Moez and Marissa Kassam are pioneers of a new philanthropic paradigm—one that treats social impact with the same discipline and intentionality as a high-performing investment portfolio. As a recent feature in The Three magazine states, the Kassams view charity as more than a moral obligation or an act of generosity. They approach it as a strategic lever for systemic change.
As co-founders of the Moez & Marissa Kassam Equity Fund, they champion what they call a “return on equity” mindset, emphasizing investing financial equity to generate social equity. The idea is simple but transformative: apply the same analytical rigor used in capital markets to the world’s most pressing social challenges.
“I’m on the board of the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, the charitable arm of the TDSB, and they do after-school programs and the Inner City Student Nutrition Program,” said Kassam in the feature. “We’ve been focused on making sure that every child isn’t hungry, because if you’re hungry, you’re not learning. And if you’re hungry, you’re more likely to get sick. The trickle effect that it has on our society is massive.”
These are the kinds of insights that drive the Kassams’ philanthropic efforts, reflecting their belief in decisive action. Their $15 million commitment to the SickKids Foundation is one of the largest private gifts in recent years and is earmarked for innovation in pediatric care, data-driven research, and enhancements to the patient experience. Similarly, their $5 million gift to Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Medicine represents an investment in training a new generation of physicians equipped to serve diverse, underserved communities. Each initiative reflects a long-term thesis on where targeted capital can yield the greatest social return.
Blenidng entrepreneurial thinking with empathy
What distinguishes the Kassams’ approach, as noted by Three magazine, is their ability to blend entrepreneurial thinking with empathy. Both come from backgrounds rooted in community and enterprise: Moez as co-founder of Anson Funds, one of Canada’s premier hedge funds, and Marissa as a creative strategist and advocate for youth, mental health, and healthcare causes. Together, they have developed a philanthropy model that mirrors their professional lives—focused, data-driven, and outcome-oriented, yet deeply human in purpose.
That mindset has turned the Kassam Equity Fund into a platform for experimentation and measurable impact. The couple backs initiatives that test new models for delivering healthcare, education, and food security. From community kitchens to youth mentorship programs, their investments favour organizations capable of scaling proven solutions.
“We’re looking at alleviating the poverty line,” said Marissa. “It’s not up to the government. They don’t have the capacity to do everything. As the gap between the rich and the poor becomes larger, it’s the upper echelon of affluence that should join the government on such initiatives to make our city more equitable.”
Cultural and economic shift in Canadian philanthropy
The article also situates the Kassams within a larger cultural and economic shift in Canadian philanthropy, one increasingly led by investors and entrepreneurs who view social giving as an extension of value creation. Like venture capitalists seeking pioneering innovation, this new generation of donors applies strategic insight and performance metrics to causes once defined purely by charity. The Kassams’ work embodies that shift – rooted in empathy, informed by data, and motivated by a belief that meaningful change requires capital, courage, and commitment.
The Kassams are central figures within an evolution of how high-net-worth individuals are redefining their legacy. For the Kassams, philanthropy is an integral aspect of success. The objective is not simply to “give back,” but to build forward by deploying capital with surgical precision and intent to create a sustainable impact that compounds over time.
In doing so, Moez and Marissa Kassam provide a powerful example of the rewards that can come from investing in the innate potential of humanity.
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