Work with us to achieve positive change
At the heart of all we do is a spirit of collaboration. Our programs are designed to include a broad range of participants and to provide opportunities for growth through partnership.
Partners of The Gordon Foundation are as diverse as the communities we work with, and include a variety of public and private sector supporters. If you are passionate about the North or protecting Canada's water, we want to hear from you. From short-term partnership opportunities to longer-term program support, we are interested in building relationships with individuals, organizations, and communities that share a passion for the work we do. Our partners are active and reliable members of our team, sharing our commitment to setting ambitious goals and working hard to exceed them.
The Foundation At a Glance
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1965
Founded in 1965
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75
Emerging Voices Amplified
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$37M
Invested in the North and Freshwater
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282
Monitoring Groups Sharing Water Quality Data
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1987
Working North of 60° Since 1987
With over 50 years in operation, The Gordon Foundation has an enduring legacy of philanthropy in Canada.
Our founders shared a vision for a prosperous Canada, serving all Canadians. While we have evolved significantly as an organization, we continue to pursue goals and advance programs that reflect the spirit of the Gordon family. The Foundation's goal is to promote innovative public policies for the North and in fresh water management based on our values of independent thought, protecting the environment, and full participation of Indigenous peoples in the decisions that affect their well-being.
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75
Emerging Voices Amplified
Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship Follow the Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship on TwitterWe have a history of amplifying emerging leaders' voices on issues that matter most to them and their communities.
The current fellowship program, the Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship is a policy and leadership development program focused on realizing the leadership potential of young northern Canadians eager to address policy challenges facing the North. The Foundation’s Global Citizenship Program which ran until 2012 focused on members of diaspora communities and young Canadians who shared a passion for solving global challenges and who were poised to help shape Canada’s international policies. The Foundation's Water Policy Fellowship which ran until 2010 supported emerging leadership in building links between research and Canadian public policy to address water policy issues.
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The Gordon Foundation has invested over $37 million in a variety of northern community initiatives and freshwater protection initiatives.
Over the past fifty years the Foundation has undertaken research, leadership development and public dialogue to support Canadian public policies that reflect a commitment to stewardship of our freshwater resources and to a people-driven, equitable and evolving North. In recent years we have successfully expanded the Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship and DataStream programs through collaboration and partnership with a broad range of organizations who share our values and objectives.
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DataStream allows community members, policymakers, and researchers access to a wealth of scientific data used to advance collaboration and in the development of sound freshwater policy.
The Gordon Foundation has made a longstanding commitment to protect Canada’s water and empower Canada’s North. The DataStream initiative is designed for public audiences and decision-makers, allowing users to access, visualize, and download full water quality datasets collected through dedicated community monitoring programs. We are actively seeking partnerships – specifically datasets, expertise and resources – to further DataStream’s reach and to support innovative research, citizen engagement, and the development of sound freshwater policy.
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For more than 30 years The Gordon Foundation has been working to support a prosperous and evolving Canadian North.
Lead by Jane Glassco's personal passion for the North, this focus was championed by the next generation of Foundation leadership following the deaths of Walter and Duncan Gordon. In 1987, the North became a primary priority, focusing on issues such as land rights and treaty negotiations, resource development, and human rights. Over the years the Foundation's Northern Program has evolved, but remains focused on ensuring a people-driven, equitable and evolving North.
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"When I look to the future, I see strong Indigenous leaders advocating with a clear, confident voice for the values and needs of their peoples. Many of those voices will surely be Jane Glassco Northern Fellows."
Supporters
Working with these organizations has broadened our reach, and increased our impact.
Tools to Take to Your Team
These easily shareable tools will provide additional information and history on who we are, what we do, and why you should partner with The Gordon Foundation.
