Ten Years of Grant-making: An Interview with Tim Pringle, Executive Director

Q The Foundation has awarded $15 million in grants in the past ten years. Have any changes been made in the grant-making process?

A We’ve made significant changes in our approach to grant making over the years. The initial group of Governors decided on a strategy that would make the Foundation known to the community and the real estate industry. They wanted to educate people about our grants program, what it can do and how. The early years saw an emphasis on education, on working with large post- secondary institutions such as UBC and SFU. But the past five years have seen a shift in focus. We’re much more involved now in small centres throughout the province. We work more with local governments and local government agencies. This wasn’t the case before. We also work on common goals with local real estate boards, something we didn’t do before.”

Q What has this shift brought about?

A For one thing, it’s given us a clearer picture of where the Foundation fits in within the various kinds of funding available to communities interested in land use issues. We see ourselves, and I think the communities do too, as much more than simply a Foundation that gives money to projects that fit its funding philosophy.

Q How would you describe the Foundation then?

A I think the word “resource” is key to how we view ourselves. Over the years the different groups of Governors developed a strategy for funding. In essence their strategy involves partnering. Initially, the Governors took a generalized approach to funding and supported projects that met the Foundation’s mandate, but they lacked an integrated strategy.

Q What caused the Governors to think about a strategy?

A Experience. As they became more interested in very applied approaches to land use issues, they had to find out what was and was not useful to practitioners in the field. To do that, all of us—Governors and staff—had to find out much more about what goes on at the municipal level, in non-profit housing societies, and in educational organizations. Land use is a broad, complex topic. To be more effective, we had to discover what people out in the communities have to deal with. We had to come down to the ground level so to speak.

Q What have you learned?

A We’ve developed a much better sense of what is effective, and we’ve learned to recognize expertise in the non-profit sector. We began to take an active role in making sure that expertise was shared. We’ve become more astute about where to put our funds to ensure that they did the most good. We also know how to find strategic partners.

Q Can you give an example of a strategic partner?

A Yes, Hans Meyer and the Small Town & Rural Community Institute. The Institute addresses land use issues of importance to communities on North Vancouver Island. Meyer brings in experts who present their ideas on these issues. We support that program, funding various components of Meyer’s work, thus providing a continuing resource for North Island. Not all regions have that kind of resource. In some areas we’re doing what Hans Meyer does. We’ve also come to understand that there are many perspectives on land use. We encourage people to see as many different points of view as possible. For example, the Governors encourage non-profits that want to save land from development to study the fiscal side of things. If they do, they can often convince developers that saving a piece of land is actually beneficial to the development because the value of surrounding property is enhanced. But to make the argument, non-profits have to gain some knowledge of the fiscal side.

Q Has this happened?

A In several cases, yes. Neck Point Park in Nanaimo is a good example. The Governors funded this project specifically to emphasize the asset value of having the protected area adjacent to the surrounding development area. The City of Nanaimo bought the argument and encouraged development with that strategy in mind. During the ensuing negotiations with the landowner, city representatives stressed the fact that a protected area has a positive impact on the value of adjacent land. Neck Point is now a protected area, and we played a part in making that happen.

Q What other kinds of partnering initiatives has the Foundation undertaken?

A The Governors have a strong interest in community. They encourage Realtors to get involved in land use issues where they live. Recently, we funded a safe house for teens and the New Life Mission in Kamloops. In both cases the Kamloops & District Real Estate Association (KDREA) was a sponsor. In fact, KDREA was an integral partner in the safe house. In other words, we partnered with KDREA, and they worked as one of the partners with others in the community to make the safe house for teens a reality. The Governors also support projects that help the real estate industry examine its own practices and improve them to the benefit of the community and clients. Our most recent such project was the Real Estate Industry Directions Task Force report , which was released this spring. In 1993, we funded the Real Estate Institute of BC to conduct a review of change in industry practices.

Q What about future directions?

A No doubt there will be changes ahead. Each time a new Governor joins the Board, he or she offers fresh ideas, a different way of looking at things. It’s taken us ten years to develop strategies to promote responsible land use. We’ll continue to find new partners, to establish lasting relationships with community organizations. We used to focus on specific purposes—education, law reform, goods works and so on. We still do, but now that we have an integrating strategy, now that we are seen as a resource as well as a source of funding, we’ll do our best to build for the future.