Our Approach

In addition to its major commitments in education, land conservation and science in Canada’s North, The W. Garfield Weston Foundation makes a number of grants annually which the Trustees seek out themselves.

Due to the focused and individualized nature of this grant-making, the Foundation does not accept applications for Trustee Initiated Grants.

Trustee Initiated Grants span a variety of interests and needs in urban and rural Canada. These include medical and nutritional research, programs in the arts and culture, community and heritage projects, education and the environment.

The Trustees’ approach to these grants reflect the overall values and perspectives of the Foundation. Innovation, excellence, leadership and a sense of community are at the core of Trustees’ giving in this area.

For example, the Weston Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program is a Trustee supported initiative that enables inner city children to take an overnight trip to a local conservation area.

By combining the residential field centre visit with in-school programming, a groundbreaking format for environmental programs has emerged. Lessons and activities that were designed for one field centre have now been adopted by other regions.  The “Weston Model” has emerged as a vehicle for enabling students to experience nature and then take responsibility in their own communities for sustainable practices. As one Grade 6 student stated, “We have changed our habits!”