New at the Foundation: a unique donation experience
With its Sponsor a Stone initiative, the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal Foundation is proposing a simultaneously concrete and virtual way for donors to help preserve a heritage gem.
Published on Nov 26th 2025 | Updated on Nov 27th 2025 2 min read.
Through its Sponsor a Stone donation initiative, the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal Foundation is offering citizens and businesses the opportunity to directly participate in the restoration work being carried out on the building, by associating their name, that of a loved one, or even a message, with a stone on its facade.
These contributions thus become tangible gestures serving to preserve this iconic monument, nearly two centuries old. Every stone has a story, every donation writes the next chapter.
A personalized donation experience
When a stone is associated with a donor, the selected name or personalized message will appear on “their” stone thanks to augmented reality. This donation experience, developed in collaboration with Baldwin Studio and the Dpt agency, is part of a large fundraising campaign to finance the restoration work, which is estimated at over $75 million.
This work, which began in 2020, involves both the exterior masonry and the preservation of the interior decorations, in order to ensure the longevity of this exceptional site for future generations.
A collective mission
“Beyond restoring stones, we are protecting a living heritage”, said Michel Issa, Chief Executive Officer of La Fabrique de la paroisse Notre-Dame. “The Sponsor a Stone initiative invites everyone to become a guardian of our history. Together, we are making sure that the Basilica continues to inspire and amaze for centuries to come.”
By contributing to the restoration, each donor plays a role within a collective mission: preserving Notre-Dame Basilica, a cultural site and spiritual symbol located in the heart of Montreal, a witness to the city's history since the 19th century.
To learn more about the Basilica, the restoration work, and the Sponsor a Stone initiative, please visit fondationbasiliquenotredame.ca/en.
