Edmonton Community Foundation

What becomes possible when people have a safe, stable place to call home?

Dignity takes root.

That's the idea behind The Plexes led by Niginan Housing Ventures. It's a 28-unit, 56-bed development creating safe, stable homes for community members.

Supported by a $200,000 ECF grant, it is one of nine housing commitments ECF made in 2025 as part of a broader goal to help house 5,000 Edmontonians by the end of 2028.

See how community is being built in our Impact Report.
https://ow.ly/GowQ50Ziqiy

Great ideas. Meaningful change. Let's make it happen.

Join us for an informal ECF Community Grant session. Connect with our grants team, ask questions and get feedback on your funding idea before you apply.

Whether you’re exploring a new project or refining a proposal, you’ll leave with greater clarity for your next steps.

✅ Register for a session. https://ow.ly/KMMs50ZveZa

What helps important conservation work continue for generations?

Stable funding.

For 40 years, Beaverhill Bird Observatory - BBO has researched and monitored more than 270 bird species in the Beaverhill Natural Area. Its education programs also connect more than 10,000 students each year to the ecosystems around them.

Through its partnership with ECF, BBO is building long-term financial stability with an endowment that will support its research, education and conservation work in perpetuity.

Explore the story in our Impact Report:
https://ow.ly/LqUJ50ZtRVc

What affects the air quality in your home?

We often think about the air outside, but we spend nearly 90% of our time indoors. Wildfire smoke, extreme weather, and other hidden factors can all influence the air we breathe inside.

In this episode of The Well-Endowed Podcast, Jamie Happy, Health Promotion Coordinator at Alberta Lung shares what you should know about indoor air quality and the practical steps they can take to create healthier spaces.

🎧Listen now and learn how to breathe easier at home.
https://ow.ly/6FFm50Zspgy

What happens when a conversation stays with you for decades?

A legacy takes root.

For Seanna Collins, it began in the 1990s when she interviewed two of ECF’s founders as a journalist. Years later, that conversation inspired her and her husband to include ECF in their will.

They won’t see the full impact of their endowment in their lifetime, but they know it will keep growing and supporting the causes they care about.

Seanna is one of 724 people and families choosing to support their community in perpetuity through their estate planning.

Dig into this story in our Impact Report.
https://ow.ly/EQ0w50ZiqhO

Thanks for showing us around Grove and District Agricultural Society and sharing how you're preserving an sharing stories of Spruce Grove and surrounding area.

What becomes possible when students have support to keep going?

More doors open.

In 2025, ECF provided $1.7 million in Student Awards to 565 students, including Kevin Chavez Laxamana, a three-time Hilltop Award recipient.

Kevin is now pursuing his Doctor of Education while teaching at NorQuest College, where his work is helping underrepresented and neurodivergent students access more inclusive learning experiences.

Read about the ripples in our Impact Report: https://ow.ly/JgzY50ZikKK

What happens when community investment keeps working long after the first loan is repaid?

Opportunity grows.

With support from ECF’s Social Enterprise Fund, Goodwill Industries of Alberta expanded across the province, creating more meaningful employment for individuals with disabilities.

Three loans totalling $2.7 million helped fuel that growth. In 2025, Goodwill finished repaying the balance, allowing that capital to be reinvested in more enterprises that strengthen communities.

Since 2008, the Social Enterprise Fund has invested more than $91.5 million in organizations using business tools to create community benefit.

Learn more in our Impact Report:
https://ow.ly/4rBc50Zijc9

What happens when Indigenous youth see their culture reflected in science?

Connection grows. Confidence takes root.

At TELUS World of Science, the Indigenous Health and Wellness program is creating space for Indigenous youth and their families to connect culture, wellness and hands-on STEAM learning.

Developed alongside students and an Indigenous Advisory Circle. The program delivers culturally-grounded workshops that bring knowledge, identity and learning together. Supported by a $78,100 ECF Community Grant, this work is helping create meaningful opportunities for youth and families.

Learn more about this initiative in our Impact Report
https://ow.ly/6nuM50ZiiWE

The values that shape a community often start at home.

This Father's Day, we're celebrating the dads, father figures, and paternal role models whose steadiness, generosity, and quiet dedication ripple far beyond their own households. The example they set every day is part of what makes our communities stronger.

Happy Father's Day from everyone at ECF.