What do you imagine when you think about the flourishing communities you want to see in Edmonton? At Edmonton Community Foundation we see a community where everyone has a place to call home, children and families have the support they need to thrive, and where opportunity is shared. In 2025 we took major steps toward turning this vision into reality.
For the first time, our assets under management surpassed $1 billion. This reflects the generosity, foresight and trust of our donors. Over the past 36 years, more than 2,600 fund founders have established over 1,850 endowments, helping to shape the city through their philanthropy. Together we granted $44.7 million to 925 charities and students across the region,
bringing our cumulative support to $484 million since 1990. While ECF remains the fourth largest Community Foundation in Canada, what’s even more impressive is that we are one of the younger ones. The speed of our growth is a testament to Edmonton — we are a city that cares for and invests in each other.
This was also a year of focus and momentum as we identified affordable housing and early childhood development as two priority areas where long-term change begins. Edmonton has the people, expertise and will to think differently about these issues. ECF is in a unique position to convene partners, unlock new ideas and drive systemic change in these sectors. When people have stable housing, and when children have strong starts in life, the ripple effects are felt across entire communities.
In 2025, we committed $1 million to nine organizations advancing affordable housing, while also working with the Social Enterprise Fund and Edmonton Community Development Company to begin aligning grants, social financing, community partnerships and land to help unlock more options. We also provided $2.5 million through 59 grants to projects and initiatives improving outcomes for children ages 0-6. This includes a $150,000 grant to the University of Alberta’s Community University Partnership (CUP) to lead a major research initiative into early childhood development in Edmonton. This work will help ensure that future investments are based on evidence and long-term strategies.
Intentionally committing to two important areas does not reduce our commitment to the broad range of causes and communities we support. Connecting donors to the issues that matter most to them — and being a flexible, responsive funder — remains central to our work. Instead, these focus areas deepen our impact in ways that strengthen outcomes across all sectors of our community.
We are not waiting for the future to arrive. With our donors and community partners, we are shaping the communities we imagine, believe in and build together.
This story comes from our 2025 Impact Report.
