The CivicAction Leadership Foundation
Great Leaders Build Great Cities
Good conversations start with good questions.
On this page, you’ll find answers to commonly asked questions about the Foundation and its programs. If your question isn’t answered below, please contact us and we’ll get in touch with you directly.
CivicAction Leadership Foundation FAQs | DiverseCity Fellows FAQs | Emerging Leaders Network FAQs
The CivicAction Leadership Foundation is a registered Canadian charity under the broader oversight of CivicAction, committed to advancing education for young, emerging and under-represented leaders in our communities through leadership training, seminars and associated activities. With world-class programs and unparalleled access to the region’s most influential thinkers and doers, the Foundation will be the premier destination for rising civic leaders wanting to develop their networks, grow their minds, and transform their communities while helping build strong, vibrant and inclusive communities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
CivicAction and the CivicAction Leadership Foundation are two connected yet distinct legal entities. CivicAction is a non-profit organization that brings together leaders from all sectors to tackle challenges facing the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The organization works to build partnerships and takes action through campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. As the charitable arm of CivicAction, the CivicAction Leadership Foundation has a more specific focus on developing and activating the next generation of civic leaders. This takes the form of award-winning fellowship programs, young professional networks, conferences, and new programs targeted at groups who face barriers including youth, women, and racialized individuals. Both organizations have distinct Boards of Directors and staff teams but stay connected in a number of ways. This includes a shared Chief Executive Officer, shared communications and fundraising support, some shared board positions, and joint strategic planning between boards to ensure alignment.
In Canada, there are very specific requirements around what is deemed charitable and how charities advance their charitable purposes. As a non-profit organization, CivicAction is better positioned to remain flexible around the issues it takes on and the types of mechanisms it chooses to impact change.
The CivicAction Leadership Foundation is a registered Canadian charity that is primarily funded through the incredible support of individuals, foundations, and the Ontario government. Funds raised support the Foundation in achieving its charitable purposes and objectives. To learn more about the Foundation’s supporters, please visit our Supporters page. CivicAction is an Ontario not-for-profit organization that is funded primarily through private sector contributions and support from the Ontario government. Funds raised support the implementation of campaigns, programs and organizations that are working to transform our region. To learn more about CivicAction’s supporters, please visit the CivicAction website.
When you make a donation to the CivicAction Leadership Foundation, you are making an investment in our region’s next generation of leaders. For donations of under $500, please use the donation form on this page. Once your donation has been received, an email confirmation will be sent to you along with an electronic tax receipt. For donations of $500 or more (or if you have any general donation inquiries) please contact Magda Hjartarson, Director of Partnerships and Development, at (416) 309-4480 x 513. All donation tax receipts are issued in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency standards. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $25 or more.
Today’s rising leaders are tomorrow’s senior executives, politicians, and community leaders and they will be entrusted with our region’s long-term success. However, there is more work to be done to engage rising leaders in the civic landscape and level the playing field for those who face barriers to access (including young, emerging and under-represented leaders). Civic leadership is an increasingly smart investment. Consider:
The readiness and effectiveness of our civic leadership, both now and in the future, will be a key determinant of success for our region across all sectors. This investment is a direct investment in the long-term health, wellness and vitality of the communities in which you live and work.
The CivicAction Leadership Foundation will continue to deliver its current suite of high-impact programming, including the Emerging Leaders Network and the DiverseCity Fellows program. Moving forward, the Foundation will also launch new programs aimed at new audiences including high-school and post-secondary students, and tailor programming to specific audiences such as women in leadership.
Every four years, CivicAction holds a summit to identify the biggest issues facing the GTHA, then sets its agenda and launches initiatives and campaigns to make a measurable difference on those issues. Currently, CivicAction is working to effect change on five key areas: mental health, infrastructure, childcare, public space, and affordable housing, as well as our ongoing work on youth unemployment and supporting the region’s most vulnerable through our work on poverty reduction. You can support the work of CivicAction in two key ways:
As a non-profit, CivicAction does not issue tax receipts for donations. However, donors will receive an invoice and an annual update documenting the important work that your donation contributed to and the impact it has made to date.
CivicAction’s DiverseCity Fellows are rising leaders from diverse worldviews, sectors, identities, and experiences who are passionate about shaping their communities. Each year, the program brings together over 25 Fellows from different sectors and communities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Get to know our Fellows.
The DiverseCity Fellows program launched in 2009 as part of DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project, a partnership between CivicAction and Maytree that identified the need for more diverse leadership to create a stronger and more prosperous region. Learn more about the history of the DiverseCity initiative. CivicAction continues to deliver the DiverseCity Fellows program.
Recruitment for the 2019 DiverseCity Fellows program is now closed. Find out more about the application and recruitment proces, and stay tuned for recruitment in late 2019.
The DiverseCity Fellows program runs from January to December and includes more than 100 hours of programming throughout the year. The program is part-time and requires a commitment of approximately 10 hours/month of programming (which includes one overnight retreat and approximately 10 Fellows learning sessions over the course of the year) and 5-10 hours/month for projects. Fellows sessions take place on weekdays, evenings, and weekends and Fellows are required to attend all of the sessions. Fellows are also required to work on team projects to curate a day of experiential learning for their peers on an issues impacting our region and must be able to meet regularly with their project teams and complete related work. In addition, Fellows are expected to meet with their mentor 4-6 times over a one-year period. Project team and mentorship meetings take place outside of the Fellows sessions. Successful candidates will receive a comprehensive schedule of the year at the first session in January. See program components and a sample program outline.
No – the decision to apply is completely yours. However, given the intensive nature of the program, as well as the scheduling of some events during work hours, we suggest that candidates obtain the support of their employers to participate in the program (if applicable). Candidates who are currently experiencing a personal or career transition are encouraged to consider their capacity to meet all the program requirements and expectations.
We are looking for candidates who meet the following criteria:
Interested individuals are required to complete an online application form and submit two recommendation forms using the templates provided. The recommendation forms should be completed by your employer and/or a personal reference who can speak to your leadership competencies.
After each application is reviewed, shortlisted candidates are invited to attend an in-person interview about a month after the applications close. A Selection Committee of representatives from different sectors and communities in the GTHA participates in the interview and final decision-making process.
The program is provided at no cost to participants, thanks to the generous support of our donors.
For more information or specific questions about CivicAction’s DiverseCity Fellows program, please contact our team at info@civicaction.ca or 416-309-4480.
Please have your former employer complete the ”employer” recommendation form if they can speak to your character, and have a conversation with your new employer to ensure that you have buy-in from them for the time commitment of the program.
In lieu of the employer reference form, please submit any other professional reference (i.e. people you have worked with on boards, former jobs, volunteer activities, etc).
ELN Members are residents of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area who identify as rising leaders in their community, sector and or field. They are diverse in background, experiences, sectors and perspectives and are ready to share energy and insights and show leadership with like-minded as well as diverse peers. ELN members are also interested in creating a more connected, inclusive and prosperous region for all. Does this sound like you? Then click here to join!
To join the ELN, simply fill out this registration form. It provides us with a snapshot of who you are, what you’re interested in, and what you are hoping to gain from this network so that we can better tailor our programming to our members’ interests. See our privacy policy for more information on how we’ll use your information.
No. There is no age minimum or maximum set for those wishing to join the network. This network is open to any individual living and or working within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area that identifies as a rising leader in their sector, field and/or community.
No. There is no cost associated with joining the ELN or attending any ELN events. We are committed to ensuring that all our events and programming are inclusive and accessible to all members. See more about how we’re ensuring accessibility here.
ELN Members engage in the following through the network’s programming and supports:
You can find relevant ELN information on the CivicAction Leadership Foundation website (where you are right now). You can also see what we’ve been up to by visiting our What’s New pages. Members also receive a monthly ELN Newsletter and occasional email updates. Once you have registered to be an ELN member, you will receive this monthly newsletter that provides information on past and upcoming programming as well as regional/ city-building opportunities.
The Foundation is intended to further elevate and support the work of the ELN – however, members should experience no changes in programming or personnel as a result of the launch of the Foundation.
No. If you are already an ELN member you do not need to re-register under the Foundation.
The elnonline.ca website is no longer active. All relevant ELN information will now be available on the CivicAction Leadership Foundation website and through the monthly ELN Newsletter.
The Foundation always welcomes gifts and donations but there is no expectation that members contribute financially.
No. The ELN is still led by the same staff team, volunteer ELN co-chairs, and executive committee, all of whom remain committed to providing regular programming that connects, activates and develops rising leaders across the GTHA.