Grant and Funding Programs Offered by The McLean Foundation

The McLean Foundation is one of Canada’s oldest private family foundations, established in 1945 by James Stanley (J.S.) McLean and Edith McLean. Based in Toronto, it manages an endowment of about $68 million and has provided more than $74 million in funding since its inception. The Foundation supports Canadian registered charities and other qualified donees whose work makes life more fulfilling, communities more vibrant and the environment more durable. It focuses on people, places and the planet, with particular emphasis on projects that offer broad social benefit but may initially lack widespread public appeal.

The Foundation funds work in social welfare, community and social services, health, education, arts and culture, environment, conservation and climate action. For environment, conservation and climate initiatives, it considers local projects in communities across Canada. For arts and culture and community and social services, it focuses on local organizations based in British Columbia and Ontario. In recognition of the climate crisis, the Board has committed at least 20% of the annual granting budget to climate action projects.

The McLean Foundation structures its grant-making through distinct funding streams. Catalyst Grants provide one-time project funding, typically between $20,000 and $100,000, to help organizations pilot, test or scale promising approaches, explore feasibility, respond to public policy opportunities or complete a key phase of a strategy. These grants are explicitly not intended for ongoing operations but to act as a catalytic infusion of resources.

Partnership Grants are multi-year operating grants for organizations with a strong track record of meeting needs and taking informed risks in their communities or fields. These grants provide core support in the range of $300,000 to $500,000 over three years, helping organizations remain stable and adaptable while continuing innovative, high-impact work. The Foundation anticipates awarding a small number of Partnership Grants each year, creating a focused cohort of partners.

Eligible applicants are Canadian registered charities and organizations recognized as qualified donees by the Canada Revenue Agency. The Foundation does not fund non-profit organizations that lack charitable or qualified donee status. Applications are submitted exclusively through an online portal, with separate processes and timelines for Catalyst and Partnership Grants, and generally only one active application per organization per year.

The Foundation outlines clear ineligible requests, such as capital campaigns, renovations, equipment purchases, event sponsorships, endowments, scholarships, projects outside Canada, activities that are strictly religious or partisan political, purely academic research, deficit reduction and operating support for umbrella organizations. This guidance helps applicants assess fit before applying.

Over nearly eight decades, four generations of the McLean family, alongside external advisors, have stewarded the Foundation’s growth and grant-making. The Board of Directors and a small staff team oversee strategy, due diligence and operations, publishing financial reports and lists of recent grants to maintain transparency. With more than 5,250 grants made since 2000 and a long-standing mandate to support high-potential but underfunded initiatives, The McLean Foundation plays a significant role in Canada’s philanthropic landscape, particularly in British Columbia, Ontario and environmental work across the country.