The Calgary Foundation grants
Public foundation in Calgary, Alberta · Website
- Given to charities in 2024
- $71.7 million
- Charities funded in 2024
- 1,101
- Typical gift (median)
- $7,653
How to apply
Accepts applications
- How
- For student awards, apply online via the Student Awards Online Portal (forms accessible at the end of January each year). For charities and qualified donees, explore grant types and guidelines to apply across various granting streams.
- Deadlines
- Student award forms are accessible at the end of January each year; applications must be submitted by the deadline specified for each award.
- What they fund
- Major grants, community grants, amateur sports (Doc Seaman Amateur Sports Grants), strategic opportunity grants (organization/program development), grassroots community projects, animal welfare (Sherling Animal Welfare Fund), and student awards/scholarships.
- Where
- Calgary and the surrounding area, and Treaty 7 Nations (Doc Seaman Amateur Sports Grants open across Canada; Sherling Animal Welfare Fund open to charities in Alberta).
Summarized by AI from The Calgary Foundation's own website on October 17, 2026. Check their site before you apply, because programs and deadlines change. Read from: calgaryfoundation.org/awards/how-to-apply, calgaryfoundation.org/charities/grants, calgaryfoundation.org/charities/grants/which-grant-is-right-for-you
In their 2024 filing they held 658 donor-advised funds worth $570.8 million; donors added $59.3 million and $39.6 million was granted from them. Gifts from donor-advised funds are chosen by each fund's donors, so some of the giving below was not open to applications.
Who The Calgary Foundation funded in 2024
The 15 largest of 1,101 gifts to registered charities.
- University of Calgary - Development OfficeAlberta$5,459,819
- Calgary Silver Linings FoundationAlberta$2,127,000
- Calgary Humane Society for Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsAlberta$1,933,464
- Trellis Society for Community ImpactAlberta$1,674,168
- Cochrane and District Community FoundationAlberta$1,636,369
- The Children's Cottage Society of Calgary An AlbertaAlberta$1,376,759
- Alberta Children's Hospital FoundationAlberta$1,199,411
- The Safe Haven Foundation of CanadaAlberta$1,198,976
- Action Dignity SocietyAlberta$1,089,473
- Foothills Country Hospice SocietyAlberta$1,053,810
- The Salvation Army Community Services (Calgary)Alberta$1,038,308
- Young Women's Christian Association of BanffAlberta$1,004,365
- Confederation Centre of the Arts Foundation Inc.Prince Edward Island$1,000,000
- Women's Centre of CalgaryAlberta$951,478
- Esther Honens International Piano Competition FoundationAlberta$866,579
Where the money went in 2024
- Alberta659 charities, $62.3 million
- Ontario235 charities, $4.9 million
- British Columbia139 charities, $2.2 million
- Prince Edward Island2 charities, $1.1 million
- New Brunswick5 charities, $516,700
- Manitoba22 charities, $280,800
- Saskatchewan8 charities, $196,300
- Quebec19 charities, $140,100
Giving by year
| Year | Total given | Gifts | Median gift |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $71.7 million | 1,101 | $7,653 |
| 2023 | $59.3 million | 1,108 | $7,000 |
| 2022 | $56.7 million | 1,020 | $6,402 |
| 2021 | $63.2 million | 991 | $7,500 |
| 2020 | $51.2 million | 863 | $7,000 |
| 2019 | $37.9 million | 840 | $7,500 |
What they told the CRA they do
- The Calgary Foundation carried out its charitable purpose through the ongoing administration of its granting programs. While the Foundation provides grants to support charitable activity across the entire sector it has a particular focus on five priority areas: Reducing Poverty (relief of poverty); Encouraging Mental Health (promotion of health); Living a Creative Life (advancing the public’s appreciation of the arts); Pursuing a Sustainable Future (protection of the environment) and Strengthening Relations with Indigenous Communities (upholding human rights). The Foundation also provided Student Awards (advancement of education) and capacity building activities to the sector (support and services for the charitable sector).
Giving figures are gifts to registered charities (qualified donees) as The Calgary Foundation reported them in its T3010 returns to the Canada Revenue Agency, fiscal 2019 to 2024. Business number 108074436RR0001.
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