Like many arts organizations, Fringe Theatre runs on “dreams and duct tape” in the words of Erin Voaklander, the theatre’s Director of Development. But the long-term sustainability of an organization requires a little more than duct tape — it needs a robust fundraising plan. That’s where Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) comes in.
ECF’s Endowment Sustainability Program (ESP) serves as a creative toolkit for long-term financial stability for non-profits. With sessions spanning over five months, participants dive into everything from structuring endowment funds to understanding donor motivations in order to strengthen meaningful engagement and relationships. They also roll up their sleeves for hands-on exercises, like drafting personalized donor strategies and uncovering new fundraising opportunities. “ESP is really about meeting organizations where they are and guiding them toward a practical, achievable path to long-term funding,” says Sydney Stuart, Philanthropy Advisor at ECF.
“It also helps open the door to a different kind of donor — people who want to make a lasting impact, often through gifts in their wills or other legacy plans. That kind of support can be transformational.”
Voaklander agrees. Since joining ESP in 2022, Fringe Theatre has actively shaped its fundraising strategies and deepened its knowledge of how endowment funds can sustain unconventional, out of the ordinary theatre for everyone, by everyone, for generations. “It’s a really well-structured program. You feel like you’re going on a journey and that you’re being very well taken care of because they’ve thought it through from beginning to end,” Voaklander says. ESP provides a unique space for participating organizations to gain a practical understanding of endowments and legacy giving.
“You’re in a room with a bunch of your peers, and you have a chance to ask silly questions — but the questions aren’t silly because they’re part of learning, and the ECF staff is so willing to share their knowledge.”
While most Edmontonians will know of the Fringe Festival, which occurs for 11 days in August, the Fringe Theatre runs year-round, providing a home for local theatre artists and hosting 500 artistic events at the Fringe Theatre Arts Barns annually. With the funding received from endowments, Fringe Theatre supports their artist awards programs. Voaklander considers this a practical way to connect endowment gifts directly with the art created in Edmonton. One such initiative is the Mowat Diversity Award, which breaks down barriers for artists from underrepresented communities — including Indigenous, Black, People of Colour and 2SLGBTQIA+ artists. The award recipient receives a spot in the Fringe Festival without having to pay (the) festival fee, plus a cash award, and creative mentorship,” Voaklander says. “Our artist this year is a young filmmaker who will be staging a theatre production for the first time.”
Christine Lesiak, a past recipient of the Westbury Family Fringe Theatre Award, says “As an artist, one’s always a little bit precarious,” Lesiak says. “But things like the Westbury Award really allow people to think bigger and have bigger visions.” With this support, Lesiak was able to hire a larger team of technical professionals, which elevated the scope and quality of her theatrical production. For many arts organizations, financial planning often proves difficult due to the immediate demands of production. “We work on shoestring budgets, and we work on really tight timelines, and we do a lot with a little,” Voaklander says. But ESP has been a vital reminder that thinking about the future is just as important as handling the present. “The program is a friendly reminder that you should be cultivating your sustainability through things like endowment giving and legacy giving,” Voaklander explains. “As you’re practically moving through serving the mission of your charity, building for the future has to be a part of that equation. Your service is a valuable part of the community now and it needs to continue.”
Through ongoing participation in the program, Fringe Theatre is solidifying its endowment strategy to ensure the Edmonton Fringe Festival will continue to amplify artists’ voices and illuminate stages for decades to come. “I hope that every charity and not-for-profit organization in Edmonton can have the chance to workshop their skills through ESP,” Voaklander says. “And if they don’t have an endowment yet, I hope they can work with ECF and their supporters to establish one. Endowments are just like trees, the best time to plant a tree, or establish an endowment fund, was fifty years ago, but the next best time is today.”
This story comes from the Summer 2025 Edition of Thrive Magazine.
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