Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal

What Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal does

Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal is a registered charity (non-profit) based in Montréal, Québec, that serves as the exclusive philanthropic intermediary for the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM), funding and supporting complementary educational activities for more than 117,000 students across 187 public schools. Founded in 2000 (with a major operational restructuring around the 2017 launch of its flagship programs), the Foundation concentrates on students from disadvantaged, immigrant, and special-needs backgrounds — populations representing roughly 75% of the CSSDM student body, 50% of whom are allophone and 45% from immigrant families. Its mission targets funding gaps left by the public school curriculum across five intervention axes: arts and culture, academic perseverance and educational success, environment, health and healthy habits, and professional experience.

The Foundation's core offerings are organized into three principal streams. The first, Code MTL, is an in-classroom coding and robotics program delivered in partnership with pedagogical operator Edu GoPro, spanning pre-kindergarten through secondary school and using tools such as Scratch Jr, Scratch, Minecraft Education, Tinkercad, Bluebot, Lego Spike Prime, and Micro:bit; the program has delivered 44,120+ workshops since 2017, reaching 19,800+ students and 892 teachers. The second, Place au français, is a summer French-language immersion day-camp program for allophone and immigrant children, deployed through day camps in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and expanding to Terrebonne, Villeray, and Côte-des-Neiges; it served 2,000 children across 13 specialized camps in 2025. The third stream is a discretionary School Projects funding track through which schools, teachers, and principals submit proposals aligned with the five intervention axes; the Foundation distributes the funds (more than $500,000 to 52 schools in 2022-2023) and acts as the charitable-receipt intermediary between schools and donors.

The Foundation's revenue model is philanthropy-only: individual monthly and one-time donations processed through DonorPerfect; corporate and foundation grants (Groupe iA Financier, Fondation Mirella et Lino Saputo, Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie, EA Motive, Behaviour Interactif, Ubisoft, Levio, Sun Life, Desjardins, Fasken, PwC Canada, Power Corporation); in-kind goods donations ($152,635 in 2022-2023); benefit events such as the Jacques Nantel causerie ($16,460 in 2023) and John Parisella conference ($50/ticket); and government support (Ministère de la Langue française). There is no commercial product, pricing model, or proprietary technology. Distribution is community-driven: schools and school communities originate project proposals, and the Foundation intermediates the matching of schools to donors and specialized implementation partners (Edu GoPro for curriculum, MicroHabitat for urban agriculture, Fondation Mira for assistance dogs, UQAM for sensory-motor research).

Name

Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal

Legal name

Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal

Website

https://fondationelevesmtl.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal is a registered Montréal charity that funds and supports complementary educational projects for the 117,000+ students of the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) across 187 public schools, delivering flagship coding (Code MTL) and French-language immersion (Place au français) programs, plus discretionary school-project grants across five intervention axes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Education nonprofit
• School fundraising
• Youth programs
• Educational philanthropy
• Student support services

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, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual donations: Monthly and one-time donations from individual donors supporting the Foundation's mission to fund activities for Montreal public school students. Monthly donor program available via website.
2. Corporate and foundation grants and donations: Financial contributions from corporations, foundations, and government bodies directed to specific programs (Code MTL, Place au français) or general school projects. Major donors include Groupe iA Financier ($100,000), anonymous donor ($60,000), Fondation Mirella et Lino Saputo, Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie, Desjardins, Sun Life, Ubisoft, Fasken, PwC Canada, and others.
3. Donations in kind (goods and materials): The Foundation receives in-kind donations from businesses, organizations, and individuals — materials for trade schools, show tickets, furniture, school supplies, and computer equipment — valued at $152,635 in 2022-2023, redistributed to schools.
4. Benefit events and cause marketing: Revenue from benefit conferences and cause-related events (e.g., Jacques Nantel benefit causerie raising $16,460; John Parisella conference at $50/ticket).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal is a registered non-profit foundation that raises and distributes funds to support educational programs and student services for the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) public school network. The foundation funds a portfolio of programs across 187 schools serving more than 117,000 students, spanning academic enrichment (coding/robotics, French-language literacy), social-emotional support (therapy dogs, mental health), basic needs (food security), and physical infrastructure (schoolyard revitalization, accessibility).

Product overview

The Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal operates a portfolio of educational support programs aimed at reducing social inequality and promoting academic success among the 117,000 students of the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM). Its core offerings consist of Code MTL (a technology and coding program spanning from pre-kindergarten to secondary school), Place au français (a summer French language immersion initiative for immigrant children in day camps), and a School Projects program funding diverse teacher- and school-initiated initiatives across five priority axes (academic perseverance, environment, health, arts/culture, and professional experience). Supporting programs include school supplies distribution, a choral music initiative, a therapy dog program, a climbing wall sports program, schoolyard greening projects, and accessibility equipment for students with disabilities. The portfolio is unified by the Foundation's mission to complement the public school curriculum and create equal opportunities for students from disadvantaged and immigrant backgrounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Code MTL

Quantifiable outcome

• 44,120 Code MTL workshops delivered since 2017, reaching 892 classes and more than 2,400 students in 2025 alone.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Festival EurêkasupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Foundation made its first major appearances at Festival Eurêka in 2025, participating in this major Montreal science and innovation festival to showcase its programs to families and the public.
• Maison de la culture MaisonneuvesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Cultural venue partner hosting activities and cultural visits as part of the Foundation's Place au français and other cultural programs.
• La TOHUsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024La TOHU, a Montreal circus and environmental education center, is listed as a partner for cultural activities related to the Foundation's programs.
• MEM — Centre des mémoires montréalaisessupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MEM Centre des mémoires montréalaises is a cultural collaborator for Place au français, hosting educational visits for children from day camps to explore Montreal's history and cultural heritage.
• Grande Bibliothèque à MontréalsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The Grande Bibliothèque is a cultural collaborator for Place au français 2024, providing cultural and educational visits for children in the program.
• La TohusupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024La Tohu is listed as a cultural collaborator for Place au français 2024, hosting activities for children from Montreal day camps.
• L'ArtothèquesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024L'Artothèque is a cultural collaborator for Place au français 2024, providing art-related activities for children in the program.
• Bibliothèque Marc-FavreausupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Bibliothèque Marc-Favreau is a cultural collaborator for Place au français 2024, providing reading and literacy activities.
• Marché Jean-TalonsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Marché Jean-Talon is a cultural collaborator for Place au français 2024, providing food and cultural exploration activities for children.
• Music MotionsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Music Motion is listed as a cultural collaborator for Place au français 2024, providing music and movement activities.
• Cinémathèque québécoisesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Cinémathèque québécoise is a cultural collaborator for Place au français 2024, providing film and media education activities for children.
• AlithyasupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Alithya, a digital strategy and technology firm, provided pro-bono website redesign and security enhancement services for the Foundation in summer 2023, with a team including Vice President Éric Banville, Principal Director Romain Grard, and others.
• Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023UQAM researchers, including Professor Vitor Matias from the adaptation schooling department, collaborated with École de l'Étincelle on a sensory-motor research project studying autism-friendly classroom design.
• CTAQ (Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023CTAQ served as a sponsor for the Jacques Nantel benefit causerie, amplifying event visibility and Foundation awareness through its industry network.
• Industries LassondesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Industries Lassonde sponsored the Jacques Nantel benefit causerie, supporting the Foundation's fundraising and expanding reach through its corporate network.
• Agence MagnetsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Agence Magnet, which advises decision-makers on ESG and philanthropic projects, sponsored the Jacques Nantel causerie and helped promote the Foundation's mission.
• Les AffairessupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Les Affaires, a major Quebec business media outlet, was a sponsor of the Jacques Nantel causerie and publishes content supporting the Foundation's mission.
• Service des loisirs St-FabiensupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Service des loisirs St-Fabien in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is the day camp operator partner deploying Place au français in collaboration with Edu GoPro, serving hundreds of children annually since 2021.
• MicroHabitatsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2020MicroHabitat provides turnkey urban agriculture solutions including geotextile pots and automatic irrigation systems for schools, supporting the urban garden program at École Sainte-Catherine-de-Sienne.
• Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017CSSDM is the Foundation's primary institutional partner. The Foundation was created to serve CSSDM schools and collaborates with CSSDM educational services and IT departments to co-develop and deploy programs such as Code MTL across all 187 public schools in Montreal.
• Edu GoProcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017Edu GoPro is the on-the-ground pedagogical partner delivering Code MTL workshops and Place au français programming. Founded and led by Judith Cajelais, Edu GoPro provides trained animator-pedagogues who deliver coding and French language workshops in classrooms and day camps.
• Fondation MirasupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017Fondation Mira provides specially selected assistance dogs for schools, including Casper the Labernois placed at École Léonard-De Vinci to support students with reading, anxiety, and emotional regulation.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fondation Jasmin Roy: Quebec-based charitable foundation focused on student well-being, anti-bullying, and educational equity in Canadian schools. Highly comparable in serving K-12 public school students with social-emotional and educational interventions, supported by corporate partnerships.
• Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon: One of Quebec's largest education-focused philanthropic foundations, dedicated to reducing educational inequality and supporting student success across Quebec — directly comparable in mission, beneficiary focus (school-aged children from disadvantaged backgrounds), and grantmaking model.
• Fondation Mirella et Lino Saputo: Major Quebec family foundation funding accessibility equipment and inclusive education projects for students with disabilities — directly comparable in funding adaptive learning materials and supporting inclusive school environments (and indeed a current donor to the subject Foundation).

Peers

• Fondation J.A. DeSève:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/fondationeleves
• Facebookfacebook.com/fondationeleves
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondationeleves

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Fondation pour les élèves de Montréal