About Low Entropy Foundation
Our Mission
To empower people by creating opportunities for growth through skill-building, real-world experience, and community connection.
Our Vision
A world where every person has the tools, confidence, and community they need to thrive and contribute towards a kinder, caring, more compassionate world.
Where Low Entropy Is Today
Thrift & Fund by Low Entropy Foundation is our social enterprise and the heart of our community work:
- A social enterprise that sustains our programs through earned revenue.
- A community hub where over 100 volunteers and interns contribute and connect.
- A training ground for youth, students, and jobseekers to gain real-world experience.
- A welcoming space that reflects our values of connection, empowerment, and kindness.
Our Programs
- Thrift & Thrive Youth Internship Program: Retail experience, leadership workshops, mentorship, and financial literacy for youth ages 16–24.
- Volunteer Engagement & Mentorship: Training, intake, scheduling, and ongoing support for a large and diverse volunteer team.
- Internships & Work Experience Placements: Partnerships with universities, colleges, and employment programs.
- Indigenous Programs: Initiatives guided by Indigenous values and practices that support well-being, honour traditions, and foster community connection.
- Community Engagement: Volunteer fairs, community events, and partnerships that strengthen local networks.
- Women Rising: A leadership program for women, delivered with volunteer support through regular guest-speaker gatherings.
The Opportunity: Becoming a Grant-Making Funder
Low Entropy's next chapter is to grow from an organization that seeks funding into one that also provides it. Our goal is to build the financial base to fund other community organizations and grassroots initiatives that share our values, alongside sustaining our own programs.
Today, Low Entropy raises its funding through grants, government contracts, donors, and Thrift & Fund revenue. Fund development is currently delivered through a contracted fund development partner. The new Executive Director will take over this portfolio through a planned handover, then build on it toward our grant-making goal.
There is no single proven path for an organization like ours to become a funder. We are looking for a leader who will lead a capital campaign, research the options, test new approaches, and recommend to the Board the model that best fits Low Entropy.
The Role: Executive Director
The Executive Director has two jobs: keep Low Entropy's strong operations steady, and lead our transition toward becoming a grant-making funder.
Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director provides overall leadership while spending most of their energy on fund development and long-term financial growth.
Steady Operations
Our programs and Thrift & Fund are well run by the existing team. The Executive Director supports that team, protects what is working, and keeps the organization compliant, accountable, and true to its values. This is not a role that requires rebuilding operations.
Fund Development and Grant-Making Transition
The Executive Director takes over Low Entropy's fund development work from our contracted fund development partner. From there, the Executive Director leads a capital campaign and researches and pilots new ways to build the resources Low Entropy needs to become a funder.
The Executive Director is also Low Entropy's primary public representative with donors, funders, government, community leaders, and partners.
Key Responsibilities
Fund Development
- Take over Low Entropy's active fund development work through a structured handover, including current applications, reporting obligations, renewals, and funder relationships.
- Maintain and grow existing funding from foundations, government, corporate partners, and individual donors.
- Write, submit, and report on grants, and keep a pipeline and calendar of upcoming opportunities.
- Steward donors and funders so that relationships deepen over time.
Capital Campaign
- Design and lead Low Entropy's first capital campaign, working closely with the Board.
- Develop the case for support, campaign goal, and gift plan, informed by a feasibility assessment.
- Identify, cultivate, and solicit major donors, corporate partners, and institutional funders.
- Recruit and support campaign volunteers and champions, and report progress to the Board.
Grant-Making Transition: Research and Pilots
- Research models for becoming a funder, such as an endowment or designated fund, legacy and planned giving, donor-advised funds, social finance, and allocating social enterprise surplus to granting.
- Test promising approaches on a small scale, such as a pilot micro-grant or community granting round, and evaluate what works.
- Work with the Board, auditors, and legal advisors to confirm CRA requirements for granting, including rules on qualified donees and grants to non-qualified donees.
- Recommend a grant-making model, timeline, and policies (eligibility, adjudication, reporting) for Board approval.
Steady Operations and Leadership
- Support the existing team that leads programs, volunteers, and Thrift & Fund, and protect what is working well.
- Oversee the annual budget and financial stewardship, with transparency and accountability.
- Ensure compliance with CRA charity regulations, employment law, and organizational policies.
- Provide timely reporting, analysis, and recommendations to the Board.
- Uphold a workplace culture grounded in Low Entropy's values, and ensure Indigenous programs honour Indigenous traditions, practices, and values.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement
- Serve as spokesperson and ambassador for Low Entropy, embodying the tagline "Change starts within."
- Build relationships with funders, government, educational institutions, businesses, Indigenous and multicultural communities, and grassroots organizations, including future grant recipients.
- Represent Low Entropy at community events, conferences, and funder gatherings.
Qualifications and Attributes
Experience and Skills
- Fund Development: A strong track record in grant writing, major gifts, donor stewardship, and sponsorships, with funds raised you can point to.
- Capital Campaigns: Experience planning or playing a leading role in a capital or major gifts campaign.
- Philanthropy and Grant-Making: Knowledge of how funders operate; experience on the funder side, in endowment building, or with community foundations is a strong asset.
- Research and Innovation: Comfortable exploring unproven paths, testing ideas on a small scale, and making clear recommendations from what you learn.
- Leadership: Senior leadership experience in nonprofit, social enterprise, or community-based organizations, with the judgment to support a strong team without micromanaging it.
- Financial Management: Budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and knowledge of CRA charity rules.
- Governance: Experience working with and reporting to a Board of Directors.
- Relationships and Communications: Skilled at engaging donors, government, Indigenous and multicultural communities, businesses, and grassroots partners, and at telling compelling stories of impact.
- Equity, Inclusion, and Reconciliation: A demonstrated commitment, including working respectfully with Indigenous communities and practising trauma-informed, culturally responsive approaches.
Personal Attributes
- Values-Driven: Embodies empowerment, responsibility, kindness, community, integrity, and growth.
- Visionary and Entrepreneurial: Sees what Low Entropy could become and is energized by building something new.
- Relational: Builds trust with staff, volunteers, donors, and partners.
- Resilient and Adaptable: Balances optimism with pragmatism, and stays steady when a pilot doesn't work out.
- Growth-Oriented: Open to feedback and continuous learning.
- Accountable: Follows through on commitments and keeps the Board well informed.
Compensation and Benefits
Annual Salary: $100,000
Employment Type: Full-time, 40 hours per week
Benefits Include:
- Extended health and dental coverage (50% employer-paid, 50% employee-paid).
- Three weeks paid vacation annually, increasing with tenure.
- Additional paid time off during the December holiday closure.
- Flexible scheduling and hybrid work options.
- Professional development and training opportunities.
- A supportive, collaborative workplace grounded in kindness, community, and continuous learning.
Work Environment
- A hybrid role that combines remote work with regular on-site presence.
- The Executive Director works primarily remotely, with regular and as-needed time at the Thrift & Fund store in Coquitlam for meetings, community connection, and oversight.
- Occasional evening or weekend availability for Board meetings, community events, and donor or campaign functions.
Leadership Transition
Our current Interim Executive Director, Ness Gale, will work alongside the new Executive Director during a transition period to share relationships, responsibilities, and organizational knowledge.
Ness will then step into a Director-level role focused on volunteer engagement, youth programs, and community connection, continuing to lead the day-to-day programs that are central to Low Entropy's impact.
In parallel, our contracted fund development partner will hand over active files, funder relationships, and the funding pipeline, so the new Executive Director can step into fund development with full context.
Application Process
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled. We encourage interested candidates to apply early.
The anticipated start date is April 1, 2027, with flexibility for the right candidate.
To apply, please submit:
- A current resume.
- A cover letter outlining your interest and qualifications, including your fund development and campaign experience.
Please send your application to the Board of Directors at:
BoardChair@lowentropy.org
