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Realize Ambition: A Campaign for Canadian Potential

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National mission, local impact

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Creating opportunities, connecting communities

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About Us

Igniting our shared potential

The Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) is on a mission to set Canadians up for success by supporting programming in learning, innovation, leadership, and community building. It is a national effort to ignite Canadian ambition to shape a brighter future for all. The RHF is a non-partisan national charitable organization that amplifies and supports the past, present and future impact of Canada’s Governor General, and seeks to engage all Canadians in the core elements of Canadian democracy. By working in partnership, the RHF celebrates excellence while creating opportunities and connecting communities, all towards the shared purpose of a better Canada.

“My hope is that the RHF can serve as a force for good in Canada: focused on the long term, learning by doing and adjusting as we go, and inviting all Canadians to the table to build the Canada we want to become.”

— Teresa Marques, President and CEO

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Trust in our public institutions

  • A group of young people pose inside the House of Commons.
    Impact
    Applications Now Open for the 2026 Forum for Young Canadians National Summit

    Sep 8, 2025

  • Media Release
    New Report Warns Collapse of Local News Threatens Canadian Democracy

    Jul 31, 2025

  • Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, presented the 2024 Michener Awards during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on June 5th, 2025.
    Impact
    The Michener Awards: Celebrating Excellence in Public Service Journalism

    Jul 3, 2025

  • cover graphic Learning Loss as Civic Loss
    Research and Publications
    Learning Loss as Civic Loss
  • Media Release
    Announcing new “Covering Canada: Election 2025” Fund

    Mar 31, 2025

  • Forum group shot from above
    Impact
    Highlights of the Forum for Young Canadians March 2025 National Summit

    May 23, 2025

  • A newspaper folded open to a page containing an ad that says "Support local news, enrich communities!"
    Impact
    Supporting local independent news “ads” up!

    Dec 19, 2024

  • Media Release
    New Report Calls for Urgent Action to Save Local News in Canada

    Feb 12, 2025

  • Media Release
    New Journalism Fellowship Invests in Local Journalism and Encourages Small Newsrooms to Think Big

    Oct 17, 2024

  • composite image of a young girl's face and her death report
    Impact
    Celebrating Indigenous Excellence in Journalism

    Jun 21, 2021

    • Equal learning and education opportunities

  • A speaker stands at a podium with people seated along a long table, listening.
    Impact
    Building Connections, Strengthening Voices: RHF at WAVES 2025 

    Sep 8, 2025

  • Impact
    QES learning journey in Ghana

    Aug 5, 2025

  • Media Release
    New Funding from The Rideau Hall Foundation Expands Access to Indigenous-Led Teacher Education Across Canada

    Jul 17, 2025

  • Media Release
    Ten First Nations, Inuit and Métis languages are brought to life in new educational platform that features...

    Sep 26, 2024

  • Impact
    Queen Elizabeth Scholars: Shaping Global Citizens for a Changing World

    Oct 3, 2025

  • Screenshot of the Celebrating Indigenous Teacher Education website
    Impact
    The RHF in partnership with Canadian Geographic shines a spotlight on Indigenous Teacher Education programming across Canada

    Jun 21, 2024

  • RHF logo with plant designs to represent First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.
    Programs
    Indigenous Teacher Education Initiative

    Empowering Indigenous Educators, Communities, and Languages Across Canada The Rideau Hall Foundation is proud to announce the 12...

  • Graphic of map of canada
    Impact
    Ensuring every Canadian youth is given the opportunity to learn

    Apr 11, 2024

  • Six young people in a row, some standing, some sitting on a snow machine, in a snowy field with the sun setting in the background.
    Impact
    Azrieli Foundation gifts $4 million to RHF to support Catapult Canada, removing barriers to youth learning nationally

    Oct 24, 2023

  • Impact
    Closing the gap in educational equity

    Oct 7, 2022

  • people shadow outlines while posing in the sunset
    catapult
    Programs
    Catapult Canada

    Program Details Catapult Canada is a national program and community that aims to increase the equity of access...

  • A group of youth, walking and laughing
    Impact
    There has never been a better time to reimagine learning

    Sep 2, 2021

    • Making innovation part of every day life

  • A winning team poses with a giant cheque.
    Impact
    Got a Big Idea for the North? Nominations Are Now Open for the Arctic Inspiration Prize

    Sep 8, 2025

  • Ingenious+ winners 2025
    Impact
    Ingenious+: Youth Innovation, Powered by Bold Ideas

    Oct 3, 2025

  • A row of people stand, with a row of people seated in front of them, all facing the camera and smiling.
    Impact
    Governor General’s Innovation Awards: Celebrating Canadian Trailblazers

    Oct 3, 2025

  • Ingenious+ ceremony 2025
    Impact
    CIW25 Highlights: Canadian Innovation Week

    Jul 3, 2025

  • Ingenious+ winners 2025
    Impact
    Ingenious+ National Winners Announced

    Jul 3, 2025

  • ggia
    Programs
    Governor General’s Innovation Awards

    Program Details The Governor General’s Innovation Awards (GGIA) recognizes Canada’s highest level of achievement in innovation. The purpose...

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    Community
    The Signal for Help

    In 2020, the Canadian Women’s Foundation launched the Signal for Help to help abuse survivors in the pandemic’s spike of gendered violence.

  • Stradiotto headshot
    Community
    DalPhos Catalysts for Next-Generation Pharmaceutical Synthesis

    Professor Mark Stradiotto is a world-leader in the field of metal catalysis for assembling organic molecules, including the active pharmaceutical ingredients in medicines.

  • graphic of hand holding up lightbulb
    cis
    Programs
    Canadian Innovation Week

    Program Details Canadian Innovation Week focuses on how we make our communities and our world a better place...

  • The three national winners of the 2023 Ingenious+ challenge pose together at award ceremony.
    ingenious+
    Programs
    Ingenious+

    Ingenious+ gives youth in Canada aged 14 to 18 the opportunity to innovate for good, and to share strategies for improving our world.

    • Where communities are built

  • Impact
    Realize Ambition: Unlocking the potential of every Canadian

    Oct 3, 2025

  • Impact
    Leading with Hope and Optimism: RHF’s 2024–25 Impact Report

    Oct 3, 2025

  • Impact
    Collaborating for a brighter future

    Dec 19, 2024

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    Impact
    Our impact across Canada

    Aug 9, 2024

  • large group photo people on stairs
    Research and Publications
    RHF Annual Reports and Audited Financial Statements
  • cover graphic Creating Opportunities, Connecting Communities
    Impact
    Creating Opportunities, Connecting Communities

    Dec 12, 2023

  • purple graphic of raised hands
    Programs
    Empathy Engaged

  • Mary Gordon headshot
    Community
    Mary Gordon

    Roots of Empathy was created as a means of reducing aggression and bullying among school-aged children.

  • Media Release
    The Honourable Jean Charest, P.C. and Dr. Annette Trimbee join RHF Board of Directors

    Jun 18, 2024

    • impact snapshot

    Our impact

    The RHF’s national programs have local impact in communities across the country, growing Canada’s innovation culture; championing learning equity and excellence; and increasing participation rates in civic life.

    27,700

    youth participated in programming about our parliamentary democracy and developed important leadership skills for the future

    109,000

    young people to benefit from investments in local organizations seeking to dismantle barriers to learning

    $21.8M

    in support of cross-Canada programming to recruit and retain First Nations, Inuit and Métis teachers

    “From the time of our first gift back in 2013, we knew the RHF had the potential of being a champion for Canada. The RHF is about pride in Canada. We are thrilled to see the RHF grow its impact and find new barn-raising approaches for Canadians to work together in building a smarter and more caring country.”

    — Don and Ruth Taylor, the Taylor Family Foundation

    Be a part of the change

    How to get involved

    The RHF seeks to tap into our collective national spirit. You can join us in igniting our shared potential.

    Check out our programs

    Donate to support our work

    Become a partner organization

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