Working Together

Our Partners

From scholars and young readers to patients living with multiple sclerosis, the Ralph M. Barford Foundation invests in people through the organizations that champion them.

Our giving reflects a simple conviction: that with the right support at the right moment, individuals can thrive — and communities thrive with them.

Scholarship

Loran Scholars Foundation

The Loran Award is among Canada's most comprehensive undergraduate scholarships — granted not on grades alone, but on character, service, and leadership potential. Each Loran Scholar receives four years of support at one of Loran’s 25 university partners in Canada, including a full tuition waiver, an annual living stipend, funded summer experiences, and one-on-one mentorship throughout their studies. It is an investment in the whole person, not just the transcript.

Our partnership with Loran began in 2010, and as of 2026 we have had the privilege of supporting 33 scholars — young people we believe will help shape Canada's future.

A large group of scholarship recipients gathered outdoors on a sunlit lawn, standing and seated together in front of tall trees.

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Multiple Sclerosis

Elizabeth S. Barford MS Patient Comfort Care Fund, BARLO MS Centre at St. Michael's Hospital

Living with multiple sclerosis often brings costs no one plans for: a mobility device, a stairlift, a modification to a home or vehicle. Established by the Ralph M. Barford Foundation in 2004, this endowed fund provides direct financial assistance to help patients meet those costs — maintaining independence and making it possible to stay engaged in the activities, and the family moments, they love.

The BARLO MS Centre, which serves more than 10,000 patients, reviews every application and distributes the funds directly, ensuring support reaches those who need it most.

The bright, wood-panelled lobby of the BARLO MS Centre, with a curved reception desk and an 'MS Milestones' timeline wall.

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Scholarship

Ivey Business School, Western University

Though a graduate of Harvard Business School, Ralph Barford became one of Ivey's most devoted champions, ultimately chairing its Advisory Committee. His conviction in the power of business education lives on through the Foundation's ongoing support since 1986.

We support four to six MBA awards and seven doctoral awards each year, alongside an endowed professorship — an investment in the scholars and teachers who will shape Canadian business for generations.

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Multiple Sclerosis

Branch Out Foundation

Founded in Calgary by Crystal Phillips, Branch Out champions research into non-pharmaceutical and technology-based approaches to neurological disorders. Recognizing a critical gap in how this science is funded, Branch Out supports rigorous, high-quality studies across Canada and works to accelerate the path from discovery to real-world impact.

The Foundation has been proud to fund Branch Out since 2018, with a particular focus on multiple sclerosis research. Much of this work has been conducted at the University of Toronto, and in 2025 we expanded our support to a larger project at Memorial University.

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Children's Literacy

The Reading Partnership

Founded in 2011 by Camesha Cox, The Reading Partnership works alongside families in Scarborough's low-income, high-potential communities to ensure every child learns to read. Its free, high-quality literacy programs equip young children — and the parents and caregivers who champion them — with the tools to thrive.

We have been partners since early 2023, and have watched the organization steadily grow its programming to meet rising demand across the communities it serves.

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Education

Connected North

Connected North brings live, interactive virtual learning directly into classrooms in remote communities — meeting students and teachers where they live. Through the program, Indigenous students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 gain access to rich educational experiences, expert content, and unique opportunities to thrive.

We have partnered with Connected North for two years and have been fortunate to be able to see the impact firsthand. The educators, students, and content providers are so enthusiastic about a program that allows them to gain knowledge and have experiences that are otherwise inaccessible.

Young students sit together on a classroom floor, watching a virtual lesson on animal adaptations presented on a large screen.

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What Our Partners Say

Thanks to you and the Comfort Fund, we are able to have a very much needed ceiling lift installed in our home to assist in the care of Maria who has suffered from MS since 1975.

— Recipient of support from the Comfort Fund at St. Michael's Hospital

The Loran award has made a very profound change in my life that has both enhanced my opportunities to grow and has inspired me. While growing up, I was always told that going away to university would not be possible(...) Thank you so much for your support, selflessness and kindness that will give me the chance to grow to my full potential in the next four years.

— Ralph M. Barford Loran Scholar at the University of King's College