RDDCF takes part in new Fund for Gender Equality
$135,000 in funding available in central Alberta for charities advancing Gender Equality
[Red Deer, AB] The Red Deer & District Community Foundation (RDDCF) announced it will provide $135,000 to local organizations working to support women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse individuals in an effort to develop a future grounded in equity, inclusion and justice. The Fund is part of a partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, funded through the Government of Canada. The Red Deer & District Community Foundation is one of 25 community foundations across Canada that are taking part.
“Over the last 13 years, our Foundation has been at the forefront of the gender equality conversation as demonstrated with our Women of Excellence Gala,” Erin Peden, Executive Director of RDDCF said. “Even still, our communities continue to be faced with increasing wage gaps, economic inequalities, and alarming rates of gender-based violence, to name a few of the issues. Our Foundation is committed to working towards advancing gender equality in central Alberta and across Canada.”
Peden said to ensure a just recovery from the effects of COVID-19, and for a more inclusive future, it is more pressing that ever to invest in women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people.
“We’re pleased to be taking part in this funding initiative, while also looking at systems-level changes through our investment and institutional policies. We are as committed to creating impact internally at the Foundation governance and administrative levels, as we are throughout our district.”
The Fund for Gender Equality is part of a five-year initiative to advance gender equality in Canada, led by a collaboration between participating community foundations, Community Foundations of Canada and the Equality Fund, with support from the Government of Canada.
“Women have been on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19. They have also been sidelined and hit hardest by the pandemic. Our government is determined to protect the hard-won gains of the feminist movement and to build back better. We are applying an intersectional feminist response to our pandemic response, supporting the most vulnerable and investing in women entrepreneurs. This builds on our historic investments to support those on the frontlines of the fight for greater equality, including a sixfold increase in funds for women’s and equality-seeking organizations since 2015 and dedicated funds to address and prevent gender based violence. We appreciate our partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, which is focused on strengthening the Women’s movement across the country.” – The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Women and Gender Equality
From November 3 to 30, 2020 RDDCF will begin accepting applications for funding from organizations at the “heart” of the women’s movement, with a focus on organizations that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to empowering women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse people through their mission, activities, or partnerships. Grants can be used for a variety of purposes, including to pilot new initiatives, to address long-standing community needs, or to support a just recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. The initiatives themselves may touch on a wide range of areas that are affected by gender equality, including food insecurity, income inequality, racial injustice, domestic violence, and many more. In particular, the Fund will prioritize initiatives and organizations that are ‘self-led’—those that are led by the same groups that they focus on serving. Applications will be reviewed in December and it is expected that funding will be issued in January 2021. Charities and community organizations are invited to visit the foundation website for eligibility and application details.
“At Community Foundations of Canada, our purpose is to “relentlessly pursue a future where everyone belongs” said Andrea Dicks, Community Foundations of Canada President. “To create communities of true belonging, we need to advance gender equality across the country. Investing in women is not just the right thing to do, it is the strategic choice. By funding women-led and women-serving organizations, we can deliver double the impact—support decent work for female staff and support outstanding programming at community-led organizations that also serve women, girls, Two-Spirit people and gender-diverse people. We’re grateful for the financial support from the Government of Canada and the leadership of local community foundations like the Red Deer & District Community Foundation who are taking part in these efforts.”
Application portal will be open on November 3, 2020. Applicant guide and program details are available here: www.RDDCF.ca.
