Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation

What Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation does

The Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation is a private Canadian family foundation established in 2003 by Richard (Rick) and Shelley Baker. It is a registered non-profit entity domiciled in Canada that supports Canadian registered charities through grant-making. The Foundation does not sell products or services and operates solely as a philanthropic vehicle funded by its endowment. Its website, rsbfamilyfoundation.com, serves as the primary communication channel and hosts a digital grant application portal. Rolling applications are accepted year-round with no fixed deadlines, and reviews emphasize values alignment, respect for human dignity, and potential for meaningful and sustained impact.

Grant-making is organized around six focus areas: Youth & Family Well-Being, Education & Opportunity, Healthcare & Healing, Housing & Stability, Intergenerational Legacy, and Community Support. Excluded from eligibility are international (non-Canadian) organizations, partisan political initiatives, arts/cultural initiatives outside the primary focus, environmental initiatives outside the primary focus, and animal welfare organizations. Application requirements include organizational mission and population served, program description, impact measurement approach, governance information, a healthcare-related question where applicable, most recent annual report or financial summary, and a current board of directors list.

The Foundation's approach is shaped by lived experience, particularly Rick Baker's journey with pancreatic cancer, which personally motivated (outside the Foundation) the establishment of the Baker Centre for Pancreatic Cancer at London Health Sciences Centre and deepened the Foundation's commitment to compassionate, ethical, and life-affirming care. A stated purpose is to pass on a legacy of thoughtful, values-driven giving to future generations by involving family members in stewardship. No headcount, endowment size, annual grant outflow, or external institutional investors are disclosed in the source material.

Name

Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation

Legal name

The Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation

Website

https://rsbfamilyfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation is a private Canadian family foundation established in 2003 that provides rolling grants to Canadian registered charities across six focus areas, including youth and family well-being, education, healthcare, housing, and community support, guided by principles of human dignity and intergenerational stewardship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Foundation Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Family foundation grants
• Canadian charity funding
• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Nonprofit donations
• Values-driven philanthropy

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Foundation Philanthropy: As a family foundation, the organization does not generate revenue through commercial activities. The Foundation distributes grants to eligible Canadian registered charities from its endowment, supporting initiatives in youth and family well-being, education, healthcare, housing, and community support. The Foundation was established in 2003 by founders Richard and Shelley Baker.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation is a private Canadian family foundation that distributes grants to Canadian registered charities. Its giving is organized around focus areas including youth and family well-being, education and opportunity, healthcare and healing, housing and stability, intergenerational legacy, and community support. The Foundation accepts rolling grant applications from eligible charities and evaluates them on values alignment, respect for human dignity, and potential for meaningful and sustained impact.

Product overview

The Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation operates as a single, unified philanthropic giving program offering multiple focus area grants. The foundation accepts rolling grant applications from Canadian registered charities through a structured application process. Grant focus areas include Youth & Family Well-Being, Education & Opportunity, Healthcare & Healing, Housing & Stability, Intergenerational Legacy, and Community Support. The foundation's giving is guided by a commitment to human dignity, strong families, compassionate healthcare, education, housing, and social justice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grant Program - Youth & Family Well-Being Funding for Canadian registered charities running programs that protect and support children, youth, and families facing vulnerability, fostering healthy development at every stage of life.
• Grant Program - Education & Opportunity Funding for Canadian registered charities delivering educational programs and skills development that help individuals and communities facing barriers to opportunity.
• Grant Program - Healthcare & Healing Funding for Canadian registered charities providing compassionate, ethical, and life-affirming healthcare that respects human dignity and supports patients, families, and those facing serious illness.
• Grant Program - Housing & Stability Funding for Canadian registered charities working to provide or support safe, stable housing as a foundation for well-being and self-sufficiency.
• Grant Program - Intergenerational Legacy Funding for initiatives that cultivate a shared sense of responsibility, generosity, and service by involving family members across generations in philanthropy and stewardship.
• Grant Program - Community Support Funding for Canadian registered charities addressing inequality and building healthier, more resilient and equitable communities.
• Grant Application Process Rolling application process for Canadian registered charities, with thoughtful review focused on values alignment, respect for human dignity, and potential for meaningful and sustained impact.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• London Health Sciences Centre (Baker Centre for Pancreatic Cancer)minorOthersThe Baker Centre for Pancreatic Cancer at London Health Sciences Centre was established through a personal contribution by Rick and Shelley Baker, not through the Foundation. However, this personal experience continues to inform the Foundation's values and approach to healthcare giving, reinforcing its commitment to compassionate, ethical, and life-affirming care.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• The Counselling Foundation of Canada: Canadian private foundation funding human-services and community well-being initiatives. Comparable as a Canadian grantmaking foundation focused on human dignity, family well-being, and community support.
• The Azrieli Foundation: Canadian private family foundation supporting education, research, healthcare, and the arts. Comparable as a multi-area Canadian family foundation making grants to registered charities, with similar scope of human-capital and community investments.
• The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation: One of Canada's largest family foundations, supporting community development, inclusion, and social innovation. Comparable as a long-standing Canadian family foundation with diversified grantmaking and a national applicant pool.
• Trottier Family Foundation: Canadian family foundation with emphasis on healthcare, education, science, and the environment. Comparable as a private family foundation supporting Canadian registered charities across multiple aligned focus areas.
• The Slaight Family Foundation: Canadian family foundation funding priorities including healthcare, education, and vulnerable populations. Directly comparable in mission, family-foundation structure, and focus on human dignity and community well-being in Canada.
• Rossy Family Foundation: Canadian private family foundation funding healthcare, education, and community initiatives. Directly comparable in family-foundation structure, Canadian focus, and grantmaking across health and community-support causes.
• The Bronfman Foundation: Long-established Canadian family foundation with broad social-purpose giving including education and community development. Comparable in family-driven governance, Canadian scope, and multi-generational philanthropic mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Richard and Shelley Baker Family Foundation