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Funding and Inspiring a Community-Centred Future
Toronto is known for its collection of unique, diverse neighbourhoods. And we saw this as our strength. But we’ve come to see that something’s missing; a greater connection across the city to give us a sense of who we are and what we can be together.
At Toronto Foundation, we’re transforming our city of neighbourhoods into a city of neighbours.
We want to be part of a city where social isolation is unacceptable, civic engagement is the norm and equity is shared. A city that’s strength is its togetherness.
To do this, we’re committed to building community wealth and wellbeing for all of us—but we aren’t doing it alone. Together with partners and fundholders, we’re opening doors to greater impact, increasing our shared understanding of what our communities need, and making connections between those who want to invest in a future that works for everyone.
As one of more than 200 community foundations across Canada, we have been researching community needs and mobilizing resources by offering donor advised funds, managing charity, nonprofit and government investments, and granting to community groups.
Guided by Our Vision, Mission, and Values
Vision
A city of neighbours accelerating
meaningful change for all.
To connect philanthropy to community needs and opportunities.
Brave, thoughtful action. Humility in our relations. Public trust and inclusion above all.
Our Impact: Making a Difference Where It Matters
Communities understand their own challenges — and how to solve them. What they need are resources, connections and ongoing support to turn ideas into reality. Our research, funds and partnership can help.
That’s why our strategic plan is focused on optimizing the three forms of capital...
FINANCIAL CAPITAL
We grow community wealth by channeling donations to small but mighty organizations, encouraging donors to do the same while giving to the causes they care about, and helping charities invest their funds in higher return, socially responsible investing that aligns with their values.
Strong & Responsible Investing
36% of our assets are now invested responsibly and what's more, with a 14.6% return rate in 2024, our fundholders are positioned to grant more generously than they ever have.
Social Impact Investing
We've invested over $14M dollars through 28 initiatives, with three new ones in 2024, including contributing to Canada's first and North America's largest LGBTQ+ Fund.
Granting
In 2024, we granted to 1,074 groups and saw a higher percentage of giving going to Indigenous-led and serving and Black-led and serving organizations.
KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL
For years we’ve conducted research on the wellbeing of the city through the Vital Signs Reports and Toronto Social Capital Studies. With that data and community insights we produce giving guides that highlight how communities are tackling the city’s greatest needs.
Two decades of Toronto’s Vital Signs research
For over 20 years the Toronto’s Vital Signs report has tracked the city’s wellbeing. Our findings help inform community funding and programming, as well as connect donations to the smaller community organizations addressing the city's greatest needs.
Good to Give Guides
Get to know the small and medium-sized community groups that are making outsized impact. They’re doing the heavy lifting to tackle inequality by serving our city’s most vulnerable and creating opportunities for their communities. Make your giving go farther by supporting these groups.
SOCIAL CAPITAL
Here’s what we know: Our city is brimming with residents doing incredible things to bring their neighbours together to make change. But they’re unsung, under-the-radar and under-resourced. We want to change that.
Partnering and bridging across communities
By supporting Torontonians who are already stepping up and building more partnerships, we know more people will get out of their homes, connect and work together to make this city better.
Through our relationships with community organizations and partners who come together to create change, we see what’s possible when more people are connected with their neighbours.
Events
We connect fundholders with sector experts and community leaders to learn, collaborate and amplify community-led solutions. Together we explore the most pressing issues in our city and what underpins impactful charitable giving.
Our Plan For a Better, More Community-Centered Future
It all started with The Power of Us, a rallying cry spurred by one stand-out statistic from our research: Toronto is one of the loneliest places in the country. This alarming and yet resonant fact took hold across the city inspiring many to act. For us it became the raison d’être of our new strategic plan.
Now we’re committed to bringing a multitude of partners together to bridge communities and bring people together for good. That’s how we’ll shape a new story for Toronto, one that moves us from a city of neighbourhoods to a city of neighbours.
We believe that through a Toronto united as a city of neighbours, the change we need is truly possible. By coming together, all the crises we face — cost of living, lack of affordable housing, climate change, food insecurity, and many more — can be tackled and the future we desire can be grasped.
Connecting Our Network to Greater Impact
We're focused on maximizing philanthropic impact for charities, fundholders, partners
— and the causes they champion.
What we offer our network:
1
Philanthropists
The opportunity to focus their time and resources on the causes they care about — while leaving the administration to us.
2
Policymakers
Pulling policy levers can create lasting change. We're looking to partner with and connect decision makers across organizations, communities and government.
3
Nonprofits
& Charities
A powerful investment platform and partner coupled with 26 years of charity pooling experience to build sector wealth, wellbeing and sustainability.
4
Government
Partner
An experienced fiduciary partner for complex or time-bound funds with real-world knowledge of the issues impacting the communities they serve.
We are honoured to be named Canada's Top Equitable Funder.
Toronto Foundation is a proud member of Community Foundations of Canada, the national membership organization for more than 200 community foundations across Canada.
We're a proud signatory of the Declaration of Action.
Learn more about our work with local Indigenous organizations.