Welcome to the Caribou Community Fund
Why us? Holistic Approach
Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador (CSCNL) is uniquely positioned due to our holistic approach, working in deep collaboration across the private, public, community, academic, and labour sectors to drive socio-economic change.
In 2024, CSCNL launched the Social Innovation Lab, a pivotal initiative aimed at enhancing our capacity-building efforts. The Social Innovation Lab serves as a cornerstone for establishing a place-based impact fund, which will provide targeted financial resources to support localized socio-economic development.
By fostering these strategic partnerships and initiatives, we are committed to creating sustainable and impactful solutions for the communities we serve.
Caribou Community Fund
A place-based fund focused on making impact-driven investments in changemakers to foster sustainable, resilient communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Our strategic focus areas leverage Newfoundland and Labrador's unique strengths and address its key opportunities. We aim to tackle the rural-urban divide with locally-led initiatives, harness our rich cultural heritage to boost the creative economy and ensure the economic benefits of our natural resources remain within local communities.
Additionally, we support the transition to a low-carbon economy and invest in socio-economic factors to unlock long-term benefits. These initiatives are designed to foster sustainable development and enhance the quality of life in our province.
We are looking to make a wide array of products available to meet investees where they are.
Impact
The fund aims to foster sustainable and resilient communities across the province by enabling a creative economy, ensuring local economic benefits from natural resources, and investing in socio-economic factors for long-term benefits. Through these strategic efforts, the fund strives to promote community vitality, self-reliance, and diversified wealth, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Community Vitality
Community Vitality reflects the overall health, adaptability, and sustainability of a community. It includes economic stability, cultural richness, social connections, and environmental stewardship. This dimension focuses on fostering job opportunities, essential services, and active engagement to build resilient, vibrant communities. Community Vitality emphasizes strengthening local connections and ensuring long-term quality of life.
Key Outcomes:
Sustained jobs, access to vital services, and enhanced community participation.
Self-reliance
Self-Reliance centers on empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to act independently and confidently in driving their own development. It emphasizes economic resilience, skill-building, and reduced dependence on external funding. By fostering sustainable practices, Self-Reliance promotes local economic growth and equips communities to thrive autonomously.
Key Outcomes:
Economic independence, organizational sustainability, and resilience.
Diversified Wealth
Diversified Wealth focuses on creating a balanced approach to value generation that integrates financial, social, and environmental goals. This dimension includes financial profits reinvested for community benefit, job creation, and sustainable practices. It seeks to provide long-term, holistic benefits by aligning business operations with community well-being and environmental stewardship.
Key Outcomes:
Broader economic security, sustainable growth, and strengthened community and environmental support.
Fund Management
We will leverage the capacity, expertise, and resources of the Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador to support the fund while ensuring its long-term sustainability. The Caribou Community Fund will be a separately incorporated entity with a management agreement with CSCNL.