The Azrieli Foundation is a large independent public foundation based in Canada that channels significant philanthropic resources to organizations and individuals in Canada and Israel. Guided by Jewish values such as compassion, justice and responsibility, the Foundation focuses on long-term, strategic giving rather than one-off donations, seeking measurable impact across several priority areas.
Role of the Azrieli Foundation in the funding ecosystem
Each year, the Azrieli Foundation disburses substantial funding — more than $150 million in 2024 alone — to a wide range of partner organizations working in education, science and healthcare, Holocaust education and legacy, neurodevelopment and neurodiverse initiatives, community support, music, arts and culture, and architecture, design and engineering. Support takes many forms, including operating grants, project-based funding, capital investments and programmatic partnerships with institutions large and small.
Funding programs and thematic portfolios
Alongside its wide grantmaking portfolio, the Foundation operates several flagship programs. The Azrieli Science Grants Program provides multi-year grants to basic and translational neuroscience projects related to neurodevelopmental disorders, awarded through competitive, peer‑reviewed calls to researchers at Canadian universities and research institutes. The Azrieli Fellows Program funds outstanding graduate students, international postdoctoral researchers and visiting PhD fellows in Israel, offering generous fellowships that promote academic excellence and international collaboration.
The Foundation also runs the Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program to preserve and disseminate survivors’ testimonies, and the Azrieli Music Prizes, which commission and promote new works by composers. Other initiatives include support for the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, architecture prizes and awards for students of architecture, and diverse arts, culture and community projects.
Publics served and overall impact
Through its grants, scholarships and fellowships, the Azrieli Foundation supports a broad spectrum of beneficiaries: researchers and students, Holocaust survivors and educators, people with disabilities and neurodevelopmental differences, caregivers and care providers, marginalized and vulnerable communities, and cultural institutions. Its impact stories highlight investments in children’s health, inclusive education, social services, digital heritage projects, inclusive arts, and scientific research infrastructure.
Approach to philanthropy and governance
The Foundation emphasizes rigorous but creative philanthropy, strategic collaborations and transparent reporting. Funding priorities are structured around clearly defined themes, and competitive programs such as the Science Grants use external peer review committees to rank projects. As a public foundation, it underscores truth, accountability and peaceful coexistence, while carrying forward the philanthropic legacy of its founder, David J. Azrieli, since its establishment in 1989.