
Norman Lesh Philanthropy Award
- From $10,000 to $10,000
- Closing date : March 30, 2026
Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation is a foundation serving the Ottawa Jewish community. It supports long-term financial stability through endowment funds, legacy giving, tribute cards, and philanthropic vehicles for agencies and institutions in Ottawa. View The Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation's website for more information.


The Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation is a philanthropic foundation that helps donors support the long-term financial stability of agencies and institutions serving Ottawa’s Jewish community. Its website presents it as a vehicle for giving, with an emphasis on endowment-style support, legacy gifts, and other charitable funding tools.
The homepage highlights several ways donors can direct support, including endowment funds, legacy giving, tribute cards, an insurance-policy giving option, and named funds. This indicates an organization that channels private philanthropy into community-focused financial support rather than operating as a commercial service.
The foundation’s stated purpose is tied to the future of Ottawa’s Jewish community and the institutions that serve it. The site frames its work around strengthening community sustainability over the long term, which is consistent with a foundation that manages funds and supports external beneficiaries.
The organization says it was founded on November 19, 1971 by visionary leaders. It also notes that its funds are professionally invested and overseen through policy and committee governance, suggesting a structured philanthropic model with ongoing stewardship of donor capital.
Overall, the Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation operates as a community foundation that provides funding pathways and philanthropic support for organizations and causes within its defined community focus.