Montreal

Since our founding in 1937, the McConnell Foundation has supported many organizations dedicated to improving the lives of Montrealers. Today, alongside our Focus Areas of communities, reconciliation and climate change, the Foundation remains deeply committed to our Montreal roots, where we continue to support local projects. Montreal funding decisions are approved yearly in December.

In addition to funding Montreal-based projects that advance our three focus areas, we devote approximately $2 million annually to funding organizations and institutions that have a positive impact on the greater Montreal community, and that meet the criteria below:

• Major campaign funding:
  We define major campaigns as targeted efforts to fundraise for large projects that require significant capital, often in the scale of the millions over multiple years. McConnell will fund up to 10% of the total capital campaign request, to a maximum of $1 million over five years per request. 
• Revitalizing heritage buildings for the social sector:
  We invite applications from charitable organizations and nonprofits revitalizing heritage buildings for use by the social sector. Projects may be at different stages of development and funding may be used for developing financial models, space analysis, consultancy fees, construction and renovation, etc. Funding requests for building purchase will not be considered.
• Hospitals:
  We no longer provide capital campaign support to hospitals and healthcare centres. However, we will support hospitals, CISSS and CIUSSS in the greater Montreal area interested in being part of the Nourish Leadership program. Nourish supports healthcare leadership on climate, equity and community wellbeing through food. Learn more on the Nourish Leadership website.  

Unlike our focus area funding streams, applicants for Montreal funding are only required to submit a short-form application along with budgetary information. All funding decisions are approved once a year in December.

In addition to our general eligibility criteria which can be found on our For Applicants page, the Montreal funding stream does not consider requests:

• for major campaigns at private educational institutions, hospitals and healthcare centres.
• for major campaigns that focus solely on research, programming, annual operating funds or other recurring costs
• from for-profit organizations (except in rare and specific situations)
• to reduce accumulated capital or operating deficits
• for endowments
• involving partisan political activities
• involving strictly religious purposes or activities
• for purely academic or basic research
• for organizations or projects based outside of Canada
• for international development
• for emergency needs

For 2025, we ask that applications be submitted on our portal by June 1st, 2025.