Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) Foundation (ORCF)

Role of the Ontario REALTORS Care Foundation in the funding ecosystem

The Ontario REALTORS Care Foundation is a registered charitable foundation connected to Ontario’s organized real estate sector. Its website describes it as the giving arm of Ontario REALTORS®, with a mandate to support shelter-related causes and address food insecurity across the province.

The Foundation’s funding activity is not limited to fundraising only; it also makes grants to registered charities and operates a local express grants program that channels funds to community partners. The site indicates that grants are distributed to organizations serving people affected by hunger, the elements, abuse, disabilities, and illness.

Grantmaking focus and supported audiences

The Foundation focuses on charities that provide refuge, haven, or protection for individual Ontarians. Its materials emphasize shelter-related causes and food security, and its grantmaking history shows support for a broad range of charitable organizations across Ontario.

• Registered charities serving shelter-related needs
• Organizations addressing food insecurity
• Local charitable partners selected by real estate boards and associations

Program and disbursement model

The site identifies a formal grants process with applications reviewed by a Grants and Awards Committee. It also states that the Local Express Grants program allows member boards and associations to process fundraised or budgeted donations through the Foundation, with a 10% match available up to an annual maximum.

Past grant activity is documented through a grant archive, and the organization states that it has granted over $20 million to shelter and food security charities over time.

History and evolution

The Foundation says it was founded in 1967 as the Canadian Real Estate Board Foundation - Ontario Fund, became the Ontario Real Estate Association Foundation in 1977, shifted its grant focus toward shelter-based charities in 1999, and adopted its current name in 2006.