More than 150 community leaders, members, service providers, and funders gathered on October 30 for the Grassroots Empowerment Moh’kins’tsis (GEM) Summit 2026. Hosted by United Way of Calgary and Area in partnership with ActionDignity, Calgary Foundation, and the City of Calgary, the summit created space to listen to grassroots voices and explore how to strengthen support for community-led change.
A panel featuring leaders from Filipinos Rising, Ruth’s House Canada, Immigrant Outreach Society (IOS), Realize Your Potential Youth Society, and Volunteer Connector brought frontline experiences into the conversation. Panelists shared the challenges their organizations navigate alongside achievements that demonstrate the strength and potential of grassroots leadership.
Through group discussions and an ecosystem mapping activity, participants explored the relationships and resources that support grassroots organizations. A clear message emerged: funding models need to reflect the realities of grassroots work, while stronger connections can help organizations extend their collective impact beyond what any one organization can achieve alone.
For ActionDignity, which has worked alongside grassroots organizations for 25 years to advance equity and justice, the summit offered a valuable opportunity to connect community leaders with funders and amplify frontline perspectives. These conversations helped deepen a shared understanding of what grassroots organizations need to sustain their work and strengthen their impact.
As ActionDignity’s Executive Director, Francis Boakye, emphasized at the event, “One tree alone can not make a forest.” His message reflected the spirit of the gathering: lasting change grows through collaboration.
ActionDignity thanks all participants, panelists, and partners for sharing openly, listening deeply, and contributing their ideas toward a more equitable system where communities can thrive.