Tell the story of the grant

Grantmakers have a huge but quiet impact across Canada every day, supporting work by organizations from charities and sports leagues to public agencies.

Most of that work is reported, when it is reported at all, from the grantee’s side. Philanthropy in Action looks at the same projects from the other end: the decision to fund, the relationship that followed, and the difference the funder itself made.

Three things every story here has

1. A specific project. Not a foundation’s whole portfolio, but one initiative with a beginning and a result.
2. The funder’s reasoning. Why this issue, why then, and why this approach rather than a cheque and a report.
3. A change you can point to. A policy adopted, a service redesigned, a field strengthened — with the figures to show it.

The stories cover any issue area; the themes on the home page simply reflect the projects featured so far. The full editorial standard is set out in the guidelines.

Sharing a story is a way to teach, to inspire and to give other funders the confidence to try something similar.