Foundation grants and sponsorships

Giving guidelines

• Equipping people with the skills for a thriving future
• Driving more inclusive prosperity in our communities
• Supporting the transition to a net-zero economy

Equip people with the skills for a thriving future

Advanced technologies are creating millions of rewarding careers, but livelihoods are also being displaced and industries dislocated by the rapid shift in skills required.

We aim to support programs that:

• Build in-demand skills
• Provide work experiences
• Help with credential building

For example, we support programs that:

• Build diversified skills in trades, artificial intelligence, technology, agriculture, health care, sustainability skills, emotional intelligence and business acumen, cultural and creative fields
• Support re-skilling and upskilling through education
• Provide access to in-demand skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and communication
• Offer mentorship or internship opportunities
• Build and expand professional networks to grow and sustain career development
• Support entrepreneurial expertise
• Help youth bridge the gap between school and work
• Help people facing barriers to complete high school and/or enter and complete post-secondary education
• Support language learning specific to job requirements
• Profile talent to match or expose individuals to new or expanded opportunities and experiences

We will not support:

• General language learning not specific to job requirements
• Other organizations’ scholarships
• Sole funding for travel for end-user beneficiaries
• Programs with unclear pathways to the future of work
• Job placements not related to intended career of participant
• General volunteer opportunities
• Programs that are recreational and do not include skill development for job readiness
• Programs that do not have clear pathways to sustained employment
• Salaries of internships at other for-profit companies

Drive more inclusive prosperity in our communities

Widening disparities and concerns around affordability are impacting the resilience of our communities. We aim to support community investment partners that address this imbalance, either by responding to local needs or by addressing issues at a systemic level.

We intend to support programs that:

• Create stability by addressing food security, housing stability and access to health services
• Increase financial well-being by helping people build financial confidence and manage their current and future financial situations
• Increase accessibility of community spaces by funding the physical accessibility of newly constructed buildings, and/or retrofitting of existing spaces

For example, we support programs that:

• Improve long-term access to healthy and affordable food to alleviate pressure on short-term emergency supports
• Improve access to housing that is safe, secure, and affordable
• Enable more inclusive health outcomes by removing barriers to relevant health supports and services
• Help people improve financial confidence through tailored financial education
• Generate healthy financial habits through personalized coaching and counselling
• Help increase access to available benefits and tax credits
• Address unique barriers to appropriate financial services faced by specific populations
• Create easier access to buildings through installation of ramps, lifts and automated doors
• Create accessible restrooms, kitchens and workspaces
• Provide wayfinding signage or Tactile Walking Surface Indicators (TSWIs) in flooring
• Support outdoor spaces such as fully accessible trails, playgrounds or courtyards
• Accommodate wheelchairs and other assistive devices comfortably, such as by widening doorways and hallways
• Update lighting and acoustics, to support individuals with visual or auditory impairments
• Provide equipment designed to create accessible recreation or cultural experiences

We will not support:

• Long-term relief programs
• Generic education or awareness programs
• Large-scale housing development projects
• Land or easement purchase costs
• Hospital equipment
• General disease-based research
• Public and/or partisan advocacy campaigns
• Direct payments to individuals or businesses
• Generalized projects
• Updates to single-family dwellings
• Paving of parking lots
• General equipment purchases

Support the transition to a net-zero economy

Climate change and biodiversity loss are two of the biggest environmental challenges facing the planet, and the impact people are having on the environment is placing us on an unsustainable path. With this perspective in mind, we aim to support community investment partners that are helping to advance positive environmental change.

We intend to support programs that:

• Advance climate change mitigation solutions that help reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs), boost energy efficiency and/or promote decarbonization, particularly in the highest-emitting sectors
• Advance nature-based solutions that work with nature, given its inherent ability to sequester carbon and contribute to climate adaptation and ecosystem resilience
• Increase environmental sustainability of community spaces by funding capital improvements to reduce the carbon footprint or increase energy efficiency of a newly constructed buildings and/or existing spaces

For example, we support programs that:

• Support capacity to drive clean technology solutions
• Build capacity and provide services to help facilitate the decarbonization of buildings
• Promote environmental sustainability across the food supply chain
• Support the transition to environmentally sustainable transportation options
• Reduce waste and prolong the lifecycle of materials
• Shift consumption patterns and lifestyle choices towards more sustainable ways of living
• Conserve areas that are important for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, including those that generate third-party verified carbon credits
• Advance best management practices on working landscapes including farmlands, ranchlands and forests
• Enhance green infrastructure in urban settings to help address environmental challenges and support climate adaptation and resilience
• Create experiential learning opportunities that foster understanding, connection and stewardship
• Support the use of renewable energy such as through installing solar panels to generate energy from the sun
• Support energy recovery such as by installing an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)
• Install environmental features such as a green roof or bio wall
• Conserve energy by updating windows or insulation
• Help with alternative heating and cooling, such as a heat pump or ductless air conditioning
• Conserve water, such as by adding low-flow plumbing fixtures, a rain sensor or insulating pipe

We will not support:

• For-profit clean technology or climate change mitigation solutions
• Direct payments or subsidies to individuals or businesses
• Direct contributions into stewardship endowments
• Land or easement purchase
• Generic education programs with no experiential connection
• Generalized projects
• Updates to single-family dwellings
• Historic restoration projects
• Upgrades to storage buildings or buildings not associated with community use

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