Shine Foundation
Shine Foundation is a Canadian registered charity founded in 1987 that delivers personalized dream experiences to young people aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities across Canada, funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersNew London, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Shine Foundation does
Shine Foundation is a Canadian registered charity (Charitable Registration #129954822RR0001), founded in 1987 and headquartered at 1200 Commissioners Rd E, Unit 103, London, Ontario. The organization delivers personalized 'Shine Dreams' to young Canadians aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities, with an addressable pool of approximately 60,000 medically eligible youth nationally. Since inception it has fulfilled more than 9,000 dreams, including 64 'DreamLift' flights to Walt Disney World before that program concluded in December 2019. Its core offering centers on tailored experiences — equipment, technology, room renovations, and travel — coordinated through coast-to-coast volunteer chapters and certified healthcare referral partners. Supporting programs include the annual Dreamers' Summit (a motivational and networking event for past and present Dreamers, with the 2026 edition hosted at Hotel X Toronto), Come to Sleigh (sledge hockey tournament), Let's Rally for Kids (car rally fundraiser), and DreamRaiser (peer-to-peer fundraising platform).
Shine Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shine Foundation
- Legal name
- Shine Foundation
- Website
- https://shinefoundation.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shine Foundation is a Canadian registered charity founded in 1987 that delivers personalized dream experiences to young people aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities across Canada, funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shine Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charitable Disability Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)
Keywords
Where Shine Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New London
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Shine Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations, and tribute donations. The organization maintains a monthly donor community called 'Rays of Hope'.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners provide funding for personalized Shine Dreams through sponsorships, cause marketing, matching gifts programs, employee engagement events, and in-kind support. Partners include Experior Financial, RBC, Green Shield Canada, and Air Canada Foundation.
- Third-Party Events: Third-party organizers run fundraising events including car rallies, golf tournaments, comedy galas, and charity events. Examples include Celebrity Golf Benefit (Windsor), DreamLift Days (Wendy's), and Sudbury Comedy Gala.
- Grants and Endowments: Grants from foundations such as Canada Post Community Foundation ($50,000 in 2021) and endowment fund income from named endowment funds support ongoing programs in perpetuity.
- Legacy Gifts: Planned giving through bequests, endowment funds, and gift of securities allows donors to build lasting dream legacies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Let's Rally for Kids event registration |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Shine Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shine Foundation designs and delivers personalized Shine Dreams to young Canadians aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities, tailoring each experience to the recipient's individual aspirations to build confidence, independence, and optimism. The charity also runs supporting programs such as the Dreamers' Summit motivational event, Come to Sleigh sledge hockey tournament, and Let's Rally for Kids car rally fundraiser. All beneficiary programs are provided at no cost to recipients and are funded entirely through individual donations, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and signature fundraising events.
Product overview
Shine Foundation operates as a single unified charitable program rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offering is the Shine Dreams program, which delivers personalized dream experiences to young people aged 11-21 with severe physical disabilities. Supporting programs include Dreamers' Summit (a motivational event), Come to Sleigh (sledge hockey tournament), Let's Rally for Kids (car rally fundraiser), and DreamRaiser (internal fundraising tool). The DreamLift program, which previously transported children to Disney, was discontinued after 64 flights, with the last taking place in December 2019.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Shine Dreams: Personalized experiences delivered to young people aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities to help them build confidence, independence, and optimism.
- DreamLift
- Dreamers' Summit
Products and services
- Shine Dreams Program Core personalized dream fulfillment program for young Canadians aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities, delivering customized experiences — ranging from adaptive equipment and bedroom renovations to technology, travel, and shared family experiences — designed to build confidence, independence, and optimism. Provided at no cost to recipients and funded entirely through donations, corporate partnerships, and grants.
- Dreamers' Summit Annual motivational and empowering event organized for current and past Shine Dreamers, featuring speakers, workshops, caregiver support programs, and networking opportunities with employers and educational institutions. The 2026 edition, titled 'More Than You See: The Dreamers' Summit 2026,' is hosted at Hotel X Toronto and presented by RBC.
- Come to Sleigh Sledge Hockey Tournament Annual sledge hockey tournament that brings together Shine Dreamers, Paralympians, and community members to raise funds for Shine Dreams. Positioned as an accessible-sport celebration of courage, inclusion, and community, with the Toronto edition scheduled for September 24, 2026.
- Let's Rally for Kids Car Rally Full-day team car rally event where teams of 2-4 people solve puzzles, navigate checkpoints, and drive a designated route to raise funds for Shine Foundation, with registration at $230 per person and event goal of $50,000. Co-beneficiary partner is Jennifer Ashleigh Children's Charity. The next edition is scheduled for November 7, 2026.
- DreamRaiser Online Fundraising Platform Self-service online fundraising platform that enables individuals and corporate groups to create personalized fundraising pages, send supporter emails, and track progress in support of Shine Foundation programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9,000+ life-changing Shine Dreams delivered
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Shine Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Shine Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Shine Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered partner, supporter, minor, core and flagship.
- RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)partnerRBC is supporting More Than You See: The Dreamers' Summit 2026 as the presenting sponsor. Brian Henderson, VP Regional of RBC Insurance Canada West, serves as Chair of the National Board of Directors.
- Rogers Charity ClassicsupporterEvent sponsor supporting Shine Foundation through Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink.
- Car HeavenminorShine partners with Car Heaven, Canada's only national charitable vehicle recycling program using authorized members of Automotive Recyclers of Canada, to accept car donations.
- AMCOH Golf TournamentcoreVolunteer Ralph and his team have raised over $85,000 in the greater Toronto area through the AMCOH (Association of Major Power Construction Contractors) golf tournament over three years to support Shine Foundation.
- Best Buy (Geek Squad)minorBest Buy's Geek Squad provided installation services for Smart TV and technology setup for Shine Dream recipient Allyah as part of her holiday dream fulfillment.
- Pizza NovaminorPizza Nova's 12 Days of Christmas campaign in London, Ontario restaurants donated $1 from every order over 12 days, raising $1,894 for Shine Foundation. Two locations participated at 850 Wellington Road and 1194 Highbury Avenue North.
- Dream Tree CampaigncoreFounded by Ted Ward-Griffin in Brantford, Ontario. The campaign has grown to include an organizing committee of over 20 members and raises an average of $100,000 per campaign year, funding Shine Dreams and sponsoring DreamLifts.
- Sunshine Golf ClassicflagshipMajor third-party fundraising event from 1998-2005 led by Mayor Ed Holder that raised over $1.3 million and established the County Heritage/Stevenson & Hunt Endowment Fund in 2003.
- BC Lower Mainland RCMP Charity Golf TournamentcoreStaff Sergeant Marc Alexander began donating funds to Shine in 1995 and led the annual BC Lower Mainland RCMP Charity Golf Tournament in Maple Ridge, BC. Leadership efforts have helped raise more than $514,000 over the years.
- Wendy's (John Tietzen franchises)flagshipJohn Tietzen's 9 Wendy's franchises participate in DreamLift Days, donating all proceeds plus staff wages to Shine. The initiative has raised over $1.1 million since 1995, with the first year's $10,500 supporting the inaugural DreamLift Day.
- Mio Manz CharitiesflagshipCo-founded by David Batten and former NHL goalie Eddie Mio in 1992 to support Shine Foundation. The Annual Celebrity Golf Benefit raised $75,000 in its first year and has raised over $1 million, funding multiple DreamLifts and establishing an endowment fund.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Shine Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Make-A-Wish Canada: National Canadian wish-granting charity for children with critical illnesses. Directly comparable mission (fulfill dreams for young people with serious health conditions) and fundraising model, competing for the same donor and corporate partner pool.
- Dreams Take Flight: Canadian charity that takes children with disabilities and serious illnesses on day-trips to Disney — virtually identical to Shine's now-concluded DreamLift program, making it a near-direct functional substitute.
- Easter Seals Canada: Federated national disability charity delivering programs and services to children and youth with physical disabilities. Comparable Canadian geography, disability-focused mission, and donor base.
- Children's Wish Foundation of Canada: Canadian charity granting wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Closest direct competitor in scope, beneficiary age range, and donor fundraising approach.
- Starlight Children's Foundation Canada: Canadian arm of a global children's charity serving kids with serious illnesses through wish-granting and in-hospital programs. Comparable beneficiary cohort and program-plus-fundraising model.
Broad incumbents
- Rick Hansen Foundation: Canadian foundation focused on spinal cord injury, accessibility, and inclusion. Larger scale and broader accessibility mandate, competing for corporate disability-cause sponsorship dollars.
- War Amps: Long-established Canadian charity for amputees and people with limb differences. Broader disability scope and historical brand recognition, overlapping donor pool in the disability philanthropy space.
- Special Olympics Canada: National sports organization serving people with intellectual disabilities through training and competition. Overlaps with Shine's disability beneficiary focus and recreational programming, with a sport-based delivery model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Shine Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceShine Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Shine Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shine Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Shine Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shine Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shine Foundation
What does Shine Foundation do?
Shine Foundation designs and delivers personalized Shine Dreams to young Canadians aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities, tailoring each experience to the recipient's individual aspirations to build confidence, independence, and optimism. The charity also runs supporting programs such as the Dreamers' Summit motivational event, Come to Sleigh sledge hockey tournament, and Let's Rally for Kids car rally fundraiser. All beneficiary programs are provided at no cost to recipients and are funded entirely through individual donations, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and signature fundraising events.
Is Shine Foundation a public or private company?
Shine Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Shine Foundation founded?
Shine Foundation was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shine Foundation based?
Shine Foundation is headquartered in New London, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Shine Foundation make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, third-Party Events, grants and Endowments and legacy Gifts.
Who are Shine Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Make-A-Wish Canada, Dreams Take Flight, Easter Seals Canada, Children's Wish Foundation of Canada and Starlight Children's Foundation Canada. Broad incumbents are Rick Hansen Foundation, War Amps and Special Olympics Canada.
Does Shine Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shine Foundation.
What industry is Shine Foundation in?
Shine Foundation's product category is Charitable Disability Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAG, Disability Services & Independent Living Support, with a secondary code of BPAGADAH, Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 8134 and its SIC code is 8300.