Vancouver Foundation

For more information about Groundswell visit groundswellcommunity.ca. To support innovative community projects like this, call Kristin in Donor Services at 604.629.5186 or visit vancouverfoundation.ca/give. Groundswell T hat progressive movement is also what Babchuk wants to capitalize on. Back in Israel, he was on the board of an inter- national company and consulted on education in Europe. He was also involved in the establishment of more than 10 alternative schools. But when he came to Vancouver, he felt isolated working by himself. "What I've learned in my life is if you want to feel like you belong, you need to give," he says. In that spirit, he found two partners with a similar vision, Jim Barker and Matt Hern. Together, the three men invested their own money and a great deal of sweat equity into Groundswell before any other capital was on the table. eir big break came when Vancouver Foundation became the first major funder to pitch into the vision with a $70,000 seed grant in 2012 that made a pilot year possible. "We got the first grant," says Babchuk, "they saw the results, then we got three years." at second injection, in 2014, was worth $200,000, and was critical. Babchuk explains that the funding wasn't necessarily enough on its own, but Vancouver Foundation's endorsement gave Groundswell the credibility to secure other funds, making the whole thing work. "We wanted it to be totally accessible to every- one," he says. "And the idea of students paying $8,000 to $10,000 meant it wasn't going to be Groundswell the way we wanted it." As such, the funding Groundswell receives not only pays for rent and faculty, it also subsidizes the real cost of the program for students. "If we went after privileged kids, we could be indepen- dent in a year," Babchuk explains. "But that's not the point. We reduced the tuition so money is never a barrier for anyone who wants to take the program." at's made a huge difference to participants like Nichols, his partners and the 60 other young people who've made their way through the six-month core program at a cost of only $2,400. Bab- chuk beams as he explains that the results speak for themselves. "Almost everyone's gone on to be self-employed, and in ways where they don't have to compromise their values in order to make their livelihoods. It's the impact we need to see in the economy . . . We want to create a community of socially and environmentally focused businesses, non-profits and co-ops." For Nichols, it's something that comes full circle. He now also teaches a course on ethics in contemporary capitalism through the Groundswell program. For him, it's important to "show we can appropriate a positive ethic in mobilizing our cri- tiques in trying to build a better future." As for Groundswell, there continues to be an expanding ros- ter of programs and micro-businesses emerging almost monthly – the speed and success of which is no doubt due to a rich econ- omy of ideas, ever-blooming, right at their feet. As Babchuk says, it's all about making the space. p a g e 2 6 I V a n c o u v e r F o u n d a t i o n l F a l l 2 0 1 5 (left) Co-founders Jim Barker and Gilad Babchuk and managing director Paola Qualizza believe strongly in Groundswell's mission statement to create social and economic change; (below) Barker and Babchuk talking shop at the Groundswell Café.

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