Mark S Bonham has been an active leader and philanthropist in education, the arts, health and the LGBTQ community.
- Chief Fundraiser for the refurbishment of the historic Palm House glasshouse at Allan Gardens with the Friends of Allan Gardens. Member of the Allan Gardens Expansion Committee which is spearheading the $50 million building of an additional glasshouse.
- Active in the fundraising activities of Massey College at the University of Toronto as Co-Chair of the Annual Campaign (2018 to present) and a member of the College’s 60th Anniversary Fundraising Board (2022 to present).
- Board Member and Chief Fundraiser, We Are The Villagers children’s charity, 2017 to present.
- Appointed a member of the Monument Advisory Committee of the LGBTQ2S+ Purge Fund to advise in the creation of a national monument to the community and Purge Survivors located in the nation’s capital, Ottawa (2019 to present).
- Donated $5 million to the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto in 2001 to create the Bonham Centre for Finance, endow two chairs in finance, and create the Bonham Scholarship.
- Donated $2.6 million to Casey House Hospital (Toronto) in 2000 for its HIV/AIDS home care service and to expand its facilities. Member of the Casey House Investment Committee and Casey Awards Selection Committee.
- Provided the lead donation to the Inside Out Film Festival in 2001(the largest LGBTQ film festival in Canada) to establish its endowment, being the largest single donation to a Canadian film festival to date. Member of the Advisory Board.
- Donated $200,000 to the University of Toronto to establish the Mark S. Bonham Teaching Fellowship in LGBTQ studies in 2001
- Donated $1 million to endow the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto in 2006
- Lead donor and capital campaign member for the expansion of Casey House Hospital, which opened in 2017.
- Co-chaired the capital campaign for the first LGBTQ homeless youth centre, The Friends of Ruby, in Toronto in 2017.
- Former Board member and Chair of the Board of Directors, The Toronto Botanical Garden.
- Member of the Leadership Board, City of Toronto Ravine Strategy Committee since 2017.
- Co-founder and former Board Member and Secretary-Treasurer, The Canadian Business History Association.
- Member of the Administrative Council, University of Toronto (2002-2005).
- Chair of the Chancellor’s Awards Committee, University of Toronto (2000-2005).
LGBTQ Activist
In addition to the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto, Mark founded the LGBTQ biographical website and database QueerBio.com, personally writing over 20,000 biographical snapshots of LGBTQ individuals. The website receives over 20 million unique page views each year. Mark has written numerous books and articles on the history of the LGBTQ community, both contemporary and historical.
