JEDI Accelerator

15 September 2021 - 11 May 2022 / Registration Closed

Move your foundations’ JEDI strategy forward in 2021! A Peer-Learning Opportunity Open to PFC members. Grantmaking foundations that are non-members of PFC can participate under certain conditions.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) have become pressing priorities for foundations in Canada. How do you start? How do you move from general commitment to action? PFC is offering a new program in 2021 for foundations that want to bring JEDI to life throughout their organization – from governance to grantmaking.

If you are a non-member of PFC, but a private or community foundation interested in participating, please contact ichaalala@pfc.ca

Who Should Apply?

The program is appropriate for all PFC member foundations * who are committed and seeking an opportunity to learn and apply JEDI throughout their organization. The JEDI Accelerator is equally applicable for those looking to improve on current philanthropic practice as those looking to innovate how philanthropy is done.

If you are a non-member of PFC, but a private or community foundation interested in participating, please contact ichaalala@pfc.ca

Agenda

The Program

The JEDI Accelerator is a peer learning program in which a small group of Canadian foundations is guided through a reflection, planning, and action process. The program is highly interactive and includes key concepts, frameworks, and tools; peer discussion and problem-solving; inspiring guest speakers; and activities for foundations to undertake between group sessions. By the end of this interactive 10-months accelerator you will have:
  • A deep understanding and common language on JEDI among your team;
  • JEDI tools specifically selected for your needs;
  • An action plan on JEDI;
  • Implemented key steps (such as Board and staff education and engagement, review of policies and programs, relationship building with community partners);
  • A strong peer cohort for mutual support in the future

Leading-edge practices will be drawn from the fields of philanthropy for racial equity and feminist philanthropy. Content will be adapted to the needs of the foundations participating. Areas of learning will likely include:
  • JEDI in governance, granting, operations, investments, and external and internal relations
  • Community engagement and relations with diverse communities and movements
  • Race factor, bias, and racial equity training
  • Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) and intersectionality
  • Building and retaining a diverse talent pipeline
  • Performance management
  • Belonging and why it matters for outcomes
  • How to embed metrics and track JEDI data

The Participants

  • 10 foundations are required to launch this cohort.
  • Open to PFC members and non-members, under specific conditions*.
  • French-speaking and English-speaking (written materials and simultaneous translation offered in both languages).
To get the most of the learnings, foundations must have sufficient internal commitment to advancing JEDI through policy and concrete steps in the coming year. Participating foundations will be at different stages of their JEDI learning and implementation.

This DEI cohort is open to:

  • Foundation board members,
  • Foundation leaders, and
  • Program staff.
When possible, Foundations are encouraged to designate 2 to 3 participants from their foundation boards, foundation leaders, or foundation senior program staff to form a multi-functional team that will participate in the cohort. For foundations that do not have the capacity to form a team, individual registrations are welcome. If you are a non-member of PFC, but a private or community foundation interested in participating, please contact ichaalala@pfc.ca

The Facilitators

Hanifa Kassam and Juniper Glass have been an active part of the philanthropic sector, creating resources and holding space for learning and action to advance justice, equity, and inclusion. They have been commissioned by PFC to develop action guides on DEI and gender equity in foundations and a DEI response to COVID-19. Both Juniper and Hanifa hold Master’s degrees in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership and have experience governing and consulting at grantmaking foundations across Canada. The facilitator team brings lived experience in racialized, disabled, queer, rural, urban, and low-income realities, as well as work experience in many other diverse communities.

PFC Lead

Inès Chaalala is currently the Director of Learning and Partnerships at Philanthropic Foundations Canada leading the development and implementation of PFC’s learning agenda and partnerships. In 2018, she helped launch the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program at PFC, becoming part of PFC’s regular programming since 2019, and an integral part of the PFC strategic plan in 2021. Before working at PFC, Ines held several positions at the United Nations and worked as a consultant to civil society organizations in Canada and globally. During most of this time, she was a capacity-building specialist designing and facilitating a-to-peer learning programs internationally for governments and civil society organizations on a variety of topics such as environmental governance and policies, innovative financing, civil engagement, cross-sectoral collaborations, etc… If you have any questions about the program please write to ichaalala@pfc.ca
Jedi Accelerator

Documents & Resources