Sam and Roma Mercanti Foundation
Private foundation · Hamilton, Ontario · BN 729783274RR0001 · Foundations Relieving Poverty
Source: T3010 return, FPE 2024-12-31. Split of total expenditures ($326,241) as filed with the CRA.
Sam and Roma Mercanti Foundation is a private foundation based in Hamilton, Ontario, classified by the CRA under foundations relieving poverty. In its fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, it reported $637K in revenue and $326K in expenditures.
Its funding that year was roughly 44% from donations.
Compared with 2,470 poverty-relief charities of similar size, its share of spending on mission — charitable programs plus grants to other charities — ranked above 32% of peers. Its reserves, measured in years of spending on hand, sat in the top decile of the group.
As a grantmaker, it reported gifts to 38 qualified donees totalling $249K in 2024, the largest being $53K to ST. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation Hamilton. Revenue has grown substantially over its filings on record here, from $108K in 2021 to $637K in 2024. Its filed list of directors and trustees shows 3 names.
In its own words
The general purpose of the foundation is to receive and maintain funds to be applied for the benefit of other charitable organizations in canada. As well the foundation may assist in the relief of poverty by providing low income families and students with food and basic necessisties due to job losses or unforeseen circumstances to assist them in meeting their basic living needs the foundation may offer money for education and scholarships food and groceries shelter clothing relief and support from family trauma events.
Ongoing-program description from its T3010 filing, verbatim.
The ledger, 2021–2024
| Year | Revenue | Spending | Programs | Fundraising | Gifts out | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $637K | $326K | — | — | $259K | $7M |
| 2023 | $2.8M | $309K | $10K | — | $257K | $6.7M |
| 2022 | $2.7M | $222K | $2,500 | — | $182K | $4.2M |
| 2021 | $108K | $56K | — | — | $56K | $1.7M |
Revenue printed in red where the year ran a deficit. Fiscal years by period end.
Money between charities, 2024
Granted $249K to 38 qualified donees — largest 25 shown:
- ST. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation Hamilton$53K
- Canadian Institute for Advancements in Mental Health$25K
- The DR. Bob Kemp Hospice Foundation Inc.$13K
- YWCA Hamilton$10K
- P.a.t.h. Employment Services$10K
- Liberty for Youth$10K
- Halton Women's Place$10K
- City Kidz Ministry$10K
- Charity of Hope$10K
- Eva Rothwell Centre$7,500
- Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton$6,000
- Helping Hands Street Mission$6,000
- YMCA of Hamilton/burlington/brantford$5,000
- Toronto Metropolitan University$5,000
- McMaster University$5,000
- The Living Rock Ministries$5,000
- Hillfield Strathallan College$5,000
- Bulldogs Foundation Inc.$5,000
- Food4Kids Hamilton$5,000
- Cancer Assistance Program of Hamilton$5,000
- Interval House of Hamilton-Wentworth$3,500
- Dundas Valley School of Art$3,000
- The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation$2,500
- The Hamilton/burlington Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals$2,500
- Greater Hamilton Food Share$2,500
As reported on the donors’ own T3010 qualified-donee schedules.
Directors & trustees (2024)
Sam Mercanti (president); Roma Mercanti (vice president); Samantha Mercanti (secretary treasurer).
As listed on its 2024 return.
Check the source
Every figure on this page is from Sam and Roma Mercanti Foundation’s own T3010 filings, published by the Canada Revenue Agency. Verify against the CRA’s charities listing (search BN 729783274RR0001), or read how we compute the receipt.