Role of Villa Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The Villa Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Foundation is one of Montréal’s oldest philanthropic institutions, as the historical continuation of the Orphelinat catholique de Montréal founded in the 19th century. Legally constituted as a non-profit corporation in 1992, it is a registered charity under the Income Tax Act. Its assets come from private donations and real-estate investments, which are mobilized to improve the living conditions of children and adolescents in situations of vulnerability.
The Foundation’s mission is to assist children and teenagers in need of protection — abandoned, orphaned, socially maladjusted or in conflict with the law — by offering them better living conditions, access to services and opportunities that are not adequately covered by existing public programs. It favours support that enables young people to continue their education, to access decent housing and to develop their personal potential.
Funding themes and main forms of support
The Foundation intervenes in several complementary ways. It offers direct support to young people and their families, finances leisure and support services tailored to their needs, and collaborates with partner organizations that share similar objectives. Its objectives explicitly include helping other registered charities whose mission is aligned with its own, which translates into grants and contributions to community organizations active in youth protection and the fight against poverty.
A flagship instrument of this support is the Georgette Gauthier Scholarship, a bursary of 10,000 CAD dedicated to one or more individuals or groups concerned by the issue of poverty and its effects on young and very young people. The scholarship aims both to support beneficiaries facing difficult family environments in pursuing their studies or paying rent, and to encourage the development of concrete, actionable interventions to reduce the impact of poverty on youth.
General eligibility and selection approach
The Georgette Gauthier Scholarship is open to any person or group of persons who wish to tackle the problem of poverty among youth. Projects are expected to analyse the nature, causes and manifestations of poverty-related problems (such as violence, school dropout, overwork, prostitution or single-parent family challenges) and to propose realistic and effective solutions. A selection committee reviews submissions, recommends projects to the Foundation’s board of directors, and follows up on accepted initiatives.
The works and tools developed with the scholarship can be published by the Foundation or by the author, with appropriate acknowledgment of the Georgette Gauthier Scholarship’s contribution. Beyond this bursary, the Foundation maintains a flexible approach to funding, allowing it to respond to emerging needs, collaborate with institutions such as youth centres, and provide temporary housing or other forms of material and social support.
Governance, history and impact
The Foundation is managed entirely by a volunteer board of directors bringing together diverse professional backgrounds (law, finance, education, social services, real estate, etc.). This governance model, without salary load, is intended to maximize the share of resources directed towards the Foundation’s philanthropic objectives. Historically, it has invested in properties used for foster families and specialized centres for pregnant teenagers and young mothers wishing to complete their secondary studies, illustrating its long-term commitment to vulnerable youth.
Operating primarily in Montréal, the Villa Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Foundation plays a niche but significant role in the local funding ecosystem by combining direct aid to young people, support for community organizations and a strong historical identity rooted in nearly two centuries of charitable work.