A new partnership between Dufferin County and the Dufferin Community Foundation is helping to ensure that the Museum of Dufferin (MoD), so well-loved for bringing local history to life, will remain a cultural and educational treasure for generations to come.
Dufferin County has gifted $750,000 from the Museum Trust to create the MoD Endowment Fund at Dufferin Community Foundation. The fund will be permanently invested and the annual income used to provide grants to the Museum each year.
The MoD Endowment Fund was launched on June 7th at the Unity in Diversity art exhibition and awards reception. In the picture are Althea Alli, Vishal Singh, Hemani Singh, Christina Casamento and Ethan Casamento from the Dufferin County Multicultural Foundation, Sonya Pritchard from Dufferin County, Jasmine Proteau from the MoD, and Debbi Goss, Shirley Boxem, Michele Fisher, Michèle Maycock and Gord Gallaugher from Dufferin Community Foundation.
“The MoD is a historical and cultural gem in Dufferin County, and we are so lucky to have it here in our community,” said Janet Horner, Warden of Dufferin County. “The County is excited to announce this partnership with Dufferin Community Foundation. With this endowment fund, we will help ensure the MoD can be enjoyed by community members and Dufferin visitors for years to come.”
Dufferin Community Foundation will be responsible for the investment and management of the Fund. With managed assets of more than $4.1 million and charitable grants exceeding $170,000 in 2025, the Foundation has a proven track record of building and growing charitable funds and ensuring that gifts are invested wisely. It also has a large community presence in Dufferin, which the MoD can leverage to engage with potential donors who wish to support cultural heritage preservation in Dufferin County.
The Foundation’s Michele Fisher, Dufferin County CAO Sonya Pritchard, and MoD Museum Services Manager Jasmine Proteau announced the creation of the MoD Endowment Fund, which is open to donations from the public.
“The MoD Endowment Fund will provide a source of income that the Museum can count on every single year to continue its level of excellence. We are honoured to be partnering with Dufferin County and the MoD on this new ‘Forever Fund’, which will preserve our dynamic and ever-evolving local history,” said Michele Fisher, Dufferin Community Foundation’s Executive Director.
The MoD collects and preserves the stories of the people, places and culture of Dufferin County and shares them through engaging and inclusive experiences. From its fascinating exhibitions to its exciting events, programs and tours, the MoD has been a cornerstone of cultural and historical education for 30 years.
The new MoD Endowment Fund will provide annual grants for special projects, capital improvements and dynamic exhibitions at the museum, such as the Dufferin County Multicultural Foundation’s Unity in Diversity art and awards show. Pictured l-r are Hemani Singh, Michele Fisher, Althea Alli and Vishal Singh.
“We’re very excited to have an endowment to increase the sustainability and stability of the Museum and its place in our community,” said Jasmine Proteau, MoD’s Museum Services Manager. “The team at the MoD is dedicated to increasing our programs and improving our facilities, and the support of this endowment will only strengthen our continued success for the future.”
The MoD Endowment is a public fund which anyone can support. If you would like to support the MoD now and in the future, you can do so here. Donors will receive a charitable tax receipt for their gifts.
For more information, please contact:
Michele Fisher
Executive Director
michele@dufferincommunityfoundation.ca
519-938-0780
