About

In 2010, the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance called for Canada’s public and private foundations to invest at least 10% of their capital in mission related investments (MRI) by 2020.

Nearly nine years later, many Canadian foundations have begun or are exploring opportunities to invest their capital in ways that bring about positive social and environmental change, more closely aligning their investment portfolios with their visions. Some have made great strides and are national and international leaders in this space.

To continue to support these efforts, the Environment Funders Canada, Community Foundations of Canada, Philanthropic Foundations Canada and The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada are working together on the next phase of their education programs to help Canadian foundations implement more and better impact and responsible investing strategies, across their endowment portfolios. This work will include an update of the Impact Investing Guidebook for Foundations, which was originally launched in 2017.

Foundation Investing 2.0 is being implemented by Rally Assets and the Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE). The project is designed for foundation trustees, CEOs, executive directors and senior finance staff, to support them wherever they might be in their journey. From the curious to committed, the project is designed for those who want to learn, begin, or deepen and scale their impact and responsible investing activities.

Over the next year, there will be opportunities to participate in webinars, access practical tools and resources and join in-person workshops and master classes on key investment themes and issues including climate change, decent work and reconciliation. All of the activities will utilize hands-on and peer learning approaches and provide practical steps to embed impact and responsible investing into investment oversight and governance.

The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada (The Circle) transforms philanthropy and contributes to positive change with Indigenous communities by creating spaces of learning, innovation, relationship-building, co-creation, and activation. With The Philanthropic Community’s Declaration of Action as a foundation, The Circle works alongside Indigenous-led organizations, Indigenous informed organizations, organizations with Indigenous beneficiaries, and philanthropic signatories of The Declaration of Action to encourage individuals and organizations to learn, acknowledge, and understand more about reconciliation and the decolonization of wealth.

Community Foundations of Canada is the national network for Canada’s 191 community foundations. Together we help Canadians invest in making our communities better places to live, work and play.

 

Environment Funders Canada is a membership group of 70 funders from across Canada and the United States. EFC members represent a diverse group of philanthropic organizations from private, public and community foundations, as well as corporate foundations and both federal and provincial funding programs. With its network members, EFC works to strengthen the impact of philanthropy in support of an environmentally sound and sustainable future for Canadians. EFC does this by growing investments for a sustainable Canada, catalyzing collaboration as well as building and sharing skills and knowledge.

Philanthropic Foundations Canada is a member association of grantmakers, including private and public foundations, charities and corporations. PFC promotes the growth and development of effective and responsible foundations and organized philanthropy in Canada through provision of membership services, resources and advocacy.

Rally Assets is an independent, full-service, impact investment firm committed to using capital as a tool for social and environmental progress. We leverage our impact expertise to develop strategies and solutions that help our clients invest more responsibly, sustainably and with greater impact. Rally Philanthropy is the charitable arm of Rally Assets that creates and delivers educational resources on social finance and impact investing.

Shareholder Association for Research and Education is a leading not-for-profit organization in responsible investment services, research and education. We work with a growing network of institutional investors helping them to become active owners and develop and implement responsible investment policies and practices.