‘You know your communities best:’ How the COVID-19 pandemic forced Canadian grantmakers to loosen up

Author Brennan Doherty
As the pandemic gripped the country, some Canadian philanthropists relaxed reporting restrictions and prioritized racialized communities.

Why It Matters

Paternalism, white saviorism, and colonialism are the very bones of the British philanthropic model used in Canada. These values have historically made it incredibly difficult for Black and Indigenous-led non-profits to secure funding for their needs, and many of these organizations serve the communities that are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

var TRINITY_TTS_WP_CONFIG = {"cleanText":"\u2018You know your communities best:\u2019 How the COVID-19 pandemic forced Canadian grantmakers to loosen up. When Kevin McCort joined Vancouver Foundation as its president and CEO in 2013, the grantmaker never expected it would jump-start an eight-figure emergency granting process for local charities in a matter of days. \u201cIt just wasn\u2019t part of the foundation\u2019s vision of itself,\u201d says president and CEO Kevin McCort.\u00a0 McCort is a 25-year veteran of the international humanitarian sector, including a six-year stint as the president and CEO of CARE Canada . The concept of disaster philanthropy was very familiar to him. Vancouver Foundation began responding to local emergencies such as the B.C. forest fires and the opioid crisis during

Join a community of 2000+ impact-oriented professionals like you. Get full access to this story and all Future of Good content, including tickets to our digital events and networking, with a membership.