February 6, 2020
Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) and the Equality Fund are shifting power to individuals and organizations advancing gender equality in Canada. The Community Foundation has joined our colleagues across Canada on a learning journey about creating more equitable communities for girls, women and trans people with diverse lived experiences, and have funded nine local projects through grants totaling $45,000.
Participating local organizations include: The Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough, Peterborough GreenUP, Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, Kawartha World Issues Centre, New Canadians Centre Peterborough, Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle, Nourish Project, PARN – Your Community AIDS Resource Network, and YWCA Peterborough Haliburton.
#GenderEqualityCAN #VitalPtbo
—
About the need and urgency of advancing gender equality
- As we move into 2020, communities across Canada and around the world are living a historic moment in the global fight for equality.
- Women’s organizations and movements in Canada and around the world are on the frontlines of change—holding the line, demanding equality and driving transformation. It’s time we boldly invest in their brave work to build a more equal country and world together.
- The work is necessary and the time is now. In Canada today, too many women, girls and trans Canadians still face barriers and discrimination of all kinds. Canada ranks #11 among all countries for women’s equality and well-being. If we are to pursue a future where everyone belongs, we need to do better.
- To advance gender equality at the local and national level, we need to consider the broad array of inequalities that undermine it. We need to ensure our efforts address the intersections of inequalities and are guided by principles of gender equity, diversity, and inclusion.
About the collaboration between community foundations and the Equality Fund
- CFC and the Equality Fund are developing a multi-year initiative to advance gender equality in Canada, with support from the Government of Canada.
- This collaboration will involve locally-led funding opportunities, as well as activities related to capacity-building and gender-lens investing.
- This collaboration has three broad areas for impact:
- Peace – Supporting girls, women and trans* people as they build lives free from gender-based violence;
- Power – Shifting economic, political, and social power, as well as power over one’s own body, towards increased equality between genders;
- Planet – Strengthening participation, leadership, and climate justice for girls, women and trans* people as they build more sustainable futures.
About the Pilot Fund
- The Pilot Fund for Gender Equality is a first learning opportunity, as community foundations and local organizations come together to explore ways to support leadership in the women’s movement and ways to advance gender equality in communities across Canada.
- 26 community foundations from coast to coast to coast have participated in the Pilot Fund, providing $1.4M to 112 projects. Many of these community foundations and organizations have already engaged in gender equality work, while others are new to this space. Together, these leaders are helping CFC map the development of a longer-term program.
- The learnings from the Pilot Fund will help guide the program development, including opportunities related to grantmaking, capacity building, and gender-lens investing.
- CFC will provide more information about future opportunities for participation and engagement beyond the pilot later in 2020.
This project is supported by the Pilot Fund for Gender Equality, a collaboration between Community Foundations of Canada and the Equality Fund, with support from the Government of Canada.
