foundations embraced the chance to try something new. From supporting operational costs to funding social enterprises, many experimented with new approaches. We know these changes weren’t always easy, and we’re grateful for the openness, questions, and shared learning along the way. These experiments didn’t end when the programs did; they seeded lasting changes in how community foundations fund, partner, and engage with community. Community foundations are where emerging ideas in philanthropy are put into practice.
4. Equity in Action, Not Just Intention
Equity was a shared priority across granting programs by community foundations, and while there’s still much more to do, we’ve learned that small, consistent steps can lead to meaningful change. With support from technical partners and community voices, community foundations embedded equity in granting practices, from how committees were formed to how applications were evaluated. Over five years and two iterations, the Investment Readiness Program (IRP) supported hundreds of social purpose organizations across Canada. 15.8% of IRP-funded organizations were Indigenous-led, 26.6% were Black-led, and many others focused on youth, low-income, and rural communities—helping to build a more inclusive social finance ecosystem.
These numbers are a starting point, not a finish line. They highlight potential, but also the need for continued accountability.
5. Stories That Build a National Tapestry
Some of our most meaningful insights came not from data, but from stories. A bike playground teaching road safety in East Preston. A mural in Kanaka Creek, co-created with youth and Elders. A land trust in Muskoka that turned an idea into a $2M housing project. Our role is not just to share these stories, but to listen to what they teach us — about place, belonging, and the strength to show up.
EXPLORE HOW CFC WORKS
Belonging starts with us. How we act, the decisions we make and our relationships sets the pattern for the system we work in. Learn more about how CFC works and where our compass is pointed.
Explore CFC’s financials
CFC continues to support the network of community foundations through grants, programming and its operational activities. See below for a link to CFC’s full 2024 financials.
Explore the network
Use the map below to explore the network of community foundations across the country, including where they are located, how much they are granting, the CFC programs they are participating in and when they were founded.