Total Giving: $250,000,000[1]
Prominent Grants: Provided most of the financial support for The Banff Centre in Calgary. Also gave to charitable programs in Israel.
Summary: The Kahanoff Foundation was a private charitable foundation established in 1979 by Sydney Kahanoff, a Calgary oil and gas executive and philanthropist. The Foundation was established with a mandate to provide funding for innovative charitable organization and programs in Israel and Canada, with a focus on philanthropic initiatives in Calgary.
Sydney Kahanoff passed away in 1980. Prior to his death he outlined to the board of The Kahanoff Foundation the direction he wished for the Foundation. In summary 60% of the funds were to be dispersed in Canada and 40% in Israel. Grants would also be considered in the USA and Australia. 25% was to be used to support general charitable activities and the balance was for innovative projects developed by the Foundation, preferably, or in support of the innovative projects of others. The Foundation stopped receiving grant proposals in 2011, and spent down its funds by 2012.