[3][4] She was the founding co-chair of the Ontario Nonprofit Network,[5] is a founding trustee in the Awesome Foundation Toronto,[6] and has been active within the Ontario Social Economy Roundtable and the Social Enterprise Council of Canada.

Tonya and husband Mark Surman were instrumental in developing the Constellation Model of Governance, a complexity-inspired framework designed to enable collaborations within dynamic systems.

[4][9] She was recognized for building shared spaces and networks for social innovators designed to foster cooperation.

[11][12] In 2012 Tonya Surman co-authored the book "The Community Bond: An Innovation in Social Finance".

The book details the process by which the Centre for Social Innovation raised $2 million through community bonds to purchase and renovate its Annex location.