Community Economic Development

Haida Gwaii Community Futures is part of a Canada-wide network supporting community economic development to build the capacity of communities to be sustainable, resilient and prosperous. The purpose of the Community Futures program is to help communities develop and implement local solutions to local problems.

What we do

As part of our strategic plan we work with individuals, groups, non-profit organizations, local governments and businesses to increase the capabilities of residents to contribute to the islands’ future social and economic success. Some of the areas we’ve worked in include: social development, education, health, arts and culture, environmental sustainability, youth leadership, and training initiatives. 

How we do it

Our approach is two-fold. We understand the importance of economic development being community led. Therefore, we work from the bottom-up, supporting individuals through our small business loans and entrepreneurial support services. We work directly with entrepreneurs to increase access to capital, and to build local capacity. In addition, we actively engage with local communities to discover local values and help grow local ideas that improve the quality of life on Haida Gwaii.

We also work from the top-down, working with local governments to develop systems and policies that work better for all island communities.

Social Enterprise

We support and advocate for social purpose businesses that have a quadruple bottom-line: culture, environment, community and economy.

Haida Gwaii Community Futures can provide social enterprises and green businesses loan access to capital at favourable lending rates. 

Partners

We partner with other organizations to support the success of local initiatives.