Driving positive change by connecting diverse people, ideas and resources.

Driving positive change by connecting diverse people, ideas and resources.

News and events

Vital Signs: Ending sexual violence

Vital Signs: Ending sexual violence

Michael Parente3 Jun 2025

In 2023, Hamilton joined other Ontario municipalities in declaring an epidemic of  intimate partner violence and domestic violence. This also takes place in the context of increased attention to femicide across the country. Several local organizations are working to end…

HCF presents Pride vs. Prejudice: The Delwin Vriend Story

HCF presents Pride vs. Prejudice: The Delwin Vriend Story

Hamilton Community Foundation is proud to present a special free screening of Pride vs. Prejudice: The Delwin Vriend Story in celebration of Pride Month 2025. This event is presented in partnership with Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) and the Edmonton Queer…

Vital Signs: Rescuing affordable housing

Vital Signs: Rescuing affordable housing

Michael Parente13 May 2025

One of the most sobering indicators of Hamilton’s affordable housing crisis is the erosion of affordable housing stock: increasing rents and the sale of buildings has dramatically reduced the number of affordable units in our city. There is no magic…

Vital Signs: Expanding essential services

Vital Signs: Expanding essential services

Michael Parente1 May 2025

When we think of essential services, there are a few basics that come to mind — food, shelter, clean water, warmth. However, there are others that may not be as readily apparent, but which provide dignity and safety to folks…

Vital Signs: Trade War in Hamilton

Vital Signs: Trade War in Hamilton

Michael Parente16 Apr 2025

The unpredictable, ever-changing, tariff-led economic approach of the Trump administration has left Canadians wondering what the next two weeks may look like for their wallets. With its steel industry employing thousands of workers, Hamilton is particularly vulnerable to these measures…

Creating a vibrant, diverse and inclusive Hamilton

SCAFFOLD is a $50 million commitment to affordable housing that brings together resources based on research, consultation and the advice of policy experts.

The Community Fund — HCF’s original fund — is the fuel for responding to Hamilton’s most pressing needs and our leadership initiatives which address pervasive issues.

ABACUS focuses on the transitions to and through the middle-school years to increase the likelihood that young Hamiltonians graduate high school and access post-secondary opportunities.


Hamilton Community Foundation land acknowledgment

The City of Hamilton is situated upon the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas. This land is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, which was an agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek to share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. We further acknowledge that this land is covered by the Between the Lakes Purchase, 1792, between the Crown and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

Today, the City of Hamilton is home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island (North America) and we recognize that we must do more to learn about the rich history of this land so that we can better understand our roles as residents, neighbours, partners and caretakers.

Actions

HCF has approved a Declaration of Action to contribute and implement its response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, as well as to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. We are also undertaking board and staff education to deepen our knowledge and understanding of colonialism’s history and ongoing impact. 

Read about our Impact

Queer without fear

Legal education program is making Hamilton safer and more equitable for queer folks Audrey Merwin knows who she is. Now she wants …

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Work in progress, on purpose

Community curators help reimagine a national museum, one story at a time When the long-standing displays of industrial labour were…

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Spreading the word

Financial advisor a strong advocate for philanthropy Georgia Corkins’ history with Hamilton Community Foundation goes way back. …

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Stepping up

How a grant supporting stable housing is transforming young lives For youth leaving the child welfare system, adulthood isn’t a …

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Intensifying impact

Non-profit housing provider planning to convert townhomes to affordable units Sometimes the answers to our most pressing problems …

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Where the personal meets the collective

Knowing your options is always a good thing Donors to Hamilton Community Foundation are offered a simple way to maximize their imp…

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Going back to move forward

Inuit Elders and youth come to Hamilton for healing, sharing and closure In 1963, Ida Atagoyuk was separated from her baby daughte…

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Salad days

Healthcare providers at Compass Community Health have been writing a different kind of prescription since 2022. A recent grant fro…

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