Foundations in Focus

Join us to hear learn how your foundation’s investments can power local change in Southwestern Ontario!
​We are excited to invite you to an engaging virtual dialogue, “Foundations in Focus,” where we’ll explore how foundations are driving meaningful change across our communities through their impact investments.

​Across Southwestern Ontario, changemakers are redefining how business can build a better world – tackling challenges like poverty, housing insecurity, and climate resilience. Yet, one critical barrier remains: access to capital.

​That’s where the VERGE Breakthrough Fund II (VBFII) comes in. This $5 million local impact investment fund connects purpose-driven investors with social enterprises that are creating sustainable solutions for our region’s most pressing challenges.

​Join us to:

​Understand how impact investing works and why it’s gaining traction.

​Hear from foundation and institutional investors, who will share how their organizations are leveraging their portfolios to create change.

​Learn how VERGE Breakthrough Fund II supports local enterprises and community transformation.

​Engage in a live Q&A with our speakers.

​🎙️ Speakers:
​Our moderators, Andre Vashist and Michelle Baldwin are well known across Canada for their leadership in impact investing, philanthropy and social innovation.

​Lina Bowden, Founder of Verge Capital, is a local advocate for place-based impact investing.

​Michelle Baldwin, Co-Executive Director, Impact United Academy

​André Pawan Vashist, Director, Learning and Collaboration, Philanthropic Foundations Canada

​Our Foundation and Institutional Investor panel includes:

​Mritunjay (MJ) Sinha, Impact Investor, CIO for Foundations & Family Offices

​Alison Moeller, Chief Financial Officer, Oakville Community Foundation

​Henry Thuss, Finance Committee, Ursuline Sisters of Chatham