Reflections on a Funder's Role as a Strategic Investor in Community Change
As a representative of the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), I worked with Headwaters Communities in Action (HCIA) -- a diverse citizen-led group that champions community well-being in Dufferin County and the Town of Caledon -- and supported its leaders in the creation of an initial Headwaters Community Well-Being Report for their region. This required the Foundation to move beyond the role of “traditional funder” in favour of "relational funder", where the agency could position itself as a strategic investor in the community. As a relational funder, OTF could actively participate in system-wide initiatives and gain an understanding the nuances of community work.
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