In 2023, the McConnell Foundation committed to transferring $30 million from our endowment to Indigenous-led philanthropic organizations. So far, we have committed $16.5 million in capital transfers to 4 different organizations. Indigenous-led philanthropy is growing across the country, and we are excited to play a small role in supporting this work.
Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund
We began our capital transfer journey in 2021 by announcing a $10 million transfer to the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund (IPRF), an Indigenous-led fund that provides flexible, community-driven support across the country.
Building on that foundation, we have since focused on regional organizations that strengthen local ecosystems of Indigenous-led philanthropy. In our third year, we are pleased to share the progress and vision of our newest capital transfer partners: Ulnooweg, Eenou-Eeyou, and Annauma.
Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation
Based in Atlantic Canada, Ulnooweg has been supporting Indigenous communities, individuals, and businesses for more than 35 years. Ulnooweg is dedicated to advancing the success and self-determination of Indigenous peoples through entrepreneurship, education, and capacity building. The organization is also taking a leadership role in closing the gap between the philanthropic sector and Indigenous communities—creating new funds, pursuing investment opportunities, and strengthening public understanding of the opportunities for Indigenous-led philanthropy.
In June 2024, we were pleased to contribute a $2 million transfer to the Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation’s endowment, which will be dedicated to youth programs focused on language and culture across the Atlantic region.
Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation (EECF)
Established in 2016, the Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation (EECF) is the central Cree-led grantmaking foundation in Eeyou Istchee, supporting charitable, grassroots, and civil society projects across 10 Cree communities in northern Quebec. This year, EECF announced the launch of a Community Fund – with a fundraising goal of $15M – to back grassroots, Cree-led initiatives across 10 Eeyou and Eenou communities
With a focus on healing, cultural revitalization, and intergenerational knowledge transfer, the fund will be shaped through community engagement and sustained through a long-term endowment, to which McConnell is contributing with a transfer of $1.5M, announced in June 2025.
Annauma Community Foundation
As Nunavut’s first community foundation, Annauma practices Inuktitut Philanthropy, a way of giving rooted in Inuit values of sharing collective wealth. After successfully completing the $10 million Caring North Campaign, Annauma is now building the Pirujaq Fund, a $50 million fund that will serve as a multi-year growth fund for the nonprofit and charitable sectors across Nunavut. More than an endowment, the fund is designed to reflect the spirit and values of Inuktitut Philanthropy and was inspired by the Pirujaq, an Inuit shared food cache used to supply nomadic communities since time immemorial. We are pleased to contribute to this fund with a $3M transfer, announced in June 2025.
Three years after our first capital transfer, we remain committed to learning alongside our partners and supporting philanthropic infrastructure that reflects the leadership, priorities, and values of Indigenous communities.