January 26, 2023 – Today, the Government of Canada’s Woman and Gender Equality Department, Community Foundations of Canada and community foundations from coast to coast to coast announced the latest recipients of the Fund for Gender Equality.
The Fund for Gender Equality (the Fund) is part of a partnership between Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) and the Equality Fund. This groundbreaking collaboration is delivering new momentum for women’s movements in Canada and around the world. As part of the collaboration, CFC and the Equality Fund have developed a five-year initiative to advance gender equality in Canada with support from the Government of Canada.
Through this initiative, participating community foundations from across the country dispersed over $3.4 million to 125 local organizations and projects led by and serving women, girls, Two-spirit and gender-diverse people that are advancing gender equality work across Canada. This is the third iteration of the Fund.
“Including Canadians from diverse backgrounds is the only way to create true and long-lasting gender equality in Canada,” said the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth. “We’re committed to building a world where everyone has equal access to the same opportunities, rights and protections. The Government of Canada will continue working alongside organizations from across the country to create a safer, brighter and gender equal future for every Canadian.”
Funded projects include an Indigenous community organization empowering women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people through workshops, a multi-lingual live chat for women facing or at-risk of gender-based violence, and a Pride peer mentorship program to create an intergenerational 2SLGTBQIA+ community of support.
“Women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse led and serving organizations are accelerating gender equality through their tenacious leadership, empathy and advocacy,” said Andrea Dicks, President of Community Foundations of Canada. “We are proud, alongside our network of community foundations, to support organizations like these that are fundamental to shifting power and solving this critical social challenge.”
Alongside ensuring this funding support was received by local organizations in their communities, community foundations participating in this initiative continue to examine their own institutional and investing practices to advance gender equality. These efforts will ensure that the program embeds structural change to create a lasting legacy of promoting gender equality throughout their organization and their other initiatives.
