What Green Cities Foundation does

Green Cities Foundation is a Canadian Private Charitable Foundation founded in 2018 and headquartered in Milton, Ontario, that operates the national #GreenMyCity program to create, restore, and quantify urban green spaces. It serves four primary constituencies: community organizations and nonprofits seeking matching grants for green space projects, schools and educational institutions building outdoor classrooms, municipalities and local governments undertaking public green infrastructure, and individual Canadians mapping personal green spaces. The foundation's core product is the Clean Air Calculator, an interactive web tool launched in December 2025 in partnership with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), which uses ArcGIS mapping software and peer-reviewed environmental science from the U.S. Forest Service, the University of Guelph, and Natural Resources Canada to quantify CO2 sequestration, oxygen production, clean air volume, vehicle-kilometres offset, and people impacted by user-drawn green space polygons. The foundation reports 35+ active and pipeline projects spanning nine Canadian provinces and an operational base of 11 staff, an 11-member Board of Directors, and an Advisory Committee.

The foundation does not sell products or services commercially; instead it functions as a grant-maker and impact-measurement platform funded by three revenue streams: one-time and monthly individual donations (including the #GreenMyCity Champions program at $15, $25, or $100 per month), matching grants (up to 50% of project costs via cash, in-kind materials, and labor), and customized corporate sponsorship packages, anchored by RBC Insurance as National Platinum Sponsor. GCF was founded in partnership with CNLA and its 4,100+ member professionals across 9 provincial landscape and horticulture associations, providing it with a structural labor and in-kind supply base that no standalone charity of comparable size could replicate. Programs include the #GreenMyCity matching grant program, the Champions monthly giving program, a volunteer engagement program, legacy giving instruments, and fundraising event support. The operating model is community-led: project origination, in-kind contributions, and on-the-ground execution flow through the CNLA provincial association network and named community partners (Municipal World, Park People, Verbinnen's Nursery, Blue Grass Nursery & Garden Centre, University of Guelph, and dozens of community nonprofits). The Clean Air Calculator and the Plants Love You educational initiative extend the brand into environmental impact measurement and public education, positioning the foundation as both a grant-maker and a thought-leadership voice on urban climate health in Canada.

Name

Green Cities Foundation

Legal name

Green Cities Foundation

Website

https://gcfoundation.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Green Cities Foundation is a Canadian charitable foundation that funds and measures urban greening projects through the #GreenMyCity grant program, serving community organizations, schools, municipalities, and individual Canadians across nine provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Greening Charitable Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL)

Keywords

• Urban greening initiatives
• Community green spaces
• Environmental impact measurement
• Charitable grant programs
• Volunteer community engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Milton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individual supporters. Monthly donors join the #GreenMyCity Champions program and receive consolidated annual tax receipts.
2. Grants: Provides matching grants up to 50% of project costs through cash, in-kind material, and/or labour donations to support green space renovation projects in Canadian communities.
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Customized sponsorship packages for corporations to align with green movement, meet social responsibility goals, and make visible difference in Canadian communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Green Cities Foundation is a Canadian non-profit charitable foundation that funds, organizes, and supports community-driven urban green space projects across Canada. Its core offerings include matching grants (#GreenMyCity Grant Program) up to 50% of project costs for parks, gardens, and public spaces, an interactive Clean Air Calculator web tool that quantifies environmental impact of green spaces, volunteer engagement programs, and monthly/legacy giving options for individual and corporate donors.

Product overview

Green Cities Foundation offers a suite of programs and tools centered on urban greening and environmental impact measurement. The primary product is the Clean Air Calculator, an interactive web tool that uses ArcGIS mapping software to quantify the environmental benefits of green spaces. Supporting services include the #GreenMyCity grant program providing matching funds for green space projects, a volunteer program for community engagement, the #GreenMyCity Champions monthly giving program, legacy giving options, and fundraising event support. The organization connects plants and people for a greener, healthier urban climate across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clean Air Calculator: Interactive tool developed with CNLA's Climate Adaptation Committee using ArcGIS mapping software to estimate environmental benefits of green spaces including carbon sequestration, oxygen production, and people impacted.
• Plants Love You
• #GreenMyCity
• #GreenMyCity Champions

Products and services

• Clean Air Calculator An interactive web-based tool that allows users to map green spaces and instantly calculate their measurable environmental impact including carbon dioxide sequestration, oxygen production, clean air generation, and the number of people who benefit. Uses ArcGIS mapping software with underlying science from U.S. Forest Service, University of Guelph, and Natural Resources Canada. Available to individuals, communities, schools, and municipalities to quantify green space impact.
• #GreenMyCity Grant Program A matching grant program that provides up to 50% matching funds through cash, in-kind material, and/or labour donations to support green space renovation projects including parks, community gardens, sports fields, playgrounds, and public open spaces across Canada. Designed for community organizations, schools, and municipalities undertaking green space projects.
• Volunteer Program A community engagement program enabling volunteers to participate in local green space projects including organizing events, building projects, fundraising, and donating materials or equipment. Open to individuals across Canada.
• #GreenMyCity Champions Monthly Giving Program A monthly donation program where contributors commit $15, $25, or $100 monthly to support ongoing greening efforts, receiving consolidated annual tax receipts. Targeted at individual Canadian donors who want to provide sustained support to the foundation.
• Legacy Giving Planned giving options including life insurance donations, bequests through wills, charitable gift annuities, and RRSP/RRIF beneficiary designations to support long-term organizational funding. Targeted at individual donors planning long-term charitable contributions.
• Fundraising Event Support Administrative support services for community fundraising events including bake sales, community BBQs, and athletic events, with assistance for paperwork, logistics, and marketing. Available to individuals and community groups hosting events to raise funds for the foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Carbon dioxide sequestration measured in megagrams (Mg) per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational not-for-profit federation of nine provincial landscape and horticulture trades associations representing over 4,100+ professionals across Canada. CNLA members grow, sell, design, install, and maintain plants and landscape features, representing over $14 billion in economic impact. GCF was founded in partnership with CNLA and its members provide professional expertise for projects.
• Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial landscape and horticulture association partner supporting Ontario projects including Toronto Chapter involvement in Dorothy Ley Hospice and Scadding Court Community Centre projects.
• Trees for LifemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporter and project partner for Dorothy Ley Hospice Restorative Garden project, contributing to outdoor revitalization efforts.
• Municipal World Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner since 1891, Municipal World magazine is the best source for municipal information, news, and trends. Published 12 times a year, targeted at elected and appointed officials, engineers, public boards, lawyers, and consultants across Canada.
• University of GuelphcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner providing underlying science for Clean Air Calculator methodology. Collaborated on developing the calculator's scientific calculations for measuring environmental benefits of green spaces.
• Quercus GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner contributing to Dorothy Ley Hospice Restorative Garden with native, pollinator-friendly plants.
• Figure4 DesignsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner for Dorothy Ley Hospice Restorative Garden project.
• BC Nursery and Landscape AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial partner for British Columbia projects including Kitimat Airshed Group Society and Vancouver-based initiatives.
• Landscape AlbertamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial partner supporting Dalhousie Community Association Food Forest project and other Alberta initiatives.
• Blue Grass Nursery & Garden CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNursery partner for Dalhousie Food Forest and Community Garden project in Alberta, donating and planting additional fruit trees and plants.
• Landscape Nova ScotiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial partner collaborating on Hope Blooms Murray Warrington Park project in Halifax.
• Landscape NB/PEImajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial partner for Pennfield Ridge Air Force Memorial Phase 2 project in New Brunswick.
• GRAMEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Centennial Park Food Forest project in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, bringing the new food forest to life.
• Park People / Ami·es des parcsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational park programming partner collaborating on Villeray Ruelle Esperanze Verde project in Montreal.
• Sentier UrbainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban trail and green space organization partnering on Villeray Ruelle Esperanze Verde project in Montreal.
• Verbinnen's Nursery Ltd.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNursery partner supporting multiple Ontario projects including Hamilton Naturalists' Club, The Cooperage Rain Garden, and other community initiatives.
• Invizij ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture partner for The Cooperage Rain Garden project in Hamilton.
• Hamilton Therapy CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity health partner for The Cooperage Rain Garden project in Hamilton.
• Corktown HamiltonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighbourhood association partner for The Cooperage Rain Garden project in Hamilton.
• Thames Region Ecological AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcological association partner for Kensington Village Association West Lion's Park Gleaning Food Forest project.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tree Canada: Canadian national non-profit dedicated to planting and nurturing trees in urban and rural environments. Directly comparable as both organizations run community-led greening programs across Canada and partner with municipalities and corporate sponsors.
• Park People / Amies des parcs: Canadian non-profit that activates parks and public green spaces through programming, capacity-building, and community engagement. Already named as a GCF project partner; operates a similar model of community-led urban green space activation across Canada.
• Evergreen: Canadian non-profit focused on making cities more livable through green infrastructure, with schoolyard greening programs (Evergreen Brick Works) and national reach. Highly comparable as a fellow urban-greening non-profit serving municipalities, schools, and community organizations across Canada.

Emerging players

• Forests Ontario: Ontario-based non-profit focused on forest restoration, tree planting, and stewardship education. Comparable as a Canadian reforestation and urban greening peer running community planting events and working with landscape professionals.
• Earth Day Canada: Canadian environmental non-profit running community engagement, education, and activation campaigns around sustainability. Comparable as a peer running community-driven environmental programs with national reach and corporate partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Nature Canada: Long-standing Canadian conservation non-profit focusing on nature protection, biodiversity, and habitat advocacy. Comparable as a national environmental non-profit competing for donor dollars and advocacy attention in the urban/environmental space.
• American Forests: Long-standing U.S. national non-profit dedicated to urban forestry and forest conservation. Comparable as a national urban-forestry advocacy and grantmaking organization pursuing similar science-based urban canopy goals.
• TD Friends of the Environment Foundation: Major Canadian corporate-affiliated environmental grantmaking foundation funding community greening and conservation projects nationwide. Comparable as a much larger grantmaking peer providing project-level funding for community environmental initiatives.

Others

• RBC Foundation: Corporate philanthropic arm of RBC, GCF's platinum sponsor. Relevant as the affiliated funding vehicle for one of GCF's core corporate partners and as a comparable grantmaking organization with environmental program areas.

Regional players

• Conservation Foundation of Greater Toronto: Greater Toronto Area-focused conservation foundation funding green space projects. Comparable as a regional community-foundation peer running grant programs for urban green space initiatives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GCFoundationCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/GCFoundationCA
• Instagraminstagram.com/gcfoundationca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/green-cities-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Green Cities Foundation