Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Fondation Santé Urbaine (FSU)

Fondation Santé Urbaine is a registered charitable foundation based in Montréal that works closely with the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. It supports a wide network of facilities — 2 hospitals (Verdun and Notre-Dame), 8 CLSCs and 14 CHSLDs — by channeling philanthropic donations into concrete health and social service improvements, from birth to end of life.

The foundation finances a broad range of initiatives: purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment, renovation and humanization of care environments, leisure and quality-of-life activities in long-term care centres, youth psychosocial intervention programs using sport, and targeted mental health and social support initiatives. It positions itself as a key partner for projects that enhance both the quality of care and the overall experience of users and their families.

Funding is primarily sourced from individual and corporate donations, special events and planned giving. These resources are then allocated to priority projects identified in collaboration with care teams across the CIUSSS territory. The foundation explicitly mentions support for specific hospital projects, such as the expansion and modernization of Hôpital de Verdun and the redevelopment of clinics at Hôpital Notre-Dame, as well as ongoing support for daily services like free oncology transport or additional diagnostic capacity.

A distinctive mechanism is the Fonds d’aide à la population, an annual-budget emergency fund dedicated to users of the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. This fund provides punctual assistance in urgent situations, for example to facilitate the purchase of home-care equipment, medication or access to essential care. Strict criteria linked to urgency and one-time support are emphasized so that limited resources can reach as many people as possible.

The foundation’s impact extends to more than 300,000 people each year. Beneficiaries include hospital patients, residents of long-term care centres, users of CLSCs, vulnerable families, youth reached through school-based programs, and people experiencing food or economic insecurity. Through projects such as Hôpital Solidaire and youth initiatives like Bien dans mes baskets and L’Adresse, the foundation helps address both physical and mental health, social inclusion and academic perseverance.

In CHSLDs, Fondation Santé Urbaine funds leisure and activity programs that contribute directly to residents’ cognitive, social and physical stimulation, reinforcing its focus on dignified, person-centred care. By supporting such a diverse portfolio, the organization plays a structural role in strengthening public health services in the central-south area of Montréal.

The foundation publishes annual reports and financial statements, offering donors insight into the allocation of funds and the results achieved. Its board of directors and professional team work with clinical and administrative partners in the CIUSSS to prioritize projects. A broad base of partners — from major philanthropic foundations and corporations to individual donors — is publicly acknowledged, underscoring the collaborative nature of its funding model.

Overall, Fondation Santé Urbaine acts as a bridge between community generosity and institutional needs, translating donations into targeted financial support and grants that improve health, well-being and social equity across its territory.