Hamilton Community Foundation (HCF) is a Community Foundation that pools donations and Financial endowments into a coordinated investment and grant-making facility dedicated primarily to the social improvement of Hamilton, Ontario. Its current President and CEO is Terry Cooke, the former Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth regional chair and Hamilton Spectator columnist. HCF is the oldest community foundation in Ontario. It was founded in 1954 and modeled after Winnipeg Community Foundation, the first Community foundation in Canada. The concept of a permanent endowment that issued grants was unfamiliar to Hamiltonians at first, and HCF secured just $100 in gifts in its first year. However, its gifts and endowments grew steadily and it reached $10 million in assets by the Foundation's 40th anniversary in 1995. Today, the Foundation’s assets stand at some $193 million. HCF is governed by a board of directors who are selected by a nominating committee that consists of the Mayor, Chief of Police, President of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, President of the Hamilton Law Association, and Chair of the United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton and up to two members at large. Historical Timeline 1954 HCF becomes first community foundation in Ontario; one of the first in Canada. It was established through Private Act of provincial parliament and staffed by volunteer executive director Cameron MacGillivray. Founding board members included James V. Young. 1982 Judith McCullogh becomes first full-time executive director. 1995 Carolyn Milne becomes the CEO of the Foundation, whose assets total $10 million. 2000 $40 million donation was made by philanthropist Joyce Young, one of the largest gifts in Canadian history at that time. The donation enables HCF to launch strategic philanthropy with a broad community consultation and research on the best ways to use its unique position and proactive, planned and focused use of its resources. Our Millennium is launched; HCF`s first community engagement process. The initiative asked local citizens to make a gift of time, labour or money to a community project. Over 250,000 people, including pre-schoolers and seniors, registered as participants and more than 450 monetary gifts were donated. A focus on youth in philanthropy is established with the launch of a Youth Advisory Council 2003 Growing Roots… Strengthening Neighbourhoods program is launched, demonstrating the impact of small grants. 2004 – 50th Anniversary HCF board launches Tackling Poverty Together, granting $3 million towards poverty reduction initiatives in over four years. Program is subsequently