Support the Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation
The Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation provides philanthropic support for the Crees of Eeyou Istchee, in northern Quebec. The Foundation is Cree-led, with a Board of Directors comprised of Cree government and civil society leaders, and promotes the social and cultural development priorities of the Cree nation.
The Foundation works to build capacity and resiliency in the Cree communities and institutions through funds related to education, youth development, culture, health and social services, and community development.
The people of the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee have travelled far and worked hard to secure broad recognition of who we are, our remarkable history, and what we can accomplish. We have regained mastery of our lands and resources. We have established institutions of sound governance, launched flourishing businesses, and built strategic alliances with business and government at all levels.
And yet, too many who live across the ten communities of Eeyou Istchee lack the advantages non-Native communities take for granted. In housing and social services, in health care and cultural development, in education and job creation, the gap remains far too wide.
Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls for Action, the Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation reflects the Eeyou Istchee philosophy of putting the needs of our land, our people, and our communities first.
We are deeply committed to preserving the land we’ve walked for thousands of years, so both the Boreal forest and species like Woodland caribou, moose, and others are secured. The Cree Nation Government has set aside, untouched and undeveloped, almost a third of our land, and we insist on Cree-led environmental reviews of any development projects in the region.
Guided by these principles, the Foundation supports a wide range of charitable causes across the region.
The Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation works with the Cree Nation Government and other Cree stakeholders to:
The Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation is the legacy of a long tradition of wise and prudent governance. The Board of Directors includes Cree leaders from the business, education, health and social services, culture, and government sectors distinguished by their high ethical standards and reputation.
The Board sets policy and guidelines for assessing grant requests from Cree communities, and meets regularly to distribute grants. Decisions are based on the viability and expected impact of each project, and by carefully tracking each project’s progress and outcomes.
Dr. Sarah Pash, Chair
Chair – Cree School Board
Grand Chief Paul John Murdoch
Chair – Cree Nation Government
Jade Mukash
Youth Grand Chief, Cree Nation Youth Council
Derrick Neeposh
Chair – Cree Nation Government Board of Compensation
Jeannie Pelletier
Chair – Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay
Here is a list of our current and past initiatives
Figurr Architects Collective raised $7000 through a fundraising initiative that recognizes the firm’s long association with the Crees of Eeyou Istchee. Donations were made by Figurr staff, suppliers, and friends for a total of approximately $3500, and those contributions were matched through a corporate donation by the firm for a total of $7000.
A $3 million partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to support and empower the youth of the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee. The Foundation will utilize the funds to enhance the Cree Nation Youth Council’s capacity to support Cree youth. The Council represents Cree youth to the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) and delivers projects and programs that foster the growth of youth as current and future leaders of the Cree Nation.
The Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation recently received a Fulbright Canada “Honouring Nations Canada” Indigenous Governance Award for the innovative Teepee project.
This fund pays tribute to a woman who was a firm believer and a great promoter of investing in Eenou and Eeyou children, youth, and community. Donations to this fund are used to fund education and community projects. Learn more here.
The “Orange Shirt Day Fund” is a partnership with the employees of the Newmont Éléonore’s state-of-the-art gold mine located in Eeyou Istchee. Their team raised almost $10,000, including a matching donation from the company, as a meaningful way to show their support for the Crees of the region.
A special Fund was initiated in the summer of 2023 to help Cree families who have been severely affected by the fires. The Foundation is working closely with the Cree Trappers Association and the Cree Nation Government to identify and support those most in need throughout Eeyou Istchee.
A unique place of healing and companionship that brings Cree cooking and culture to Mohawk territory for long-term Cree hospital patients. The Kahnawake Mohawk Nation, the Foundation, and Foundation partner Beneva Assurance provide sustaining funding to the Cree Health Board’s teepee project.
Power Corporation generously contributed to the Foundation’s “Casting Our Net Wider” campaign, which supports various projects that help build the future of Eeyou Istchee.
A partnership which supported connectivity and access to technology for students navigating virtual and distance learning due to the pandemic.
Funded by Mastercard Foundation, this initiative includes a completely refreshed website and features a full virtual reality video walking tour of the Institute. Visit the website here.
This grant was allocated to the Robin’s Nest women’s shelters to offer support in response to Covid-19.
Support for health and social service projects including mobile health care facilities across Eeyou Istchee through the Cree Health Board.
This grant supports the “Uusdaadaouw: Let’s Build” project, providing funds for five youth-led community art initiative designed to promote the sharing of artistic expression and development of leadership through a homegrown Eeyou Istchee solution.
Photo provided by Wabinajuks Summer Camp
EECF stepped up to give special needs children a fun-filled Summer Camp experience close to home with funding to Wabinajuks Summer Camp in Ouje-Bougoumou.
The Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation is proudly stepping up to support children with Special Needs in Eeyou Istchee this summer with a $7,595 contribution to Wabinajuks Summer Camp.
The Camp, located in the Cree Nation of Ouje-Bougoumou, welcomes children aged 5-12 who would otherwise be left without summer programming close to home. With the support of highly trained educators and specialists, campers enjoy activities and experiences such as swimming, crafts, cultural workshops, and community field trips. From splashing in the lake on their traditional lands to feeling fur hides in a sensory workshop from Nishiyuu, Wabinajuks Summer Camp offers children with special needs engaging, safe, and supportive summer fun connected with their culture and territory.
All children deserve to access the care, services, and resources they need to thrive in their communities. By providing this grant to the Wabinajuks Summer Camp, the Foundation is helping to ensure Special Needs children have a place where they can belong, make memories, and enjoy experiences that will empower them for their entire lives.
- Sarah Pash, Chairperson, EECF
Learn more about the inspiring work of the Wabinajuks Summer Camp here.
Youth celebrate during a volleyball game at the Eeyou Istchee Summer Games. Photo credit: Hannah-Mae Pachano
EECF’s contribution helped provide hundreds of Cree youth with a dynamic week of competition, culture, and community.
The Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation is proud to have supported the 2026 Eeyou Istchee Summer Games, contributing $25,000 towards the empowering, youth-focused event on July 20-25.
The highly anticipated event, which takes place every two years, brings together hundreds of Cree youth for a dynamic week filled with competition, culture and community. In addition to over 40 athletic and sporting events, the 2026 Summer Games featured health and wellness exhibits, cultural workshops, and live entertainment from Cree artists. By promoting healthy, active living together with community pride and social well-being, the Eeyou Istchee Summer Games provide a unique opportunity for youth to build their confidence, feel a sense of belonging, and create lifelong friendships and community connections.
EECF Chairperson Sarah Pash had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Summer Games, which were held in her home community of Chisasibi.
It was truly unforgettable to see the joy and pride on the faces of the young athletes from every community, and to hear them being cheered on by such an engaged circle of support. The Foundation is committed to empowering Cree youth, and the Summer Games was a moving example of this commitment in action.
- Sarah Pash, Chairperson, Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation
The Summer Games Steering Committee say contributions from supporters like EECF were essential to making the 2026 Games possible.
On behalf of the Eeyou Istchee Summer Games Steering Committee, I would like to express our deepest thanks to EECF for their generous contribution of $25,000. These games created memories that our young athletes will carry with them for years to come, reminding them that they belong, that they are supported, and that they are capable of achieving great things. The EECF's support of the Summer Games was an investment in our youth and, in turn, an investment in the future of Eeyou Istchee.
- Darius Neacappo-Pelchat, Deputy Youth Grand Chief and Co-Chairperson of the Summer Games.
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Photo provided by Clifford Loon.
The EECF welcomed Clifford Loon to the team as of June 1, 2026.
The Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation is pleased to introduce Clifford Loon as its new Manager of Operations. Clifford, who is Eenou from the Cree Nation of Mistissini, officially joined the Foundation on June 1, 2026.
From his work as a consultant to his experience managing a non-profit organization, Clifford brings valuable and highly relevant expertise to the Foundation. He also offers extensive knowledge gained through his work across Eeyou Istchee, along with the leadership roles he's held in his community.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to join the Foundation. I've always been passionate about assisting in the development of our territory, especially our Youth. From supporting culture to uplifting language, there's so much that the Foundation can do, and I'm proud to be a part of it.
- Clifford Loon, Operations Manager, EECF
As a forward-thinking and community-focused organization, the EECF is fortunate to welcome someone with Clifford's experience and insight in the role of Manager of Operations. The knowledge, skills, and relationships he has developed throughout his career will make him a valuable addition to EECF’s team. We look forward to continuing to grow our impact throughout Eeyou Istchee with his support and expertise.
- Sarah Pash, Chairperson, EECF
Please join us in offering a warm welcome to Clifford! He can be reached at clifford@creefoundation.ca.
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EECF Stories – a place where we uplift and celebrate the people whose lives have been touched by the Foundation.
We are over 20,000 strong, living in 10 Cree communities across Northern Quebec.
We have lived in harmony with the cycles of nature for millennia. Ancient laws and customs guided the Crees’ shared stewardship of a vast territory called Eeyou Istchee. When Europeans arrived, our people integrated some valuable European technologies and ways. We developed a reputation as skilled negotiators and intermediaries with other nations. The Cree system of land and resource management began to shift in the early 1600s.
When the Hudson’s Bay Company was established (1670), we expanded our traditional trapping practices to participate in this fur-trading economy. Like First Nations across the continent, the Crees gradually lost control of our lands, rights, and resources. Families were uprooted from their homes and lands. Poverty became a way of life, and many of our children were forced into the infamous residential school system, whose long shadow haunts Canada and Indigenous Peoples to this day.
In the 1970’s, when a massive hydroelectric project threatened Cree lands and way of life, the leaders of Eeyou Istchee stepped forward. They changed the project’s course, won self-government for the Crees, and established a strong voice in future developments.
Quebec’s James Bay hydroelectric project, planned without consulting the people most affected, was a defining moment in modern Cree history. The project would forever flood Cree lands and erase an ancient way of life. In response to this threat to our very existence, our leaders launched challenges in the courts of law and public opinion and successfully negotiated compensation for the affected communities.
On November 11, 1975, the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) was signed–a world first for Indigenous peoples. Beyond material compensation, the agreement formalized self-government and territorial rights. This agreement launched a movement toward increasing self-determination for the Crees of Eeyou Istchee.
Subsequent agreements include the Paix des Braves Agreement (2002) and the New Relationship Agreement with the federal government (2008). The Eeyou Istchee James Bay Governance Agreement (2012) established shared governance, development and partnerships across one of the world’s largest regional governments. The Crees of Eeyou Istchee and the Government of Canada Agreement (2017) advanced Cree self-governance on lands surrounding the Cree communities.
Each has been an important milestone in helping us determine our way forward.
As a nation, we have evolved significantly since the signing of the JBNQA. Today, many Cree-owned business flourish and contribute to Quebec and Canadian prosperity. We manage our own education and health care systems very effectively, and deliver culturally appropriate essential services across our vast territory.
Through our community and economic development efforts, we are rebuilding long-standing family and community structures, but much remains to be accomplished. Within this challenging social and economic environment, the Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation aims to make a profound difference through programs that will respond to the needs of our people and our communities.
Learn more about the Sophie Happyjack -Bosum Memorial Fund here.
