The Astley Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2005 in Waterloo Region, Ontario. It provides grant funding to support personal development programs for vulnerable youth ages 12-25, focusing on mental health and community belonging. The foundation offers two grant streams: Learning Grants (up to $25,000) and Community Grants (up to $50,000 per year for up to three years). Annual investment exceeds $400,000, supporting over 1,500 youth annually through 10+ recipient organizations. View Robert and Judith Astley Family Foundation's website for more information.
The Astley Family Foundation is a discretionary grant-maker focusing exclusively on youth-serving organizations in Waterloo Region. As a family foundation, it provides flexible funding to registered charities working with vulnerable youth, complementing government and United Way funding in the region.
Applications are assessed based on alignment with foundation priorities (mental health and community belonging), evidence of lasting positive impact, youth engagement, and potential to share learnings with other organizations. The foundation prefers operating programs over capital projects and values collaboration.
Learning Grants: Up to $25,000 for pilots, new collaborations, and outreach (1 year). Focus on innovation and experimentation.
Community Grants: $25,000-$50,000 per year for up to 3 years. For scaling proven programs and building organizational capacity.
The foundation publishes annual reports detailing funded projects, financial performance, and impact. Decisions are made by the Board of Directors with notification by end of April.
Founded in 2005 by Bob and Judy Astley along with their children Derek Astley and Jennifer Astley-Kinsey. The core mandate of serving youth in Waterloo Region has remained unchanged since inception.