TAMARA KHANDAKER MAKING A GREAT CITY EVEN BETTER
Toronto Foundation CEO connects various community groups
Rahul Bhardwaj, CEO of the Toronto Foundation and the former corporate lawyer who is behind the city’s annual wave-making Vital Signs Report, calls his career trajectory “unusual.” Although his involvement in community work began years prior, it was his stint as vice-president of the Toronto 2008 Olympic bid that thrust him permanently away from the world of mergers and acquisitions. Bhardwaj now has the ability to empower community organizations by connecting them with people who can financially back their projects. He offered the Star his thoughts on leadership, as well as some advice for organizers searching desperately for funding.
What kind of projects do you look for? What fundamental qualities must they have to attract your interest?
We’re focused on programs and organizations that are helping advance Toronto’s vital signs . . . The report is our strategic guide. For any organization to be seeking a grant from us or be partnering with us, we first have to identify: Which of Toronto’s vital signs is this working toward? What we’re trying to identify are organizations that are working well in their programs and that are scalable across the city. We’re trying to build the capacity of those organizations and individuals within them to amplify the great work they’re doing.
What advice do you have for community organizations that are really trying but struggling to get funding for their projects?
It’s a real issue. There’s definitely a shortage of resources out there. The organizations that are doing this great work — their capacity and their excellence is around providing support in their communities. Creating grant applications and fundraising is an enormous amount of work. It diverts a lot of resources, and I’m very empathetic to that . . . Those organizations that are able to collaborate with others, they leverage a lot more resources — whether that’s financial or human capital resources — over time. So my rule of thumb for folks that are struggling through that process is look to collaborate, particularly with others who have been successful in receiving grants . . . Collaboration is key and it seems to be at the top of everybody’s mind these days.
What kind of role has being a visible minority played in your journey and moving into a position of leadership?
It’s a privilege and a responsibility I take very seriously . . . it reminds (people of diverse backgrounds) that you can aspire to become part of the community leadership in the city, and it’s doable. I hope to think it’s a reminder as well that we live in a city that’s changing dramatically. We’ve got 51 per cent of Torontonians who are foreign-born, a third who have arrived in the last 25 years, and within a decade, it’s going to be twothirds visible minorities . . . It says newcomers have all been able to work to create this fourth-most livable city on the planet, and that those who’ve been here longer than us have worked to provide opportunities. The change we’ve had has been peaceful, productive, and a real model for how other cities around the world could do it. At the same time, I’m mindful of the responsibility. We’ve got to work hard and add a lot of value into this. I also can’t say enough about the opportunities others provided me to learn, grow and hopefully earn my way into the role I have now . . . I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the doors opened by other people.
What’s an opportunity someone gave you that made a big difference?
When Bahadur Madhani was chair of the United Way, he tapped me on the shoulder as a young lawyer to join their board. I was on the board for close to nine years, and I grew, listening to people about how leadership can impact (the city).
What’s something people don’t know about you?
My favourite genre of film is British gangster movies, I love sailing, and I’m a bit of an introvert — a nonanxious introvert, which means I love spending time with people, but when it’s time to unwind, a small group.
What’s the book you read most recently?
I’m a voracious reader, and I’ve got a whack of books on the go at the same time. I just finished Wolf Hall the other day, and I have a bunch of books sitting there and staring at me. Right now, it’s the third book in the
Sea of Poppies trilogy. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
“So my rule of thumb for folks that are struggling through that process (getting funding) is look to collaborate, particularly with others who have been successful in receiving grants.”
RAHUL BHARDWAJ