What Princess Auto Foundation does

The Princess Auto Foundation is a registered Canadian nonprofit charitable foundation established in 2007 by Princess Auto, a privately owned Canadian retailer. The foundation's core product is a bursary program that provides financial assistance to students enrolled full-time in pre-employment skilled trades and technology programs at accredited colleges across Canada. It operates without a traditional revenue model; instead, it is funded through donations and an annual September in-store fundraising campaign run across all Princess Auto retail locations, with tax receipts issued for donations of $10 or more. The foundation distributes funds through a network of 22 partner colleges across all 10 Canadian provinces as of 2025, with each college administering its own awards to qualified students who demonstrate unmet financial need and strong academic skills.

The foundation's strategic position is shaped by its parent-affiliated brand, its lean operating structure (1–10 employees), and its nationwide college distribution network. Two former Princess Auto executives — Harold Romanychyn (former CFO, Director since 2016) and David Shnider (former Senior VP of Strategic Planning, Director since 2014) — govern the foundation, providing continuity with the parent retailer. The foundation's stated mission addresses Canada's growing shortage of skilled trade professionals, and it explicitly connects students with instructors, state-of-the-art equipment, and potential employers in related fields through its partner colleges.

Growth has been methodical: from three scholarships at one college in 2007 to approximately 500 students supported annually at 22 partner colleges in 2025, with the 2025 addition of four Quebec partner colleges completing nationwide provincial coverage. The foundation has distributed millions of dollars in cumulative bursaries since inception. It has no disclosed technology platform, no proprietary software, and no AI/ML capabilities; its core assets are the college partner network, the Princess Auto brand, and the in-store fundraising channel.

Name

Princess Auto Foundation

Legal name

Princess Auto Foundation

Website

https://theprincessautofoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Princess Auto Foundation is a Canadian nonprofit, founded in 2007 by retailer Princess Auto, that provides bursaries to students in skilled trades and technology programs at 22 partner colleges across all 10 provinces, funded through donations and annual in-store fundraising campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Bursaries and Trades Education Philanthropy

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE)

Keywords

• Trade student bursaries
• Skilled trades education
• Nonprofit charitable foundation
• College scholarship program
• Vocational education funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Princess Auto Foundation provides financial assistance in the form of bursaries to students enrolled full-time in pre-employment skilled trades and technology programs at accredited colleges across Canada. Bursaries are administered through a network of 22 partner colleges spanning every Canadian province, including four new Quebec partner colleges added in 2025. The foundation is funded primarily through donations and an annual in-store fundraising campaign run by Princess Auto retail locations.

Product overview

The Princess Auto Foundation operates as a single unified charitable program focused on supporting trades education in Canada. The core offering is a bursary program that provides financial assistance to students in skilled trades and technology programs, distributed through a network of 22 partner colleges across all Canadian provinces. The foundation runs an annual in-store fundraising campaign to sustain these bursaries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Princess Auto Foundation Bursary Program Financial assistance program providing bursaries to students enrolled full-time in pre-employment skilled trades and technology programs at partner colleges across Canada. Funds are raised through donations and in-store fundraising campaigns and distributed via the partner college network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helps nearly 500 students annually across 22 partner colleges as of 2025

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Centre de Formation Agricole de MirabelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Mirabel, QC - New Quebec partner college added in 2025 as part of expansion to ensure students in every province benefit from the foundation's support.
• Training Center Construc-Plus Professional CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Saint-Eustache, QC - New Quebec partner college added in 2025 as part of expansion to ensure students in every province benefit from the foundation's support.
• Emergence Professional Training CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Deux-Montagnes, QC - New Quebec partner college added in 2025 as part of expansion to ensure students in every province benefit from the foundation's support.
• CFP de l'automobilecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sainte-Thérèse, QC - New Quebec partner college added in 2025 as part of expansion to ensure students in every province benefit from the foundation's support.
• Algonquin CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Ottawa, ON - One of the 22 partner colleges administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students enrolled in skilled trades and technology programs.
• British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Burnaby, BC - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Camosun CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Victoria, BC - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• College of New Caledonia (CNC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Prince George, BC - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• College of the North Atlantic (CNA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007St. John's, NL - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Conestoga CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Kitchener, ON - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Fanshawe CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007London, ON - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Holland CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Charlottetown, PE - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Lakeland CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Vermilion, AB - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• New Brunswick Community College (NBCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Fredericton, NB - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Edmonton, AB - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Dartmouth, NS - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Okanagan CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Kelowna, BC - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Red Deer College (RDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Red Deer, AB - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• RRC PolytechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Winnipeg, MB - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Saskatchewan PolytechniccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Saskatoon, SK - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Sheridan CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Oakville, ON - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Calgary, AB - Partner college administering Princess Auto Foundation bursaries to students in trades and technology programs.
• Princess AutocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007The founding parent company - a privately owned Canadian retailer established the foundation in 2007 to give back to the trades. All Princess Auto retail locations participate in fundraising events for the foundation. In 2025, Princess Auto operates nine Quebec locations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Indspire: Canadian Indigenous-led charity providing bursaries and scholarships for Indigenous students, including in trades and technology. Comparable student-aid nonprofit model focused on financial barriers to post-secondary education.
• Tools & Trades Heritage Society / Similar Trade-Focused Charities: Various smaller Canadian charities promoting and supporting trades education and heritage. Comparable niche focus on preserving and promoting trades careers, though with different funding mechanisms and program scopes.

Direct peers

• BuildForce Canada: Industry-driven nonprofit addressing construction-sector workforce needs, including training and labor market intelligence. Comparable focus on trades workforce sustainability and employer-linked pathways that PAF also emphasizes through employer connections.
• Skills Canada: National Canadian nonprofit promoting skilled trades and technology careers through competitions, programs, and youth engagement. Directly comparable mission of addressing Canada's trades shortage, though focuses more on awareness and competition vs. direct financial aid.
• NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) Foundation: NAIT's foundation administers scholarships and bursaries to trades students across multiple programs. Another PAF partner college operating a parallel institutional fundraising and disbursement function.
• SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) Foundation: SAIT's advancement and foundation arm administers scholarships and bursaries to trades/technology students - a direct peer institution where PAF actually channels funding, and a model for college-specific endowment-based student aid.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Construction Association (CCA): National association representing the construction industry, including workforce development initiatives. Broader mandate but addresses trades labor shortages that PAF targets, often through partnerships with colleges similar to PAF's model.
• Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME): Canada's largest industry association for manufacturers and exporters, running skills/trades advocacy and workforce programs. Broader mandate than PAF but overlaps on trades education funding and industry-academia partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/princessautofoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-princess-auto-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Princess Auto Foundation