The Ben and Hilda Katz Charitable Foundation is a philanthropic fund established in partnership with the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto. As a named family foundation, it is structured as a permanent endowment whose investment income is used to make grants to qualified charities. The Jewish Foundation provides the legal, financial and administrative framework, while the Katz family’s philanthropic vision guides the causes and organizations that receive support.
Role of the Foundation in the funding ecosystem
Through the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto, the Ben and Hilda Katz Charitable Foundation participates in a broader community foundation model that pools capital and distributes it to a wide range of charitable organizations. Grants are typically directed to registered charities that advance community well-being, with attention to needs in the Jewish community and the broader public, depending on the priorities set for the fund.
Types of support offered
- Ongoing or periodic grants to eligible charities, funded from the endowment’s annual distributable income.
- Flexibility to support different sectors such as education, culture, social services, health or religious life, in line with the founding family’s values.
- Ability to respond to emerging community needs by recommending new recipient organizations through the Jewish Foundation’s grantmaking processes.
Administration through the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto
The Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto oversees investment management, compliance with Canada Revenue Agency rules for charitable foundations and grant disbursement logistics. Donor families such as the Katz family benefit from professional governance, due diligence on recipient charities and consolidated reporting, while maintaining a distinct named foundation identity.
Beneficiaries and impact
While specific recipients may change from year to year, the Ben and Hilda Katz Charitable Foundation is designed to provide long-term, sustainable support to charitable organizations. By operating as an endowed fund within a community foundation, it aims to preserve capital, generate stable income and create lasting impact across multiple generations of giving.