The Globe and Mail Foundation’s first year of operation began in September 2025, only a few months after being officially established as a Canadian charity. Since then, the Foundation has served over 500 media workers, photojournalists, industry professionals, and members of the public through training and media literacy initiatives in Canada and abroad.

Who We Served

With a mission to protect and promote excellence in journalism, we are proud to have made a difference for Canada’s talented and dedicated community of photojournalists, media workers on the front lines of a conflict which The Globe has been steadily reporting on over the last five years, as well as the public through our newly launched Editing Democracy conversation series. 

Protecting a strong news media sector is critical to the continued health of our democracy. With dramatic advances in technology, a globally declining press freedom index, and immense funding challenges for the sector, more needs to be done to support journalists, documentary photographers, media workers – and the public – so that a diverse, fact-based news media can thrive. 

September 1, 2025 – August 31, 2026

Our First Year of Impact

Download PDF of Report

Our Impact, by the Numbers

129

on the front lines of the conflict in Ukraine certified in drone safety, critical first aid, psychological first aid, and risk assessment. Read more on our work over 2025 and 2026 to protect those at most risk in one of the world’s most technologically sophisticated war zones.

MEDIA WORKERS

“For journalists working in frontline communities, trainings like this are not just new knowledge —they are tools that help save lives.”
— Participant, Ukrainian Media Workers’ Training, June 2026

90

from coast to coast to coast, convened for the Foundation’s first photojournalism summit in Toronto - an action-packed educational weekend of panel discussions, keynotes, skills-based workshops, and professional development. Read more about the 2026 Globe Photojournalism Summit.

CREATORS AND EXPERTS

“Really brilliant summit, absolutely loved it! One of the best that I’ve attended in Canada for photojournalists.”
— 2026 Globe Photojournalism Summit attendee

25

selected for The Globe Academy training and mentorship programs to develop practical skills, elevate their photojournalism practice, and advance in their career. The Globe Academy programs include a year-long course for visual storytellers across Canada, and a 12-week course for early-career photojournalists in BC. 

PHOTOJOURNALISTS

“This program has been an incredible learning experience. I’ve gained so many insights that I didn’t know before, not just about documentary photography itself, but also about how to approach it, how to start a project, what the next steps look like, and how to develop stories in depth. It’s been incredibly valuable.”
— Simran Kaur, participant in the training and mentorship course for BC creators, July 2026

300

learned about the challenges and opportunities to the news media sector through the launch of our Editing Democracy public event series. View the recording of our March 2026 panel discussion featuring experts from The Guardian, The Local, Reuters, and Vector Institute.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

“A hugely informative and thought-provoking discussion.”
— Event Attendee, Editing Democracy, March 11, 2026

37

joined our mission to protect and promote excellence in journalism. This includes those who made a donation to commemorate former Globe and Mail Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife’s retirement in June 2026. The Foundation thanks all of those who stepped forward. Visit our supporters page, and scroll down to see a full list of this year’s donors and sponsors.

SUPPORTERS

“Coming together like that keeps all photojournalists engaged, and feel like they have support of people they never met before. Talking to other photojournalists to find out they have similar issues but can work together on them to improve photojournalism across the country. Exciting time. I hope it inspires more donors to help the foundation.”
— Randy Velocci, Photo Editor, Globe and Mail

5

launched in under a year: Two training programs for photojournalists, the Foundation’s first annual Globe photojournalism summit, safety training for media workers documenting conflict, and a public event series, Editing Democracy. The Foundation also supported The Centre for Free Speech’s 2026 World Press Freedom event as well as Photo E(a)st, a documentary photography festival in New Brunswick. Sign up for our newsletter for more on our work in the coming year.

INITIATIVES

Impact Interview

FEATURED INTERVIEW

“I can say with absolute certainty that I would not be working in this industry today if it wasn't for The Globe and Mail Foundation.”

Mackenzie Pardy – Photojournalist, Halifax • The Globe Photo Academy

Read Interview

A NOTE FROM LEADERSHIP

A Sector Under Pressure

From the Executive Director and the Board Chair

Black-and-white portrait of a woman with long dark hair, smiling, wearing a white shirt and dark jacket, against a plain background.

Laura Lavie

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I am thrilled to have joined The Globe and Mail Foundation as its inaugural executive director. It’s been an honour to help launch the Foundation and establish programming that serves the media sector at a time of immense disruption, and opportunity.

We are living through one of the most challenging times for news media. This year, global press freedom was ranked at an all-time low. More journalists are describing newer forms of censorship. Layoffs from newsrooms abound. And social media coupled with the rapid advent of AI has presented serious challenges to media literacy as well as the availability, and the consumption of, fact-based information.

Only by working together can we counter these forces which threaten to unravel democracy and civic engagement as we know it. Through values-based partnerships with philanthropists and industry stakeholders, The Globe and Mail Foundation has brought new offerings to media professionals and to the public, in pursuit of a healthier, more civically connected future.

I am immensely grateful to Chris Donovan, Mike Hyttinen, Joshua Knelman, Mark MacKinnon and the Globe team, Avi Sadiv, as well as the Foundation’s board of directors, for their expertise and dedication which has led to a successful first year. We need more people who believe in the power of a strong, independent news media in this country, and globally. It’s one of the most important foundations of humanity, accountability, and progress, and we must fiercely protect it, together.

Black and white photo of a smiling older man in a suit with a patterned tie, standing in front of a dark wooden background.

Phillip Crawley

BOARD CHAIR

I have worked in media on four continents for more than 50 years but never have I seen a time when the need to support the survival of quality journalism matters as much as now. 

That’s why The Globe and Mail Foundation was launched last year.  

A healthy democracy depends on access to trustworthy reporting so that citizens can gain accurate insight into what is happening in their community and their country. 

As Publisher of The Globe and Mail for 25 years, I was privileged to have the support of a hard-working staff dedicated to the business of delivering that understanding for Canadians. 

Now the Globe Foundation aims to broaden that outreach by focussing on increasing media literacy, and providing training for journalists and photographers all over our country, and beyond. 

I want to thank everyone who has supported us over the last twelve months, our donors, our sponsors, our partners, our board members, and the journalists everywhere who help us all to distinguish between fact and fiction, truth and lies.  

We have big plans for the coming year. Please look out for news from The Globe Foundation and we hope you will support our efforts. 

Revenue

The Globe and Mail Foundation’s fiscal year runs from September 1 to August 31. Over that period of time, the Foundation was grateful to receive donations from individuals and foundations, in their commitment to protecting and promoting excellence in journalism. We thank the following major donors and sponsors:

  • Al Roadburg Foundation

  • Canadian Medical Association

  • City of Toronto

  • Collective Arts

  • Dr. Eric Jackman

  • John and Nancy Kelleher

  • The Sheelagh, Frank and Helen Creaghan Fund

  • The Stawnichy Family

  • The Temerty Foundation

  • The Woodbridge Company

We are also grateful to the following individual donors, some of whom made a gift to the Foundation to commemorate Bob Fife’s retirement as The Globe and Mail’s Ottawa Bureau Chief in May 2026:

  • Anonymous (1)

  • Michael Armstrong

  • Robin Bailey

  • William Barber

  • Ben Chin

  • Susan Collins

  • Digby Cook

  • Phillip Crawley

  • Richard and Jenny Cyr

  • Jenna Fyfe

  • Tara George

  • Dan Juskovic

  • Lori Kittelberg

  • Marjory LeBreton

  • Chris Loy

  • Anna Matta

  • Peter O'Neil

  • Michael Pare

  • Tina Romito

  • Judit Smits

  • John Stanley

  • Kathleen Stanley

  • Ron Thomas

  • Elaine Warren

  • Caroline Williams

  • Dwayne Wright

  • George Young

An overview of our 2026 financials will be available on this page in early 2027. 

For more information on The Globe and Mail Foundation please contact Laura Lavie, Executive Director, at laura@globeandmailfoundation.com

Charitable Registration Number: 762794311RR0001