Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Philantra Foundation

Philantra Foundation is a public charitable foundation and non‑profit corporation registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (no. 78854 0110 RR0001). Created in 2020 with the support of National Bank and National Bank Trust, it democratizes access to structured philanthropy by allowing individuals, families and businesses to establish personalized charitable funds within a public foundation rather than creating their own private foundation. Through these donor‑advised and endowment funds, Philantra channels significant financial support each year to hundreds of registered charities across Canada and internationally.

The foundation manages close to $200 million in assets and, according to its annual reports, has distributed more than $25 million over its first five years, consistently exceeding its minimum disbursement obligations. Grants cover a broad spectrum of sectors including health care, medical research, education, financial insecurity and food aid, community and social services, resource and support organizations, arts and culture, sports, environment and animal welfare, and religion.

Philantra offers several vehicles for philanthropic funding: direct giving through the foundation, donor‑advised charitable funds within the public foundation, and administration of stand‑alone private foundations. Donors can create perpetual or time‑limited funds, recommend beneficiary organizations, and participate in defining the investment policy within parameters set by the foundation. Philantra’s team handles the full administrative cycle: establishing the donation agreement, custody of securities, issuing official donation receipts, verifying the registration and compliance of donees, executing payments to charities, monitoring disbursement quotas and filing annual information returns.

A flagship collective vehicle, the Social Mission Charitable Fund, aggregates contributions to support Canadians in need around current social issues such as poverty, hunger and isolation. A volunteer selection committee, using transparent criteria, chooses beneficiary organizations and allocates grants, adding a curated, pooled‑fund option for advisors and donors.

Philantra primarily serves high‑net‑worth individuals, families and entrepreneurs working with National Bank Financial – Wealth Management and Private Banking 1859, but is open to a wider donor base across Canada. Its expert team—specialists in taxation, financial and estate planning and philanthropy—helps donors articulate a long‑term philanthropic vision, integrate giving into financial and succession plans, and structure multi‑year or intergenerational commitments.

The foundation places strong emphasis on transparency and impact. Annual reports detail assets, distributions by sector, financial statements and examples of funded projects, from university scholarships and research chairs to hospital infrastructure, community organizations and international initiatives. For larger or multi‑year projects, Philantra often requests impact reports and maintains ongoing follow‑up to ensure that donor objectives and community outcomes are aligned.

Governed by an independent board of directors, Philantra complies with National Bank’s Code of Conduct, ethics and anti‑corruption policies, and maintains a conflict‑of‑interest framework specific to the foundation. Operationally, it relies on National Bank Trust and other National Bank subsidiaries for administrative and investment services while remaining a distinct legal entity. This combination of professional governance, institutional infrastructure and specialized philanthropic expertise positions Philantra as a key player in Canada’s charitable funding ecosystem.