Greater Victoria Acting Together

What Greater Victoria Acting Together does

Greater Victoria Acting Together (GVAT) is a non-profit community organizing coalition based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 2018 as an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation, GVAT aggregates 30+ member organizations, including unions (BCGEU), environmental groups (Sierra Club of BC), student societies (UVSS, Camosun College Students Society), faith communities, and service organizations, collectively representing 50,000 to 70,000 people in the Greater Victoria region. The coalition operates through a broad-based organizing model consisting of listening campaigns, Action Research Teams, leadership development training, and collective advocacy to influence municipal, provincial, and federal policy.

GVAT's core offerings are organized around three advocacy campaigns: Affordable Housing (advocating for Homes for All policies, vacancy control, and rapid non-market housing), Climate Justice (sustainable transportation, old growth protection, and accessibility), and Mental Health and Addictions (community-led crisis response and destigmatization). Complementary programming includes the Foundations of Community Organizing training (based on IAF methodology), the Village Workshop on reconciliation, Fundamentals of Anti-Oppression training, and the Indigenous Relationships Learning Circle. The organization does not have proprietary technology, software products, or AI/ML capabilities; its operating leverage comes from relational organizing and coalition governance through a Strategy Hub of member delegates.

GVAT is funded through member organization dues, individual donations, and periodic fundraising campaigns. Training is offered free to member organization members and on a donation basis to community members, with occasional paid workshops (e.g., $50 Village Workshop registration). The organization reports no formal revenue figures and operates with a small paid staff (Lead Organizer Chet Phillips since 2019 and organizer Izzy since transitioning to full-time in 2024), supported by 50+ active volunteers. Documented outcomes include a $95 million provincial commitment for Highway 1 bus lanes, Union of BC Municipalities endorsement of vacancy control, rapid non-market housing policy in Saanich, and the establishment of the Community-Led Crisis Response Team in Victoria.

Name

Greater Victoria Acting Together

Legal name

Greater Victoria Acting Together

Website

https://gvat.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Greater Victoria Acting Together (GVAT) is a non-profit community organizing coalition in Greater Victoria, BC, uniting 30+ unions, faith groups, environmental organizations, and student societies to advocate for affordable housing, climate justice, and mental health policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Organizing and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Community organizing coalition
• Advocacy campaigns
• Leadership development training
• Affordable housing advocacy
• Climate justice organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Victoria

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Dues and Contributions: GVAT operates as a non-profit coalition supported by member organization dues and individual donations. They conducted a matching donor campaign raising over $35,000.
2. Donations: Individual and organizational donations support GVAT's operations. They encourage regular monthly donations for predictable income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GVAT is a broad-based community organizing coalition that convenes unions, faith groups, environmental organizations, student societies, and service organizations in Greater Victoria to advocate collectively on affordable housing, climate justice, and mental health and addictions issues. It delivers advocacy campaigns, leadership development training, and community engagement programs using the Industrial Areas Foundation organizing methodology.

Product overview

Greater Victoria Acting Together (GVAT) is a community organizing coalition, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of advocacy campaigns, training programs, and community engagement initiatives. The organization operates three primary advocacy campaigns focused on Climate Justice, Affordable Housing, and Mental Health & Addictions, each managed by Action Research Teams. GVAT provides educational programming including Foundations of Community Organizing training (based on Industrial Areas Foundation methods), the Village Workshop on reconciliation, and Fundamentals of Anti-Oppression training. Additional programs include the Indigenous Relationships Learning Circle and various community events and workshops designed to build collective power for social change in Greater Victoria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foundations of Community Organizing Training A day-long intensive training program that teaches essential leadership skills for navigating divisive times and empowering leaders and communities to make positive change, based on Industrial Areas Foundation methods.
• Village Workshop A reconciliation-focused workshop designed and led by Kathi Camilleri of the Métis Nation of B.C., engaging participants emotionally and cognitively in understanding colonization from a First Nations perspective and building supportive relationships.
• Fundamentals of Anti-Oppression Training An equity, diversity and inclusion workshop facilitated by Bakau Consulting that teaches participants to notice, name, and mediate oppression using a lens of justice and equality.
• Affordable Housing Campaign An action research team and campaign advocating for Homes for All policies, vacancy control, rapid affordable housing deployment, and non-profit housing development.
• Climate Justice Campaign An action research team and campaign focused on sustainable transportation, old growth forest protection, and climate-friendly policies including bus lanes, wheelchair accessibility in bike routes, and foodlands access.
• Mental Health and Addictions Initiative An action research team focused on community-led crisis response alternatives, peer-assisted care programs, and addressing the opioid overdose crisis through destigmatization efforts.
• Indigenous Relationships Learning Circle A learning and engagement initiative focused on reconciliation, building relationships with Indigenous communities, and increasing GVAT's cultural awareness and competence through participation in events like the Moose Hide Campaign.

Quantifiable outcome

• $95 million committed to Highway 1 bus lanes through advocacy
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018GVAT is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation, drawing on an 80+ year old broad-based community organizing tradition adapted for British Columbia. IAF provides organizing training, methodology, and network support.
• Victoria Urban Reconciliation Dialogue (VURD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGVAT is a member of VURD, collaborating on urban reconciliation initiatives with Indigenous communities and organizations in the Victoria region.
• Metro Vancouver AlliancesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization sharing the IAF-based broad-based organizing model; opportunities for learning and joint provincial/national advocacy.
• Victoria Native Friendship CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through Indigenous Relationships Learning Circle; GVAT members participate in Community Learning Program and reconciliation initiatives.
• Bakau ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided Fundamentals of Anti-Oppression training for GVAT's EDI initiatives.
• Member Organizations (BCGEU, Sierra Club of BC, UVSS, Camosun College Students Society, faith groups, and 30+ others)coreOthersDiverse member organizations including unions (BCGEU), environmental groups (Sierra Club of BC), student societies (UVSS, Camosun), faith communities, and service organizations representing tens of thousands of people.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition: A BC-based coalition of child and youth advocacy organizations. Comparable as a non-profit coalition using collective advocacy to influence policy, though focused on child welfare rather than the broader social justice portfolio GVAT addresses.
• Sierra Club BC: A BC environmental advocacy organization that is one of GVAT's member organizations. Directly comparable as a coalition partner working on climate justice, old growth forestry, and environmental policy—issues that intersect with GVAT's Climate Justice Action Research Team.
• BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU): A major BC public sector union that is one of GVAT's core member organizations. Directly comparable as a coalition partner whose Executive Vice President co-leads GVAT's Affordable Housing Team, linking union advocacy to GVAT's housing policy work.
• Metro Vancouver Alliance: A sister IAF-affiliated broad-based community organizing coalition in Metro Vancouver. Directly comparable as GVAT's parent network peer, sharing methodology, training infrastructure, and offering joint provincial advocacy opportunities.

Regional players

• Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS): A Victoria-based anti-poverty advocacy organization. Directly comparable as a Greater Victoria-area non-profit addressing poverty and housing affordability, overlapping significantly with GVAT's affordable housing and mental health priority areas.
• West Coast Environmental Law: A BC-based environmental advocacy organization that engages on climate and environmental policy. Comparable to GVAT's climate justice work as a regional advocacy player with legal/policy expertise, though focused exclusively on environmental issues.

Emerging players

• Vancouver Tenants Union: A tenant advocacy organization in BC focused on housing rights and tenant protections. Comparable to GVAT as a BC-based advocacy coalition working on overlapping housing policy issues, though operating in a different geographic region with narrower issue scope.
• Build Together Vancouver: An advocacy organization working on housing affordability and tenant rights in Metro Vancouver. Comparable as a BC advocacy organization working on housing affordability, though narrower in scope and operating in a different region than GVAT.
• Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: A progressive policy research organization with a BC office. Comparable as a left-leaning advocacy organization operating in BC on overlapping social and economic justice issues, though primarily research-focused rather than coalition-organizing based.

Broad incumbents

• Industrial Areas Foundation: The 80+ year-old national network of broad-based community organizing coalitions of which GVAT is an affiliate. Directly comparable in organizing model and methodology, and provides GVAT with training, network support, and institutional legitimacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/actinggreater
• Facebookfacebook.com/GVAT.ca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/greater-victoria-acting-together

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Greater Victoria Acting Together