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PFC
PFC Annual Report 2024

Celebrating 25 Years Together as a Community

Download the Report
  • PFC Annual Report 2024

Who We Are

Philanthropic Foundations Canada (PFC) is Canada’s national philanthropic network, working to strengthen Canadian philanthropy – in all of its diversity – in its pursuit of a just, equitable, and sustainable world.

Helping build more impactful philanthropy for 25 years, PFC brings grantmakers together to connect, learn, and bring about solutions that advance the common good.

Our Approach & Focus Areas

  • PFC works with members to strengthen their governance, programming, and relationships.
  • PFC creates inclusive spaces for philanthropic organizations to engage in dialogue, learn, and act collaboratively to amplify their collective voices and resources.
  • PFC helps to translate evidence-based learning into actionable practice and policy.
  • Capacity-building

    Increasing impact of philanthropic organizations by enhancing their effectiveness.
  • Collaboration

    Providing opportunities for philanthropic organizations to work together and with community and government partners in supporting meaningful, scalable change.
  • Research and Public Policy

    Improving public understanding of philanthropic organizations, and the policy environment for philanthropy and the broader non-profit and charitable sector.

Our membership is comprised of private and public foundations, charities, non-profits, donor advised funds, and corporate giving programs whose primary purposes are grantmaking.

They range in asset size from less than $1M to well over $1B and are situated across Canada, representing nearly 50% of all assets of public and private foundations in the country. We also collaborate closely with the broader non-profit and charitable sector, businesses, and government.

In 2024 PFC celebrated its 25th anniversary – a significant milestone for our community! We marked the occasion by bringing our members and the broader network together at our National Conference – our largest to date – as well as by recalibrating our strategic framework to meet our community’s evolving needs in the
coming years.

Images in this report are taken from PFC community activities throughout 2024

A message from our leadership

  • President & CEO
  • The Board Chair
  • President & CEO

    Dear colleagues,

    What began in 1999 as a small group of private foundations has grown into a diverse and dynamic network of Canada’s leading grantmakers from across Canada, that span size and scope, but that are united by a shared commitment to advancing the common good.

    In 2024, we brought together the people who power philanthropy. From our record-setting national conference to the growing momentum of our peer-led Affinity Groups – including for CEOs – we saw how vital it is to create space for connection, reflection, and shared learning. These initiatives -whether through candid conversations among foundation leaders or the emergence of new communities of practice – are helping to shape a more resilient and responsive philanthropic sector.

    This year’s achievements – from the groundbreaking Landscape Report to our dialogue series on polarization – reflect the power of coming together with purpose.

    The volatility, conflict and angst of today’s world is playing a major role in the work of our members, and in response, PFC has stepped up efforts in helping our community in making sense of the multiple crises and in taking action. Given the tough challenges facing Canada, Canadian philanthropy has a key role in shaping a hopeful and resilient future.

    This is indeed PFC’s mission, which was reconfirmed by our member  consultation and the Board in 2024: Strengthening philanthropy – in all of its diversity – in its pursuit of a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all.

    Warm regards,

    Jean-Marc Mangin
    President & CEO

  • The Board Chair

    Dear colleagues,

    As I conclude my term as Chair of the Board, I reflect with deep appreciation on this last year that not only marked a milestone in PFC’s history, as Philanthropic Foundations Canada’s 25th anniversary, but also demonstrated the strength of our sector’s leadership, learning, and collective resolve.

    We celebrated our anniversary by convening our largest National Conference to date in Ottawa. The team is thrilled to be building on this energy as they plan for our next national gathering in
    September 2026 in Winnipeg.

    2024 also saw extensive member consultations, where we heard your aspirations and challenges. We responded with renewed focus on capacity-building, collaboration, and research and policy with a refreshed strategic framework for 2025–2028 towards deepening our sector’s capacity to navigate complexity, polarization, and change.

    As we look ahead, PFC remains committed to supporting our members and partners in building a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all.

    Our network continues to grow and broaden, and one of the things I’m most proud of from my time on the board has been the diversification of our network, including the recent welcoming of a number of Indigenous-led and Indigenous-serving foundations into our membership, and the increased representation on our Board.

    As I pass the torch to our incoming chair, Ina Gutium, Vice-President, Operations at Ontario Trillium Foundation, I do so with immense confidence in the future of PFC. The organization is well-positioned to continue fostering collaboration, advancing equity, and supporting our sector through times of uncertainty and change. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served this remarkable community.

    Thank you for being part of this journey.

    With appreciation,

    Simon Mallett
    Executive Director, Rozsa Foundation
    Chair, Board of Directors, PFC (2023–2025)
    Calgary, Alberta

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Membership Consultation & New Strategic Framework

Over 25 years, PFC evolved from a tight-knit community of 18 dedicated founding members, to a broad and diverse network of over 130 grantmakers from across the country. With the input and support of our community, PFC has adapted and iterated over the years to meet the needs of the network, the sector, and the times.

As we successfully wrapped up our most recent 2021-2024 strategic plan, which helped guide our work through the unprecedented upheavals of those years, in 2024 we embarked on refining our path with a refreshed 2025-2028 strategic framework to meet our current moment.

Learn More

Over the course of the year, PFC held its one of its largest community consultations to date, engaging with approximately 150 people and organizations – around 80% of our membership – to learn about their challenges, needs, and visions for PFC and the sector.

We are grateful for the dedication, engagement, and passion shown by our members. We heard from many of you about the rapidly changing environment in which we are operating, the challenge of keeping up with the pace of change, and the increasing complexity in the work being undertaken for social good.

Our membership’s efforts are at the intersection of systems change on the major issues of our time, and most of these are overlapping issues and cannot be tackled in isolation nor alone by a sole actor – they require deep focus and long-term collaboration, often in partnership with other foundations and beyond. We also heard a great appreciation for the work that PFC has done over the last four years to support your organizations and the sector during such an unprecedented period.

All the input we received has helped us tighten the scope of our three interconnected focus areas – capacity-building, collaboration, and research and policy. By using our knowledge of the sector and the players within and outside of our network, PFC can help bring people and organizations together with purpose and intention to advance common goals.

We celebrate the work of philanthropy and hope not only to challenge philanthropy to do more and do better, but to be facilitators of that ambition. The updated strategic framework and the community behind it will serve as our guiding star for the next four years, while remaining ready to pivot in the face of radical uncertainty to assist our philanthropic network to remain relevant and nimble for the common good.

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Spotlight

National Conference

Celebrating 25 years together as a network, PFC’s 2024 National Conference – Together 25 Ensemble – was our biggest gathering yet. Over 420 members, friends, partners, and philanthropic sector leaders came together in Ottawa over three days to tackle the urgent challenges of our times, through shared learning, dialogue, and collaboration.

Learn More

Weaving together a variety of experiences, the conference included a local welcoming from an Elder and an Indigenous leader from the philanthropic sector; eight Affinity Group meetings; three plenaries building on our theme of Together 25 Ensemble; 25 concurrent sessions touching on philanthropic fundamentals, trends & tensions, and collaboration; and a variety of fruitful side meetings. The program addressed a wide array of topics, covering grantmaking, investing, governance, Indigenous-led philanthropy, debating limited terms and perpetuity, understanding funding gaps, transforming philanthropy, reconciliation, government grantmaking, non-qualified donees, journalism, international development, climate action, research, data, youth, justice philanthropy, and more!

We also hosted three well-attended evening events, including attendee-led Dine Arounds at local restaurants; a social at the National Gallery of Canada, with Indigenous-themed art, food, and dance; and a reception on Parliament Hill with senators and MPs to honour retiring Senator Ratna Omidvar’s contribution to the charitable sector.

From the start, coming together as a community has been what motivated us, with collaboration at the core of our conference experience. For an authentically community-led conference, we expanded our approach this year to better enable those attending our conference to help drive and co-create its programming and structure. We assembled a diversely represented advisory committee so that our community would be involved in steering our programming, and to tap into the collective wisdom of our sector we publicly opened up our call for speakers, receiving over 100 submissions. We also maintained our commitment for diverse representation at the conference – from speaker and session selection, to catering and entertainment – reinforcing how the sector has evolved to be more culturally, geographically, linguistically, and programmatically representative and welcoming.

Our collaborative approach also deepened with our formal partnerships, elevating supporters, media, and other networks throughout the conference experience. With special thanks to Addenda Capital, our generous principal partner, and an additional 18 supporting partners, this year’s event had the most partnership support and involvement to date.

We also developed a special media partnership with The Philanthropist Journal, recapping conference highlights and learnings to a broader audience through five share-back articles. Our collaboration with Imagine Canada was also reinforced through jointly planning the successful Parliament Hill reception, linking up our conference with their Hill Day for the first time.

Likewise, many informal relationships were deepened over the three days, from affinity groups meeting in-person for the first time and strengthening their commitments, to new connections with government bodies, facilitated by the downtown Ottawa location.

As Mohammed Hashim (Canadian Race Relations Foundation) noted at the closing plenary – “The future is unwritten and belongs to you and I” – this conference positioned the sector well to write its own next chapter. Building common reference points on critical issues, establishing safe space for challenging dialogues, and reinforcing community ties for deeper collaboration, we are now as a sector ready to meet the moment ahead, and drive our next 25 years together.

This was such an incredible opportunity for Annauma to share our approach to Inuktitut Philanthropy in Nunavut. We had really good, heartfelt conversations with a number of people, some of which I am sure will grow into long-term partnerships.

Danielle Gibbie
Executive Director – Annauma Community Foundation

The conference was filled with important discussions about the role of philanthropy in addressing polarization, what’s needed to enable Indigenous self-determination, and how we can better collaborate to meet the needs of the communities we serve. Oh, and of course there was plenty of laughter with new and old friends.

Justin Wiebe
Lead, Innovation and Strategic Growth – Mastercard Foundation

Leadership Capacity-Building Initiatives

CEO Retreat

PFC’s CEO Retreat is an annual in-person gathering and community of peers for philanthropic leadership to discuss key issues and important developments in our sector. In 2024, the retreat was held in Alton, Ontario, hosting 30 foundation CEOs for candid conversations under Chatham House Rules. The gathering created unparalleled opportunities for deepened peer connections, and facilitated discussions around how to tackle some of the most pressing questions and challenges uniquely faced by foundation leaders.
Learn More

CEO Peer Support Group

This peer-driven initiative provides a platform for leaders from member organizations across Canada to sustain conversations throughout the year, creating opportunities for sharing information, building relationships, and supporting one another. Evolving over the year from a monthly group call on a thematic topic, the initiative has taken on a peer cohort-based model, hosting smaller groups on quarterly calls for an informal tour de table to discuss trends, challenges, and experiences. The initiative has seen a strong uptick throughout the year, comprising to date of over 50 regular participants over 5 cohorts, attesting to the invaluable peer exchanges facilitated by this opportunity.
Learn More

Funder Affinity Groups

Funder affinity groups are formal or informal collaborations of grant makers with a shared interest in opportunities to meet each other, share knowledge and information, and encourage collaboration on particular issues. 2024 saw the emergence of several new member-led affinity groups, as well as growing momentum and strengthening ties amongst existing groups, bolstered in particular by groups meeting in-person at the national conference.

  • Healthy Aging Affinity Group
  • Family Foundations Affinity Group
  • Communications Affinity Group
  • Arts Funders Affinity Group
  • PGSAG
  • Investment Roundtable
  • Healthy Aging Affinity Group

    Our newest group, the Healthy Aging Affinity Group, held its first cycle of meetings in 2024. With the generous support from the Waltons Trust, this peer learning space has been actively building a collaborative of funders passionate about healthy aging, recognizing that during this time of unprecedented demographic change there is a remarkable opportunity to shape a positive future for older adults and, in turn, strengthen our entire society. The group met four times over the year, including in-person at the conference, hosting external presentations as well as roundtable discussions on topics ranging from advocacy and government relations for foundations and grantees, to learning from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence.

    Learn More
  • Family Foundations Affinity Group

    The Family Foundations Affinity Group launched in 2024 as a new peer-driven initiative, providing an opportunity for family foundation staff and family members to meet and share information and best practices. Identifying a gap, PFC supported members in setting up the group to help build networks and facilitate exchange amongst those in the unique context of a family foundation, and in 2025 will be taking a more active role in holding quarterly meetings for the group.

    Learn More
  • Communications Affinity Group

    The Communications Affinity Group is a platform for practitioners from across the network to meet regularly and discuss important or emerging strategic communications and public affairs issues relevant to Canadian foundations, philanthropy and the wider non-profit and charitable sector. The initiative supports the exchange of ideas, learning about relevant news, sharing intel and working together on communications, while providing a forum for collective action, professional development, networking and dialogue. The group met seven times through 2024, including in-person at the conference, holding a combination of formal workshops and casual roundtables on topics ranging from annual reports and social media best practices, to government relations and lobbying for change.

    Learn More
  • Arts Funders Affinity Group

    The Arts Funders Affinity Group fosters conversations among philanthropic arts and culture funders who are motivated to share knowledge, collaborate, and pool resources, fostering a collective commitment to the arts. The group had two well-attended meetings in 2024, including in-person at the conference, and had fruitful conversations exploring how funders can leverage collective action for greater impact in the arts.

    Learn More
  • Program and Grantmaking Staff Affinity Group

    PGSAG

    PGSAG is a monthly group get-together for program and grantmaking staff, where participants meet to discuss opportunities to work on initiatives together and exchange ideas, good practices, and other information, building their impact by learning and sharing from one another. The group met four times in 2024, including in-person at the conference, holding sessions that featured a combination of external speakers, workshops, and open discussions on topics ranging from toolkits for working with non-qualified donees to grant management systems. We also saw a turnover in Steering Commitee members to bring new perspectives and energy to the group, and have renamed them to Community Weavers to better reflect their roles supporting this very important part of the PFC network.

    Learn More
  • Investment Roundtable

    The Investment Roundtable is a peer-driven series of discussions for foundation investment staff and board members, providing a unique and dedicated space to discuss emerging investment trends in the sector as well as challenges and opportunities peers are facing, helping members build networks and learnings with colleagues from across the country. The group met four times in 2024, including in-person at the conference, hosting external presentations as well as roundtable discussions on topics ranging from asset mixes in public and private markets to the disbursement quota and Program Related Investments, including a presentation from the CRA.

    Learn More

PFC also continues to help support and promote peer-driven initiatives including the Mental Health and Wellness Affinity Group, and the Early Child Development Funders Working Group.

JEDI Accelerator

The second year-long cohort of PFC’s Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) Accelerator wrapped up at the beginning of 2024, providing participants with an intensive educational peer-learning platform focused on the unique needs and operating environments for funders, helping them bring justice, equity, diversity and inclusion to life throughout their organization – from governance to grantmaking. The cohort was comprised of five participating funder teams, with 86% reporting that following the program they now feel their foundation is better equipped to take action on JEDI.

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Spotlight

Productive Dialogue in a Polarized World

2024 was a year of heightened societal polarization, including growing Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and Anti-Arab and Anti-Palestinian hate in Canada.

Responding to a need identified by our members to help build bridges in this context, PFC developed an initiative to increase understanding and collaboration in the Canadian philanthropic community.

Learn More

It rolled out through a three-part series to help our network generate ideas, practical solutions, and useful resources to navigate difficult conversations and a way forward.

With the leadership and guidance of renowned experts in conflict resolution, mediation, and law, the initiative launched with an extensive consultation with the network, and the curation of relevant pedagogical resources about navigating conflict.

Building on these outcomes, phase 2 was developed into two different types of offerings: 1) information sessions on topics including Polarization and Empathy, Human Rights and the Canadian Legal Landscape, and the Power of Storytelling in Fostering Connection; and 2) a facilitated cohort-based dialogue series aimed at fostering a safer environment to engage in meaningful discussions on the impact of polarization and discrimination, concerns about sector reactions and responses, aspirations for change, and the community’s collective role during this time.

Phase 3 then focused on sharing back participants’ learnings with the broader community, including through a well-attended presentation at our National Conference, and a guest blog post.

The initiative drew strong participation from our membership, as well as broad engagement and financial support from our network, attesting to its need and effectiveness.

We are grateful to our initiative partners: Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Community Foundations of Canada, Houssian Foundation, Inspirit Foundation, McConnell Foundation, United Church of Canada Foundation, and Vancouver Foundation.

As we focused in 2024 on coming together, the deep relationships and trust-building developed through this dialogue series allowed for continued collaboration and a cohesive community to emerge strong through a polarizing year.

While undoubtedly difficult for those engaged, the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive; significant breakthroughs were shared regarding learning new perspectives, empathy building, and philanthropic community and relationship cultivation.

As societal polarization continues to persist, the mutual trust and effective communication strategies gained from this experience has set our community up for meeting the moment and tackling the challenges ahead, regardless of the differences and diversity within our broad network.

I am so grateful to have been part of this brave initiative.

Anonymous participant

We need more spaces and opportunities to convene and dialogue together. I learned the value of how crucial this is in order for us to start working toward solutions.

Anonymous participant

I enjoyed meeting new folks working in the same sector from across the country and the container that was created so we could share and be vulnerable.

Anonymous participant
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Partnerships & Collaboration

Regional Gatherings

Complementing our National Conference, where our network came all together from across the country, PFC also hosted a series of regional gatherings to connect with members on a local level and engage in region-specific conversations.

In 2024 we held four well-attended regional events – in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary – bringing our community together to learn as well as to network informally and meet with local peers.

Many of the events this year focused on discussions around our new Landscape Report, providing our network with a unique opportunity to engage actively with the content, provide feedback, and discuss takeaways and next steps.

    Other Partnership Projects

    PFC has also continued to collaborate on projects in partnership with our members and other sector partners.
    • CPCCC
    • Funders in nonprofit data ecosystem
    • Advancing JEDI in capital flows
    • CPCCC

      Canadian Philanthropic Commitment on Climate Change

      This is a partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, Environment Funders Canada, and The Circle on Philanthropy, and part of WINGS’s #PhilanthropyForClimate movement. This initiative is a call on all foundations and other funders in this land to signal their commitment to act on climate change regardless of their respective missions. For part of 2024 programming was paused while the Steering Committee completed a strategic review, with outcomes including the forthcoming addition of a new mentorship program and tailored resources. Momentum has been picking up again since co-hosting a session on philanthropy’s call to climate action at our National Conference.

      Learn More
    • Funders in nonprofit data ecosystem

      This is a partnership with Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience, and the Ontario Non-profit Network. Together we have been convening philanthropic leaders and working together to co-create tangible strategies to advance change on how funders engage with data and participate in the nonprofit data ecosystem. In 2024 we held two roundtable discussions to explore how to engage as stewards in the nonprofit and philanthropic data ecosystem.

      Learn More
    • Advancing JEDI in capital flows

      This is a partnership with New Power Labs to advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in capital flows. Working with a defined group of members and partners from our network New Power Labs is developing public-facing educational materials, and curating training sessions, workshops, and community engagement, all aimed at advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the deployment of philanthropic capital, from grantmaking to investments. PFC is proudly serving as the project’s charitable partner.

      Learn More
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    Spotlight

    Landscape Report and New Research Agenda

    2024 was a pivotal year for PFC’s research output, building bridges between academia and practitioners through our landmark Landscape Report, and launching a bold new research agenda as we marked our 25th anniversary.

    Building on PFC’s previous Snapshot Report research, in 2024 we launched our new Landscape Report – An Evolving Landscape: Reflecting Canada’s Philanthropic Foundations – which was developed as part of Dr. Michele Fugiel Gartner’s post-doctoral research fellowship with PhiLab and PFC.

    The report uses a mix of currently available but under-analyzed or unreported quantitative data, along with qualitative data gathered through extensive interviews conducted with a diverse cross-section of PFC members and non-members from across Canada over the past year.

    Going for the first time beyond statistics towards analysis, sense-making, and greater transparency, the report provides a deep dive into what the data reveals about how Canadian philanthropic foundations developed, and what purposes, approaches, and roles they use to deliver on their mandates – from investment to grantmaking. The Landscape Report also provides new insights on total grantings, areas of funding, and new trends.

    Positioning itself as an accessible starting place for sector dialogue, and the first edition of future reports that will continue capturing the ongoing story of Canadian foundations, the PFC network was invited in throughout the year to participate in this iterative study. Opportunities for pre- and post-release feedback and reflection were provided through three regional events across the country, a series of blog posts were published and generated great online discussion, and a well-attended research panel at our National Conference furthered the conversation and helped close the gap between theory and practice.

    The report was also introduced into a course at Carleton University’s Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (MPNL) program. The Landscape Report itself received impressive readership, with over 1,500 downloads, with a broad audience ranging from foundations and grantmakers to researchers and policymakers.

    This report, and the creation of a full-time Lead Researcher position at PFC in 2024, has elevated PFC’s position as a thought leader and resource in the sector, and has launched our new research agenda, People and Practices in Canadian Philanthropic Foundations.

    In partnership with PhiLab and Carleton University’s MPNL program, PFC’s research focus has now expanded and deepened to provide in-depth organizational analysis of philanthropic foundations in Canada, exploring their operational practices and the human elements shaping their impact. Through annual publications, we are aiming to redefine understandings of philanthropy, enhance sector transparency, and monitor progress over time.

    With evidence-based learning a key component of PFC’s updated strategic framework, underpinning how we help increase foundations’ impact for meaningful and scalable change, 2024 saw a reinforcing of our research activities as propping up everything we do.

    In particular, it is increasingly tied to our policy agenda, filling in the data deficit to more effectively advocate for our sector with data-driven solutions, and to paint a more transparent picture of the foundation landscape for better public understanding.

    In a changing political context with policy reviews on the horizon, developing our research capacity now puts us in a strong position to meet the moment prepared as a leading sector voice.

    I hope that with this and further research we can have a clearer picture of the sector and what we need to do to have greater impact.

    Ian Boeckh
    President and Director – Graham Boeckh Foundation

    The Landscape Report is a core source reading for anyone interested in what’s happening in Canadian philanthropy. I’m excited to be learning more deeply and to share this seminal work with my colleagues in the philanthropic space and students in my MPNL course.

    Teresa Marques
    President & CEO – Rideau Hall Foundation

    Public Policy

    PFC’s work throughout the years behind the scenes on policy saw a shift in 2024 towards a better understanding of our sector’s role in government relations and advocacy. This includes the participation of Sara Krynitzki, our Associate CEO, on the CRA and Finance Canada’s Technical Issues Working Group, as well as President & CEO Jean-Marc Mangin on the government’s Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector.

    The momentum was captured at our September reception on Parliament Hill honouring Senator Ratna Omidvar, in tandem with our National Conference and Imagine Canada’s Hill Day, where over 400 foundation and non-profit leaders came together to meet with policymakers, ministers, and MPs.

    The packed room and interest from policymakers highlighted the importance of the sector and its engagement in policy, and the presence of attendees from the CRA at our Ottawa conference reaffirmed this recognition for increased collaboration.

    Financials

    Statement of revenues and expenses

    Year ended December 31, 2024

    • Revenues
    • Expenses
    • Revenues 2024

      Total: $ 2,278,923
      Operations 2024 $
      Contributions 628,404
      Membership Fees 957,019
      Conference and Events 638,839
      Services 0
      Interest 54,661
    • Expenses 2024

      Total: $ 2,236,829
      Expenses 2024 $
      Member Engagement and Communications 438,893
      Learning and Collaboration 1,012,931
      Public Affairs and Research 403,519
      Governance and Operations 381,486

    Our Team

    The people behind our organization in 2024

    Jean-Marc Mangin

    President & CEO

    Sara Krynitzki

    Associate Chief Executive Officer

    Bruce Lawson

    Senior Advisor to President & CEO

    Aviv Milgram

    Director, Special Projects – Member Engagement & Communications

    André Pawan Vashist

    Director, Learning & Collaboration

    Abra Rissi

    Director, Member Engagement & Communications

    Benoît Charlebois

    Senior Coordinator, Communications & Member Engagement

    Michele Fugiel Gartner, PhD, CAP®

    Lead Researcher

    Erin Matheson

    Executive Coordinator

    Krista Bissiallon

    Coordinator, Learning & Collaboration

    Neila Selouani

    Loran Scholar Summer Policy Intern

    Board members from across our network

    Simon Mallett (Chair)

    Executive Director
    Rozsa Foundation

    Amanda Mayer

    Treasurer
    Program Director & COO, Lawson Foundation – Cantley, QC

    Amanda Bernard

    Director
    Director of Indigenous Programs, Laidlaw Foundation – Toronto, ON

    Djaka Blais-Amare

    Director
    Executive Director, Hogan’s Alley Society & Board Co-Chair, Foundation for Black Communities – Vancouver, BC

    Adwoa K. Buahene

    Director
    Strategic consultant – Toronto, ON

    Lisa Cirillo

    Director
    Chief Executive Officer, The Law Foundation of Ontario – Toronto, ON

    Genesa Greening

    Chief Executive Officer
    Vancity Community Foundation

    Ina Gutium

    Chair
    Vice-President, Talent & Corporate Services, Ontario Trillium Foundation – Toronto, ON

    Michelle LeDonne

    Director
    Executive Director of the Pathy Family Foundation – Montreal, QC

    Teresa Marques

    Director
    President & CEO at Rideau Hall Foundation – Ottawa, ON

    Cameron Miller

    Secretary
    Consultant – Ottawa, ON

    Lara O’Donnell

    Director
    Executive Director, Weston Family Foundation – Toronto, ON

    MJ Sinha

    Director

    Sylvie Trottier

    Director
    Board Director, Trottier Family Foundation and Eclipx Familly Office – Montreal, QC

    Justin Wiebe

    Director
    Lead, Innovation and Strategic Growth, Mastercard Foundation – Toronto and rural Saskatchewan

    The people behind PFC are at the centre of our impact as a national network. In addition to our staff and board, PFC also hosts a number of committees, which are comprised of board members, and volunteers from PFC members and partners, with PFC staff support. Learn more about the important leadership of our committees here.

    PFC Members

    In 2024, we welcomed 20 new members to our network of grantmakers! As we celebrate 25 years together as a network, we are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support and engagement of each and every one of our members – from those who have been with us from the start and helped lay the foundations still holding up our network, and from those who joined more recently and contributed to bringing our community to where it is today.

    Below are our 2024 Members, from January 1 – December 31, 2024

    • Acorn Seed Foundation

    • The ALVA Foundation / Ontario

    • Annauma Community Foundation / Iqaluit

    • Aqueduct Foundation / British Columbia

    • The Atkinson Foundation / Toronto

    • The Azrieli Foundation / Toronto

    • Balsam Foundation / Ontario

    • Paul Barber Foundation / Ontario

    • The Ralph M. BARFORD Foundation / Toronto

    • Bealight Foundation / Toronto

    • Fondation BÉATI / Montreal

    • Max Bell Foundation / Calgary

    • The Madan and Raksha M Bhayana Family Foundation / Thornhill

    • BHP Foundation

    • J. P. BICKELL Foundation / Toronto

    • The BIRKS Family Foundation / Montreal

    • Foundation for Black Communities  / Alberta

    • The Graham Boeckh Foundation / Montreal

    • Fondation J. Armand Bombardier / Montreal

    • Brian Bronfman Family Foundation / Montreal

    • George Brown Memorial Foundation / Barrie

    • Burgundy Legacy Foundation / Ontario

    • The Burns Memorial Fund for Children / Calgary

    • Butler Family Foundation / Montreal

    • The Calgary Foundation / Calgary

    • Canadian Medical Association

    • Carthy Foundation / Calgary

    • Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon / Montreal

    • Fondation Chamandy / Montreal

    • Fondation Choquette-Legault / Gatineau

    • CIBC Foundation / Ontario

    • Clarus Foundation / Montreal

    • Harry and Martha COHEN Foundation / Calgary

    • The Cole Foundation / Montreal

    • Conconi Family Foundation / Vancouver

    • The Counselling Foundation of Canada / Toronto

    • Daymark Foundation / Montreal

    • Fondation de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation / Montreal

    • Definity Insurance Foundation / Ontario

    • Catherine Donnelly Foundation / Toronto

    • Donner Canadian Foundation / Toronto

    • Fondation Dufresne & Gauthier / Quebec City

    • Equality Fund / Ontario

    • The Fairmount Foundation / Waterloo

    • Feed Opportunity Centre for Food Security

    • Fondation de la Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec / Montreal

    • Future Generations Foundation / Akwesasne

    • The Gauthier Family Foundation / Montreal

    • The Peter Gilgan Foundation / Toronto

    • The Colin B. Glassco Charitable Foundation for Children / Calgary

    • The Gordon Foundation / Toronto

    • GreenShield Canada / Ontario

    • The Lyle Shantz Hallman Foundation / Kitchener

    • The Helix Foundation for Children and Youth / East York

    • Fondation Sibylla Hesse / Montreal

    • The George Hogg Family Foundation / Montreal

    • The Houssian Foundation / Vancouver

    • The Hylcan Foundation / Montreal

    • Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund / Ontario

    • INRIG Family Foundation (Sustainable Capacity Fund) / Ottawa

    • INSPIRIT Foundation / Toronto

    • IVEY Foundation / Toronto

    • Raymond James Canada Foundation / British Columbia

    • Duncan M. & Judith O. Jessiman Foundation Inc. / Manitoba

    • Johansen-Larsen Foundation / London

    • The Henry and Berenice Kaufmann Foundation / Montreal

    • W.C. Kitchen Family Foundation / Toronto

    • The KPMG Foundation / Ontario

    • Kw’umut Lelum Foundation / British Columbia

    • Laidlaw Foundation / Toronto

    • Sarah and Cary Lavine Family Foundation / Ontario

    • The Law Foundation of British Columbia

    • The Law Foundation of Ontario / Toronto

    • The Lawson Foundation / Toronto

    • The Eva Leflar Foundation / Kitchener

    • The LUPINA Foundation / Toronto

    • The Lorraine MacDonald Family Foundation / Tantallon

    • Alice and Murray Maitland Foundation / Ontario

    • MakeWay / Vancouver

    • Fondation René Malo / Montreal

    • Martin Family Initiative / Montreal

    • Mastercard Foundation / Toronto

    • The Maytree Foundation

    • Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation / Toronto

    • The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation / Montreal

    • The McLean Foundation / Toronto

    • The Medavie Health Foundation / Darthmouth

    • Meighen Family Foundation / Toronto

    • The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation / Toronto

    • MLSE Foundation / Ontario

    • Fondation Yvan Morin / Montreal

    • Musagetes Foundation / Guelph

    • Myriad Canada / Montreal

    • Nicol Family Foundation / Toronto

    • Wesley M. Nicol Foundation / Ontario

    • The Northpine Foundation / Toronto

    • Otto and Marie Pick Charitable Foundation / Lindsay

    • Pathy Family Foundation / Montreal

    • Jimmy Pratt Foundation Inc / St. John’s

    • Private Giving Foundation / Toronto

    • QUBE Foundation

    • R. Howard Webster Foundation

    • Canadian Race Relations Foundation / Ontario

    • Randstad Canada Charitable Foundation / Montreal

    • The Milos Raonic Foundation / Toronto

    • Raven Indigenous Impact Foundation / British Columbia

    • RBC Foundation / Toronto

    • Real Estate Foundation of BC

    • Rideau Hall Foundation / Ottawa

    • Ronald S Roadburg Foundation / British Columbia

    • ROZSA Foundation / Calgary

    • Samuel Family Foundation / Ontario

    • Shaw Family Foundation / Toronto

    • LesLois Shaw Foundation / Ontario

    • Sifton Family Foundation / London

    • Solcz Family Foundation

    • The Sonor Foundation / Ontario

    • Srinarayanathas Foundation / Ontario

    • The Suncor Energy Foundation / Calgary

    • Sweeney Forbes Foundation / Barrie

    • Temerty Foundation / Toronto

    • The O’Neil Foundation

    • Thistledown Foundation

    • The Tree of Life Foundation Inc. / British Columbia

    • Trico Charitable Foundation / Calgary

    • Trottier Family Foundation / Montreal

    • Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation / Montreal

    • Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation / Millbrook

    • The United Church of Canada Foundation / Toronto

    • Vancity Community Foundation

    • Viewpoint Charitable Foundation / Calgary

    • Walter J. Blackburn Foundation

    • The Waugh Family Foundation / Ontario

    • WES Mariam Assefa Fund / Ontario

    • Weston Family Foundation / Toronto

    • The Windsor Foundation / Halifax

    • Wolfe Pack Warriors Foundation

    • Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC)

    PFC Partners

    In addition to the critical revenue we receive from membership contributions, PFC also receives grants and other generous support from our members and other sector leaders – essential support for our special projects and growth strategy. In 2024 our partnerships grew significantly, with new partnerships fostered in support of our National Conference, Dialogue Series, new policy and research agenda, and select affinity groups.
    • Addenda Capital

    • The Azrieli Foundation / Toronto

    • The Calgary Foundation / Calgary

    • Carters

    • Carthy Foundation / Calgary

    • Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon / Montreal

    • Clarus Foundation / Montreal

    • Community Foundations of Canada

    • The Counselling Foundation of Canada / Toronto

    • Fondation de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation / Montreal

    • Foundation WCPD

    • The Lyle Shantz Hallman Foundation / Kitchener

    • Imagine Canada

    • INSPIRIT Foundation / Toronto

    • Jarislowsky Fraser Global Investment Management

    • The Lawson Foundation / Toronto

    • Malatest

    • Mastercard Foundation / Toronto

    • The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation / Montreal

    • Miller Thomson

    • Myriad Canada / Montreal

    • National Gallery of Canada

    • Ontario Trillium Foundation

    • OP Trust Select

    • Pathy Family Foundation / Montreal

    • PhilanthPro

    • PricewaterhouseCoopersLLP (PwC Canada) 

    • Canadian Race Relations Foundation / Ontario

    • Rally Assets

    • Realize Capital Partners

    • Responsible Communications

    • Fondation Mirella et Lino Saputo Foundation / Montreal

    • Tapestry Community Capital

    • Ted Rogers School of Management – Diversity Institute

    • The Houssain Foundation

    • The Morris & Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation

    • The O’Neil Foundation

    • The Philanthropist Journal

    • Toronto Foundation

    • Trottier Family Foundation / Montreal

    • The United Church of Canada Foundation / Toronto

    • Vancouver Foundation

    • Waltons Trust

    • Weston Family Foundation / Toronto

    • Yellowtree Grant Services INC.

    Looking Ahead

    Now in 2025, Canada finds itself in a politically complex and unprecedented moment as a country whose economy, sovereignty, and security are being threatened.

    In 2024 we lay the building blocks that will now help us meet this moment – from the pulse check we established through our membership consultation and the guidance of our new strategic framework, to deepening relationships at our National Conference, developing techniques for difficult dialogues amid polarization, and bolstering our research capacity for evidence-based learning.

    PFC is now being called upon to use our platform for capacity-building, collaboration, research and policy to help guide our membership to come together better equipped to understand the implications these turbulent geopolitical waters could have on our sector in Canada. Over the upcoming year, we will be delivering a responsive suite of programming and thought leadership to help foundations to not only mitigate economic risks, but to exchange ideas, identify actionable solutions, and collaborate on strategic philanthropy that better supports our partners, grantees, and communities, and that strengthens Canada’s economic future – helping to safeguard our sovereignty and our long-term national resilience.

    Stay informed on developments relevant to the grantmaking sector

    Get the latest sector news and PFC member updates straight in your inbox. Be the first to know about opportunities in our network. Be a part of the change.

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    Jean-Marc Mangin

    President & CEO

    Jean-Marc has been President & CEO of Philanthropic Foundations Canada since 2019. He currently sits on the Government of Canada’s Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector.

    Prior to PFC, Jean-Marc led a renewal process of the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, the largest national organization of Canadian researchers and scholars as its Executive Director.

    He also has had a long career serving in international development with the UN, NGOs, and the Canadian Government in responding to global humanitarian disasters and development challenges. As CUSO Executive Director, he led a merger with VSO-Canada, and he was the first Executive Director of Global Call for Climate Action, a cross-sector civil society initiative supporting transformational change to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

    Born in Manitoba, raised in Quebec, and educated in BC and Ontario, he holds an MA in Political Sciences and Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto.

    The land that Jean-Marc lives, learns and works on has been home to many Indigenous communities throughout time, and is the traditional unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin People.

    Sara Krynitzki

    Associate Chief Executive Officer

    Sara has spent over 20 years leading non-profit initiatives across Canada. She began her career in fundraising, has worked on Parliament Hill, and for over eight years managed community initiatives and granting for one of Canada’s largest community foundations, allocating millions of dollars annually, and connecting philanthropy to the greatest needs to tackle inequity. 

    As Associate Chief Executive Officer, Sara works closely with the President & CEO overseeing thought-leadership, organizational management, and operations, while guiding PFC’s public policy and advocacy agenda, research, and public relations activities to foster good public policies for the sector and to advance impactful, forward-thinking philanthropy. 

    She has a BA in Political Studies from Trent University and a Master’s in Public Policy and Public Administration from Concordia University. She sits on the board of directors of Sustainability Network, and in 2024 she was appointed to the CRA and Finance Canada’s Technical Issues Working Group, advising on charity regulation. 

    Having lived across Canada and internationally, Sara is now based in Toronto with her husband and three children. 

    The land that Sara and her family live, learn and work on has been home to many Indigenous communities throughout time, including the Wendat, Anishinaabe, Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Haudenosaunee. The area is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and it is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.  

    Bruce Lawson

    Senior Advisor to President & CEO

    Bruce is the Senior Advisor to the President & CEO at PFC, as well as a Special Advisor at The Counselling Foundation of Canada, working part-time on a project-basis, as well as undertaking contracts for other organizations. He previously served as the Foundation’s President & CEO from 2008 to 2023, as well as the Executive Officer of CERIC and an ex-officio member of the CERIC Board of Directors.

    Bruce is a co-founder of Foundation House, a collaborative workspace housing three foundations and several charitable & non-profit network organizations in Toronto. He was a part of the steering committee that co-authored the Philanthropic Community’s Declaration of Action presented at the Closing Event of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission. In 2019, he was appointed for a two-year term to the federal government’s Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector. In Spring 2020, he helped create the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund, which was designed to support Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations with immediate needs in the face of the pandemic.

    An active volunteer, Bruce is serving on the Board of Trustees of the Arctic Inspiration Prize. He is a past Board Chair of both Philanthropic Foundations Canada and Casey House.

    Bruce has a BA (Economics) from McGill and an MBA from the University of Toronto.

    Aviv Milgram

    Director, Special Projects - Member Engagement & Communications

    Aviv joined our team in January 2023 to lead PFC’s integrated member engagement and communications strategies and activities, in support of its advocacy, collaboration, and learning goals.

    Coming from a background in both the philanthropic and non-profit sectors, Aviv’s experiences range from grants management and operations to directing strategic initiatives and stakeholder engagement. Her involvement has spanned from national philanthropy addressing community resilience, Indigenous reconciliation, and climate change, to local Montreal-based arts, culture, and heritage work in the museum sphere.

    Aviv holds a BA from McGill University and an MA in Religion in Global Politics from SOAS, University of London.

    André Pawan Vashist

    Director, Learning & Collaboration

    A multi award winning social innovator, André has 20 years of experience in community wellbeing and transformations and is a facilitator of multi-stakeholder collaborations that are working towards social and ecological justice.

    At his core, he is a dedicated family member with two children, a lover of the land with joy for being outdoors, a poet who expresses openly about life’s journey, and a passionate collaborator for a better world.   

    Co-designing solutions to shared challenges is where André likes to infuse his magic by weaving identities with a healing centered approach - connecting the inner and outer work as we attempt transformations to solve societal challenges. Watch this TEDx Talk to learn more about André.

    André is currently located on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek (Ah-nish-in-a-bek), Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-no-show-nee), Lūnaapéewak (Len-ahpay- wuk) and Chonnonton (Chun-ongk-ton) Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum - also known as London, Ontario, and along the river, Deshkan Ziibi.   

    The three Indigenous Nations that are neighbours to London, Ontario are the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation; Oneida Nation of the Thames; and the Munsee-Delaware Nation who all continue to live as sovereign Nations with individual and unique languages, cultures and customs.      

    (This Land Acknowledgement is a first step towards reconciliation. Awareness means nothing without action. He continues to learn and take steps towards decolonizing practices, including being informed about the traditional lands, Treaties, history, and cultures of the Indigenous people across Turtle Island.)    

    Abra Rissi

    Director, Member Engagement & Communications

    Abra is the Director of Member Engagement and Communications where she has the pleasure of working alongside an active and enthusiastic team. In this role, she leads the network’s engagement and communications strategies and activities in support of PFC’s convening, collaboration, and learning goals.

    Abra joins PFC’s community of advocates and leaders with 15 years of experience in public affairs, operations, and public engagement. She has worked with not-for-profit leaders, elected and government officials, and within civil society – with a focus on partnerships, collaboration, and community-building in service of the public good.

    A cyclist and crossword enthusiast, Abra has lived in Geneva, Paris, Vancouver and currently Toronto. A purpose-driven professional, she believes in the value of strong and inclusive civic engagement in advancing a more prosperous, equitable, and just society for all.

    Abra lives in Toronto, an energetic and diverse city which is home to many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. Toronto is covered under Treaty 13 and the Williams Treaties and within the territory of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum - a Treaty made between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas, and Haudenosaunee, where nations entered into an agreement to protect the land and responsibly care for its resources in harmony together. 

    Benoît Charlebois

    Senior Coordinator, Communications & Member Engagement

    As a professional communicator trained in North and South America, Benoît has built an exceptionally diversified and international career spanning 35 years in private, public, governmental and non-governmental organizations—in over seven countries—in the fields of education and public engagement, telecommunications, humanitarian and international development.

    Between 2012-2022, he held several positions at the Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific of which he is an alumnus and a former Board Director. Before that, he held senior management and strategic corporate communications positions with TELUS Québec and Bell Canada, as well as the Canadian International Development Agency, the Canadian Red Cross, and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

    Previously, he was in charge of program management, customer operations and marketing in several telecom start-ups with Telesystem International Wireless, helping to launch successful cellular phone companies in Romania, Brazil, and France.

    Earlier in his career, he worked in communications with United World Colleges International in the UK and Italy, as well as in Development Support Communications with Club 2/3-Oxfam Quebec in Montreal and as a volunteer cooperant with Canadian University Services Overseas in Colombia.

    He has served on the Board of the Space for Life Foundation and Initiatives of Change Canada. He is married with a Colombian woman with whom he has two children. Benoît is fluent in French, Spanish and English.

    Benoît acknowledges that his place of residence and daily work are located on aboriginal territory, which has never been ceded by the Nitaskinan nation (Atikamekw / Nehirowisi Aski) as guardian of the lands and waters on which he depends. 

    The Atikamekw, a nation with an oral tradition, are descended from the great Anishnabe or Algonquin Anicnape family. This large family occupies territories stretching from the Canadian northeast to the American southwest. In Quebec, the Atikamekw nation occupies the central part of the province. Its immediate neighbors are the Wapanaki to the east, the Algonquin to the west, the Mowak to the south and the Cree, Naskapi and Innu to the north.

    Michele Fugiel Gartner, PhD, CAP®

    Lead Researcher

    Michele is a philanthropic researcher, educator, and advisor. She holds a PhD from the University of St Andrews, School of Management, where she studied the experiences of CEOs in UK family foundations and conceptualised the foundation professional role. She instructs nonprofit management and social innovation at Mount Royal University (Calgary, AB). Michele’s philanthropic experience includes the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Social Venture Partners Calgary, Trico Charitable Foundation, and the Centre for the Study of Philanthropy & Public Good. She obtained her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® designation in 2016 and is a member of the Global Philanthropy Advisory Group with the Society of Estate and Trust Practitioners (STEP). Michele has an MA from the University of London, SOAS, in international studies and diplomacy and a BA from Arizona State University in intercultural and organizational communication.

    Michele acknowledges that her life has been shaped by the lands and histories of many peoples and places. She was born and raised in Illinois and Wisconsin, on the traditional homelands of the Ho-Chunk, Menominee, and Potawatomi peoples. Her journey has taken her through Phoenix, Arizona (Akimel O’odham and Hohokam lands); Honolulu, Hawai'i (Kanaka Maoli lands); Japan (home to the Ainu and Ryukyuan peoples); Seattle, Washington (Coast Salish territories, including the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribe); and London, UK, historically stewarded by the Britons. London’s history as a hub of migration and colonization serves as a reminder of the lasting impacts of the British Empire on Indigenous peoples globally. 

    Now, she lives and works in Calgary, Alberta, in the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprised of the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations), and home to the Métis Nation of Alberta (Districts 5 and 6). She honors the histories, cultures, and enduring relationships Indigenous peoples have with these lands, reflecting on colonization’s legacies and her responsibility to advocate for equity and decolonization. As someone shaped by global movement, she commits to ongoing learning and solidarity with Indigenous communities worldwide. 

    Erin Matheson

    Executive Coordinator

    Erin has spent her career working in philanthropy and government. Passionate about working with community-based organizations, she managed an Irish cultural non-profit for many years, which allowed her to support the community in which she was raised. More recently, she worked with healthcare and education non-profit groups.

    As Executive Coordinator, Erin supports the team in achieving the goals identified in its strategic framework by developing and implementing crucial structures for collaboration within the organization.

    She is a proud mother of three daughters, dedicated friend and family member, and enjoys sharing her love of baking with those around her.

    Amanda Mayer

    Treasurer

    Program Director & COO, Lawson Foundation - Cantley, QC

    Amanda Bernard

    Director

    Amanda Bernard, an Honours Bachelor of Business graduate from the University of Guelph Humber, is a member of the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation, the Director of Indigenous Programs at the Laidlaw Foundation, and the Founder of Shawish Market. In her role at the Foundation, Amanda supports Indigenous youth by providing them with opportunities to connect with their land, language, culture, and peers through various projects. 
    Before joining the Laidlaw Foundation, Amanda served as the Account Manager responsible for launching the NIHB portal, an online platform that enables Indigenous people to submit their health benefit claims digitally. In her spare time, Amanda started Shawish, a new virtual marketplace exclusively for Indigenous artists to create their own shops and upload their products for free. Amanda currently resides in Toronto, ON.

    Adwoa K. Buahene

    Director

    Strategic consultant - Toronto, ON

    Lisa Cirillo

    Director

    Lisa Cirillo has served as the CEO of The Law Foundation of Ontario since September 2020. Prior to joining the Foundation, Lisa was the Executive Director of Downtown Legal Services, a community-based legal clinic at the University of Toronto Faculty of law for 10 years. Lisa has practiced human rights, education, housing, and family law in a wide variety of social justice organizations including Downtown Legal Services, ARCH Disability Rights Centre, and the Ontario Human Rights Commission. She has served on numerous boards and committees over the years including the Association for Canadian Clinical Legal Education, the National Association of Women and the Law, Legal Aid Ontario’s Clinic Law Advisory Committee, and the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Community Advisory Group.  

    Michelle LeDonne

    Director

    Michelle LeDonne (she/her) has been the Executive Director of the Pathy Family Foundation (PFF) since July 2023, where she previously served as Program Officer and was responsible for Montreal-based partner organizations and funder collaboratives.  
     
    Before joining PFF in 2019, Michelle worked for more than a decade in fundraising, strategy, and program development for a national non-profit and several community-based organizations working in the areas of homelessness relief and prevention, health equity, and youth and 2SLGBTQIA+ empowerment. Originally from Chicago, she holds a Master of Arts from McGill University and currently resides in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal with her son.  

    Teresa Marques

    Director

    Teresa is an established senior executive and educator in the non-profit sector. She leads the Rideau Hall Foundation, an independent charity established by the Right Honourable David Johnston. The RHF’s vision is a better Canada, and it works to address key challenges facing the country in the areas of learning equity, creating a culture of innovation, leadership development, and the promotion of giving and volunteerism. Teresa has significant experience in people management, stakeholder engagement, and program implementation. She is a sought-after public speaker and frequent media commentator on Canadian philanthropy, giving patterns, and non-profit sector management issues.

    She is an instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s G. Raymond Chang School for Continuing Education and holds degrees in Canadian history from the University of Ottawa and York University, and a post-graduate certificate from Dalhousie University’s School of Continuing Education, with a focus on non-profit governance. In 2022, she was named one of the inaugural winners of DMZ’s Women of the Year award and in 2023 a “Changemaker” by the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.

    Teresa’s volunteer service has focused on community development and education issues and she has served on numerous local and national boards of directors. Her current and previous directorships include the National Theatre School, AFP Ottawa, Family Services Toronto, and Working Women Community Centre. She is interested in how giving patterns and attitudes towards philanthropy in Canada are evolving and seeks to drive social change through collective action.

    Cameron Miller

    Secretary

    Senior Director, Citizenship Governance & Operations for Corporate Citizenship

    Lara O’Donnell

    Director

    Dr. Lara O’Donnell is the Executive Director of the Weston Family Foundation, a role she has held since 2020. As Executive Director, Lara is responsible for executing all aspects of the Foundation's operations and strategy, reporting to the Board of Directors. The Weston Family Foundation designs various granting programs to deliver its mandate of supporting the wellbeing of Canadians, and presently donates roughly $60M per year.  

    Prior to joining the Foundation, Lara was the Director of Research Partnerships at the Canadian technology scale-up Element AI, where she was responsible for the design and execution of the research partnership strategy.  

    Lara has also held various leadership roles within the Canadian research and innovation ecosystem. She was a Senior Director of Research at CIFAR, an organization dedicated to creating transformative knowledge by convening interdisciplinary teams of scholars, and Director of the Accelerate and Elevate programs at Mitacs, and organization aimed at building bridges between academia and industry.  

    Lara studied the mechanisms involved in sensing and repairing DNA during her postdoctoral research at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital. She also investigated the processes of cell division during her Ph.D. which she completed at McGill University. She earned her BSc. in Biology from McMaster University. 

    MJ Sinha

    Director

    Board Member

    Sylvie Trottier

    Director

    Sylvie Trottier is a philanthropist, family principal, and advocate, with a primary focus on climate and inequality. She is a board member of Trottier Family Foundation and the Eclipx Family Office.  
     
    The Trottier Family Foundation has a primary focus on climate, health, education, and science, seeking to catalyze and scale transformative innovations, create cross sector collaborations, and take risks that others cannot.  
     
    The Eclipx Family Office has a three-fold objective wherein (i) investment, (ii) environmental and social, and (iii) family objectives, values, and mission align toward a common purpose.  
     
    Sylvie also engages in the philanthropic ecosystem, sitting on the coordination committee for Le Collectif des fondations québécoises contre les inégalités and as a member of Forward Global, as well as within the family office ecosystem as co-chair of the Cambridge Forum on Family Office Development and as a member of CREO Syndicate.  
     
    Sylvie worked in the environmental sector for nearly fifteen years, holds a BSc in Environmental Studies from McGill University and an MSc in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics.  

    Justin Wiebe

    Director

    Justin is a proud Métis citizen from the prairies who currently splits his time between rural Saskatchewan and Toronto. He is passionate about rethinking philanthropy, youth leadership, and building movements of solidarity across different communities. He currently works at Mastercard Foundation in the EleV program focusing on improving Indigenous youth education and employment outcomes. He formerly worked at the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Justin is also on the board of The Circle on Philanthropy, a WEF Global Shaper, and a co-founder of The Mamawi Project. He holds a Master’s Degree in Planning from the School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP) at UBC, and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Saskatchewan.