London Community Foundation is dedicated to building a vibrant, strong and caring community. With a vision of doing philanthropy differently, we believe when people come together in the community, for the community, we can make an impact. Through the trust of our donors and community partners we aim to tackle our community’s most pressing issues with bold solutions.
Erin Naylor, Chair of the Board of Directors (Left) and Martha Powell, President and CEO (Right)
Giving with trust and intention go hand in hand. At LCF we ensure our donors make an impact by helping them give intentionally to causes that tackle our community’s greatest needs. But in order to build and strengthen our community, we know that trust must be developed - with those who give and with those who receive resources.
One of the ways we do this is through unrestricted giving. London Community Foundation is grateful to have one of the largest unrestricted funds among other Canadian Community Foundations, our Community Fund! This fund enables us the flexibility to impact priority and emerging community needs as outlined in our Vital Signs report. It is also how we harness innovation by seeding initiatives such as our Social Impact Fund, Vision SoHo, and Community Vitality Grant program.
Unrestricted giving is centered on trust. With a vision to do philanthropy differently, we are breaking down traditional barriers and fostering greater equity by placing decision making in the hands of the community. When we give with trust and intention, we empower those who are doing the work on the ground to determine how resources should be best used.
By beginning with trust, we help build a stronger community for everyone. It’s thanks to your trust in LCF, that in 2022 we granted $4.5 million and advanced social finance loans of over $3.4 million in the community. By providing a stable, sustainable source of community capital for the London and Middlesex region, together, we have the power to make a difference.
Martha Powell, President & CEO will be retiring from the Foundation after 23 years in June 2023.
Did you know that the Indigenous Peoples of this land were subjected to government policies and legislation that affected every aspect of their lives since first European contact? This journey of contact masterminded the marginalization and colonialization of Indigenous Peoples to a point where Indigenous Peoples were ashamed of their very existence. This tragic treatment of the Original People began to be examined by governments within the past fifty years and has led to many, many studies including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. The London Community Foundation, through policy and deed, including the Land Acknowledgement, demonstrates their commitment to pursue the path to truth and reconciliation. We must understand this path includes understanding that the Indigenous World View is at odds with the Western View.
Together, we will agree our collective humanness is the meaning of life. Our goal must be the mind, and the heart will lead to understanding.
True leadership is humble in the sense of knowing who you are, that you are confident in your place in the world. That one is aware of their place and role in society is essential to an inclusive world; where power and privilege are behind us, a societal norm. “If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together”. Dr Lilla Watson.
Written by Al Day, LCF Board Member
London Community Foundation is part of a national movement of 191 community foundations across Canada. Our impact reaches people locally, nationally, and internationally. Through our endowment model, we provide a stable, sustainable, collective platform to channel funds directly into London and Middlesex – making an impact today and in the future. Giving and allocating funds with intention and trust ensures that the most important causes and the people doing the work to tackle them are supported and engaged. Together, we have the power to create a stronger community for everyone.
Vital Signs are issue areas LCF has identified as key areas of need in our community.
362 Grants
$2,718,727.85
182 Grants
$1,452,934.37
112 Grants
$788,099.31
103 Grants
$757,029.06
28 Grants
$531,370.18
51 Grants
$270,622.20
42 Grants
$189,125.83
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the UN’s universal framework for a thriving community, which guide much of our work.
$433,815.38
68 Grants, 5%
$771,614.31
105 Grants, 9%
$2,673,208.64
339 Grants, 30%
$1,455,679.10
183 Grants, 17%
$178,025.83
36 Grants, 2%
$2,500
3 Grants, 0%
$0
0 Grants, 0%
$218,633.30
4 Grants, 3%
$21,100
1 Grant, 0%
$1,082,048.77
148 Grants, 12%
$75,366.67
14 Grants, 1%
$19,166.67
2 Grants, 0%
$142,973.68
24 Grants, 2%
$13,500
4 Grants, 0%
$215,229.32
48 Grants, 2%
$256,366
35 Grants, 3%
* Other areas granted:
Housing: $616,116.18 | 98 Grants, 7%
Culture & Arts: $636,508. 96 | 96 Grants, 7%
"At SOAHAC, we have seen a 470% increase in clients reporting food insecurity to their healthcare provider from 2018 to 2021. This project addresses food insecurity for Indigenous Londoners, and uniquely addresses the gap that exists in the dispossession of traditional knowledge and connection to culture as it relates to food."
"Death is not a round table topic, but it’s better to be proactive than reactive, and if you want your life to have some meaning beyond the grave then this is the best way to do it. Unfortunately, we’ve got two guarantees; death and taxes."
“When we received the Community Vitality Grant, that three-year investment meant we saw efficiencies in our program and all of a sudden, our long-term goals start getting achieved. In the last couple of years, we’ve had the capacity to work towards these things because all of this energy that goes into year-over-year survival goes into addressing the big issues.”
“At the heart of London Community Chaplaincy is relationships. I have seen successful program after successful program across the City of London, and often if you push participants on why the program made a difference to them, they say that the people running it believed in them.”
"The process is always challenging as there are so many worthy organizations doing great work in our community. The pandemic exacerbated a number of already urgent social issues and the response to this year’s intake process demonstrated that there is a significant demand for support."
Through turbulence came clarity. The markets year to year will perform how they do. Our focus will continue to be aligning donors’ granting with the needs of the community. LCF saw another record year in donations thanks to the continued generosity of our donors along with another record year of commitments to the community both through our granting programs and Social Impact Fund.
Thank you to everyone involved with London Community Foundation for your continued support of our mission to make a more caring and vibrant community for all. From our donors and their advisors to our volunteers and community partners and our Board and staff, this work wouldn’t be possible without everyone pulling in the same direction. It is your compassion, enthusiasm, and dedication that keep London and Middlesex County moving toward a more equitable future.
Together, we’re building a stronger community, forever.
