Mentorship
One-to-One Pairings
Six-month structured mentorships with a vetted professional in your field. Free for mentees. 87% report a tangible career change within a year.
Apply or volunteer
Canadian charity · Reg. 82736 1294 RR0001
Every woman deserves one person in her corner.
The Betty Foundation pairs women across Canada with vetted, one-to-one mentors — and funds the scholarships, courses and small grants they need to take the next step. Eleven years. 4,200 mentees. Zero overhead taken from a donor's first dollar.
4,200women mentored since 2014
$2.6Mscholarships funded
92%of donations to programs
Top-rated charity 2025
Charity Intelligence Canada · A grade
In partnership with
- RBC Foundation
- University of Toronto
- Shopify
- Bench Accounting
- YWCA Canada
Our mission
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity isn't. We're here to close the gap.
Founded in memory of Elizabeth "Betty" Hayes — a teacher who paid for three of her students to attend community college on a salary that barely covered her own rent — we exist to make sure no Canadian woman has to choose between her ambition and her circumstances.
- Every mentee gets matched with a vetted mentor within 21 days of applying.
- 92¢ of every dollar donated goes directly to a program. The other 8¢ keeps the lights on.
- We're a registered Canadian charity. Every donation receives an official tax receipt.
What we do
Four programs. One simple goal.
Choose the path that fits where you are right now — or sponsor someone else's first step.
Scholarships
The Hayes Scholarship
Up to $8,000 a year toward tuition, childcare or relocation, for women returning to study at a Canadian college or university.
See eligibility
Cohorts
Leadership Circles
Monthly small-group cohorts of 8 women navigating the same career stage — first manager, board seat, founding a company. Two-year programme.
Join the waitlist
Micro-grants
The Bridge Fund
Small, fast grants ($500 – $2,500) for the practical things that derail a career — a laptop, a certification, a month's rent. Decided in seven days.
Request a grant
Eleven years of impact
Numbers we're proud of, and a few we're working on.
Independently audited every year by KPMG and published in our annual report.
4,200Women mentored
$2.6MScholarships funded
1,180Volunteer mentors
92%To programs (not overhead)
Mentee stories
Five women. One thread that runs through them all.
A snapshot of our community. Read their full stories in our 2025 annual report.
Margaret & Aisha
Mentor pairing · 2023
"I retired thinking I had nothing left to give. Aisha proved me very, very wrong."
Dr. Anika Patel
Hayes Scholarship · 2019
"The scholarship paid for childcare. The mentorship paid for everything else — confidence first."
Léa Bouchard
Leadership Circle · 2024
"I used to be the only woman in the room. Now I'm the one who builds the rooms."
Donate
$60 funds a full one-to-one mentorship.
Every donation is tax-deductible in Canada and 92¢ on the dollar reaches a programme. Set up a one-time gift, monthly giving, or an in-memoriam donation in under a minute.
Get involved
Mentor. Apply. Donate. Or just say hi.
Tell us a little about you and we'll route your message to the right person on our team. We reply within one business day.
- Office
- 55 Bloor Street West, Suite 410
Toronto, ON M4W 1A5 - Phone
- (416) 555-0188
- General
- [email protected]
- Donations & tax receipts
- [email protected]
- Mentor / mentee applications
- [email protected]
- Charitable registration
- 82736 1294 RR0001 (Canada)