Work at CSI for the day with our new Lounge Pass!

A community investment in accessibility

In 2010, 58 people collectively invested $2M in the Centre for Social Innovation, enabling us to purchase a 720 Bathurst — aka CSI Annex. The concept of Community Bonds was born. Four years later, 227 people invested $4M to allow us to purchase 192 Spadina — aka CSI Spadina.

Since then, we’ve inspired others to turn to their communities when they are in search of crucial capital. This summer, the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show launched their own Community Bond initiative to invest in the purchase of own Audio-Visual Equipment.

The Argonaut Rowing Club is the most recent organization to seek out community investment. A devastating flood in 2017 left the club dire need of repair. ARC Next — an ambitious $2 million club revitalization project — aims to support the next generation of rowers by offering a fully accessible space with a renovated event venue, new elevator, extended docks, new change rooms, and an increased capacity for both membership and youth programs.

In just over five months, the campaign has successfully passed $1.1 million investment mark from 79 investors. Interested in investing? Learn more about the project and check out the different bond offerings. With only 10 days to go, there is just under $100,000 left in bonds available for purchase before the September 15th deadline.

Want to know more about what a Community Bond is, and the impact they can have on your organization and your portfolio? Check out The Future Of Good’s informative primer: What’s a Community Bond, Anyway?

About the Argonaut Rowing Club
Founded in 1872, the Argonaut Rowing Club is one of Canada’s oldest and largest clubs with a history of supporting Olympic and Paralympic champions. Members at ARC include rowers of all ages, skill levels and abilities.

About Tapestry Community Capital
Tapestry Community Capital supports non-profits and co-ops across Canada to raise and manage community bonds. To date, Tapestry has facilitated $61 million in community bonds investment from 3,900 community investors.

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We have some big news! The world is changing and so must CSI! We told our members earlier today and now we want to tell you. CSI has made the decision to put 720 Bathurst up for sale and consolidate our operations into CSI Spadina.
CSI Spadina in the ground floor kitchen, looking out towards the lounge and meeting rooms. In the foreground is a kitchen counter, with waffles, toppings, and glasses of coffees and teas. In the background, CSI CEO Tonya Surman is speaking into a microphone on the left. In the middle and on the right, a variety of people stand and sit, listening to her speak.
One of the keys to CSI's magic is our Community Animator Program (CAP) and, specifically, the Community Animators themselves! Through this program, we've worked with more than 1,000 exceptional individuals who have each brought a little something different, and a little sparkle, to our spaces. And we're so glad to have had them in our community, because we've learned that each and every one of them has some exceptional talents, skills, and experiences to offer the world!  
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