Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Royal LePage Shelter Foundation (RLPSF)

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is the branded charity of Royal LePage, operating as a public foundation dedicated exclusively to addressing violence against women and children in Canada. Since its creation in 1998, it has grown into one of the largest Canadian public foundations focused on funding women’s shelters and domestic and intimate partner violence prevention initiatives. The foundation raises money primarily through commission donations from Royal LePage brokers and agents, as well as community fundraising events such as golf tournaments, gala dinners, treks, auctions and other local campaigns.

Funds collected are redistributed to approximately 200 women’s shelters across Canada and to selected national partners working in violence prevention and public education. Because Royal LePage covers the foundation’s administrative costs, one hundred percent of donated funds go directly to supported shelters and programs, amplifying the impact of each contribution.

The foundation’s funding is discretionary and targeted, rather than offered through an open call for proposals. Local women’s shelters are matched with Royal LePage offices, and these shelters decide how best to allocate the grants they receive. Funding can support a wide range of services, including trauma counseling, job training and placement, emergency transportation, play therapy and homework support for children, shelter renovations and expansion projects, and assistance to women and children transitioning to independent housing.

Beyond emergency services, the foundation invests in long‑term prevention and education. It is a founding partner of the Fourth R, a curriculum-based program promoting healthy relationships in schools, and supports grassroots initiatives via partners such as the Canadian Women’s Foundation. It also contributes to digital resources like sheltersafe.ca, helping women quickly locate shelters and crisis lines across Canada.

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or make grants outside its current commitments. Instead, it works within a defined network of shelters and partner organizations that align with its mission to end family violence and support survivors. This approach allows it to build sustained relationships, respond to evolving needs within supported shelters, and maintain a focused portfolio of funded programs.

The primary beneficiaries of the foundation’s funding are women and children experiencing or at risk of family and intimate partner violence. By financing emergency shelter, counseling, skills development and prevention initiatives, the foundation contributes to safer homes and communities. It reports cumulative fundraising totals in the tens of millions of dollars and supports tens of thousands of women and children annually through the shelters and programs it funds, positioning it as a key philanthropic actor in Canada’s anti‑violence sector.