About Us
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is a not-for-profit organization. The Foundation was created to help foster our Greenbelt’s living countryside by nurturing and supporting activities that preserve its environmental and agricultural integrity.
The following are the Foundation's Vision, Goals, Approach and Grant Making tactics.
Our Vision
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is dedicated to promoting and sustaining the Greenbelt as a beneficial, valuable, and permanent feature, enhancing the quality of life for all residents of Ontario. Our vision is a vibrant and healthy Greenbelt with a protected and restored natural environment, a strong and successful rural countryside, a robust agricultural sector and a pattern of urban settlement that supports the Greenbelt.
Our Goals
The goal of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is to nurture and support activities that preserve and enhance the Greenbelt’s agricultural, rural and ecological integrity and viability.
Our Approach
We will support organizations whose efforts are realizing our vision of the Greenbelt. Organizations working on the ground are critical to our success and these groups are often in the best position to identify opportunities, build broader public involvement, and act as a powerful force for change.
We will promote mutually-supportive relationships between the Greenbelt and the urban areas adjacent to it. By coordinating diverse initiatives we will foster urban/rural connections that highlight the important relationship between cities and rural communities.
We will support a variety of means to increase public awareness of the Greenbelt and its many benefits. Widespread knowledge of the Greenbelt, its geography and contribution to our health and well-being is essential to sustaining it as a beneficial, valuable and permanent feature.
We will track and report on accountability at three levels: the Foundation’s accountability to the public with respect to the responsible and effective use of its resources; organizational accountability of grantees to the Foundation regarding efforts to achieve stated goals; and government accountability to the public regarding the fulfillment of commitments and obligations under the Greenbelt Act and Greenbelt Plan.
We will seek to facilitate and convene. We will encourage and foster relationships among many different organizations with an interest in Greenbelt activities. By bringing together not-for-profit organizations, other foundations, governments and corporations, we hope to cultivate collaborative partnerships, learn from others’ expertise, and catalyze activities that support the Greenbelt as a whole.
Our Grant Making
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is a charitable organization, independent from the Province of Ontario. The Foundation is interested in funding activities that promote and sustain the Greenbelt as a beneficial, valuable and permanent feature, enhancing the life of all Ontarians.
Our vision can be realized by supporting a variety of activities that inspire possibility in three grant program areas:
- Promoting Greenbelt-grown food
- Greening the Greenbelt through cleaner air and cleaner water
- Inspiring innovation in the Greenbelt
The Foundation is interested in being a positive force for creating new relationships and connections across the Greenbelt. We encourage proposals that integrate the three program areas. We also encourage applicants to consider including public awareness and engagement activities in their proposals or to conduct specific public awareness efforts geared to targeted audiences with focused messages and benchmarks for success.
