EWB 2017 Annual Report

Empowering everyday superheroes

A letter from EWB CEO Boris Martin.

Each year, I encounter so many people driven by the power of purpose to make the world a better place for all.

They may seem ordinary to many, but to us they are superheroes and this report is about them. If you are reading this report, it’s about you too.

More

EWB’s superheroes span Canada and sub-Saharan Africa tackling global poverty and inequality. They run workshops on campus in Victoria, meet with politicians in Ottawa and study social ventures in Montreal. They innovate, design and take risks in Kampala or Nairobi or Accra. Wherever our superheroes take action, they exemplify three key skills that we believe can create the sustainable, inclusive future we all seek: entrepreneurship, leadership and active citizenship.

Entrepreneurs dare to think outside of today’s economic box to offer something new. Their ideas are at the vanguard of a new, more inclusive and more equal economy. Leaders bravely challenge the status quo with the strength to keep sight of the big picture of change while tearing up the roots of legacy and complacency. They are not afraid to ask questions of themselves, and to ask questions of the world they live in. Active citizens exercise their rights and privileges to demand better from today’s national and international decision makers.

Each of these actions contributes to our mission: to bring people and ideas together to tackle the most crucial causes of poverty and inequality. I am grateful for all of the people who took action in 2017. The stories in this report represent all of the entrepreneurs, leaders and active citizens who contributed to our collective global impact.

Taking thoughtful action takes hard work, as well as access to opportunities. It means a hand up, rather than a hand out. Our supporters understand that, and they know that at crucial times, every hand up counts. As I look back at 2017, our donors helped build EWB’s superheroes. With your support, our organization has created lasting results in the lives of so many people.

Thank you for all of the tough, courageous, and humble actions you took this past year. Let’s celebrate and let’s keep working together to improve people’s lives around the world.

Sincerely,

Boris

Entrepreneurship

  • 8,014,085

    people reached through social ventures

  • 10.5x

    of EWB funding raised by portfolio ventures leveraging our support

  • 203

    direct jobs created

  • $300,000

    invested in five seed-stage social ventures in EWB’s investment portfolio

Find out more

Leadership

  • 74

    fellows embedded across sub-Saharan Africa and Canada, thanks to the support of Global Affairs Canada!

  • Fellows

    are skilled Canadians who build the capacity of social change organizations to reach more beneficiaries.

  • 10

    Kumvana Fellows, African social entrepreneurs who travel to Canada to connect with diverse individuals, enabling the exchange of skills, mindsets, and culture.

  • 1,800

    Canadian leaders developed through the EWB chapter community

  • 900

    chapter events focused on social impact and leadership development

Find out more

Citizenship

  • $300M

    of new funding allocated to support for social enterprises in Canada’s 2017 federal budget

  • 16

    EWBers attended Prime Minister Trudeau’s DFI announcement with an invitation from the Prime Minister's Office

Find out more

Alumni

  • 18,000

    EWB Alumni

Find out more

Entrepreneurship

In 2017, EWB’s generous donors provided nine founding-stage social enterprises with multidimensional support.

Founding-stage businesses are especially challenged by a severe lack of financial capital, high risks and uncertain returns for investors, and a low supply of quality talent to help grow the business. EWB’s seed funding, talent investments, and mentorship and advisory services helped these courageous ventures build business expertise, reach more beneficiaries and, ultimately, strengthen their solutions for social issues, such as safe and affordable housing, access to finance for entrepreneurs, and quality education for youth.

8,014,085

people reached through social ventures

10.5x

of EWB funding raised by portfolio ventures leveraging our support

203

direct jobs created

$300,000

invested in five seed-stage social ventures in EWB’s investment portfolio

Leadership

EWB’s international community is a driving force behind the organization's impact.

Our fellows and chapter members become the world’s socially and systemically-minded leaders. The intentions, actions and roles that these individuals engage with through their experiences shape inclusive mindsets and skills that equip them to be community and professional leaders who are charting a better course in society.

74

fellows embedded across sub-Saharan Africa and Canada, thanks to the support of Global Affairs Canada!

Fellows

are skilled Canadians who build the capacity of social change organizations to reach more beneficiaries.

10

Kumvana Fellows, African social entrepreneurs who travel to Canada to connect with diverse individuals, enabling the exchange of skills, mindsets, and culture.

1,800

Canadian leaders developed through the EWB chapter community

900

chapter events focused on social impact and leadership development

Leadership In 2017

Citizenship

Mobilizing thousands of individuals across Canada helps effectively push for better rules, norms and practices that govern the distribution of resources.

With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, EWB created opportunities for people to exercise their right to engage in democratic processes, giving space for more voices to be heard and have influence. In 2017, EWB’s community members engaged with policymakers to influence Canada’s policies, place and impact in the world.

$300M

of new funding allocated to support for social enterprises in Canada’s 2017 federal budget

16

EWBers attended Prime Minister Trudeau’s DFI announcement with an invitation from the Prime Minister's Office

Alumni

EWB Alumni are a defining example of the socially and systemically-minded leaders our organization develops.

When a fellow’s placement ends or a member exits the chapter community, they carry with them strong values and deeper knowledge about global issues instilled by first-hand experiences with EWB. Your support not just over the past year, but also the past 17 years has helped thousands of alumni enter new roles and take on different challenges faced by individuals, communities and even countries.

18,000

EWB Alumni

EWB's work is possible because of our donors.

We are so grateful for the generosity of our supporters, who catalyze the impact of our programming in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa.

$100,000

Aeroplan
Anonymous
Global Affairs Canada
Hamilton Community Foundation
Small Foundation
Suncor Energy Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation
The Young Fund

$50,000

Anonymous
Concordia University
Engineers Canada
Shayne & Pamela Smith
Suncor Energy Inc.
The Anna and Louis Viglione Foundation
York University

$25,000

Boeing Canada
Cedar Springs Foundation
D. Keith MacDonald Foundation
Stephen Laut & Lori Egger

$10,000

City of Edmonton
Charitable Gift Funds Canada
Mark & Jenny Guibert
ITLMA Foundation
McMaster University
The McMurtry Family Foundation
OACETT
Ontario Society of Professional Engineers
Ian & Michelle Pearce
University of Toronto

$5,000

2Keys Corporation
Anonymous
Tim Bancroft & Maureen Shane
Dietmar Bloedorn
Timothy Brodhead
Canadian Water Resources Association
Piers Cumberlege
Dillon Consulting Limited
Jaimie Donovan
Frank Dottori
Fig Tree Foundation
Joel Hilchey
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
Morrison Hershfield Limited
David Ragan
The Calgary Community Foundation
Patrick Windle

$2,500

AECOM Canada Ltd.
Arrow Engineering Inc
Cenovus Employee Foundation
Jordan Daniow
Ted and Patricia Daniow
George Roter & Sari Stillman
Andrew & Nora Harmsworth
David Helliwell
Kathleen Jaeger
Catherine Karakatsanis
Lazare Holdings Ltd.
Ching-Yee Ma
The Estate of Leonard Shifrin
Gavriel State
Team TELUS Cares
Don & Norma Thurston
University of Waterloo
University of Western Ontario
Josh Usher
Sergio Viglione
XE.com

$1,000

Robin Adams
Sal Alajek
Anonymous
Aqueduct Foundation
Keith & Jennifer Armstrong
ATCO Electric
Sandra Balic
Kyle Baptista
Sophie Barbier
Steven Biancaniello
John & Barbara Blackstock
BLG Foundation
Robert Brydon
Charles Buckley
Marius Bulota & Family
Gordon & Catherine Burke
Cesta Family Foundation
Dale Clarke
Concordia University
Alexandra Conliffe
Geoff Connors
Christopher & Susan Corbin
Angela Corsaro
John Cuddihy
Dalhousie University
Paul Doyle
Rupert Duchesne
Gillian Dumencu
Tacoma Engineers
Eramosa Engineering Inc.
Duncan Farthing-Nichol
Robert Francki
Trevor & Heather Freeman
Olive Friesen
Wes Friesen
Dean Geddes
James & Phyllis Goertz
Levi Goertz
Anne Hill
Jennifer Hiscock
Frank Holmes
Dan Hoy
Walter Jansen
Martin Jones
Conrad Kathol
Jacob Kaufman
Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation
Suzanne Kresta
Real Lavergne
Sara Lazurko
Lorraine Lewis
Philip & Alison Lewis
George Ma
Boris Martin & Family
Sean Mascarenhas
Michael McAdoo
Don McAuslan
John McRory
Mary McRory
Parker Mitchell
Katharine Morrison
Anna Murre
Thomas Mutter
Ian Myles
NA Taylor Foundation
Vernon & Margot Neis
Edward & Marilyn Nikkel
Bill Patrick
Scott Pattinson
Ian & Michelle Pearce
Scott Phillips
Venugopala Puttagunta
RL Holdings Inc.
Carmen Ropchan
Justin Ross
Mark Salomons
James Saltvold
Scotsburn Ice Cream Company
Vicki Semotiuk
Rohith & Gisela Shivanath
Thomas Simons
Liv Skulstad
Geoffrey Spencer
Gary Spraakman
Keith & Joan Stevens
David Taylor
The Bluth Company Ltd.
The Gail Asper Family Foundation Inc
United Way of Calgary And Area
United Way of Ottawa
Ronald VanderHeide
John Vellone
Paddy Wales
Frank Walsh
James Ware
David Wilkinson
Ralph Winship
Chris Yong-Set
Eric Zhelka

Men working in field

Board of Directors

Men working in field

Financials

EWB 2017 Annual Report

You've read about our accomplishments in 2017. Donate today to make more of this work possible in 2018.