Areas of
Focus

Avanti believes strong communities are built when people have stable homes, meaningful economic opportunities, and the social supports that help them feel connected, valued, and able to shape their future.

Our strategy rests on a simple idea: when community-rooted organizations have the flexibility, capital, and stability they need, they can create the conditions that help people stay housed, build livelihoods, and strengthen the places they call home.

Our Priority Areas of Focus

    • Short-term or bridge financing for nonprofit or co-op housing providers or developers 

    • Grants to charities or qualified donees to enable affordable housing 

    • Holistic, flexible supports embedded in or connected to housing environments, responsive to tenant ideas and needs 

    • Tenant leadership, advocacy, and peer-to-peer support

    • Neighbour-to-neighbour initiatives

    • Employment opportunities tied to housing (e.g. local hiring for retrofits or construction)

    • Support for Community Benefits Agreements, especially “soft costs” like community engagement, outreach, and training

    • Initiatives that strengthen local ownership and build community wealth

    • Skill-building programs that enhance economic participation and reduce barriers to employment or self-employment

Avanti is place-rooted. We focus primarily on areas where the Foundation’s leadership has deep personal ties:

  • Hamilton, a city with a strong identity where we aim to contribute to a thriving, inclusive future for the city

  • Parkdale (Toronto), where there is a history of robust community-led work around housing affordability, land ownership models, and tenant supports