Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Simons Foundation (SF)
Overview of Available Grants and Funding
The Simons Foundation Canada is a private charitable foundation based in Vancouver that advances education and policy work on peace, nuclear disarmament, Arctic security, international law, human security and disarmament education. It funds and partners on research projects, conferences, academic chairs, fellowships and awards in Canada and internationally. View Simons Foundation (SF)'s website for more information.
Content last updated: March 4, 2026
About Simons Foundation (SF)
What is the mission of Simons Foundation (SF)?
The Simons Foundation Canada seeks to advance a more peaceful and secure world by funding and promoting education, research and policy dialogue on peace, nuclear disarmament, Arctic security, international law, human security and disarmament education.
What type of organization is Simons Foundation (SF)?
Simons Foundation (SF) is a Foundation.
When was Simons Foundation (SF) founded?
Simons Foundation (SF) was founded in 1985.
What is Simons Foundation (SF)'s official website?
Simons Foundation (SF)'s official website is https://www.thesimonsfoundation.ca/.
What else should I know about Simons Foundation (SF)?
The Simons Foundation Canada is a private philanthropic foundation established in 1985 by Dr. Jennifer Allen Simons and headquartered at Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in Vancouver. Granted Special Consultative Status by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the foundation advances positive change through education and policy engagement in peace, disarmament, international law and human security.
Role of The Simons Foundation Canada in the funding ecosystem
The foundation operates as a strategic grant maker and project partner rather than an open-call funder. It explicitly “initiates, partners and funds projects” in its core priority areas, and has provided critical financial support to major international initiatives such as Global Zero, the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, UN outer space security conferences in Geneva, work on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), and efforts to strengthen genocide prevention. It maintains a published list of grant recipients and notes that it does not accept unsolicited grant applications, indicating a curated, invitation-only funding model.
In Canada, The Simons Foundation Canada has made significant investments in higher education and research. At Simon Fraser University and other institutions, it has endowed the Simons Chair in Peace, Disarmament and Human Security, and supports graduate and postdoctoral fellowships and international travel awards in international studies, as well as graduate awards in the Faculty of Environment. These initiatives foster future leaders and scholars who work on justice, equality, global citizenship and disarmament.
Funding themes and priority areas
The foundation structures its work around several key issues:
- Nuclear disarmament – supporting research, advocacy, expert dialogues and conferences aimed at the prohibition and abolition of nuclear weapons.
- Arctic security – commissioning and publishing analysis on military policies and practices in the Arctic, including the Arctic Security Briefing Papers and major reports such as “Military Footprints in the Arctic.”
- Space and cyber security – historically funding work on preventing the weaponization of outer space and understanding cyber security risks; this programme closed in 2019 but its outputs remain available as resources.
- International law and human security – backing initiatives that connect legal frameworks, human rights and protection of civilians, including work on genocide prevention and NATO nuclear policy.
- Disarmament education – supporting curricula, academic programmes and public education that build critical understanding of the war system and the necessity of disarmament.
Publics served and typical support
The Simons Foundation Canada primarily supports universities, international NGOs, expert networks and multilateral policy initiatives. Its portfolio includes endowed academic positions, research grants to specialist organizations, funding for international conferences such as the “Parliamentarians for the TPNW” meetings at the United Nations, and support for declarations and policy processes like the Ottawa Declaration on Canada and the TPNW.
Rather than running competitive calls, the foundation identifies partners aligned with its mission and works with them to co-design projects that combine scholarship, policy influence and public engagement. Grantees are often long-term collaborators including academic centres, civil society coalitions and high-level expert groups working on nuclear disarmament, Arctic security and related fields.
Transparency and impact
The organization documents its impact through project pages, resources and highlights, as well as external reports such as Simon Fraser University’s 2026 Impact Report prepared for The Simons Foundation Canada. These materials showcase the foundation’s contributions to thought leadership, academic capacity and international policy debates on creating a more peaceful and secure world free of nuclear weapons.