Fall is finally here in Greater Victoria. The colder weather makes way for warm drinks, sweaters and wind, both literally and figuratively.
Following a busy municipal election season, the winds of change have blown across our region. Municipalities welcome back fresh and familiar faces to tackle the issues facing our communities.
Our province will soon welcome a new premier as John Horgan steps down. Change can bring a sense of urgency and uncertainty, but it can also bring fresh perspectives and a willingness to collaborate.
We see this in our work at the Victoria Foundation, new organizations and individuals alongside longstanding organizations working to create a vibrant, caring community for all. While the winds of change blow around their communities, they lift our regions through their work.
The Victoria Foundation is Greater Victoria’s local community foundation. However, we are also fortunate to partner and collaborate with organizations across Canada to make an impact in our community.
There is the Foundation’s recent Fund for Gender Equality, providing $320,000 to local organizations working to support women, girls, two-spirit and gender-diverse individuals in our community.
This fund was launched in partnership with Community Foundations of Canada alongside support from the Equality Fund and the Government of Canada.
A vibrant, caring community grounded in equity, inclusion and justice is vital to us at the Victoria Foundation. Working with national partners helps move that forward.
The Victoria Foundation also recently launched the Investment Readiness program, which provides $10,000 to $75,000 to create, manage and expand social enterprises to get ready to accept investment.
This is part of a $50-million national initiative through Community Foundations of Canada, funded by the Government of Canada to support and expand social enterprises from coast to coast to coast.
Collaboration at all levels can help bring change in our communities. It can also bring forth a unified voice.
Next month, the Victoria Foundation will release the 2022 Vital Signs program, a community check-up that measures the vitality of our region, identifies concerns and supports action on issues.
It combines data from federal, provincial and regional sources, alongside results from a citizen survey and stories from local organizations.
And while the Vital Signs program is locally led by the Victoria Foundation, it truly is a collection of voices coming together to illustrate issues, and successes, in our community. For many in our community, including our elected officials, it can be a voice to help drive change for good.
So, as we settle down for fall, blustering winds and all, we can take this time to pause, refill our warm drink and remind ourselves of the power of change. Sometimes, it takes one small gust of wind to open the door to new possibilities in our community.
sandra@victoriafoundation.bc.ca
Sandra Richardson is CEO of the Victoria Foundation.
