Small Change Fund is a catalyst of hopeful change
With a diverse staff of 28 experts working from coast to coast to coast in both official languages and several Indigenous ones, the crowdfunding platform is the core of Small Change Fund.
The cover photo for the Building a Liveable Ontario campaign on the Small Change Fund website. Credit: Small Change Fund
Here’s something to get your head around, Small Change – my Substack site – has absolutely nothing to do with Small Change Fund! However, I do write and podcast extensively about their incredible initiatives.
Small Change Fund is the registered charity where individuals and grassroots groups get crowdfunding help, expert campaign advice, and coaching to turn their good intentions into great results.
Small Change Fund acts as a catalyst for Canadians to improve the environment, reduce poverty and promote reconciliation efforts. Their diverse staff of 28 experts work from coast to coast to coast in both official languages and several Indigenous ones.
While the crowdfunding platform is the core of Small Change Fund’s operations, the registered charity also provides expertise in campaigning, fundraising, government relations and communications. In fact, Small Change fund has helped more than 270 organizations, while also developing their own projects that tackle climate change, promote youth transit and construct housing for the unhoused.
Co-founded 15 years ago by Ruth Richardson and Mary McGrath, these visionaries were inspired by the idea of using micro-funding to support grassroots initiatives. Mary McGrath serves as the Board Chair and Burkhard Mausberg is the current President/Executive Director.
Small Change Fund is a way to capitalize on ideas and solutions by investing in people who know exactly what their communities need, but who might benefit from a little guidance and financial assistance to achieve their goals.
Small Change Fund offers a plethora of services including the crowdfunding platform; campaign strategy; fundraising support; government relations; digital strategy and support; communications; financial systems support; administrative support; as well as research and human resources support.
Project & Communications Manager, Abbie Branchflower, supports partners with messaging, grant writing, project management and digital strategy. She is the voice behind Small Change Fund’s daily communications, newsletter and social media and regularly produces visual and written content for both the Fund and their partners.
“At Small Change Fund, we believe that people know best what their communities need but don't always have the tools necessary to make these changes. When we began in 2009, our goal was to help the many small grassroots groups that no one else was — and we're still doing that today. These groups bring the passion, knowledge and drive and Small Change Fund supports them with fundraising, strategy and more. As our website says, we've helped more than 300 community-led projects punch well above their weight,” Branchflower told Small Change via email.
Branchflower has seen, “Grassroots groups that sprang up overnight to fight something in their community find their fundraising rhythm with our support and meet or even exceed their goals in a matter of months. I've also seen groups fighting a massively uphill battle find renewed strength through our support and resources after years of fighting for their communities.”
Let’s take a look at a few of the initiatives Small Change Fund is helping to advance starting with some I’ve written extensively about.
Karen Barnes is facing a potential $400,000 fine and pending court case because Burlington City Council is falsely claiming that her ten-year old naturalized garden, “doesn’t conform to bylaw standards.” Karen has set up a fund to help with the costs of her on-going legal challenge. You can donate here.
Demand A Moratorium Now! Reform Gravel Mining Coalition (RGMC) is calling for a moratorium on new gravel mining applications in order to assess aggregate needs for the future while protecting the environment and communities from the devastating impacts of gravel mining. Several communities across the Ontario are in the midst of Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) hearings opposing expansions and new applications. Donate to the DAMN campaign here.
Water Watchers is dedicated to the protection, restoration and conservation of water in the Great Lakes Watershed. Water Watchers believes that Water is for Life, Not Profit and that water is a human right. They want to see the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) achieved in Canada by 2030. Donate to Water for Life here.
Now, lets look a some other impactful projects Small Change Fund is supporting.
Climate change isn't funny, and that's a problem. Small Change Fund believes when people are laughing, they're listening. That’s why they created Hot Globe an online comedy series that exposes the real stories as well as the bad actors behind the Canadian and global climate crisis.
Created by Canadians Alex Tindal, Miguel Rivas, Roger Bainbridge, Laura Cilevitz and produced by Small Change Fund, each micro-episode is filled with climate change information, pertinent players from governments to businesses and even the greenies themselves. This valuable information is easily digestible thanks to the humour.
With a goal of raising $2,000, Hot Globe has total donations of $413 so far, but you can donate today to help turn up the heat on climate issues!
Shot from FAIRY CREEK documentary Credit: Small Change Fund
The documentary FAIRY CREEK premiered at the 2024 Planet in Focus Film Festival in Toronto. The Fairy Creek (Ada’itsx) valley sprawls across Pacheedaht First Nation territory on southwestern Vancouver Island. Its thriving old growth forest ecosystem is at threat from the Teal Jones Lumber Corporation as they demolish this environmental haven to facilitate their road-building project.
Director Jen Muranetz captured the largest demonstration of civil disobedience in Canadian history and the mass arrest of approximately 1,200 people. Muranetz is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and visual storyteller residing on the unceded and stolen Coast Salish territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations, in the place now known as Vancouver, BC.
FAIRY CREEK is an urgent portrait of resistance, documenting an assembly of protestors organizing together despite varying backgrounds, ideologies, and tactics. Muranetz highlights the rapture of a united eco-activist community, coinhabiting the earth, dancing together, and cherishing biodiversity. At the same time, this breathtaking documentary looks at the challenges of political consciousness in an age of rampant extractive capitalism, where industries working with governments – lets call them what they are, oligarchs – eviscerate everything in their path, including the last pristine ecosystems. FAIRY CREEK depicts a historic struggle to defend Canadian old growth forests as an experience of absolute devotion, thrust between whiplashes of triumph and heartbreak.
With a goal of raising $30,000 FAIRY CREEK has raised $18,347 and you can donate today to help get this important documentary get out to audiences. Click here to host a community screening.
Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics Credit: Small Change Fund
Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics is an award-winning feature documentary investigating the world’s addiction to plastic as well as the imminent threat of microplastics on human health. Almost every bit of plastic ever made breaks down into “microplastics” that drift in the air, float in water and mix with soil becoming permanent parts of the environment that naturally navigate into humans.
Leading scientists are finding microplastics in every part of human bodies including organs, blood, brain tissue and even the placentas of new mothers.
Acclaimed author and science journalist Ziya Tong visited leading scientists around the world and underwent experiments on her food and her body while collaborating with award-winning director Ben Addelman (Discordia, Bombay Calling, Nollywood Babylon, Kivalina v. Exxon) in an urgent call to action for all of us to rethink our relationship with plastic.
So far, Small Change Fund has raised $687,110 towards the $1,000,000 goal that will help inform folks about the invisible specter of microplastics. Visit the Take Action page to donate and host a screening.
Georgian Bay Geopark Initiative Credit: Small Change Fund
Georgian Bay Geopark Initiative is all about the rocks! By helping residents and visitors discover and understand how Georgian Bay’s unique geology has shaped the entire watershed, environment, flora, fauna and cultures over the past 2.7 billion years, the Georgian Bay Geopark informs and inspires a more sustainable future.
This grassroots initiative has tasked itself with establishing Georgian Bay as one of the greatest United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Geoparks in Canada. Increasing knowledge of this remarkable land while absorbing the fascinating story of its origins and evolution gives a clearer, distinctive sense of this environmentally significant place.
The Georgian Bay Geopark is an essential, generational initiative led by a grassroots team of volunteer experts from across Georgian Bay that includes Nick Eyles, renowned author, Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto and the world’s foremost expert on the Geology of the Great Lakes.
Through innovative, pan-Georgian Bay research, folks will have a better understanding of Georgian Bay’s coastlines and watersheds. Partnering with First Nations and Metis communities in education, land stewardship and geo-cultural tourism as well as with municipalities to build deep connections in each of the seven unique Geopark regions, this project hopes to build a shared vision of Georgian Bay while respecting the distinctive geological and cultural heritage.
With a goal of raising $500,000, Georgian Bay Geopark Initiative has raised $460,313 so far and you can help them reach their goal by donating here.
Greenbelt Champions is a campaign designed to keeping bulldozers out of the Greenbelt — one of Ontario’s most important environmental achievements. To that end, thousands of community members came together to save this treasure from political and corporate greed during the first term of the Ford government.
Decades ago, forward-thinking community organizations and politicians from ALL political parties recognized the rapidly growing environmental threat posed by unrestricted expansion of urban centres into the countryside.
The Greenbelt is a safeguard that forces municipalities to address the housing crisis by building smart in order to avoid destroying critical ecosystems and farmlands. Instead, Doug Ford’s government tried to expand onto Greenbelt and environmentally sensitive and significant lands. But after public outcry, and a few scandals, the Ford government agreed to return those misappropriated lands to the Greenbelt.
In Ford’s second term as Premier, those same lands, and more, are once again under attack thanks to Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025. Bill 5 allows for areas of Greenbelt land to be designated essential economic zones exempting designated proponents or projects from certain legal and regulatory requirements. But together Ontarians and Canadians can fight this environmental destruction and climate crisis nightmare.
With a goal of $1,000,000 the Greenbelt Champions fund is well on its way having raised $506,974. You can help save the Greenbelt by donating here.
Climate Stories Atlantic Credit: Small Change Fund
Climate Stories Atlantic provides professionally written and edited articles, profiles, and backgrounders about positive climate change projects. And, let’s face it, we could all use some good climate change news!
Small Change Fund is helping fight feelings of climate fatigue and despair by making climate solutions success stories from communities across the Atlantic region accessible and empowering,
Climate Stories Atlantic is an exclusively climate-focused online publication and content platform. It was founded by professionals with a wealth of experience in journalism, public education, communications, climate change, and filmmaking.
Climate Stories Atlantic is helping seed the ground for increased community involvement in climate action. These stories are about real people with real-world solutions. The platform is a robust and accessible source of cautious optimism.
Climate solutions aren’t always easy, but we can still implement concrete solutions to help combat it. And, those positive steps help create a narrative of positive change.
Climate Stories Atlantic has set a goal of $35,000. Why not be the first to donate today!
“There are lots of ways readers can get involved in Small Change Fund's work! Please consider signing up for our monthly newsletter — a sign up form is located near the bottom of every page on our website smallchangefund.ca — and following us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram and engaging with/sharing our content,” Branchflower said.
*A version of this article first appeared on rabble.ca.
Visit Small Change Fund to see how crowd funding is helping create a better world.
Watch Small Change Fund’s four-minute 2024 Annual Report video for some much needed inspiration and hope!
Thanks to everyone who read today’s article. With your financial support, a little Nicoll can make a lot of change.
You can also find my work in public parking, herizons, rabble.ca and on my Wix site. Follow me on Instagram, X @doreennicoll61, Bluesky @nicollneedschange and Facebook