Innovative ideas sprout from fertile ground, and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation is indeed a very fertile place for idea generation.

The Foundation's early commitment to ArtsSmarts began in September 1996 with a seed grant to launch "a new school-based funding program… to enhance learning by involving young people in hands-on artistic and creative activities."

Through strong vision and steady support, ArtsSmarts has grown from that seed into an extensive and powerful national network focused on transforming the state of Canadian public education to reflect the needs of the 21st Century. This network is built on the strong foundation of a core national team in Toronto.

Born in 1877 to a poor Irish-Canadian immigrant farming family in Muskoka, Ontario, J. W. McConnell's financial success as an astute and successful business man saw him become a leading philanthropic figure in Canada. He believed that success derives from positive and constructive action rather than from title, position or rhetoric. In starting one of the first Canadian foundations in 1937, he forged the way for other successful Canadians to develop a philanthropic spirit.

Today, the Foundation carries on Mr. McConnell's vision by supporting outstanding organizations working to tackle persistent social problems through community involvement, innovative thinking and a clear commitment to building a stronger and more resilient Canada.

The Foundation's support of ArtsSmarts over the years has allowed us to become an organization that is in keeping with its own mandate: sustainable, productive and efficient.