Toronto Pearson is investing $780,000 — the largest Nest Fund in the program’s history — to support 10 Indigenous-led organizations through the Propeller Project, the airport’s community investment program. The funding is targeted at organizational capacity building, including strategic planning, evaluation, staffing and volunteer training, communications and marketing, and fundraising support to help Indigenous organizations strengthen operations and create opportunities for future growth.
“This investment is planting the seeds of the future, rooted in partnerships with Indigenous organizations and communities,” said Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto Pearson. The announcement builds on several years of work under Toronto Pearson’s Indigenous Relations Action Plan, which focuses on learning, authentic relationship-building and community-level action to advance reconciliation.
The Nest Fund recipients represent a range of Indigenous priorities — from urban cultural programming and youth supports to Indigenous tourism, professional development and post-secondary education. The 10 organizations supported are: Aboriginal Labour Force Development Circle; ENAGB Youth Program; Indigenous Professional Association of Canada; Indigenous Tourism Ontario; Moccasin Identifier; Native Canadian Centre of Toronto; Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation; Ontario Native Women’s Association; Six Nations Polytechnic Inc.; and The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.
By investing in organizational capacity, Toronto Pearson says it aims to help these organizations expand services, improve sustainability and increase their impact across communities. The Propeller Project Nest Fund exemplifies how corporate community investment can support Indigenous leadership and long-term reconciliation efforts. Read more here.