THE FOUNDATION

The Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation is one of Canada's major private granting foundations. Established in 1952 as a vehicle for joint family giving, the Foundation embodies the philanthropic commitment of its founders and first directors: Samuel Bronfman, a leading industrialist; his wife, Saidye Rosner Bronfman; and their children, Minda, Phyllis, Edgar and Charles.

Samuel and Saidye Bronfman shared the belief that community involvement was vital to the development of society. Both were recognized for their leadership in advancing social, cultural and educational causes.

MISSION

The Foundation is dedicated to fostering initiative and enterprise among Canadians. It is a leader in providing developmental funding to non-profit ventures in Canada which deal with challenging social, cultural and educational issues. It promotes the development and sharing of new ideas of potential lasting value. The Foundation invests in people whose creative and innovative projects help contribute workable solutions to important emerging issues facing the country.

FUNDING PHILOSOPHY

The Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation has always believed that philanthropy should offer recipients the means to become self-sufficient. In this spirit, the Foundation complements, where appropriate, its traditional funding assistance by also providing the professional expertise of its staff. The Foundation will work alongside selected grant recipients to ensure the success of a project, especially in the early stages of its development. The Foundation works effectively in many ways to address changing conditions in Canada:
  • through "focused giving", it supports well defined projects in specific areas of interest;
  • with a national mandate, its donations program spans Canada's provinces and territories;
  • by taking a pro-active approach, it interacts closely with recipients.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Foundation is governed by the Board of Directors, which includes:
  • Stephen R. Bronfman, President
  • Phyllis Lambert, Honorary President
  • Matthew Bronfman, Director
  • Jean de Gunzburg, Director
  • Robert Vineberg, Secretary
  • Zeno Santache, Treasurer
  • Michel Boucher, Assistant Treasurer
  • Nancy Rosenfeld, Executive Director