Meet Vanessa

Vanessa Toussaint is a second-generation Haitian Canadian currently serving as Donor Relations Coordinator on the Philanthropy team at Vancity Community Foundation. With over 10 years of experience in support work and 5+ years in frontline nonprofit work, she has built deep expertise in community outreach, coordination, and administrative operations. In her current role, she supports the coordination of a number of donor portfolios. All these experiences continue to help shape her approach to values driven, community-centered philanthropy.

How do you intend to use the funds?

As this year's recipient of the Birgit Smith Burton RISE Fund, Vanessa plans to use the award to invest in her growth within the philanthropic sector. She is currently exploring leadership development opportunities, including Carleton University's Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership program and the CFRE certification, both of which would build the technical skills and mentorship connections needed to advance into senior roles. She is also considering directing a portion of the funds toward community engagement programming, deepening her connection to grassroots work alongside formal credentialing.