For more than 25 years, United Way Winnipeg has been investing in SEED Winnipeg and putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of those who need it more. What began in 1995 as a community response to rising financial insecurity has grown into one of Winnipeg’s most respected models for economic empowerment.
When knowledge is financial empowerment
Every day people walk through SEED’s doors with different needs. A newcomer who was once an engineer but can’t use their credentials in Canada. A single parent trying to understand how to get the most out of their tax return. An entrepreneur seeking to start a small business to create self-employment. A young person without stable housing who needs help getting ID to access essential support.
With financial and project support from United Way Winnipeg, SEED Winnipeg builds economic resilience amongst community members living on low levels of income through financial help supports, business development programs and a credential recognition support program. These programs and services demonstrate how knowledge and mentorship can help reduce barriers to income, assets, education and employment. In 2024-2025 SEED worked with more than 100 partners to provide financial help services to over 16,000 participants, helped more than 10 businesses launch or expand, and supported the creation or maintenance of more than 100 jobs.
Nationwide recognition
United Way Winnipeg co-designs and co-invests in asset-building strategies that have elevated SEED as a hub of knowledge and expertise that trains other agencies that do similar work. Acting as a backbone organization, its work ripples across the community.
The African Communities of Manitoba, Inc. (ACOMI) offers support with tax returns. SEED Winnipeg helped them learn to track and report on their outcomes more effectively, which not only improved their services, it also helped them secure additional funding to expand their reach.
Through a train-the-trainer model, SEED Winnipeg supports individuals and families directly while building skills in the community services sector. SEED has provided training on the provision of financial help supports to more than 400 service providers in 2024-25.
Some of SEED’s most meaningful work happens behind closed doors. United Way Winnipeg’s long-standing partnership strengthens the financial empowerment ecosystem at the provincial level; SEED Winnipeg partners with United Way Winnipeg and other agencies to co-found the Manitoba Financial Empowerment Network, a cross-sectoral network of more than 15 organizations focusing on asset-building. With United Way Winnipeg serving as a backbone organization, the network mobilizes knowledge to support policy and system change across the province.
Life-changing outcomes
One of SEED’s contributions is providing access to ID supports for financially vulnerable Manitobans. Without their ID, these individuals cannot access housing, employment, or healthcare. In 2024-25, SEED and partner agencies assisted community members with access to 2,800 pieces of ID.
United Way Winnipeg’s multi-decade partnerships made other successes possible such as the Recognition Counts program, which supports newcomers with credentials that are not recognized in Canada. In 2024-25, more than $150,000 was distributed through loans to 16 clients, with 22 clients securing employment in the same or similar professions.
Income tax returns and other benefits are another area SEED works to reduce poverty through asset-building. Supporting individuals with access to several years of tax returns can enable them to gather funds to secure shelter, and in turn access employment. Getting help accessing these benefits can be life-changing, particularly for low-income families. In 2024-25, United Way Winnipeg’s strategic investment in SEED together with partner organizations unlocked more than $45M in income tax refunds and benefits for community members.
There are many success stories about past program participants who return as employees and become ‘seedlings’. Their lived experience helps others walk a path they know well.
When it was created, SEED Winnipeg was responding to a need for broader community investments and programs that build long-term resilience. These impacts over the last 25 years have been made possible through support with funding, convening, policy influence and sector alignment provided by United Way Winnipeg. The support from United Way Winnipeg serving as a lead agency and convenor let the organization flourish and become an entity known and recognized nationwide.
When you support United Way Centraide, you help build a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. SEED Winnipeg’s success demonstrates the power of the United Way Centraide’s approach to economic resilience; local partners, long-term investment, and systems-level collaboration. United Way Centraide-supported initiatives like SEED Winnipeg tackle the root causes of poverty and create lasting change.
Learn more at SEED Winnipeg’s website www.seedwinnipeg.ca or find your local United Way and donate today.
