History of community foundations

 Origins in Canada

In 1921, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the first community foundation in Canada saw the light of day. Today there are community foundations in every province and territory. At the national level, they are supported by the Community Foundations of Canada (CFC). The community foundation movement is an integral part of a strongly growing network that supports Canadian communities. In fact, the number of community foundations has sextupled over the last 17 years, going from 32 in 1990, to 191 in 2014. The total assets in the community foundations across Canada reached $3.8 billion in 2014.

The community foundations across Quebec

The appearance of community foundations across Quebec is more recent than in the rest of Canada. In fact, the first community foundation in Quebec first saw the light of day in 1993.

There are currently nine community foundations in Quebec:

• Fondation Québec Philanthrope (1993)
• Foundation of Greater Montreal (1999)
• Fondation communautaire du Saint-Maurice (1999)
• Fondation communautaire Gaspésie – Les Îles (2000)
• Eastern Townships Community Foundation (2002)
• Fondation communautaire de Lanaudière (2009)
• Fondation communautaire de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue (2012)
• Fondation communautaire du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (2012)
• Fondation Laurentides (2014)
• Fondation Philanthropie Outaouais (2015)
• Fondation communautaire Eenou-Eeyou (2016)

Who we are

What is a Community Foundation?

Our mission, our objectives and our approach

Our volunteer leaders