Sharon Avery

President & Chief Executive Officer @Toronto Foundation

CA

Toronto Foundation is one of 208 community foundations in Canada, connecting philanthropy with granting, social finance, and research to amplify community power.Highlights & Impact:Redefined community philanthropy by championing “the new philanthropy” — inclusive, participatory, and power-shifting — through initiatives such as Vision 2020/Next, the Trust Collective (investing in women & girls), and the City of Neighbours Fund (neighbourhood social cohesion).Scaled philanthropic assets: doubled donor-advised and community funds; grew invested assets from $435M to nearly $800M, expanding access to charitable capital across Toronto.Advanced equity in governance: drove systemic change to ensure Toronto Foundation’s Board “looks like Toronto,” including gender parity, cultural diversity (67%), and the Foundation’s first female Chair in 40 years.Global gender equity leader: helped secure the $300M Equality Fund, seeded by Global Affairs Canada, continuing as fiduciary partner executing a 100% gender-lens investment strategy.Shifted investments to impact: introduced an assets-for-good approach with a bold commitment to 100% impact investing by 2030, in partnership with RockCreek.Groundbreaking research: evolved Vital Signs into the first Canadian study of social capital (2018, 2022), engaging over Torontonians and rallying 17 charitable partners.Sector leadership: in 2024, Toronto Foundation was named Canada’s #1 most equitable funder, out of 500 public/private foundations.

Toronto Metropolitan University

BAA

The Ivey Academy - Executive Education - Ivey Business School

Community Shift Program