What is the South Georgian Bay innovation fund?
Our Vision
The objective of the South Georgian Bay Innovation Fund is to improve quality of life for people in South Georgian Bay. We support organizations and groups led by social entrepreneurs who are developing innovative approaches to issues across four important pillars within the not-for-profit sector: social, economic, environmental and cultural.
The fund’s goal is to help activate and accelerate new and innovative community initiatives and/or seek innovative approaches to current systems that aren’t working well.
We know the winning formula from experience: An innovative idea + social entrepreneurs as champions + an outcome-focused plan with milestones and resources required + some seed capital = positive change, always!
The fund includes two parts. The endowment fund is a permanent legacy for the community, generating sustainable income for grants year after year, forever. The companion flow-through fund provides access to funding if an important project appears that needs more immediate investment.
Over time the fund aspires to become a true community fund, attracting additional partners and financial contributions from local philanthropists and other sources, all with a collective desire to accelerate positive change in the South Georgian Bay region.
A Permanent Legacy
“This launches a permanent legacy for the community that could grow significantly with support from like-minded people who see it as a simple way to ‘pay it forward’. Imagine the impact of a fund that could generate several million dollars a year to create innovative answers to community challenges, for generations to come.”
“In the Hall’s social entrepreneurial journey, they have focussed on helping to build new and innovative initiatives in South Georgian Bay. In the next step in their journey, Larry and Barb have provided the anchor funding of $1.1 million for this new Innovation Fund. As Steve Bennett articulates, over the next several years the Halls and their team will be reaching into the community to recruit others who share their vision of South Georgian Bay becoming an even better place to live, play and work. Plan to join them!”
Founders
Larry and Barb Hall
The Halls have deep roots in South Georgian Bay. Since the late 1960’s their family has actively skied at Alpine Ski Club, leading to a permanent move to Ravenna in 2001.
The Halls have always been involved and supportive of the community. Early on Larry was Chair of the Community Policing Committee in the Town of the Blue Mountains. At the same time, Barb was a leader and Instructor for the Heart & Stroke Cardiac Rehab program at the Collingwood Hospital. Larry and Barb are among the founders of OslerBrook Golf Club, were owners of the former Collingwood Fitness, Squash and Wellness Centre (now MVMT) and are constant contributors to many charitable causes in the region.
Five years ago they established the Wellness Innovation Fund at the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital Foundation and along with several Persons with Parkinson’s, the South Georgian Bay Living Better with Parkinson’s program.
They are true community builders, believing that putting together the right people with the right resources leads to innovative progress for improving quality of life in South Georgian Bay.
“As great as South Georgian Bay is, its communities and leaders are poised to make things even better. Our contribution — take the learnings from our social entrepreneurship journey to create and fund a new initiative, the South Georgian Bay Innovation Fund.”