Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation

What Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation does

The Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation (MRGFF) is a private Canadian family foundation established in 2003 by Morris and Rosalind Goodman and endowed in 2008. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, the foundation operates as a philanthropic endowment rather than a commercial enterprise, generating returns on its investment portfolio to fund grantmaking across three pillars: Scientific Research, Education & Arts, and Quality of Life. It serves charitable organizations primarily in Canada (78% of FY2024/2025 allocations) and Israel (20%), with the residual 2% directed to other geographies.

The foundation distributes grants through a structured quarterly cycle (March, June, October, December) administered via a dedicated online application portal (YourCauseGrants), with a 30-day response window on Stage 1 letters of intent. In FY2024/2025, over $20M (reported as $21M in some sources) was allocated across 528 qualified applications, with a 66% approval rate, and cumulative allocations since inception reached $125M (with a $100M lifetime donation milestone crossed in 2025). The foundation does not develop proprietary technology products; its core infrastructure is a grantmaking workflow, a bilingual (English/French) website, and semi-annual capacity-building workshops co-organized with Fondation J. Armand Bombardier, Chamandy Foundation, and Counselling Foundation.

MRGFF's grantee portfolio spans higher education (Université de Montréal, McGill University/Goodman Cancer Institute, Université Laval, Weizmann Institute), healthcare (Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal Heart Institute, Goodman Pediatric Formulation Centre), Jewish community organizations (Federation CJA, Centraide du Grand Montréal), arts (Batsheva Dance Company), and emerging-cause initiatives (Climate Solutions Prize, Walk in Their Shoes for Change, CAPS tuition-freezing program). Three generations of the Goodman family participate in governance, with Shawna Goodman Sone as Chair since 2016 and Maxyne Finkelstein as President since January 2017. The foundation has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no commercial revenue model.

Name

Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation

Legal name

Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation

Website

https://mrgff.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation is a private Canadian family foundation established in 2003 that distributes over $20M annually in grants across Scientific Research, Education & Arts, and Quality of Life to charitable organizations in Canada and Israel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Family foundation grants
• Charitable giving programs
• Nonprofit philanthropy services
• Endowment-based giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Endowment-based philanthropy: The Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation operates from an endowment established by founders Morris and Rosalind Goodman in 2003 and endowed in 2008. The foundation generates revenue through investment returns (dividends, interest income) on its endowment portfolio, distributing grants to qualified charitable organizations in Canada and Israel. Total allocations since inception reached $125 million as of 2024/2025. In FY2024/2025, over $20 million was allocated through grants to diverse partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation (MRGFF) is a private family foundation that distributes grants to qualified charitable organizations across three programmatic areas: (1) Scientific Research, funding health-related projects and cancer research; (2) Education & Arts, supporting formal and experiential education, summer camps, and teacher training; and (3) Quality of Life, supporting vulnerable populations and supplementing public sector services. Grants are disbursed quarterly from an endowment established in 2003 and endowed in 2008, with total allocations exceeding $125 million since inception.

Product overview

The Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation is a philanthropic organization established in 2003 that manages grant programs across three main areas: Scientific Research (funding health-related projects and cancer research), Education & Arts (supporting formal and experiential education programs, summer camps, and teacher training), and Quality of Life (supporting vulnerable populations). The Foundation operates various named programs including Summer Camps Israel, the Walk in Their Shoes for Change initiative for Ethiopian-Israeli students, the Goodman Pediatric Formulation Centre, the PERCER fund at Université de Montréal, CAPS program for Jewish education access, and the Climate Solutions Prize. It also organizes educational workshops for non-profit partners and provides emergency response funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scientific Research Funding Program Grants and financial support for scientific research activities and health-related projects to promote public health, including cancer research at institutions such as the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute and Montreal Heart Institute.
• Education & Arts Funding Program Support for formal and experiential education including innovative programs, skill development, Israel experiences, volunteerism, and engaging opportunities in Jewish and general communities such as Jewish day schools, university faculties, informal education camps, and arts organizations.
• Quality of Life Funding Program Support for organizations serving populations at risk and supplementing services provided through the public sector, focusing on basic needs such as food security, housing, youth development, and support for vulnerable populations in North America and Israel.
• Bilingual Educational Workshops for Non-Profits Two training sessions per year organized to build capacity of partner non-profit organizations and encourage best practices among grantees, covering topics including foundation relationships, storytelling, collaborative learning, inclusion & diversity, organizational culture, and AI.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $21 million allocated in FY2024/2025; $125 million total allocations since inception (2003)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, legacy, major and notable.

• Walk in Their Shoes For ChangeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022An initiative to provide comprehensive support (tuition, living expenses, tutoring, coaching) to Israelis of Ethiopian descent with high academic potential but limited financial resources, in partnership with Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University.
• Summer Camps Israel ForumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021MRGFF is the managing entity for Summer Camps Israel, supporting organizations prepared to open overnight camps (minimum ten nights) for Israeli children ages 11-16, promoting autonomy, leadership, civic responsibility, and informal education.
• McGill University / Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Established in 2008 as the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Center, transitioning to Institute status in 2021. An internationally renowned research institution affiliated with McGill University's Faculty of Medicine, coordinating and conducting independent basic cancer research. Second-generation Goodman family members provide ongoing leadership and financial support.
• Université de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005MRGFF has a long-standing partnership with Université de Montréal, including the inauguration of the Morris and Rosalind Goodman Agora in 2005 at the Jean-Coutu Faculty of Pharmacy, support for the Morris Goodman Funds for Innovation and Teaching in Entrepreneurship and Drug Development (PERCER), and ongoing support for scholarships and program modernization.
• Weizmann Institute of ScienceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005MRGFF supports the Weizmann Program for Excellence in Science Teaching, empowering Israel's high school science teachers through professional development activities using a teach-the-teachers approach to improve STEM education quality.
• Federation CJAlegacyStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederation CJA is one of MRGFF's legacy grantees, with significant annual support since 2014. MRGFF also participates in the Passport to Jewish Life collaborative funders initiative through Federation CJA.
• Centraide du Grand MontréallegacyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentraide of Greater Montreal is a legacy grantee of MRGFF since 2014, working to fight poverty through food security, housing, youth development, and support for vulnerable populations.
• Fondation J. Armand BombardiercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of bilingual workshops with MRGFF focused on capacity building for non-profit organizations. Joint workshops cover topics including diversity, organizational culture, collaborative learning, and AI in the non-profit sector.
• Chamandy FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkshop partner co-organizing educational sessions with MRGFF aimed at building capacity of non-profit organizations and promoting best practices.
• Counselling FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkshop partner collaborating with MRGFF on educational workshops for non-profit organizations focusing on capacity building and collective learning.
• Montreal Heart InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMRGFF made a major donation of $4 million to the Montreal Heart Institute to support cardiovascular research, one of the foundation's significant healthcare investments.
• Hôpital Sainte-Justine / Goodman Pediatric Formulation CentreflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished the Goodman Pediatric Formulation Centre at Sainte-Justine Hospital in 2016 to encourage development of Canadian medications formulated for children, with MRGFF providing three years of funding.
• Jewish Funders NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMRGFF is a member of the Jewish Funders Network and participated in the Family Philanthropy Center initiative, a collaborative effort to strengthen Jewish philanthropy.
• Batsheva Dance CompanynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerMRGFF supports the Batsheva Dance Company enabling new works creation, dancer talent development, seasonal repertoire in Israel and abroad, and educational programs in schools across Israel.
• Université LavalnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerMRGFF made new commitments to improve education in the Faculty of Pharmacy at Université Laval, including Goodman scholarships for students.
• Climate Solutions PrizenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerMRGFF supports the Climate Solutions Prize, a unique initiative accelerating climate technology innovation by incentivizing researchers and startups to develop groundbreaking technological solutions.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Azrieli Foundation: Canadian-Israeli family foundation established by David J. Azrieli with a comparable dual Canada-Israel geographic focus, supporting education, research, and the arts at significant scale. Most analogous peer in terms of cross-border mandate and named institutional partnerships.
• Righteous Persons Foundation: Foundation created by Steven Spielberg after Schindler's List to support Jewish causes. Comparable as a high-profile Jewish family-style foundation with significant allocations to Jewish education, community, and Israel-related programs.
• Sylvan Adams Foundation: Canadian-Israeli philanthropist's foundation funding Israeli sports, science, education, and innovation. Comparable Israeli-Canadian dual focus and strong Israel program emphasis.
• The Asper Foundation: Canadian Jewish family foundation (Canwest/Global Television heritage) with focus areas spanning education, community, and the arts. Comparable in being a Canadian family foundation with Jewish-community anchors and a multi-pillar grantmaking approach.
• Jim Fares Family Foundation: Lebanese-Canadian family foundation supporting education and community in Canada and the Middle East. Closely analogous cross-border Canadian/Middle Eastern mandate with similar multi-pillar grantmaking.
• Edmond J. Safra Foundation: International Jewish family foundation supporting education, science, health, and Jewish heritage across multiple countries. Comparable scale, multi-pillar structure, and global geographic footprint.
• Russell Berrie Foundation: U.S. Jewish family foundation funding Jewish life, education, and community — including the Russell Berrie Galilee Diabetes SPHERE and Israeli social programs. Direct peer given shared emphasis on Jewish community building, education, and health.
• Crown Family Philanthropies: Jewish family foundation (Crown family, Chicago) with longstanding commitments to education, Jewish life, and Israel. Comparable focus on Jewish education access and Israeli program support.

Broad incumbents

• The Kresge Foundation: Large U.S. private foundation ($4B+ assets) with multi-pillar approach across education, health, arts, and community development. Comparable in operating at scale across multiple mission areas but as a much larger general-purpose grantmaker.

Others

• Jewish Funders Network: International membership network of Jewish foundations and philanthropists (MRGFF is a member). Not a direct grantmaking peer but ecosystem-level comparable that convenes similar funders and shapes best practices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/morris-and-rosalind-goodman-family-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation