Who We Are

Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC) is Calgary’s sole non-profit dedicated to poverty reduction through systems change. As the steward of Calgary's poverty reduction strategy, Enough for All, VCC works with government, community, and partners to improve the economic and social well-being of Calgarians.

What We Do

Unlike direct service providers, VCC exclusively focuses on long-term, sustainable solutions to poverty rather than short-term relief. Our community- and evidence-driven approach ensures that poverty-reduction efforts lead to impactful policy change. We help reduce poverty by:

Driving research and data: VCC empowers organizations and policymakers with timely, relevant, and reliable evidence to inform decision-making.
Shaping pragmatic policy ideas: VCC influences and advances policies through evidence-based recommendations and strategic cross-sectoral partnerships.
Building public awareness and driving advocacy: VCC reshapes how Calgarians view and understand poverty to foster a more compassionate and informed public discourse, and inspire collective change.

We also work to inform the development and implementation of public policy that improves the economic and social well-being of Albertans through the Social Policy Collaborative

Our Strategy

VCC’s work is guided by its strategic plan and the stewardship of Calgary’s poverty reduction strategy, Enough for All. Learn more about our strategic direction below:

2024-2027 Strategic Plan: Vibrant Communities Calgary’s inaugural 2024–2027 Strategic Plan lays out a roadmap for success, outlining priorities and key initiatives to foster a more inclusive, resilient, and thriving Calgary. VCC's purpose is to inspire change, reduce poverty, and enhance well-being.
Enough for All 2.0: Enough for All is Calgary’s city-wide approach to reducing poverty by improving access to vital supports and changing policies and systems.

Stick figures of various colors gather to form the words "enough for all."

Our Impact

VCC holds itself accountable to community, partners, and funders, ensuring its activities and impact are documented and shared widely. This work is shared through our:

Report to Community: An annual report documenting our activities and progress toward reducing poverty in Calgary.
Evaluation: VCC’s work is evaluated annually by an independent third party to understand how Vibrant Communities Calgary and its stewardship of Enough for All are changing systems that hold poverty in place.

Our Team

The stewardship of VCC’s strategic plan and Enough for All is executed by a dedicated staff team and guided by a volunteer Board of Directors.

Meet the team

Key Dates

2005

VCC was launched as a new organization focused on poverty reduction coordination, advocacy, community awareness and providing a voice to people with lived experience of poverty.

2013

The Enough for All Strategy was adopted by Calgary City Council and the United Way of Calgary and Area's Board of Directors.

2015

Under a four-year agreement between The City of Calgary, United Way of Calgary and Area, Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC), and Momentum, stewardship of the Enough for All strategy moved from the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative Secretariat within The City of Calgary to VCC.

2019

A three-year agreement was signed by The City of Calgary, United Way of Calgary and Area (United Way), Momentum, and VCC to mark the continued implementation of the strategy in partnership with the community and jointly supported and funded by The City of Calgary and United Way.

2023

The Enough for All strategy received a traditional Blackfoot name, iih kanii tai staiiwa (ee-skunit-des-si), which means "everything is there".

2024

VCC developed its inaugural organizational strategic plan to advance innovation, impact, and accountability.

Funders

Vibrant Communities Calgary and Enough for All are generously supported by The City of Calgary and the United Way of Calgary and Area.

The City of Calgary
United Way of Calgary and Area