Launched in 2016, the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GRSI) supports governments and non-state actors in developing sustainable, community-based refugee sponsorship programmes across more than twenty countries. This research examines Canada’s global influence through the GRSI, arguing that traditional policy transfer theory alone is insufficient to capture its impact. By integrating policy transfer, migration diplomacy, and capacity building, the authors explore how the Initiative expands refugee protection through civic engagement, strengthens host communities, shapes public narratives, and fosters locally owned, sustainable sponsorship models through collaborative learning, knowledge exchange, and long-term capacity development.