Place-based generosity during the pandemic: Innovative rural philanthropic organizations’ responses to COVID-19 and (re-)building resilient rural communities in Canada

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed various vulnerabilities of rural communities in Canada. Place-based philanthropic organizations are key players in rural economies with capacity to foster resilience through development. Amid this global crisis, rural Canadians have felt an increased need for the services that philanthropic organizations provide. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with participants representing place-based philanthropic organizations in three regions across Canada (Atlantic Canada, Ontario, and British Columbia), our findings suggest that, despite the collective difficulty of adjusting to a “new normal,” Canadian place-based philanthropic organizations remain deeply committed to their service area, with many pivoting to meet the changing needs of rural Canadians and devising innovative strategies to overcome these new challenges. These insights aim to inform strategic planning and sustainability of place-based philanthropic organizations and connect with policy governing the philanthropic sector to better foster rural resiliency as Canada navigates its pandemic recovery efforts.