HAS Family Foundation

ST. JOSEPH ISLAND · ALGOMA · ONTARIO

Rooted in
community.
Giving with purpose.

Supporting the organizations and shared places that help our communities thrive.

Explore our focus Get to know HAS
A FAMILY FOUNDATIONEST. 2026
HAS Family Foundation: a home between two trees, with a bird above
A lasting commitment to
the places we call home.

A Canadian registered charity, preparing for its first planned gifts in 2027.

Looking ahead

01 / ABOUT HAS

Community is at
the heart of our giving.

Good work is already happening all around us. Our purpose is to help it go further.

HAS Family Foundation is a private family foundation based on St. Joseph Island, Ontario. We make gifts to registered Canadian charities and other qualified donees whose work benefits the public.

Our initial focus is close to home: St. Joseph Island and the Algoma District. We also consider opportunities elsewhere in Ontario and across Canada where there is a strong fit with our purpose.

Through thoughtful giving and careful stewardship, we aim to support healthier, more connected communities—today and into the future.

A Letter from the Founders

02 / OUR FOCUS

The everyday foundations
of a thriving community.

Our priorities reflect the many ways people learn, stay well, come together, and enjoy the places they call home.

01

Health & well-being

Health care, community health, and services that respond to community needs and contribute to well-being.

CARE · CONNECTION · WELL-BEING
02

Learning & growing

Early childhood development, opportunities for young people, and education and learning that help people grow.

CHILDREN · YOUTH · EDUCATION
03

Active lives & shared places

Physical activity, recreation, parks, trails, and publicly accessible municipal facilities and services.

RECREATION · PARKS · COMMUNITY SPACES
04

Culture & community life

Cultural and community activities that bring people together, including eligible faith-based charitable programs that provide a public benefit.

CULTURE · PARTICIPATION · BELONGING

These areas guide our giving. Every gift is subject to eligibility, available funding, and approval by the Board.

A LOCAL COMMITMENT

Beginning close to home.
Looking to what’s possible.

Our initial giving emphasis is St. Joseph Island and the Algoma District. We value proposals that understand the community they serve and can show how people will benefit.

Our geographic focus guides our decisions while allowing the Board to consider suitable opportunities elsewhere in Canada.

03 / OUR GIVING

Thoughtful support.
Clear responsibilities.

We prefer to match community giving, helping local fundraising efforts go further. We encourage eligible organizations to bring forward requests that build on the generosity of their community.

OUR PREFERENCE / MATCHING COMMUNITY GIVING

When a community gives,
we want to help it go further.

We encourage proposals that ask HAS to match gifts raised through local fundraising activities. Tell us about your community’s fundraising goal, the contributions already raised or pledged, and the matching support you are seeking.

Matching support is considered individually. Any matching amount and terms are subject to Board approval and available funding.

Community benefit first

We look for a clear need, meaningful public benefit, a realistic plan, and a reasonable budget. Public accessibility matters, especially for shared facilities and municipal projects.

Respect for the work

Recipient organizations retain responsibility for their own programs and operations. Reporting is proportionate to the amount, purpose, and complexity of the gift.

Careful decisions

Eligibility is verified and conflicts of interest are managed. All final funding decisions rest with the Board of Directors. Advisory recommendations do not constitute approval.

OUR EXPECTED GIFT RANGE

$2,000 to $100,000

A planning range, not a funding commitment. Each request is considered on its merits and within the available budget. The Board may consider exceptions.

04 / FOR CHARITIES & OTHER QUALIFIED DONEES

Could your work
be a good fit?

Start with our priorities, eligibility, and the community benefit you hope to achieve.

Looking ahead to 2027

Our first gifts are planned for 2027. Application dates and submission details will be posted here when confirmed.

Download a preparation checklist
Who is eligible?

We currently make gifts only to Canadian qualified donees, including registered charities and eligible municipalities. We verify status before approval and payment.

We do not currently fund individuals, informal groups, or organizations that are not qualified donees directly. We do not earmark gifts for the personal benefit of a named individual.

Does HAS prefer matching requests?

Yes. Our preference is to match community gift giving. We encourage eligible organizations to propose matching support for local fundraising activities that align with our priorities.

Describe the fundraising activity, your goal and timeline, gifts raised or pledged, and the amount you would like HAS to contribute as a match. Matching is a preference, not a requirement for every request. The amount and terms of any match are considered individually and require Board approval.

What kinds of support are considered?

Gifts may support an organization’s general charitable or public-service activities, or be designated for a particular program, project, service, or facility. The proposed use must provide a public benefit and align with our priorities.

Municipal funding is paid to the eligible legal municipality. A separate local group must independently qualify to receive a direct gift.

What should an organization prepare?

A description of the need, the people or community served, intended public benefit, amount requested, budget, other funding, timeline, and expected results. For a matching request, describe your local fundraising activity, goal and timeline, contributions raised or pledged, and the matching amount requested. Include your legal name and evidence of qualified-donee status, and disclose any relationship with the Foundation.

The checklist below can help you prepare. It is not an application and does not submit a funding request.

Download the checklist
How are requests assessed?

Requests are screened for eligibility and completeness, then assessed for community need, public benefit, fit with our priorities, feasibility, budget, and reporting capacity. Eligible requests may receive advisory committee review before the Board makes its decision.

There is no application fee. Submitting a request does not create an entitlement to funding.

Where does HAS focus its giving?

Our initial emphasis is Ontario, particularly St. Joseph Island and the Algoma District. The Board may also approve gifts elsewhere in Canada where appropriate.

HAS FAMILY FOUNDATION

For the good of
the community.

Learn about our focus and how we approach giving.

Our funding priorities

FROM OUR FOUNDERS

A Letter from the Founders

Algoma has always been home to us. We were both born and raised in this region, and today we are grateful to spend our retirement years on St. Joseph Island. The people, experiences, and opportunities we have found here have shaped our lives and given us much to be thankful for.

We established HAS Family Foundation as a way to give back and contribute to the community’s future.

We believe a thriving community begins with neighbours helping neighbours. When people get involved, share their talents, and support one another, they create a sense of belonging that strengthens life for everyone. This is the culture we hope to encourage: one in which people care for their neighbours and take an active part in making their community a better place.

Through the Foundation, we want to create more opportunities for that involvement. We are especially keen to support local fundraising through matching gifts, helping the generosity already present in our communities go further.

Health and wellness are also close to our hearts. We would love to see more opportunities for people of all ages to stay active, connect with others, and access support that helps them live healthier lives.

We are excited to begin this work and to learn from the organizations, volunteers, and neighbours who give so much to Algoma. Our hope is that HAS Family Foundation will play a meaningful part in helping that community spirit grow for years to come.

With gratitude,

Holly and Andy
HAS Family Foundation

SUPPORTING OUR WORK

Supporting HAS Family Foundation

Individuals and organizations interested in making a charitable donation to HAS Family Foundation are welcome to contact info@hasfamilyfoundation.ca.

Donated funds are managed by the Foundation to support its charitable grant-making, with funding decisions made by its board.

Official charitable donation receipts are issued for eligible gifts.