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Donor Advised Funds with us versus Private Foundations
Before going to the trouble of setting up your own private foundation, read more about what a donor ...
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 ...
Year-end deadlines: Holiday gifting and granting 2025
Sending a holiday grant to your favourite organization? Grants: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Grants received by December 3 ...
“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 ...
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 ...
Why More Canadian Philanthropists Are Choosing Donor Advised Funds Over Private Foundations
For philanthropists looking to formalize their giving, the process begins with choosing between establishing a donor advised fund ...
Message from RockCreek Canada
Toronto Foundation Investment Performance in 2024 Last year marked an impressive period for the markets, with strong performance ...
Organizations advocating for accessibility and inclusion
This week, we're proud to recognize the impact of some of the local organizations in Toronto that are ...
Take action this Earth Day: Local climate champions you can support
Earth Day is a powerful reminder that the climate crisis isn't a distant threat-it's here and it's happening ...
When fundholders come together for collective impact
We talk about Toronto Foundation being an engaged community and you can see it in action when our ...
Empowering women, changing futures: Organizations making a difference
This year's International Women's Day theme, "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment." reminds us that real ...
13 Black-led Organizations that are Transforming Communities and Philanthropy
This Black History Month, we're sharing the powerful work of Black-led, Black-serving and Black-focused (B3) organizations that are ...
Celebrating Clayton Gyotoku: Winner, 2024 CAGP Donor Distinction Award
Community has come to count on Clayton Gyotoku. A fundholder since 2012, Clayton often called us for advice ...
End-of-Year Deadlines: Holiday Gifting and Granting
Sending a holiday grant to your favourite organization? Grants: Wednesday, December 4, 2024 Grants received by December 4 ...
Remembering Fran Deacon
Fran Deacon, wife of our founder and champion of Toronto Foundation, recently passed away. She's been a force ...
Toronto Foundation Named Canada’s Top Equitable Funder
We're honoured to be named Canada's #1 Equitable Funder in Future of Good's inaugural list, amongst many of ...
Big jump in number of Toronto-area residents who say they can’t make ends meet, report says
Photo credit: Richard Lautens/Toronto Star Toronto Star article on the 2024 Toronto's Vital Signs Roundup on Growth highlights ...
Forty per cent of Toronto can’t even afford living here and the number is only getting worse
Photo credit: BlogTO Read the full article here.Â
Torontonians are More Vulnerable: New Data from the Vital Signs Roundup on Growth
Increasing economic vulnerability is leading to precarious mental and physical wellbeing November 13, 2024, (Toronto) - The first-ever ...
Canada’s Top 50 Equitable Funders ranking released; Toronto, Laidlaw and Calgary Foundations take top 3 spots
Photo credit:Â Read the full article here.
A message from RockCreek
Toronto Foundation Investment Performance in 2023 For the first time since Toronto Foundation embarked on a responsible investing ...
Investing with Toronto Foundation
Curious to learn about how we invest our funds and what sets us apart? Watch the three videos ...
A Legacy of Learning and Impact: What Drives the Kirpalani Family’s Giving
"I don't think my mom could have imagined what things would come from this."Â Anish Kirpalani is referring ...
New Report Finds 20-Year-Old Torontonians Are Struggling More Than 30-Somethings
From Mental Health to Finances to Food: This Demographic Needs Support Post-COVID August 14, 2024, (Toronto) - The ...
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 ...
The environment: There are always important conversations to be had
Some folks wonder what progress can be achieved in cities and many of us question how momentum can ...
Pride Month: 15 organizations uplifting 2SLGBTQ+ communities
As Pride Month arrives, it brings with it a renewed focus on celebrating and affirming the 2SLGBTQ+ community*. ...
Legacy planning made simple: Top takeaways
Author: Nicola Hives, Director, Growth Strategy at Toronto Foundation Despite their importance, most fundholders haven't created long-term wishes ...
20 Organizations shaping a more accessible and inclusive future
We're celebrating National AccessAbility Week by honoring the contributions of Canadians with disabilities and the champions who tirelessly ...
2023 Reflections from Sharon Avery, President and CEO, Toronto Foundation
Something clicked in 2023. Our novel research on loneliness the year prior drove our galvanizing campaign on the ...
New volunteering grant program may offer surprising boost for donations
Photo credit: East End Kids Pride Parade Read the full article here.Â
How you can support the environment this Earth Day
As we mark another Earth Day, the urgency of supporting environmental organizations resonates louder than ever before. But ...
After organizing a kids pride parade in six days, eight-year-old’s organization receives a thousand-dollar grant
Read the full article here.
Future-proofing our youth: Five key takeaways
Today's youth are climbing an uphill battle like never before. But organizations like For Youth Initiative (FYI) are ...
Organizations Driving Gender Equality in Toronto
In celebration of International Women's Day, we are shining a spotlight on donation-ready organizations that are advancing gender ...
Black History & Futures: 30 organizations you can support
In honour of Black History and Futures Month, we're sharing some of the B3* organizations you should know ...
From high notes to high impact: a new advisor’s niche
Opera singer turned financial advisor gives to the arts and inspires clients to find their philanthropic passions. ...
Establishing early: a new advisor buys in
Opera singer turned financial advisor, Adam Malcolm bought in early to the win-win promise of philanthropy. He wanted ...
Toronto has a loneliness crisis — and the housing crisis is making it worse
Photo credit: Steve Russell/Toronto Starr Read the full article here.Â
There is a way to overcome the depression gripping Toronto doom loop.
Photo credit: Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star Read the full article here.Â
Worrying report shows Toronto is a ‘lonely’ city ‘overwhelmed’ by unaffordability
Photo credit: BlogTO Read the full article here.
2023 Vital Signs Report: Toronto the Good is Toronto the Lonely
Toronto Foundation launches #PowerofUs campaign to reconnect Torontonians after latest data finds alarming declines including mental health and ...
Toronto is one of the loneliest places in Canada according to a new report
Photo credit: Steve Russell/Toronto Star Read the full article here.
6 ways we help take the stress out of your legacy planning
Writing a will can be a costly and difficult process - but it doesn't have to be. Toronto ...
Reflecting on a long-overdue community foundation family reunion
The anticipation was palpable as 750 community foundation peers and supporters met in-person for the first time since ...
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 ...
Black and Indigenous Futures Fund: A new program shifts paradigms
Conceived in 2020 at a time of collective racial reckoning, the Black and Indigenous Futures Fund became a ...
5 tips: Writing a will for community impact
When it comes time to write a will, the main goal for many is making sure their loved ...
Reconnect 2023 Conference
Community foundations and nonprofit organizations from around the world are coming together in Toronto on June 1 and ...
Legacy and learning: Why you don’t need all the answers now
One common factor that holds people back from creating a will is that they don't feel prepared to ...
Announcing: our new COO, Rashid Javed
With over 20 years of senior leadership experience in finance and operations in the corporate and charity sectors ...
Lonely No More: Grassroots Groups Step Up to the Power of Us Challenge
Microgrants fund 35 initiatives to get Torontonians Together Again April 15, 2023 / Toronto - Toronto Foundation and ...
Insidious, blatant and damaging. This is everyday racism in Toronto
Photo credit: Lance McMillan/Toronto Star Read the full article here.Â
Black Torontonians ‘significantly’ more likely to face discrimination on regular basis, study finds
Photo credit: Evan Mitsui/CBC Read the full article here.Â
Everyday Racism: Experiences of discrimination in Toronto
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TORONTO, March 21, 2023-According to the 2022 Toronto Social Capital Study, racialized Torontonians, and especially ...
Family Can Still Come First: Leaving a Charity in Your Will
When people start writing a will, they usually have one main goal: to ensure that family members and ...
Black Torontonians believe community can create change
The 2022 Toronto Social Capital Study offers important insights on the wellbeing of Black Torontonians.  Designed to assess ...
Legacy of love: One couple’s commitment to chosen family
The concept of chosen family - or close relationships with people and groups you aren't biologically related to ...
Small Gifts, Big Impacts
A commonly held misconception about leaving a legacy gift to charity is that it's only worthwhile if you ...
Wills: Dreaded conversation brings comfort
Talking about wills can feel morbid or bring on feelings of dread and anxiety. After all, wills are ...
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 ...
Our well-being depends on rebuilding social capital
Opinion by Jamison Steeve, Chief Strategy Officer, YMCA of Greater Toronto After almost three years of pandemic measures, ...
Social isolation is a growing concern in Toronto
As many as 300,000 Torontonians rarely or never feel they have someone to depend on when they really ...
Social Isolation is a growing concern in Toronto
Photo credit: Dreamstime Read the full article here.Â
Toronto Foundation Supports Community Service Organizations Through the Community Services Recovery Fund
Please note: Applications for the Community Services Recovery Fund are now closed. Results are available here. Now more ...
When 300,000 Torontonians say they have no one
Second Toronto Social Capital Study shows who's disconnected and why that matters to city's health FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ...
Social isolation on the rise while civic engagement has dropped in Toronto, study finds
COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected social wellbeing of some residents, new study says Civic engagement among Torontonians has ...
Social isolation on the rise while civic engagement has dropped in Toronto, study finds
Photo credit: Evan Mitsui/CBC Read the full article here.
Interview with Sharon Avery, President & CEO, Toronto Foundation on Toronto’s Social Capital Report Findings
Read the full article here.
Torontonians struggling to connecting with community, personal challenges: report
Photo credit: Global News Read the full article here.Â
Beyond Granting: Five Key Takeaways
On October 27, 2022, two local impact investing experts hosted other sector leaders to talk about the latest ...
Toronto Foundation Supports Social Enterprises in Toronto, York and Durham Through the Investment Readiness Program
Please note: Applications for the Investment Readiness Program are now closed. The Investment Readiness Program is helping ...
7 misconceptions about leaving a charity in your will
It's simpler than you might think to make a lasting impact on the issues you care about. Over ...
Collaborative Philanthropy: Five Ways to Grow Your Giving
Many people wish they could do more to help but often don't know how. When donors come together ...
What’s driving new fund sign up in 2022Â
Trending so far: New fundholders are opting for our full range of offerings to broaden their impact-some choosing ...
When Umbrella Organizations Really Matter
In my first gig as a grantmaker some years ago I spent a lot of time learning about ...
From Reconciliation to Reciprocity: Top Five Ways to Expand Your Knowledge
From Reconciliation to Reciprocity The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's recommendations are a foundational piece of our country's shared ...
Philanthropy Reset
In the midst of pandemic upheaval, philanthropy became the story in 2020. For the first time in my ...
When community and fundholders unlock potential together
Eugenia Duodu-Addy always loved science. As a Black female scientist, that passion is what propelled her to pursue ...
Contributing to systemic change is possible — and starts local
1,000,000+ That's the number of Torontonians, in the last two years, who've said they don't have someone to ...
Mary Rowell Jackman: a feminist’s legacy
The most valuable asset Mary Rowell Jackman inherited from her parents was her unwavering commitment to social justice. ...
Green Shield Canada and Toronto Foundation partner on new research and funding
Oral health report underscores the mental and physical toll on Torontonians One in three Torontonians lack dental coverage. ...
How to further food security this December
"I look forward to a time when South Parkdale has enough food to eat, so we can get ...
How fundholders are making an impact by leaving gifts in their wills
A will is a powerful tool to help achieve charitable giving goals, yet only 5% of Canadians leave ...
Leveraging our assets and knowledge for a bigger impact 
A reflection on our social impact investing between June 2020 - June 2021 As a community foundation we ...
Mental health impacts of pandemic on Toronto’s young people could linger for years: report
Photo credit: Asante Haughton Read the full article here.Â
Toronto’s 2021 Vital Signs Report Shows Inequality at Record High
New Precarity Indicators, Obstacles and Opportunities identified for Toronto's Pandemic Recovery For Immediate Release Oct. 5th, 2021 (Toronto, ...
A Letter from CEO Sharon Avery
We opted to forgo a subtitle on this, our 18th Toronto's Vital Signs Report. How to sum up ...
How you can help Afghan refugees and residents
Some of you have started to ask how you can help the thousands of Afghan people who were ...
The Trust Collective Giving Guide – 2021 Women and Girls Edition
This is your guide to donation-ready organizations that are addressing gender equality in Toronto. These organizations are the ...
Black and Indigenous Futures Fund Results
We're so excited to announce the funding recipients and grassroots pilot participants! The Black and Indigenous Futures Fund ...
Annual Report 2020
The pace of work has been so hectic that we almost opted to forego this year's annual report ...
Turning a New Chapter in Philanthropy: Empowering the community leads to more informed granting
Photo: Indigenous Land Stewardship Circle organized a Silent Action and Ceremony held at Grenadier Pond in High Park. ...
Welcome to our new Board Members!
Please join us in welcoming the newest members of our Board of Directors, Ava-Dayna Sefa and Eugenia Duodu-Addy! ...
Pandemic Giving Guide
Last year, Vital Signs authors Steve Ayer and Gobika Sriranganathan heard from over 300 sector leaders to glean ...
Stepping Up by Stepping Back
"No ego, no logo." This early statement by Imagine Canada's Bruce MacDonald sums up one of the rare ...
Writing for women of colour
When I was seven, I attempted my first novel by tracing my favourite book. I still have the ...
Indigenous Torontonians don’t want equity, we want self-determination
Photo credit: Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star Read the full article here.
‘A fight for the soul of the city’: Report shows how COVID-19 has deepened Toronto’s racial and economic divide
Photo credit: Rene Johnston / Toronto Star Read the full article here.
New Toronto Foundation report reveals devastating toll of COVID-19 ripple effects on Toronto
The Toronto Fallout Report also shares insights from Toronto community leaders on an equitable recovery TORONTO, Nov. 12, ...
Five fundholders fighting for racial justice
We've heard the words "unprecedented times" a little too much this year. Even though many things didn't ...
Nine strategies for maintaining momentum on your racial and social justice journey
Clockwise from top left: Elisa Levi, Patti Pettigrew, Agapi Gessesse, Zahra Ebrahim, Phylicia Davis-Wesseling Raise your hand if ...
Indigenous Toronto & COVID-19: Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society
Indigenous women in Canada face disproportionately high rates of incarceration. According to the Final Report of the National ...
COVID-19 and the Environment: ClearWater Farm
Whether you're in a big city or a rural area, COVID-19 has exposed some our most serious challenges, ...
COVID-19: Shutdowns and resilience in Toronto’s arts & culture sector
Businesses across the country have been reeling from the economic consequences of physical distancing policies put in place ...
Indigenous Toronto & COVID-19: Anishnawbe Health Toronto
For over 30 years Anishnawbe Health Toronto has been supporting the health of the Indigenous community ...
Putting Your Future and Will in Focus
If like many Canadians the COVID-19 health crisis has caused you think about your mortality more than ever ...
Using your philanthropy to advance racial justice
We are in an unignorable and overdue moment of change. Society is reflecting on how we will deepen ...
Addressing Social Inequities and Environmental Problems
Since 2008, the Small Change Fund has worked with over 200 community partners to support more than 230 ...
It is a time to listen, learn and act
It is a time to listen, learn and act. We are committed to listening to, learning from and ...
COVID-19 and housing: Will new opportunity emerge from crisis?
COVID-19 could lead to unprecedented levels of homelessness, or it could be Toronto’s best shot at fixing affordable ...
Sharon Avery: In the age of COVID-19, reciprocity is a matter of survival
After my mother died a few years ago, my father's health quickly declined. As a firefighter, he had ...
Community, Culture and COVID-19: ANDPVA
Physical distancing has put a sharp focus on what we lose when we're apart, including our access to ...
Community, Culture and COVID-19: Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto
In COVID-19, many of us are choosing to avoid the hospital in order to ease the burden on ...
Mental Health and COVID-19: Breakaway Addiction Services
In our third research brief, we discuss Toronto's growing mental health crisis amid COVID-19. The pandemic's impact is ...
Research Brief: COVID-19 and the repercussions for mental health in Toronto
Concerns about mental health appear to be growing as the pandemic unfolds. Multiple sources indicate that the ...
Food Insecurity and COVID-19: The Stop Community Food Centre
As we reported in our latest research brief, there is an imminent food crisis in Toronto amid ...
FUNDS GRANTED: BETTER TORONTO COALITION
The Better Toronto Coalition was started to do two things: share the stories of frontline organizations addressing the ...
COVID-19: Toronto Foundation’s Operations in the Weeks Ahead
Published Monday March 16, 2020 Starting Monday March 16Â and for the foreseeable future, Toronto Foundation staff will be ...
Nearly $1 Million Granted to Fight Inequality in Toronto!
Host: Marivel Taruc, CBC News & Our Toronto. Details: Thursday March 5, 2020. Isabel Bader Theatre. Thank you ...
First comes philanthropy, then comes marriage
In our ongoing series about love and philanthropy, we spoke with Lars Boggild and Samantha Luc, who launched ...
Spotlight on: Stella’s Place
Stella's Place is a Toronto-based organization created to help young adults get the mental health supports they need. ...
Announcing our first-ever Toronto’s Vital Signs grantees!
Congratulations to our 2020 Toronto's Vital Signs Grants grantees! The Toronto's Vital Signs Grants aim to surface and ...
Five Powerful Things We Learned in 2019
This year, you taught us so much. Here's what we learned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQTENPNlOLI&t=4s
Three ways your holiday giving can go further this year
The final season of 2019 is upon us. Snow has fallen, twinkling lights are going up, and the ...
Join Vision Next
We face a growing divide between those who benefit from wealth, and those whose prospects of financial ...
Still don’t know who to vote for? Five tools to help you choose based on your philanthropy
On Monday five weeks of election campaigning will culminate in millions of Canadians heading to the polls for our country's ...
Six inequality questions you should be asking your candidates
Let's face it - elections can be overwhelming. Information moves fast. Parties make big promises, and big claims. ...
#TOVitalSigns Summaries and Media Coverage
In this year's Toronto's Vital Signs report we've compiled more data than ever before and the evidence is ...
Toronto’s Vital Signs report exposes Toronto’s worsening inequality
Report from Toronto Foundation shows city faces growing pains amid narrow gains TORONTO, October 7, 2019 - Released ...
A Letter to Toronto from Grassroots Leaders
The 17th Toronto's Vital Signs report shows that inequity is pervasive in this city and growing. This does ...
2019 Toronto’s Vital Signs Report Launch
Please join Sharon Avery, President & CEO, Toronto Foundation; Jay Pitter, award-winning placemaker, author, and John Bousfield Distinguished ...
Innovative new Canadian initiative will mobilize unprecedented funds towards gender equality
Designed by women, for women, the Equality Fund brings together philanthropists, investors and government to deliver unparalleled resources ...