The SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation supports existing and emerging social transformation initiatives that unite the efforts of Concordians and their partners with the goal of creating a more just, inclusive, and broadly prosperous Montreal.
$70,000 awarded to support Transformative Responses to COVID-19
People everywhere are responding to the ways in which injustice, inequity, and unsustainability are being amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. These efforts remind us that global crises have the potential to set the stage for unprecedented social change.
With this in mind, SHIFT launched a temporary funding program to support tranformative responses to the current moment. Between April and June 2020, we distributed $70,000 to 15 local initiatives that are driven by the needs of the community and have potential for social transformation, now or in the post-crisis context
What is social transformation?
Our working definition:
an intentional process of systemic change to address not only the symptoms but the root causes of inequity, injustice and unsustainability.
A project that has a transformative social impact is one that brings about change at the level of a whole system - impacting social norms and beliefs, resource consumption patterns, rules and practices, technologies and infrastructures, and/or the distribution of power.
Recognizing the inherent complexity of working across differences in power and practices to tackle major societal challenges, we strive to create the conditions for success by:
Facilitating connections between Concordians and external stakeholders;
Funding and accompanying multi-stakeholder collaborations;
Creating opportunities for deep knowledge sharing; and
Hosting a dynamic and welcoming work space
