Mindy Stroet, formerly with the Prince George Community Foundation, talks about working with regional partners to ensure resources reach those who need them most. Through Communities for Gender Equality, the foundation supported programs that empower young girls and address systemic issues such as food insecurity.

Harry Daley of The Greater Saint John Community Foundation shares his personal transformation through CGE. The foundation has revamped its grant review process to include those with lived experience, ensuring that funding decisions are rooted in community knowledge.

Jennifer Debues of the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough Foundation speaks about embracing participatory grantmaking—an approach that puts funding decisions into the hands of the communities most affected. This shift not only ensured funds reached those who needed them most but also helped validate and amplify gender-focused work that often goes unnoticed.

Despite being the “tiniest Community Foundation,” Manda Aufochs Gillespie of Cortes Island Community Foundation shares how her small but mighty team is taking bold steps to challenge traditional funding models, from tackling food insecurity to prioritizing immediate impact over long-term financial reserves.

Penny Day of the Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia shares how her foundation leveraged Communities for Gender Equality to update bylaws, ensuring investments align with gender and climate-conscious values.

Lori Runciman of the London Community Foundation reflects on how feminist grantmaking and policy changes, such as prioritizing vendors from marginalized groups, have reshaped her foundation’s approach to equity.