Stories that inspire
The Foundation of Greater Montréal supports hundreds of community organizations in every sector. Their work enhances the well-being of the entire community, including that of its most vulnerable individuals. All our gratitude goes out to the men and women who work day in and day out to bring a better quality of life to all.
Our thanks go as well to FGM donors and fund creators, whose philanthropic efforts bring to life the values they embody: solidarity, generosity and community engagement. It is through their commitment that the Foundation and its partner organizations can have a real impact on the well-being of Greater Montréal’s population. Here are some of their stories.
The Fonds Les Éditions Esse
Esse arts + opinions, published by Les Éditions Esse, is a bilingual contemporary art magazine covering various artistic practices. It covers the visual arts, performing arts, digital arts and all forms of social, in situ and performance interventions. With a focus on social issues and ethical reflections as well as the major changes they entail, Esse regularly reaffirms its mandate as an engaged magazine. Thus, the thematic issues it produces reflect the concerns of artists and citizens by proposing innovative avenues for reflection. Since its very first participation in Mécénat Placements Culture via the Foundation of Greater Montréal, Esse has…
Un itinéraire pour tous
Un itinéraire pour tous (UIPT) is an organization that was created in 2004. Its mission is to support social development and the fight against poverty in Montreal North. In particular, it provides counselling, help with staying in school and strategies for youth violence prevention. Action solidaire du Nord-Est Project In 2022, through the Collective Fund for Social Equity, FGM made a grant to the Action solidaire du Nord-Est project. This initiative consists of a support network aiming to strengthen the social safety net protecting people in vulnerable situations. The project emphasizes the establishment of bonds of trust and neighbourhood-based services.…
Nature-Action Québec
Nature-Action Québec (NAQ) is a not-for-profit conservation organization and social economy enterprise dedicated to protecting the environment. It is the result of a citizen initiative started in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, more than 35 years ago. NAQ’s mission is to guide individuals and public bodies in the implementation of environmental best practices. Since its founding, it has become a major organization that brings to fruition about 350 ecological transition projects per year. NAQ achieves this by being active in more than 100 communities. In that spirit, both in 2022 and in 2023, it put out a call for projects (in French) to municipalities…
The Fonds d'action Saint-Laurent
The Fonds d’action Saint-Laurent (FASL) is a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of the St. Lawrence River. It was created in 2017 by Stratégies Saint-Laurent. The FASL works towards "the conservation of ecosystems and the continuing usability of the St. Lawrence River and its gulf". To do so, it supports initiatives that preserve, showcase and rehabilitate the river, and others involving education and awareness raising. These projects are carried out in partnership with local organizations. Among those are the ZIP committees (zone d’intervention prioritaire/area of prime concern). In particular, the FASL has funded the ZIP Committee "des Seigneuries" in its…
The C.I.EAU : le Centre d'interprétation de l'eau de Laval
The Centre d’interprétation de l’eau (C.I.EAU) de Laval is a nonprofit organization, a museum and a scientific institution, all at the same time. Created in 2002, the Centre is located in Laval's Sainte-Rose neighbourhood, on the shore of the Mille-Îles River. Its mission is to inform citizens about the water cycle in urban settings. Through exhibitions, conferences and experiments that are both scientific and recreational, it raises awareness about the importance of water. At a moment when climate change magnifies all the issues related to water, it explains why we must treasure it. In August of 2023, the C.I.EAU de…
The Fonds EcoMaris pour la jeunesse et les océans
EcoMaris, a non-profit social economy organization, was created in 2006 to operate Quebec’s first-ever environmentally oriented sailing vessel for training. It has since then been organizing maritime expeditions focused on multidisciplinary learning. It first acquired extensive experience in places as far afield as Amazonia. Currently, the organization centers its programming on the St. Lawrence River and the Atlantic Ocean. More specifically, it offers training in sailing to a variety of groups. In doing so, they teach them about navigation, the environment, and civic engagement. It also organizes expeditions that inventory the St. Lawrence’s flora and fauna. This way, EcoMaris contributes…