Assessing the Impacts of Philanthropic Giving on Community Sustainability in Atlantic Canada: Advancing and Supporting Collaborative Research Focused on Social and Environmental Outcomes

Justification of research project

This postdoctoral project explores how philanthropy can support community sustainability in Canada’s Atlantic provinces, particularly in relation to food systems and climate change. It is structured around two key components: first, strengthening the capacity of PhiLab’s Atlantic Hub to foster collaborative research among scholars, funders, and community stakeholders; and second, studying the role of food systems organizations as models of innovation for systemic change.

Inspired by the “living lab” model, the project adopts an approach based on collaborative learning and the co-construction of knowledge as levers for social innovation. The aim is to create locally grounded solutions to complex problems through transdisciplinary partnerships. This project will contribute to a deeper understanding of philanthropic practices that support sustainable and resilient food systems and will help establish frameworks for collaboration that can inform public policy and environmental governance.

Research question

How can philanthropy support community sustainability and food systems transformation in the Atlantic provinces through transdisciplinary partnerships and collaborative research models?

Research purpose

This project aims to strengthen the Atlantic Hub’s capacity to generate collaborative research that is relevant to both community and philanthropic partners. It seeks to build lasting connections between researchers and food systems actors in Atlantic Canada, with the goal of supporting innovative models of systemic change. On the one hand, the project seeks to structure partnerships between academia and community organizations to stimulate social innovation. On the other hand, it will conduct an in-depth analysis of the role played by food systems organizations through a living lab approach. This overall process will help identify best practices in local collaboration and philanthropic support for socio-ecological transitions.

Research approach

• Phase 1: Organizational Collaboration

  • Support for planning the PhiLab conference

  • Writing and coordination of PhiLab’s February newsletter

  • Launch of 2 to 3 research projects with PhiLab partners

  Phase 2: Food Systems Transformation

  • Literature review and stakeholder mapping

  • Outreach to food systems organizations in the Atlantic provinces

  • Co-development of research questions

  • Submission of a research ethics protocol