Celebrating our centennial

Throughout 2021, The Winnipeg Foundation, and partner organizations celebrated 100 years of working together to support our community by hosting events, and presenting special projects and other activities to thank everyone for their support.


Next 100 Speakers Series

The Next 100 Speakers Series brings together local leaders for conversations about our city’s next 100 years and the potential role philanthropy might play in achieving those visions.

Sky Bridges, The Winnipeg Foundation CEO, will be facilitating these discussions. We look forward to honest conversations with panelists where we can share and learn together.


Walking Together: Journey of Generosity

Walking Tour

During summer 2021, the Exchange District BIZ created new walking tour, in partnership with The Winnipeg Foundation, that examined our community’s philanthropic roots.

The 45-minute tour highlighted prominent philanthropists, like Jean Forsyth, Annie McDermot Bannatyne and Winnipeg Foundation founders, William and Elizabeth Alloway, and their connections to the neighbourhood. The tour also included information about grassroots, community-led philanthropy in various communities, including Indigenous cultures, while acknowledging historical truths society now recognizes are problematic.

Journey of Generosity Contest

As part of the promotion of the walking tour, we are encouraged everyone to join our city’s legacy of generosity by sharing a selfie for a chance to win a $1,000 grant for their favourite Manitoba charity. Thanks to Winnipeggers’ generosity, $9,000 was distributed to a diverse group local charities.


Building a vision for our next 100 years

Cover of the a magazine featuring a youth standing by a rainbow parade float

In April, The Foundation released a second special edition of its magazine, Building a vision for our next 100 years.

The issue is a collection of essays written by individuals representing different sectors and Cause areas in Winnipeg about their aspirations for our community and the potential role philanthropy might play in achieving them. All the essays are available in our special Centennial website and the full issue is on our Publications page.


The Alloways’ Gift and Rosalie Favell’s Family Legacy

From April to September, two shows at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG), commemorating The Foundation’s centennial anniversary, presented two perspectives on the development of community in Winnipeg.

The Alloways’ Gift exhibit illustrated the astonishing amount of development Winnipeg Foundation founders, William and Elizabeth Alloway, would have witnessed while living in Winnipeg at the turn of the century while Rosalie Favell’s Family Legacy, saw contemporary Métis artist Rosalie Favell piece together the intersecting histories of the City of Winnipeg and the Indigenous peoples of the Red River settlement.


Dalnavert Museum’s Elizabeth Alloway Lectures

Vintage photo of Elizabeth Alloway holding a Cause sign for Community

Elizabeth Alloway, a woman of courage and conviction, played an active philanthropic role in our community at a time when women could not vote. She and husband William established The Winnipeg Foundation in 1921.

From February to December 2021, Dalnavert Museum, in collaboration with The Winnipeg Foundation’s Centennial Institute, presented a series of free public lectures focussing on the time period, the community, and the interests of Elizabeth Alloway including her special interest in the work of women and the well-being of children.


Shaw Spotlight

On January 29, 2021, The Winnipeg Foundation premiered its 2021 Centennial Celebration special on Shaw Spotlight Winnipeg, featuring stories and highlights from its 2020 results and 2021 centennial.

Our Centennial Celebration will be broadcasted on Shaw Spotlight, every Sunday at 8 p.m., channel 9 or channel 105 for Shaw subscribers, or you can watch the Centennial Celebration in its entirety here:


Centennial River Trail & Contest

Woman and two young children posing for a selfie in front of sign and a sculpture

The Winnipeg Foundation was pleased to support the Centennial River Trail during January and February 2021, providing an important outdoor community space at The Forks for the winter.

Along the trail and throughout The Forks, signs encouraged people to take and share a selfie for a chance to win a $1,000 grant for their favourite local charity. More than 200 people participated, nominating 85 local charities. Thanks to Winnipeggers’ generosity, $35,000 was distributed to a diverse group of 35 local charities. To see all the winning entries, visit Centennial River Trail Contest.

Read more about the Centennial River Trail and The Foundation’s exciting announcement – The Winnipeg Foundation celebrates successful Centennial River Trail


Celebrating 100 years of working together to support our community

Cover of the a magazine featuring a vintage and modern photos of youth.

In January 2021, The Foundation released a keepsake edition of its magazine, Celebrating 100 years of working together to support our community.

The stories are presented in decades to provide historical context in Winnipeg and beyond, and subsequently to The Foundation’s activities and decisions. All the stories are available in our special Centennial website and the full issue is on our Publications page.

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