Dragonfly Ventures · Fund Canada
Dragonfly Ventures is one of 16 asset owners who have pledged $334.9 million through Fund Canada. The initiative brings together Canadian asset owners and asset managers to direct $500 million in investments and grants to underfunded and overlooked leaders and founders by 2030.
We asked Wendy Cooper, Co-CEO of Dragonfly Ventures, what motivated Dragonfly Ventures to join the Fund Canada pledge.
“We joined the Fund Canada pledge to both be vocal about our commitment to support underserved leaders and communities and to work collaboratively with others on this critical effort. This commitment amplifies and holds us publicly accountable to move more money to those who have and continue to struggle to access capital. It also lets the communities we’re serving know that we are part of a growing collective actively moving money to address historic and current inequities.
Fund Canada aligns directly with our current five-year strategy. One of our core priorities is restorative finance, which we define as prioritizing financial and other types of support to initiatives led by or serving women, gender-diverse, Indigenous, and racialized entities in recognition of systemic oppression and under-resourcing. This builds on more than 5 years of Dragonfly's work of ensuring the majority of our money is directed this way.
Investing in diverse leaders is important right now to ensure that we are vigilant and consistent in addressing these inequities. This is not a fad but rather a consistent and enduring commitment to move away from a society and economy that has come at the expense of the well-being of many people and the planet and move towards one that values the well-being of all. When we intentionally create space to recognize, celebrate, and support the unique gifts and capacities of those who have been under-appreciated and under-resourced, we all benefit.”
— Wendy Cooper, Co-CEO of Dragonfly Ventures
