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Creating More Ways to Play

Getting kids outside to play is more important than ever. Childhood has changed, with more time spent on screens and less time playing outside with friends. In July, we announced the recipients of Free to Play, a national multi-year initiative with Community Foundations of Canada supporting organizations helping kids do just that. We’re pleased to […]

Creating More Ways to Play Read More »

Getting kids outside to play is more important than ever. Childhood has changed, with more time spent on screens and less time playing outside with friends. In July, we announced the recipients of Free to Play, a national multi-year initiative with Community Foundations of Canada supporting organizations helping kids do just that. We’re pleased to

More Play, More Connection: Meet the Free to Play 2026 Recipients

We’re excited to announce the recipients of Free to Play, a national, multi-year initiative led by Community Foundations of Canada to help get kids back outside. Childhood is changing, with more time spent on screens and fewer chances to climb trees, play with friends or explore more freely. This fund is about bringing back the

More Play, More Connection: Meet the Free to Play 2026 Recipients Read More »

We’re excited to announce the recipients of Free to Play, a national, multi-year initiative led by Community Foundations of Canada to help get kids back outside. Childhood is changing, with more time spent on screens and fewer chances to climb trees, play with friends or explore more freely. This fund is about bringing back the

The Pan Am Legacy Fund: A New Model for Long-Term Public Benefit

After the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, the question was not only how to maintain new facilities, but how to ensure public investment continued delivering community benefit for decades to come. The Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games sparked a significant build of sport and recreation infrastructure across Ontario, including the

The Pan Am Legacy Fund: A New Model for Long-Term Public Benefit Read More »

After the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, the question was not only how to maintain new facilities, but how to ensure public investment continued delivering community benefit for decades to come. The Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games sparked a significant build of sport and recreation infrastructure across Ontario, including the

Lessons from a Shared Granting Circle

From left to right: Kelly McAllister (Friends of Ruby), Harmy Mendoza (WomanACT), Miriam Selick (Canvas Programs), Sariena Luy (Flaunt-it Movement) and Monica Samuel (Black Women in Motion) Put a group of nonprofits in a room and ask them to divide funding among themselves, and you can almost feel the discomfort before the conversation begins. Scarcity

Lessons from a Shared Granting Circle Read More »

From left to right: Kelly McAllister (Friends of Ruby), Harmy Mendoza (WomanACT), Miriam Selick (Canvas Programs), Sariena Luy (Flaunt-it Movement) and Monica Samuel (Black Women in Motion) Put a group of nonprofits in a room and ask them to divide funding among themselves, and you can almost feel the discomfort before the conversation begins. Scarcity

26 more grantees. More community support and potential, realized.

The overwhelming number of compelling Toronto’s Vital Signs (TVS) Grant applications we received this spring told us two things: that demands on community organizations remain high; and that community-informed solutions are working, but there’s potential to do even more with more access to funding. We wanted to find a way to make that happen.  More

26 more grantees. More community support and potential, realized. Read More »

The overwhelming number of compelling Toronto’s Vital Signs (TVS) Grant applications we received this spring told us two things: that demands on community organizations remain high; and that community-informed solutions are working, but there’s potential to do even more with more access to funding. We wanted to find a way to make that happen.  More

“This funding allowed us to move from the pond to the lake.”

In 2023, we launched the latest round of the Deacon Legacy Grants: A two-year, unrestricted funding stream. While this grant has taken many forms over the years as we’ve evolved to better meet community needs, at its core, it has always been about honouring the wishes of legacy donors and supporting the organizations that make

“This funding allowed us to move from the pond to the lake.” Read More »

In 2023, we launched the latest round of the Deacon Legacy Grants: A two-year, unrestricted funding stream. While this grant has taken many forms over the years as we’ve evolved to better meet community needs, at its core, it has always been about honouring the wishes of legacy donors and supporting the organizations that make

Announcing the 2025 Toronto’s Vital Signs Grantees

We’re excited to share our 2025 Toronto’s Vital Signs grantees. These organizations were chosen for their visionary work in tackling our city’s inequities. They are poised to further strengthen their real and measurable impact for Torontonians—from increasing access to culturally relevant food to ensuring people with disabilities can fully participate in the arts.    Fundholder

Announcing the 2025 Toronto’s Vital Signs Grantees Read More »

We’re excited to share our 2025 Toronto’s Vital Signs grantees. These organizations were chosen for their visionary work in tackling our city’s inequities. They are poised to further strengthen their real and measurable impact for Torontonians—from increasing access to culturally relevant food to ensuring people with disabilities can fully participate in the arts.    Fundholder

Support small. Build a city of neighbours.

This year’s Good to Give Guide is different. It features some of the smallest organizations we’ve ever funded and recommended to fundholders. Small groups know their communities and draw neighbours together to imagine and build a better future.  Small organizations often serve the most vulnerable and since COVID the demands on them are greater than

Support small. Build a city of neighbours. Read More »

This year’s Good to Give Guide is different. It features some of the smallest organizations we’ve ever funded and recommended to fundholders. Small groups know their communities and draw neighbours together to imagine and build a better future.  Small organizations often serve the most vulnerable and since COVID the demands on them are greater than

Gender-based philanthropy: Where did we go wrong?

In March 2023 The Philanthropist published Toronto Foundation’s Nicola Hives’ reflection on our organization’s three-year learning journey via the Trust Collective, a group of women philanthropists and community organizations serving women and girls. “We made a lot of mistakes,” she says, but we also learned some important lessons. First and foremost: “We can’t let our

Gender-based philanthropy: Where did we go wrong? Read More »

In March 2023 The Philanthropist published Toronto Foundation’s Nicola Hives’ reflection on our organization’s three-year learning journey via the Trust Collective, a group of women philanthropists and community organizations serving women and girls. “We made a lot of mistakes,” she says, but we also learned some important lessons. First and foremost: “We can’t let our

Family bonds fuel new fund: 1 of 26 new funds later in 2022

Family meant everything to Filomena “Mena” Ricardo Mari. At sixteen, it’s what compelled she and her twin sister to leave home in the Azores, so that she could work in Canada to supplement the lost income of her critically injured father. Here she raised her own family and in more recent years, doted on her seven grandchildren—nourishing everyone with love and

Family bonds fuel new fund: 1 of 26 new funds later in 2022 Read More »

Family meant everything to Filomena “Mena” Ricardo Mari. At sixteen, it’s what compelled she and her twin sister to leave home in the Azores, so that she could work in Canada to supplement the lost income of her critically injured father. Here she raised her own family and in more recent years, doted on her seven grandchildren—nourishing everyone with love and

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