“Join me in imagining our country as it could be…a smart and caring nation, where all Canadians can succeed, contribute, and develop their talents to their fullest potential.” This was the call to service by David Johnston, Governor General of Canada and patron of the Canadian community foundation network, in the lead-up to the country’s 150th anniversary in 2017.
A key component of this vision is for every Canadian municipality to be served by one of the 191 community foundations in time for that milestone birthday, and for all communities to gain access to funds and resources to respond to local priorities and support vital community initiatives. “Barn-raisers” by nature, community foundations have dedicated themselves to building better places to live, work, and play for all Canadian citizens for close to 100 years, and have become united champions behind the Governor General’s noble cause.
For its part, the Community Foundation of Ottawa has been spreading its net far and wide, reaching out to area municipalities that have not previously accessed the resources and expertise of a community foundation through the establishment of Regional Community Funds. Since establishing the first of these regional funds in North Grenville, the Foundation recently worked with North Lanark County to establish a new fund that will cover the townships of Mississippi Mills, Carleton Place and Beckwith (including Almonte, Packenham and Ramsay), and serve 71 charitable organizations.
The Foundation also currently manages a variety of funds serving the areas around Lake Massawippi (in Quebec’s Eastern Townships) and in Chelsea, Quebec. These funds will continue to grow with the local support of residents and organizations, and will be of long-term benefit to their communities’ well-being. “The great benefit to the municipalities is being able to take advantage of our unparalleled endowment and investment management expertise,” says Dan Brunette, Director of Development and Donor Services with the Community Foundation of Ottawa, “not to mention the freedom from handling the considerable administrative burden behind running a private foundation of their own.“
The Community Foundation has also been working closely with each municipality, providing input and advice on everything from fundraising to community grantmaking. Further preliminary talks are now underway with stakeholders in the Cornwall area (Stormont Dundas Glengarry), and it is the Foundation’s aim to broaden its outreach efforts to the areas of Prescott-Russell, Renfrew County and the entire Outaouais region by 2017. Ultimately, the Community Foundation of Ottawa’s reach could soon extend hundreds of kilometres beyond the city’s borders, allowing it to serve close to 1,200 more charitable organizations and hundreds of thousands of Eastern Ontario and West Quebec residents.