Tamarack is a dynamic organization that develops and supports collaborative strategies that engage citizens and institutions to solve major community challenges, and to learn from and share these experiences.

We believe we can find a better way forward if different sectors work together strategically and comprehensively to build stronger communities.

The Institute sponsors projects and provides learning resources, training, coaching and strategic consulting that enable people to collaborate and learn with and from each other.

Our Vision & Mission

Tamarack exists to build vibrant and engaged communities in Canada. Our work will result in more collaborative approaches and less poverty.

A vibrant community is one where committed citizens work together to build a community that is caring, prosperous and sustainable

Our mission is to engage citizens in inspired action as they work and learn together on behalf of their communities to create and realize bold visions for the future.

Our Journey

We believe that this is the right time to advance the work of building vibrant and engaged communities. Something has shifted in the collective ethos of those who search for a new way forward. We are bound together in place, in community, to overcome challenges that face us.

We are organized to achieve impact through three complementary and interrelated program areas, each with its own strategy.

Vibrant Communities

Vibrant Communities deliberately tests ideas about community building, poverty reduction, collaboration and engagement, and generates knowledge based on what works best in practice.

Currently, there are 15 cities active in a pan-Canadian learning community to learn and implement collaboration techniques and strategies to reduce poverty in Canada. This project has become an important model for communities by providing a compelling technique for working at both local and national levels. Learn more about Vibrant Communities here.

Custom Services

Tamarack’s Custom Services tests ideas in a less controlled environment than Vibrant Communities and provides an opportunity to deepen our understanding and contribution to community collaboration in many kinds of organizations and issues.

We focus on a partnership model with clients, working together to meet their assignment needs, and to advance the work of collaboration and engagement in communities, while producing knowledge for the field. For more information about our Custom Services, click here.

The Learning Centre

Tamarack’s Learning Centre is what we refer to as a generative learning circle. We use this space to animate what we learn with our partners in Vibrant Communities and Custom Services. We capture ideas, organize and animate them, disseminate the ideas and then engage people to interact with each other on the ideas.

The Learning Centre is home to a large collection of ideas and techniques that people can access in a variety of formats, including e-newsletters, online seminars and podcasts. To explore the Learning Centre, click here.