What Connect Fund does

Connect Fund is a Canadian registered charity (operating through fiscal sponsor Skipping Stone Scholarship Foundation) that provides small grants of $100 to $2,000 to 2SLGBTQ+ individuals for gender-affirming healthcare costs not covered by provincial health plans, including virtual medical appointments, hormone prescriptions and medications, laser hair removal, voice training, transition-related surgeries, fertility preservation, and psychotherapy. The organization is headquartered in Toronto and serves recipients primarily in Ontario and Alberta, with applications processed through online JotForm forms reviewed on a monthly (virtual care, medication) or quarterly (surgery, fertility, voice, psychotherapy) cycle. Approved grants are paid directly to a curated network of healthcare provider partners — including Foria Clinic, Bluebird Laser, GraceMed Plastic Surgery, Affirming Care Pharmacy, Women's College Hospital Transition-Related Surgery Program, and Mount Sinai Hospital Fertility Clinic — rather than to individuals.

The organization is community-led, founded by healthcare providers, care recipients, families of trans and nonbinary people, and community members in response to provincial shutdowns of virtual gender-affirming care. Connect Fund does not develop proprietary technology; its operational backbone is a web-based application portal (JotForm), direct provider payments, and donor processing through Skipping Stone. As of May 1, 2025, the organization had 600 people on its waiting list, approved 33 applicants in the 2025 cycle, and approved an additional 45 in April 2026. Revenue is generated entirely through tax-deductible individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships, with fundraising supplemented by community events such as drag performances, comedy shows, and participation in the Toronto Trans March.

Name

Connect Fund

Legal name

Connect Fund

Website

https://connectfund.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Connect Fund is a Canadian nonprofit that provides $100–$2,000 grants to 2SLGBTQ+ individuals in Ontario and Alberta for gender-affirming healthcare not covered by provincial plans, paying partner providers directly.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Charity Grants

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF)

Keywords

• Gender-affirming care grants
• Healthcare charity funding
• Nonprofit medical grants
• Trans healthcare funding
• Community health grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Connect Fund operates as a registered Canadian charity (through partner Skipping Stone Scholarship Foundation) funded entirely by tax-deductible donations from individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners. Donations are used to provide small grants ($100-$2,000) to individuals seeking gender-affirming care not covered by provincial health plans.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners can sponsor services, donate a portion of sales, or co-create products to support the mission. These partnerships provide additional funding and in-kind support for care programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Connect Fund is a Canadian nonprofit charity that provides small grants of $100 to $2,000 to 2SLGBTQ+ individuals for gender-affirming healthcare costs not covered by provincial health systems. Grants cover private hormone appointments, surgery costs, post-surgical supplies, sperm and egg freezing, facial hair removal, mental health services, and private surgery assessments. Applications are submitted through online JotForm forms and reviewed quarterly (surgeries, fertility, voice training, psychotherapy) or monthly (virtual appointments, medication), with approved funds paid directly to partner healthcare providers rather than to applicants.

Product overview

Connect Fund is a Canadian healthcare charity offering a unified grant program that provides small grants ($100-$2,000) to help 2SLGBTQ+ people access gender-affirming care not covered by provincial health systems. The core offering is the Gender-Affirming Care Funding Program, which processes applications through multiple sub-products covering: Virtual Medical Appointments (monthly open), Medication Coverage (monthly open), Surgery & Fertility Cost Funding (quarterly reviewed), and Voice Training & Psychotherapy (quarterly reviewed). The organization partners directly with healthcare providers to pay for care on behalf of approved applicants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gender-Affirming Care Funding Program

Named customers1 record

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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Women's College Hospital Transition-Related Surgery ProgramcoreOthersToronto-based hospital program providing transition-related surgeries. Connect Fund sends funds directly to the hospital when approved applicants require surgical care.
• GraceMed Plastic SurgerycoreOthersPlastic surgery clinic offering gender-affirming procedures. Connect Fund partners to fund surgeries and assessments at this provider.
• Mount Sinai Hospital Fertility CliniccoreOthersToronto fertility clinic providing services including sperm and egg freezing. Connect Fund covers fertility preservation costs for approved applicants.
• Foria CliniccoreOthersHealthcare clinic serving trans and nonbinary people. Major partner providing virtual medical appointments, hormone prescriptions, and other gender-affirming care. Also sponsored the Connect: fundraising event.
• Bluebird LasercoreOthersLaser hair removal clinic. Connect Fund covers facial hair removal treatments for approved applicants. Also sponsored the Connect: fundraising event.
• Affirming Care PharmacycoreOthersPharmacy specializing in gender-affirming medications. Connect Fund covers hormone prescriptions and medication costs for approved applicants, with seamless coordination through partner Foria Clinic.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Egale Canada: Canada's leading 2SLGBTQ+ human rights organization, providing advocacy, research, and education funding. Comparable as a Canadian LGBTQ+ charitable vehicle, though focused on systemic change rather than direct individual grants.
• CanadaHelps: Canada's largest online donation platform for charities. Comparable as infrastructure enabling Canadian charitable giving, though a tech platform rather than a direct grantmaker.
• Rainbow Railroad: Canadian nonprofit providing direct support (relocation, emergency funds) to LGBTQ+ people facing persecution. Comparable in its use of a community-led, donation-funded model to serve direct needs of LGBTQ+ individuals.
• Skipping Stone Scholarship Foundation: Registered Canadian charity that acts as Connect Fund's fiscal sponsor and issues tax receipts. Operates in adjacent grantmaking for underserved youth in Alberta, including 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

Regional players

• The 519: Toronto-based LGBTQ+ community center offering programs, services, and city-wide community supports. Geographically co-located with Connect Fund and serves overlapping Toronto trans/nonbinary populations.
• JimDevaFund / QMUNITY: BC-based LGBTQ+ community organization offering direct support services. Comparable as a Canadian regional LGBTQ+ services entity with overlapping donor community and direct-service orientation.

Direct peers

• Foundation for Black Communities: Canadian grantmaking foundation mobilizing philanthropic capital for underserved Black communities. Directly comparable as a Canadian community-led grantmaking entity of similar size and operational maturity.
• Point of Pride: US-based nonprofit that provides direct financial assistance, grants, and transition-related support to trans and nonbinary people. Closest functional mirror to Connect Fund, offering similar small grants for gender-affirming care through a community-led model.

Emerging players

• Trans Lifeline: Peer-support hotline and mutual aid organization led by and for trans people. Comparable mission and community-led approach, with overlapping donor base in North America.
• Camp fYrefly: Canadian leadership camp and resource network for 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Operates in adjacent donor and volunteer ecosystems serving Canadian LGBTQ+ populations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/connectfundcanada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Connect Fund