How can rural communities create long standing public benefit from individual legacies? The Rural Ontario Institute is hosting two forums to explore how philanthropy can be utilized to sustain and revitalize local communties. The forums will be an opportunity for non-profit organizations to exchange experiences and learn from one another about how to connect local philanthrophy with community priorities. For financial planners, municipal staff, and community leaders the forum is an opportunity to learn how to keep wealth from leaving rural communities and how community foundations can promote local economic development goals.

Each Community Wealth Forum will consists of presentations from Cindy Lindsay (Community Foundations of Canada) and Ryan Gibson (University of Guelph). Cindy will share insights from rural philanthropy initiative throughout rural Ontario and Canada. Ryan will share infomation on wealth transfers in rural communities and discuss why time is often of the essence. Ryan will also be sharing research findings from the SSHRC funded Place-Based Endowments in the Periphery initiative.

Two Community Wealth Forums will be held: February 1, 2018 in Fergus, Ontario and February 2, 2018 in Cobourg, Ontario. There is no charge to attend either forum, however, registration is requested to faciltiate planning.