GRIS-Montréal

What GRIS-Montréal does

GRIS-Montréal (legal name: Le Groupe de Recherche et d'Intervention Social de Montréal) is a Quebec-registered non-profit organization and Canadian charity (registration 89119 1629 RR0001), founded in 1993 and headquartered at 3155 rue Hochelaga in Montréal. The organization's core activity is the delivery of testimonial-based demystification workshops in secondary schools across Quebec, led by trained LGBTQ+ volunteer facilitators who share personal lived experiences and run open Q&A sessions with students. Its stated objectives are to demystify sexual and gender diversity, orient individuals to relevant community resources, and conduct related research, with a Direction de la recherche led by Marianne Chbat. Under Executive Director Marie Houzeau, who has led the organization since 2005, GRIS has trained 1,097 volunteers and reached over 438,000 young people since 2005, with approximately 30,000 youth served annually by 250 active volunteers.

GRIS-Montréal's product surface is anchored on the school demystification workshop, and is supplemented by pedagogical publications (including the "Transcending Transphobia," "Modèles recherchés," and "United in Diversity" guides priced $19.95–$99.95), the "Je m'appelle GRIS-Montréal" podcast, the "Si tu savais… Lettres à l'ado que j'ai été" testimonial letter project, the GRIS-Simple Plan Foundation Prize for schools, and academic events such as the ACFAS 2026 colloquium. The underlying "technology" is human capital — a vetted, trained volunteer corps and 30+ years of curriculum and brand equity — rather than software; the organization's digital footprint consists of a content website (gris.ca), podcast hosting on Captivate.fm, and standard social media channels.

The organization's business model is a diversified non-profit funding stack: roughly 25% of revenue comes from government sources (Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services plus provincial and federal MP support), with the balance sourced from individual donations (monthly tiers $10–$200, plus one-time gifts, with tax receipts issued), corporate donations and a fundraising cabinet anchored by Banque Nationale, foundation partners (Simple Plan Foundation, Conseil québécois LGBT), a symbolic $5 annual membership, and publication sales. Annual fundraising campaigns regularly exceed $375,000 CAD (e.g., $420,000+ in 2024-2025), and a new flagship two-day benefit event, "Les Grands rendez-vous du GRIS," is institutionalizing corporate and community engagement. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with schools requesting interventions directly and the "GRIS part en tournée" project extending delivery beyond Montréal into Quebec regions.

Name

GRIS-Montréal

Legal name

Le Groupe de Recherche et d'Intervention Social de Montréal

Website

https://gris.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GRIS-Montréal is a Quebec non-profit charity that delivers testimonial-based LGBTQ+ demystification workshops in secondary schools through a network of 250 trained volunteer facilitators, supplemented by pedagogical guides, a podcast, and academic research on youth attitudes toward sexual and gender diversity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTQ+ Education and Demystification Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Co-Teaching & In-Class Instructional Support (Specialist Teachers) (EDAKABAA)

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ education
• School demystification workshops
• Sexual diversity training
• Gender identity programs
• Anti-homophobia services

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-receipted donations from individuals form a major part of annual budget. Monthly donation options available ($10-$200/month).
2. Government Funding: Funding from Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services ( MSSS ) for operations. Also receives support from provincial and federal Members of Parliament.
3. Corporate Donations: Corporate sponsors and partners contribute to annual budget through the fundraising cabinet campaign.
4. Membership Fees: $5 annual symbolic membership fee for volunteers and supporters.
5. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising campaign with personalized fundraising initiatives, events like Les Grands rendez-vous du GRIS, and campaign cabinets.
6. Publications Sales: Sale of pedagogical guides and books including Modèles recherchés teaching guide ($19.95 digital, $24.99 print) and book ($44.95 bundle).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GRIS-Montréal delivers testimony-based workshops in Quebec secondary schools where openly LGBTQ+ volunteers share their personal experiences and answer student questions to demystify sexual orientation and gender identity. The organization complements these workshops with pedagogical guides (Transcending Transphobia, Modèles recherchés, United in Diversity), a structured volunteer training program, a podcast, and the GRIS-Simple Plan Foundation Prize awarded to schools running anti-homophobia projects.

Product overview

GRIS-Montréal operates as a single, unified mission-driven non-profit organization (OBNL) focused on demystifying sexual and gender diversity in schools. The core offering is testimony-based workshops delivered by trained LGBTQ+ volunteers in secondary schools. Supporting products include pedagogical guides (Transcending Transphobia, Modèles recherchés, United in Diversity) for educators, the 'Je m'appelle GRIS-Montréal' podcast for broader outreach, the GRIS-Simple Plan Foundation Prize for community engagement, volunteer training programs, annual fundraising campaigns, the 'Si tu savais' testimonial letter project, and academic events like the ACFAS 2026 Colloquium. These offerings work together to advance the organization's mission of education and inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Je m'appelle GRIS-Montréal (Podcast): Podcast featuring testimonials and conversations about LGBTQ+ experiences, produced by GRIS-Montréal
• Prix GRIS-Fondation Simple Plan
• Les Grands rendez-vous du GRIS

Products and services

• School Demystification Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached over 438,000 young people since 2005 through school interventions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Banque NationaleflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 March 2026Presenting sponsor of Les Grands rendez-vous du GRIS, a two-day benefit event to support GRIS-Montréal's mission. This is a flagship partnership for the organization's annual fundraising efforts.
• Simple Plan FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of the GRIS-Simple Plan Foundation Prize that awards $2,000 grants to schools for innovative projects to fight homophobia and transphobia. Partnership has spanned multiple years with rock band Simple Plan.
• Conseil québécois LGBTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint production of the pedagogical guide 'Transcending Transphobia' - a first in Quebec offering educational activities for teaching about trans and non-binary realities.
• CRC ReParE (Centre de recherche sur la participation et le raccommodement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the ACFAS 2026 symposium examining hate speech, polarization, and the experiences of marginalized youth at the intersection of migration, racialization, religion, and LGBTQ+ identities.
• Virage Sonore StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerAudio production partner for the GRIS podcast 'Je m'appelle GRIS-Montréal', providing expertise, patience, and technical support for podcast production.
• Université du Québec à Trois-RivièrescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for ACFAS 2026 symposium co-organized by GRIS-Montréal and CRC ReParE on May 12, 2026.
• Université de Montréal (École de travail social)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with Professor Annie Pullen Sansfaçon serving on the scientific committee for the ACFAS 2026 symposium on hate speech and marginalized youth.
• Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-president of the 2025-2026 fundraising campaign cabinet. Gautier Péchadre, Partner in Turnaround and Insolvency Group at RCGT, co-leads the campaign.
• iA Financial GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign cabinet member Guillaume Sans serves as President of iA Financial Group's LGBTQ+ Employee Resources Group, representing the company's involvement in GRIS fundraising efforts.
• KPMGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign cabinet member Derek Derouin is a partner at KPMG and sponsors the firm's Pride Committee.
• Stikeman Elliott LLPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign cabinet member Nicholas Blach is an attorney who founded the 'Pride Alliance' affinity group at the firm and organized Spinning for Pride events raising funds for GRIS.
• BLG (Borden Ladner Gervais)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign cabinet member Renaud Gravel is a lawyer and manager who sits on the board of Canadian LGBTQ2S+ Lawyers Association.
• McGill UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign cabinet member Tatiana Lamoureux Gauvin is a lecturer and EDI Associate at McGill's Desautels Faculty of Management.
• LCI Education NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign cabinet member Claude Marchand is President and CEO of LCI Education network, involved in the fundraising campaign.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• QMUNITY (Queer Resource Centre): BC-based LGBTQ+ resource centre offering education, counseling, and youth programming for school-aged LGBTQ+ individuals. A regional peer in Western Canada with comparable educational programming.

Direct peers

• GRIS-Québec: Sister organization formed to extend GRIS-Montréal's testimonial workshop model across Quebec regions. Direct peer with operational overlap and joint programming (e.g., the GRIS-Simple Plan Foundation Prize).
• Egale Canada Human Rights Trust: Canada's largest LGBTQ+ organization advancing equality through education, research, and legal advocacy with school-based programs. Comparable in mission and educational focus, broader in geographic scope.
• Interligne: Quebec-based organization providing LGBTQ+ helpline services, education, and awareness programs. Comparable as a Quebec LGBTQ+ nonprofit with educational outreach, though its primary mode is crisis support rather than in-school workshops.
• PFLAG Canada: National Canadian nonprofit offering LGBTQ+ education, advocacy, and family support, with chapter-based volunteer networks involved in school outreach. Highly comparable peer as a Canadian organization mobilizing volunteers to deliver LGBTQ+ education and support.
• Fondation Émergence: Quebec-based nonprofit that fights homophobia and transphobia through awareness campaigns, the International Day Against Homophobia, and educational programs in schools. Direct domestic peer in the same Quebec LGBTQ+ education space.
• GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network): US-based nonprofit that works with K-12 schools to develop LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula, training educators, and supporting student-led initiatives. Functions as the most direct peer to GRIS-Montréal's testimonial workshop model in a different geography.
• Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CCGSD): Canadian nonprofit engaging youth in LGBTQ+ education and activism through school workshops and an annual queer-camp program. Directly comparable as a peer organization doing school-based LGBTQ+ workshops.

Broad incumbents

• The Trevor Project: Large US LGBTQ+ nonprofit focused on crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth, with a growing portfolio of school-based education programs (Trevor Ally training, etc.). A broader, well-funded incumbent in the same space.

Emerging players

• Action Santé Travesti(e)s et Transsexuel(le)s du Québec (ASTTEQ): Montreal-based nonprofit serving trans and sex-worker communities, with educational outreach to schools and institutions. Comparable Quebec peer with thematic overlap but narrower focus on trans advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GRISmontreal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GRISMontreal
• Facebookfacebook.com/grismontreal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gris-montr-al
• Instagraminstagram.com/gris_montreal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about GRIS-Montréal