The Asper Foundation
The Asper Foundation is a private Canadian charitable foundation established in 1983 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, funding Jewish community, education, human rights, Indigenous reconciliation, and Israeli community programs across 204 Canadian communities and Israel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersWinnipeg, Canada
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Asper Foundation does
The Asper Foundation is a private Canadian charitable foundation established in 1983 by Israel "Izzy" Asper and Babs Asper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and headquartered at 201 Portage Avenue. It is a family-led grantmaking body whose mission spans Jewish community development, education, human rights, Indigenous reconciliation, and Israeli community programming. The Foundation serves a geographically dispersed beneficiary base, reporting reach across Canada's twelve provinces and territories (204 communities) and into Israel through Community Action Centres, including a Migdal Ha'emek facility branded as an AI & Gaming Center.
The Foundation's programmatic portfolio includes the Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program, which has reached more than 14,000 Canadian youth; the Asper-HUJI Innovate partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Community Action Centres in Israel; a micro-loan program that has deployed CAD 500,000+ to new immigrants and Palestinian women; the Asper Community Shabbat Program; an Aboriginal student scholarship program (approximately CAD 1.9 million disbursed); and partnerships with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Yad Vashem, and JNF Canada. More recent institutional commitments include the Manitoba Institute to Combat Antisemitism, the Asper Youth Empowerment Network, RiseApp, and the National Indigenous Residential School Museum. Multiple awards and recognitions (Western Canada Lottery Corporation, Prairie Theatre, Winnipeg Rh Institute, among others) are referenced in the input.
The Foundation is governed by Trustees David Asper (Chair), Gail Asper, Leonard Asper, and Richard Leipsic, with Anita Wortzman serving as President. As a private family foundation, financial statements are not publicly disclosed; activities are funded through internal endowment, family contributions, and partnership arrangements. The business model is grantmaking plus selective direct program operation, with no commercial revenue stream.
The Asper Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Asper Foundation
- Legal name
- The Asper Foundation
- Website
- https://asperfoundation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Asper Foundation is a private Canadian charitable foundation established in 1983 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, funding Jewish community, education, human rights, Indigenous reconciliation, and Israeli community programs across 204 Canadian communities and Israel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Asper Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charitable Foundation and Philanthropic Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)
Keywords
Where The Asper Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winnipeg
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Asper Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Marketing channels4 records
The Asper Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Asper Foundation is a private charitable foundation that undertakes, develops, and supports major philanthropic initiatives in Jewish charity, culture, education, community development, and human rights. It operates flagship programs such as the Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program (reaching 14,000+ Canadian youth across 204 cities), the Asper Community Shabbat Program, the Asper Youth Empowerment Network, the Asper-HUJI Innovate center, and Israel Asper Community Action Centers in Be'er Sheva, Ofaqim, Migdal Ha'emek, and Ramot (Jerusalem). The foundation does not accept applications for grants or any other type of funding and does not sell products or services commercially.
Product overview
The Asper Foundation is a Winnipeg-based philanthropic organization (established 1983) that does not offer technology products or software services. Instead, it operates a portfolio of charitable programs and initiatives focused on culture, education, community development, and human rights. Its main programs include the Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program (a national educational initiative for Canadian students), the Asper Community Shabbat Program, the Asper Youth Empowerment Network, and various Israel-based community action centers. The Foundation also supports entrepreneurship through the Asper-HUJI Innovate center and provides micro-loans through the Asper Helping Hand Initiative.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program An educational program promoting respect for others and sensitizing Canadian students to the consequences of racism through a specially designed curriculum. Established in 1997 and operated nationally, it has reached over 14,000 youth across 204 cities and communities spanning 12+ provinces and territories. The program includes student participation from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities and visits to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
- Asper Community Shabbat Program A community-building initiative that brings together diverse communities for Shabbat programming. Launched in April 2024, it operates as a recurring community program in Winnipeg.
- Asper Youth Empowerment Network A youth empowerment initiative launched to support and develop young leaders. The Asper Foundation announced the launch in November 2025.
- Asper-HUJI Innovate – Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship A center for innovation and entrepreneurship at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which awards the annual Asper Prize. It supports entrepreneurship and innovation capacity-building in Israeli academia as part of the foundation's Israel Initiatives.
- Asper Learning & Friendship Village A program launched in partnership with Winnipeg Harvest to support community learning and friendship in Winnipeg.
- Asper Helping Hand Initiative A micro-loan initiative that has advanced over 140 loans totaling over $500,000 to support community members. It is operated as a community-support program by The Asper Foundation.
- Israel Asper Community Action Centers Community action centers in Israel located in Be'er Sheva, Ofaqim, Migdal Ha'emek, and Ramot (Jerusalem), providing youth programs, AI & Gaming Centers, and community services. They are operated in partnership with the Jewish National Fund of Canada and the Jerusalem Foundation.
- Yemin Orde Youth Village – Asper Performing Arts Program A performing arts program at Yemin Orde Youth Village in Israel, established in 2019 to support youth through arts programming.
Quantifiable outcome
- Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program reached over 14,000 youth across Canada
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Asper Foundation
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Asper Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Asper Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jewish National Fund of CanadacoreLong-standing partnership for Community Action Centers in Israel including Winnipeg Community Action Centre in Be'er Sheva, and Israel Asper Community Action Centres in Ofaqim, Migdal Ha'emek, and Ramot (Jerusalem). Also partnered on Edible Garden projects.
- Canadian Museum for Human RightscoreThe Asper Foundation was instrumental in the creation of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Israel Asper's dream was realized when the museum opened in 2014. The foundation continues to partner on student programs bringing Canadian students to visit the museum.
- Hebrew University of JerusalemcoreMultiple partnerships including the Asper Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Asper-HUJI Innovate (Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship), Canadian Friends of Hebrew University, and various academic programs and Holocaust studies initiatives.
- Yad VashemcorePartnership for The Asper International Holocaust Studies Program at Yad Vashem, supporting Holocaust education and research.
- Jewish Federation of WinnipegcoreLong-standing partnership for Combined Jewish Appeal and various community initiatives including the Asper Jewish Community Campus.
- Tree CanadaminorPartnership for carbon offset program. The Human Rights & Holocaust Studies Program established an annual contribution to Tree Canada for tree planting to help alleviate effects of carbon dioxide emissions.
- St. Boniface HospitalminorPartnership between St. Boniface General Hospital and Mayo Clinic supported by the foundation through the I.H. Asper Clinical Research Institute.
- Menachem Begin Heritage FoundationminorSupport for the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation in Israel.
- Jerusalem FoundationminorPartnership for Community Action Centers in Israel alongside Jewish National Fund of Canada.
- Reichman UniversityminorPartnership for the Asper Institute at Reichman University.
- Shalem CollegeminorPartnership for The Asper Center for Zionist Education at Shalem College.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Asper Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wexner Foundation: Jewish family foundation funding leadership, education, and Israel engagement programs — overlapping heavily with Asper's human-rights, education, and Israel-partnership portfolio.
- Azrieli Foundation: Canadian private family foundation supporting education, arts, architecture, and Holocaust/humanities programs — the closest Canadian parallel to the Asper Foundation's mix of Jewish-community, cultural, and educational grantmaking.
- Crown Family Philanthropies: US Jewish family foundation with a portfolio spanning education, human rights, Israel, and the arts — structurally and thematically comparable to Asper as a multi-generation family philanthropic vehicle.
- Mandel Foundation: US-based Jewish family foundation focused on Jewish education, leadership development, and humanities — closely aligned with Asper's education, leadership, and Jewish-cultural mandate.
- Birthright Israel Foundation: Jewish philanthropic organization funding Israel educational experiences for young adults — overlapping with Asper's youth-Israel engagement and Jewish-identity development mission.
- The Sylvan Adams Foundation: Canadian-Jewish family philanthropy with strong Israel-facing programs (sports, education, cultural exchange) — directly comparable to Asper's Canada-Israel dual program model.
- Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation: Canadian Jewish family foundation funding education, community, and Israeli institutions — comparable in scale, mission mix, and family-controlled governance to the Asper Foundation.
Broad incumbents
- Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust: Much larger Jewish family foundation with broader programmatic scope (health, science, conservation); represents the scaled-up archetype of a private Jewish foundation operating across multiple cause areas.
- UJA Federation of Greater Toronto: Largest Canadian Jewish federation executing community grantmaking, education, and human-rights programs at scale — illustrates the federated alternative to Asper's private-foundation model.
Regional players
- Combined Jewish Appeal / Jewish Federation of Winnipeg: Local Winnipeg Jewish federation and fundraising body — both a partner to and the most direct regional peer to Asper's Jewish community support work in Manitoba.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Asper Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Asper Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Asper Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Asper Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Asper Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Asper Foundation
What does The Asper Foundation do?
The Asper Foundation is a private charitable foundation that undertakes, develops, and supports major philanthropic initiatives in Jewish charity, culture, education, community development, and human rights. It operates flagship programs such as the Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program (reaching 14,000+ Canadian youth across 204 cities), the Asper Community Shabbat Program, the Asper Youth Empowerment Network, the Asper-HUJI Innovate center, and Israel Asper Community Action Centers in Be'er Sheva, Ofaqim, Migdal Ha'emek, and Ramot (Jerusalem). The foundation does not accept applications for grants or any other type of funding and does not sell products or services commercially.
Is The Asper Foundation a public or private company?
The Asper Foundation is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Asper Foundation founded?
The Asper Foundation was founded in 1983.
Where is The Asper Foundation based?
The Asper Foundation is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada, in the North America region.
Who are The Asper Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wexner Foundation, Azrieli Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Mandel Foundation, Birthright Israel Foundation, The Sylvan Adams Foundation and Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation. Broad incumbents are Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Combined Jewish Appeal / Jewish Federation of Winnipeg is listed as a regional player.
Does The Asper Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Asper Foundation.
What industry is The Asper Foundation in?
The Asper Foundation's product category is Charitable Foundation and Philanthropic Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAN, Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.