In an era of spiked living costs and crowdfunding to directly support friends and family in need, philanthropy for community causes can seem inaccessible. Our culture of busyness makes the prospect of even figuring out where to start quite daunting. The Victoria Foundation listened and designed the Gadsden Initiative to balance emerging donors’ desire to contribute with the time-constricted realities of their lives. Its collaborative learning experience fosters a new philanthropy and a generation of inspired community leaders. The Gadsden Initiative offers a $5,000 match from Victoria Foundation to start their endowment fund. Gadsden members have three years to contribute this amount to their endowment fund to receive the match.
The Gadsden Initiative is a structured yet flexible program that involves collaborative core information sessions that cover such topics as values discovery, pooled granting, trust-based philanthropy, and trends in philanthropy. “Meet the Community” sessions connect members to the people on the ground to learn about key local initiatives. Past sessions at Foundry Victoria, the Mustard Seed Food Security Distribution Centre, and Power to Be have reinforced the significance and work involved at our local non-profits and charities.
Members are also invited to Victoria Foundation events like the Donor Tea, annual Open House, Vital Youth Year End Celebration, and Vital Signs launch. Gadsden Initiative’s framework ensures that contributions are impactful and that members have a clear understanding of the
difference they are making in the community.
At the time of writing, there were 86 Gadsden members and 52 funds. Most of the Gadsden Initiative members are individuals or couples and people can join at any time throughout the year. Since 2019, more than $28,000 has been granted to charities in the Greater Victoria region. “Most of the funds have their core area of interest and members can come out to events and learn more. They are really interested in what is going on in the community,” shares Tracey Trousdell, Gadsden Program Manager, and a member herself. The Gadsden Initiative was named after Burges Gadsden, who ran the soup kitchen in 1936 at the Sunshine Inn on Pandora, Victoria Foundation’s birthplace. He knew this community would be improved by an organization with a solid source of funds to support charities across all sectors.
Gadsden creates an inclusivity that is
not always associated with philanthropy.
We want to shift away from the idea of
philanthropy as exclusive. There are a lot of
ways that you can contribute.
— Tracey Trousdell, Gadsden Program
Manager, Victoria Foundation
The Green Tithe Group is a Gadsden Initiative fund holder. These 13 elder millennial friends found themselves discussing their concerns and wanted to explore pooling their money to create meaningful change. Although they have a “wide variety of career paths within the group and a diversity of family dynamics, we are all quite environmentally sensitive,” explains Kelsi Langdon, a member of the Gadsden Initiative’s Green Tithe Group. “I’m not the only one having climate anxieties. As part of this group, we have the same aim — we want to protect the environment for our futures.” For Langdon and her friends, Gadsden Initiative’s design works well and helps them “look at their lives in a collective way.” Their group designated two people to attend sessions and report back. “Victoria Foundation has been really accommodating. They invite all of us to the events.” Green Tithe has an established statement of purpose, and a minimum annual donation is required to qualify for a vote.
The Gadsden Initiative caters to individual emerging philanthropists and also welcomes groups, families, and anyone interested in making a difference. It accommodates varying levels of income and commitment, ensuring philanthropy is accessible and impactful. By pooling funds to reach endowment levels, members like those in the Green Tithe Group can provide sustained support for their causes,
making a measurable difference in their communities.
The Gadsden Initiative represents a significant shift in how philanthropy is perceived and practiced in the capital region. It supports emerging donors to engage in meaningful philanthropy, ensuring they can see the tangible effects of their contributions. Gadsden members join a movement that addresses immediate community needs and prepares the ground for long-term, sustainable impact.