The K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation supports giving in three main areas, Social Services, The Arts and the Environment. Within all three portfolios, we are committed to supporting organizations dedicated to helping those who are marginalized, including the homeless, disadvantaged youth, women, aboriginal voices, the LGBTQ community, and preserving and protecting habitat for endangered species in Ontario.
The K. M. Hunter Artists’ Awards are made annually in the fields of Dance, Film, Literature, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts. They are administered by the Ontario Arts Council.
There are two unique areas of giving; one ongoing grant to the Hospital for Sick Children for research into Autism and a few select organizations that support the Aids in Africa crisis.
With the exception of an ongoing grant to Sick Kids Foundation in the area of mental health we do not support any other medical research programs.
The KM Hunter Foundation is committed to supporting a number of smaller institutions where our grants can have a larger impact.
We are based in Toronto. We only support organizations based in Ontario, Canada with the exception of the AIDS in Africa program.
OUR HISTORY
Kenneth Martin Hunter was born in 1903 on a farm near the village of Cardinal in eastern Ontario. He came to Toronto at the age of eighteen and after qualifying as a chartered accountant went to work as secretary-treasurer of the Buntin Reid Paper Company, one of the larger paper merchants in the country. He subsequently became President and chief shareholder of the company where he remained until he retired at the age of 70Wishing to give back to the community in which he had prospered, on Jan 25, 1967, the K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation was incorporated. The original areas of funding included Medical research, the Presbyterian Church, and social service agencies. After his death in 1991, his two sons Martin and William took over the management of the foundation.
They continued to support the two original areas of major interest but also began to fund organizations and projects in the fields of nature conservancy, international development and cultural activities. After his death in 1991, his two sons Martin and William took over the management of the foundation. They continued to support the two original areas of major interest but also began to fund organizations and projects in the fields of nature conservancy, international development and cultural activities. At the end of 2003, the foundation was divided. Martin Hunter remained president of the original K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation in Toronto, which continued to fund social service, conservation and cultural initiatives. W.T. Hunter became President of the Peterborough K.M Hunter Charitable Foundation, which funds medical research and international development. The K. M. Hunter Charitable Foundation in Toronto is now co-run by members of the extended Hunter Family. Guy Hunter handles the social services portfolio; Sarah Hunter handles the cultural portfolio and Judith Hunter and Douglas Hart handle decisions related to the environmental portfolio. In 2005 Sarah Hunter became chief Arts Administrator and handles the day to day managing of the Foundation. Sarah Hunter and Martin Hunter share the responsibilities of administrating the K.M. Hunter Artist Awards each year. The Board is made up of family members. Martin Hunter is President, Sarah Hunter is Vice President, Douglas Hart is Secretary and Guy Hunter is Treasurer. Judith Hunter is a director. Group decisions are made by the Board, which meets 2 to 3 times a year.
