Ontario Deaf Foundation
WHO WE ARE
ODF was established in 2001 with the purpose of supporting charitable objectives through long-term, sustainable sources of funding. Overall, the Foundation strives to enable Deaf people to participate as positive, contributing members of society in Canada.
HOW WE OPERATE
ODF’s charitable focus is based on two operating principles: 1) It is organized around the funds model in which the funds generate the investment income in order to fulfill their charitable objectives; and 2) Giving financial support directly to recognized charities is preferred to hands-on involvement in charitable activities. The funds are outlined as follows:
ASL Resources and Research Fund
This Fund promotes research in Canadian ASL-English bilingual-bicultural education of Deaf children, and/or the development of Canadian ASL-English bilingual-bicultural products. For further information, please go to the ASL Research Applications page.
ASL Video
English Transcript
Purpose
The purpose of the Fund is to create investment income that will provide annual grants to support Canadian ASL research in the bilingual-bicultural education of Deaf children and to promote the evidence-based development of Canadian ASL educational resources.
History
This Fund was established in the early summer of 1997 in memoriam of Ilene Youngs, an educator of Deaf children and the late wife of Macklin Youngs. Ilene Liebman Youngs' life exemplified devotion to the education of Deaf children, to the Deaf community and to asking important questions to inform best practice in a bilingual-bicultural approach.
In 1998, the Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf (OCSD) was asked to take over the Fund as a charitable activity with the understanding that Macklin Youngs would be retained as its patron. The money was subsequently placed in an investment account with TD Waterhouse. According to OCSD’s earliest available records, the Fund had the retained earnings of $4,690.94 as of December 31, 1998. On September 17, 2003, the market value of the Fund was $14,065.64 and the investment was officially transferred to ODF.
Ilene and Macklin’s children, Megan and Vance Youngs, succeeded Macklin as Patrons on April 11, 2021. At their suggestion and with the ODF Board’s endorsement, the development of ASL educational resources was added to the Fund’s purpose.
Investment Objectives
The Fund’s primary objective is to generate sufficient investment revenue to provide for the annual grants and the related costs of administering the Fund, while reinvesting a part of the revenue to further grow the Fund’s capital. As well, the Fund is to contribute its share to the annual administrative and management expenses incurred by the Foundation.
Criteria For Applying to the Fund
To encourage and support Canadian ASL research and/or resource development in the field of ASL-English bilingualism or biculturalism for Deaf children and adults in family, educational, and community environments.
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Research
To increase and/or expand knowledge and understanding of a contemporary key theme/trend/issue related to Deaf people in Canada. -
Resource Development
For design and development of innovative resources that promote and support ASL acquisition and learning.
To Apply
https://www.ontariodeaffoundation.com/asl-research-applications.php
Contact
info@deafontariofoundation.com for further information
To Donate
https://www.ontariodeaffoundation.com/ and click the box “Please Donate Now.”
Celebrating Deaf Culture Fund
To promote a better appreciation of cultural works of art, this Fund supports the new annual Family Day ASL Classic Zoom presentation. With Deaf children and youth, and their families in mind, this production strives to present subjects of cultural, educational, and inspirational nature.
ASL Video
English Transcript
Purpose
The purpose of the Fund shall be to advocate better appreciation of cultural work of art, ASL literature, and ASL media works with a positive, lasting impact upon the Deaf community, and to support events of a charitable, cultural, or educational nature in the Region of Waterloo when reasonable opportunity arises.
History
In the Spring of 2001, the defunct Waterloo Region Centre of the Deaf made a donation to the Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf (OCSD) upon the following conditions: that the donation be set-up as a Trust Fund; and, that its proceeds would support its purpose.
OCSD donated the assets of the Fund to the Foundation on September 16, 2003.
Investment Objectives
The Fund is to increase in capital and in investment income every year, in order to support activities, pursuant to fulfilment of its charitable objectives.
To Donate
https://www.ontariodeaffoundation.com/ and click the box “Please Donate Now.”
Deaf Hamilton Community Fund
This Fund supports charitable, cultural, and educational events in the Deaf community in the Greater Hamilton Area. For the first time, it sponsored events held during the 2019 International Week of the Deaf in Hamilton, ON.
ASL Video
English Transcript
Purpose
The purpose of the Fund is to support charitable, cultural and educational events in the Deaf communities of Hamilton, Stoney Creek, and Brantford, and to strengthen and uplift the well-being of the Deaf community, in accordance with the Foundation’s charitable objectives.
History
Members of the Deaf Hamilton community unanimously agreed in a meeting on February 20, 2013 that the funds of the former Hamilton Association of the Deaf (HAD) be donated to the Ontario Deaf Foundation, with the understanding that the Foundation would establish a new fund with the purpose to benefit the Deaf communities as defined above.
On February 23, 2013, the amount of $2,695.32 was donated to the Foundation and then deposited into Foundation’s account two days later.
Investment Objectives
The Fund’s aim is to increase its capital and investment income to support annual events of a charitable, cultural, or educational nature when financially feasible.
The Fund is to contribute its share to the annual administrative and the management expenses incurred by the Foundation.
To Donate
https://www.ontariodeaffoundation.com/ and click the box “Please Donate Now.”
Future-building Fund
The long-term goal of this endowment fund is to provide annual funds to the Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf (OCSD), its beneficiary, to operate its charitable activities from an office setting. This goal is expected to be reached late in 2024.
ASL Video
English Transcript
Purpose
The purpose of the Fund is to create investment income that will eventually support the Beneficiary, namely Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf, in its ability to deliver its charitable activities with a positive, meaningful impact.
History
The Fund was established in 1992 by the Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf (OCSD) board of directors. It was endowed with five thousand dollars, allotted from the profit made at the successful National Festival of Arts which was held at Niagara Falls in 1990.
The circumstances that led to the inception of this Fund were multifaceted. The culture, language, and future of the Deaf community, whom this Society historically served, were coming under threat. These threats included the increasing mainstreaming of Deaf children in educational settings, government cutbacks in grants to volunteer-run organizations, and the rising number of issues unfavourable to the interests of the Deaf community.
In order to respond effectively and efficiently to these concerns, the OCSD directors determined that the Society could no longer rely solely on volunteers. They embarked in a new direction, changing the Society into a full-time organization with its own staff to carry out its operations, pursuant to fulfilment of its charitable activities.
After twelve years, the assets of the Fund were donated on September 16, 2003 by the Society to the Foundation. The Foundation agreed to act as Trustee of these assets on behalf of the Society, which is its Beneficiary. The Foundation would administer the Funds’ assets independently.
Investment Objectives
The current objective of the Fund is to generate an annual investment revenue of at least $40,000.
The Fund is to contribute its share to the annual administrative and the management expenses incurred by the Foundation.
To Donate
https://www.ontariodeaffoundation.com/ and click the box “Please Donate Now.”
ODF Community-building Fund
Established in 2021, the goal of this Fund is to support projects that have a lasting, strategic benefit to the well-being of the Deaf community in Ontario, in accordance with the Foundation’s charitable objects. When the Fund achieves its annual investment revenue target, it will be able to provide project funding for initiatives with the potential of making to a positive and incremental impact upon the Deaf community and society.
ASL Video
English Transcript
Purpose
The purpose of this Fund shall be to support projects of a lasting, strategic benefit to the well-being of the Deaf community in Ontario, in accordance with the Foundation’s charitable objectives.
History
The donation of $4,050 was given to the Foundation on December 4, 2020 with the instruction to establish a new fund that would support initiatives by charities which serve the Ontario Deaf community in the fulfilment of the purpose of this Fund. On April 11, 2021 during a meeting of the Foundations members, it was agreed that the Fund would be named the ODF Community-Building Fund.
Investment Objectives
The Fund is to increase in capital and in investment income every year in order to provide for projects, whenever financially feasible, in accordance with its charitable objectives.
To Donate
https://www.ontariodeaffoundation.com/ and click the box “Please Donate Now.”