Rick Frost

BA (Hons), MA, MPA
Honorary Doctorate of Laws

Throughout his career and particularly in his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Winnipeg Foundation, Rick Frost has demonstrated extraordinary skill in cultivating partnerships that connect donors with opportunities to meet the needs of our community. He works tirelessly to support programs and people who strengthen Winnipeg; his deep care and commitment to adding community capacity at the grassroots level is evident to all who know him.

Frost was an early supporter of and advocate for two important initiatives at The University of Winnipeg aimed at breaking down barriers to post-secondary education and closing the graduation gap for inner city, Indigenous, and new immigrant children and youth. First, he helped launch the Innovative Learning Centre in 2006 which has resulted in thousands of inner city children attending UWinnipeg’s popular Eco-U Summer Camp and the Eco-Kids on Campus program. Both of these initiatives nurture in youth the joy of learning and exploring the natural world and are offered free of charge to participants thanks to the support of Frost and the Winnipeg Foundation. He also created the Winnipeg Foundation’s Nourishing Potential Endowment Fund. This critically important program ensures nutritious meals are available daily to help children reach their full potential. UWinnipeg’s WiiChiiwaakanak Learning Centre is able to provide hundreds of wholesome snacks to inner city children and youth who attend the after-school Let’s Talk Science club and Powwow club because of this program. 

Frost has earned a reputation for building relationships based on trust, respect and mutual understanding. He has offered his expertise and insights on numerous local, national and international boards, including the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation, Community Foundations of Canada and the Premier’s Economic Advisory Council.

Through his unwavering integrity and generosity of spirit, Frost is the personification of community leadership.