St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the St. Andrew’s Society of Toronto. It supports small and underfunded charities in the Greater Toronto Area through grants aimed at reducing poverty-related risks such as homelessness, unemployment and social exclusion, often in partnership with the Hendrie Trust. View St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation's website for more information.
St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation is a Toronto-based grantmaking foundation operating under the banner of the St. Andrew’s Society of Toronto. Building on the Society’s long tradition of helping people in need, the Foundation focuses on mitigating poverty-related risks for adults, youth and children across the Greater Toronto Area. It does so primarily by providing financial support to local charitable agencies rather than to individuals.
The Foundation targets smaller, often underfunded charities and specific programs within larger organizations that work on issues such as unemployment, homelessness, exposure to crime, poor health and educational outcomes, domestic violence and discrimination based on race, religion, gender, disability or immigration status. Over the past 15 years, it has distributed more than $1 million in grants, frequently co-funding with the Hendrie Trust.
Recent grant recipients include a range of community organizations working on homelessness, food security, youth development, health and literacy, demonstrating a portfolio that emphasizes direct, grassroots impact in Toronto neighbourhoods.
According to the Foundation’s grant application information, eligible applicants must be Toronto-based registered charities serving populations facing poverty-related risks. Priority is given to smaller charities and under-resourced programs that can leverage relatively modest grants for significant local impact. Grants are not intended to cover core operational or administrative expenses, and repeat funding in consecutive years is not typical, which encourages a broad distribution of support.
Applications are reviewed by a committee composed of board members from the St. Andrew’s Society and additional volunteers. This governance structure links grant decisions to community knowledge and the Society’s longstanding charitable mission.
The Foundation runs periodic calls for proposals; for example, applications for the 2026 funding cycle were open until 31 October 2025. Applicants are asked to submit digital applications including a cover letter, information about the agency, recent financial statements and annual reports, plus a detailed description and budget for the proposed project or program.
By concentrating on targeted project funding and working in partnership with the Hendrie Trust and other supporters, St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation plays a focused role in addressing poverty and social exclusion in Toronto through structured, committee-reviewed grantmaking.