Vision & Mission

McConnell Hub Logo

About the McConnell Foundation

Founded in 1937, we are a private Canadian foundation that supports organizations working to address community resilience, reconciliation, and climate change. Learn more about our mission and vision, how we support change, and the values and principles that underpin our work.

Vision and mission

Our vision

We envision a future in which our economy and social systems promote the thriving of all people, and in which the natural environment is stewarded for generations to come. We see all sectors working together to address climate change, to help foster reconciliation, and to unleash individual creativity and organizational resources to solve social challenges and strengthen communities.

Our mission

We strive for a resilient, inclusive and sustainable society that can successfully address its complex challenges.

Our roles in supporting change

Values and principles

Our values and principles are the cultural bedrock of our organization. Our values inform how we develop strategies and make decisions, and our principles are how we put these values into action.

In addition to our organizational values, McConnell is also a signatory to the Philanthropic Community’s Declaration of Action. As the Declaration states: “We thank the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for inviting us into this circle that is built on the seven sacred lessons of: Truth, Humility, Honesty, Respect, Courage, Wisdom and Love. These teachings are consistent with our collective purposes, principles and missions.”

Values & principles

Associations and commitments

The McConnell Foundation is a member of several associations and affinity groups. Membership in these groups help us to collaborate with other funders, expand our understanding of the issues facing the sector and enhance our impact.

A national network of philanthropic foundations and other organizations supporting efforts to transition toward a more sustainable world.

The Ceres Investor Network includes more than 220 institutional investors working to advance sustainable investment practices, engage with corporate leaders, and advocate for key policy and regulatory solutions to accelerate the transition to a just, sustainable, net zero emissions economy.

Read more on The Ceres Investor Network

The Circle transforms philanthropy and contributes to positive change between Philanthropy and Indigenous communities by creating spaces of learning, innovation, relationship-building, co-creation, and activation.

Read more on The Circle

The Collectif is a network of roughly 15 Québec-based foundations that share a concern and commitment to fighting inequality.

Read more on The Collectif

Confluence is an international organization, whose members represent a diversity of institutions, charitable asset types, personal and professional roles, and programmatic missions, but who share a commitment to values aligned investing.

Read more on Confluence

CREO connects like-minded and aligned investors, facilitating information flow, and fostering collaboration to accelerate capital deployment at scale. As a member, McConnell has access to a global community of investors that provide opportunities to partner and invest in climate and sustainability solutions.

Read more on CREO

A cross-Canada learning network of philanthropic foundations advocating for high-quality, publicly-funded, early childhood education and care for every preschool child.

A diverse community of over 550 grantmakers working to reshape the way philanthropy operates by promoting strategies and practices that help grantees achieve meaningful results, and success.

Read more on Grantmakers for Effective Organizations

A national charitable organization working — often in partnership with the private sector, governments and individuals — to ensure that charities continue to play a pivotal role in building, enriching and defining our nation.

Read more on Imagine Canada

A network of private and corporate foundations funding in the areas of mental health and wellbeing.

The Peace Network for Social Harmony, created in 2009, is a group of philanthropic foundations, institutional actors, corporate members and individuals committed to peace, non-violence, and an inclusive and open-minded society. The Network focuses on healthy and harmonious relationships in communities and on collaboration among stakeholders to foster the emergence of a stronger voice for “peace in action.”

Read more on the Peace Network for Social Harmony

A member association of Canadian grantmakers promoting the growth and development of effective and responsible foundations and organized philanthropy in Canada.

Read more on Philanthropic Foundations Canada

An independent, non-governmental organization dedicated to improving the quality of government in Canada through dialogue among leaders from all sectors of Canadian society.

Our commitments

We have also engaged in several public statements, commitments and declarations over the years. Below is a list of our current commitments. Read our Year in Review to learn more.

As the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment, PRI supports its international network of investor signatories to incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into their investment and ownership decisions.

The CISCC recognizes the catalyzing impact that investment assets can have on climate change and identifies actions investors can take to accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy. This includes requirements for our investees as well as standards and processes for investment practices.

The IPCC is a global movement of philanthropic foundations committed to taking urgent action on climate change.

The Circle contributes to positive change between philanthropic and Indigenous communities by creating spaces of learning, innovation, relationship-building, co-creation and activation.

PAR is a certification offered by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business that confirms corporate performance in Indigenous relations. Certified companies promote their level with a PAR logo signaling to communities that they are good business partners, great places to work and committed to prosperity in Indigenous communities.

Le Collectif is a group of Quebec foundations that believe that while governments have a duty to reduce inequalities, philanthropy has a complementary responsibility to curb rising inequality, contribute to a just and fair recovery and build more resilient systems.