Greater Results When Done Together

Zero Ceiling’s Journey from Grassroots to Sector Leader

How long does it take to transform a grassroots nonprofit into a sector leader with scalable impact?

For Zero Ceiling, an SVP Vancouver Investee in 2016, the answer is, just a few years with the right people, shared vision, and catalytic support.

Founded in Whistler, B.C., Zero Ceiling supports marginalized youth, many of whom are Indigenous, to access housing, employment, and community connection in one of Canada’s most expensive towns. But what makes Zero Ceiling truly stand out is how deeply youth voice, trust, and collaboration are embedded in everything they do. From co-created websites to on-site cultural support, they show what’s possible when youth are not just served but centered.

“SVP helped us become sustainable,” says Co-Executive Director Lizi McLoughlin. “After 20 years of delivering much-loved, grassroots programs on a minimal budget with a tiny team, we were able to create stability, sustainability for our staff, and invest in sector-leading practices across our organization.” 

From 4 Youth to 360+ Mountain Moments

Back in 2016, Zero Ceiling’s flagship program supported just 4 youth full-time per season. Today, that support has grown exponentially:

• 11 youth now live in safe, supportive homes that offer 24/7 on-site support and are managed by Zero Ceiling year-round.
• Over 180 youth accessed mountain adventures last winter alone—with a 2025 target of 360+ for the year, a 91% increase versus 2016.
• The organization is now delivering wraparound programming, 7 days a week, including stronger referral partnerships for mental health supports, up from 3–4 days a week in 2016.
• New alumni, cultural supports, mental health, and crisis funds ensure youth who graduate from the program continue to feel seen, supported, and connected.

The result? A much higher proportion of youth stay in the program for 12+ months, gaining the life skills, job experience, and community connections needed for long-term stability. As one youth participant noted, “Get ready for character development, growth, and setting your future self up. It’s a great place to be, to grow, learn, work, live and play. I’m really glad I did this for myself and for my future.”

SVP’s Role: Building the Foundation for them to Scale

In 2018, Zero Ceiling received their first-ever multi-year grant from SVP Vancouver. That funding laid the groundwork for future growth and was paired with the hands-on strategic-support SVP is known for, including the following:

• Funding for Zero Ceiling’s first case management system and donor CRM
• IT, fundraising, and communications strategy expertise that helped scale operations
• Meaningful connections to peer organizations and donors who still support the organization today
• Guidance, leadership and on-going support from SVP Lead Partners

“It wasn’t just the money,” Lizi says. “It was the expertise, the confidence, the people. SVP believed in us—and that opened the door for others to believe in us too.”

In 2016, Zero Ceiling’s budget was approximately $300K. Today, Zero Ceiling operates with a $1.2 million budget, including over $500,000 in government funding—none of which they had prior. What started as a bootstrap program is now a model of sustainability, with funding, leadership, and most importantly, positive impact on vulnerable youth that continues to grow.

Zero Ceiling’s journey reminds us that scalable change happens when trust, collaboration, and flexible funding align. It’s what SVP aims to do best—and why we’re proud to be part of their story.