Foundation Magazine November/December 2021

FOUNDATION The Business & Spirit of Philanthropy in Canada November/December 2021 | Vol. 2 | No. 11

Charities Try Both Traditional, New Ideas to Power Fundraising INSIDE:

• Have Charities Hit Pause on Volunteers?

• Thoughts on the Overhead Beast • Justice-Oriented Grantmaking PM 4 0 0 5 0 8 0 3

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The World Around Us COURTESY EVERGREENING GLOBAL ALLIANCE

Restoring The Land on the African Continent

The Global EverGreening Alliance and Climate Asset Management, announce partnership to deliver a landmark $USD 150 million nature based carbon programme in Africa.

The Restore Africa programme aims to restore more than two million hectares of land and directly support two million smallholder farms in the next five years across six African countries - Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The programme is an innovative community-led model that connects the local efforts of farmers on the ground with new revenue streams from global carbon markets.

Building on the existing investments of smallholder farms and NGOs to restore degraded ecosystems, the Global EverGreening Alliance will support farmers to adopt regenerative and other sustainable land management practices that sequester GHG emissions at scale.

Climate Asset Management - a partnership between HSBC Asset Management and Pollination - intends to provide the financing required to implement these activities, against the forward volume of carbon credits expected to be produced. Under the model, investors in Climate Asset Management’s Nature Based Carbon Strategy would receive the carbon credits generated, as their return.

By coordinating and connecting the actions of a multitude of stakeholders and more than two million smallholder farms, massive scale is created for significant investments – making the connection between individual farmers and global carbon markets possible.

“Restore Africa represents a major paradigm shift, both in the way we support the world’s most vulnerable communities and in how we address climate change. It demonstrates how corporate investment can dramatically increase both the scale and scope of benefits from proven farmer-led approaches to land restoration,” said Chris Armitage, Global EverGreening Alliance CEO. “This programme will directly support more than 10 million people, improving their livelihoods and food security with more productive farms that are more resilient to the impacts of climate change. It will also provide farming communities with additional long-term revenue from the sale of almost half of all carbon credits generated from the programme, so they can invest in their own futures,”Mr Armitage said.

“This programme creates a blue-print for scaling community-led, nature-based solutions. Equity is at the heart of the programme’s design — through our approach we’re seeking to align the interests of individual farmers, the private sector and governments across the region,” said Martin Berg, who heads Climate Asset Management’s Nature Based Carbon Strategy.

“Demand for high quality, high impact, nature-based carbon credits is growing. Many corporates are doing what they can to rapidly reduce their emissions, and are seeking ways to offset unavoidable emissions in the most impactful way possible. We’re creating a solution,” Mr Berg said.

Details of the partnership were announced at COP26, in the Nature Newsroom by the Kenyan Minister for the Environment and Forestry, Mr Keriako Tobiko, accompanied by the Principal Secretary, Dr Chris Kiptoo, and representatives from Climate Asset Management and the Global EverGreening Alliance.

The Global EverGreening Alliance is an iNGO that brings together leading research, technical, environmental and development organizations to build on our shared vision of restoring degraded lands. Functioning as a collaborative platform, the Alliance harnesses our members and partners’ collective strengths, capacities and networks to coordinate, develop and implement massive-scale land restoration programmes. foundationmag.ca

November/December 2021

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CONTENTS

November/December 2021 | Vol. 2 | No. 11 www.foundationmag.ca

Twitter: @foundationmaga1 PRESIDENT / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Steve Lloyd - steve.lloyd@lloydmedia.ca ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Laura Tyson - laura.tyson@lloydmedia.ca DESIGN / PRODUCTION Jennifer O’Neill - jennifer@dmn.ca PHOTOGRAPHER Gary Tannyan CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cynthia Armour Mark Halpern Laura Bonnett, Sara Jankowski Malcolm Burrows Maryann Kerr Mary Calahane Sima Parekh Sarah Chamberlin John Phin

Kathleen A. Provost Gideon Samid Laura Arlabosse-Stewart Ryan Teng

ON THE COVER

LLOYDMEDIA INC. HEAD OFFICE / SUBSCRIPTIONS / PRODUCTION:

The goals remain the same — build donor bases and raise funds — but strategy, tactics, methods, technology and channels all evolve. These recent campaigns from real charities demonstrate every aspect of the challenges and responses from philanthropy’s brightest minds. All images were provide by the charities themselves as part of their recent publicity releases.

302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Phone: 905.201.6600 Fax: 905.201.6601 Toll-free: 800.668.1838 EDITORIAL CONTACT: Foundation Magazine is published bimonthly by Lloydmedia Inc. Foundation Magazine may be obtained through paid subscription. Rates: Canada 1 year (6 issues $48)

2 years (12 issues $70) U.S. 1 year (6 issues $60)

2 years (12 issues $100) Foundation Magazine is an independently-produced publication not affiliated in any way with any association or organized group nor with any publication produced either in Canada or the United States.

Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. However unused manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage. Occasionally Foundation Magazine provides its subscriber mailing list to other companies whose product or service may be of value to readers. If you do not want to receive information this way simply send your subscriber mailing label with this notice to: Lloydmedia Inc. 302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Canada.

POSTMASTER: Please send all address changes and return all undeliverable copies to: Lloydmedia Inc. 302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Canada Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40050803 4

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November/December 2021

3 THE LEAD IN 7 SEEN, HEARD & NOTED COLUMNIST

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Are Cause Funds the Great Charitable Equalizer?

Wealth Management - Malcolm Burrows

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A Centennial Reflection

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Our Evolving Environments

Leadership - Kathleen Provost

Marketing & Fundraising - Sarah Chamberlin

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Family Values: A Letter You Can Share The Accidental Philanthropist - Mark Halpern foundationmag.ca

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30

COURTESY MEDALIST GROUP

CONTENTS

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41

GRANT MANAGEMENT

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26

TECHNOLOGY

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30 Justice-Oriented Grantmaking

Would a New Disbursement Quota Help?

MANAGEMENT

Embracing New Ways to Gather for the Greater Good

34 Successful Succession

Noble Free Giving: Breaking Out with a New Dimension

FUNDRAISING

37 Fundraising Storytelling

Are emotions manipulative? What about images?

Is it bad if people cry?

VOLUNTEERISM

20 Has Volunteerism Declined? Or Have

39 Movember: Redefining the Man

23 I Learned the Importance of Volunteering

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Canadian Charities Simply Hit Pause? at a Young Age

OPERATIONS

26 Thoughts on the Overhead Beast PERSONAL INSIGHTS

28 Ageism in the Social Impact Sector My story

foundationmag.ca

and the Moustache

Shining Lights in Calgary Generosity of Spirit and Professional Award 2021 Recipients

HISTORIC PLAQUES

48 Roy Bonisteel Next Issue…

Coming in the January/February Issue...

A Look at the Year Ahead. What can we expect in 2022?

November/December 2021

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SEEN, HEARD & NOTED

Canadian minor hockey teams are competing to donate $100,000 to charity.

The Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup drops the puck on its sixth season looking to make hockey more inclusive than ever. This season will be supported by a brand-new advertising campaign titled Shift Change which promotes inclusivity in hockey.

Canadian minor hockey teams are challenged to take the positive values learned on the ice to get more kids from all backgrounds, genders and abilities into the game. Promoting inclusivity can be done in a number of different ways, from raising funds for marginalized youth, specialized equipment, or mental health support or advocating for LGBTQ or BIPOC players. This season, each team is challenged to conduct a Good Deed that focuses on inclusivity and champions opportunity for a chance to win a grand prize of $100,000 for the charity of their choice. From February 26, 2022 – March 19, 2022 it will be up to Canada to vote on their favourite Good Deed. During this time, Chevrolet Canada will donate $1 for every vote submitted (up to $50,000) to the Hockey Canada Foundation’s Assist Fund, a fund that provides subsidies to assist with hockey registration fees and equipment.

“The Chevrolet Good foundationmag.ca

Deeds Cup creates a tangible difference in making our game as diverse and welcoming as Canada is, and Hockey Canada is proud to stand beside our partners at Chevrolet,” said, Tom Renney, chief executive officer of Hockey Canada.

“The Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup is an incredible program that builds communities and future leaders and makes a difference from coast to coast to coast.”

•••••••••••••••••••

MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver opens its doors to the public on a limited “preview” basis in The Shipyards. MONOVA is welcoming visitors to explore its gallery spaces, which include interactive displays, as well as moving tributes to the past, such as the section dedicated to Residential School survivors and their families. It’s taken more than 50 years, a multitude of meaningful discussions with community members and Indigenous leaders, countless volunteer hours, and painstaking research to amass

a collection of more than 9,000 artefacts, but after 20 years of planning finally the Museum of North Vancouver is ready to welcome the public. The new Museum of North Vancouver joins the Archives of North Vancouver in Lynn Valley under the MONOVA banner.

“We’re delighted to be opening the doors to the new Museum of North Vancouver. The past year has been challenging for many of us and with this project we’re excited to be a part of North Vancouver’s pandemic recovery,” stated Commission Chair Dee Dhaliwal.

Thanks to community support, they successfully achieved a $1.5 million Comprehensive Campaign goal. This $7.6 million Museum was delivered thanks to $6.1 million total investment from the City of North Vancouver, Province of British Columbia and Government of Canada, and more than $1.5 million from individuals, businesses and foundations via the Friends of the NVMA Society’s Comprehensive Campaign.

They rely on annual donations to help MONOVA continue to inspire future generations by providing for sustainable, relevant, and inclusive programs and exhibits that respond to the needs of the community and visitors to North Vancouver.

••••••••••••••••••• Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF) together with Children’s Healthcare Canada (CHC) will benefit from a $26 million investment from Thistledown Foundation to support Canada's 13 acute care

children’s hospitals across the country. This historic gift recognizes the immense impact of the pandemic on Canadian children, youth, and their families. A donation of $2 million to each acute care children’s hospital coast-tocoast is intended to meet urgent local needs and to ensure children and their families have access to the best available care, regardless of where they call home.

“Through this gift, our hope is that children across Canada will have the best possible care to enable them to feel better soon and get back to the important job of being kids,” said Fiona McKean, co-founder and Chair of Thistledown Foundation.

For millions of children and youth who have experienced extended school closures, delays in access to essential social, community and healthcare services, and physical separation from friends and family, the pandemic has had both direct and indirect impacts on their health and well-being. Canada’s children’s hospitals have responded swiftly, adapting and innovating to support timely delivery of urgent and emergency physical and mental healthcare services for Canada’s eight million kids. This gift coincides with National Child Day which is celebrated on November 20. It commemorates a commitment Canada made to uphold the rights of all children.

Thistledown Foundation is a private charitable foundation established by Fiona McKean and Tobias Lütke, CEO of Shopify.

November/December 2021

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WEALTH MANAGEMENT MALCOLM BURROWS

Malcolm Burrows 8

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November/December 2021

GARY TANNYAN

Are Cause Funds the Great Charitable Equalizer?

How do today’s headlines make you feel?

Angry? Sad? Worried?

We see opportunity.

We see a path to justice.

We see the ways to make the world better.

We know you do too. foundationmag.ca

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BY MALCOLM BURROWS

hese are the opening lines of a video that is part of the November launch of CanadaHelps,org new “Cause Funds” platform Unite for Change. https://uniteforchange.com/en/ There is urgency and emotion in the words and images. Judging from the faces, the audience for this new way of giving is young. The vision behind this new platform is just as bold: to address a crisis in Canadian charitable giving.

The data is clear. Canada is facing a giving gap: the number of Canadians donors has been steadily declining. Giving is falling to a smaller number of aging donors, and while the value of donations is increasing — due to major and planned gifts — the donor base is eroding. In 1990, 33 percent of tax filers claimed donations on their tax return. By 2017, that number had dropped to 19 percent.

These are concerning long-term trends.

Especially so because crowd funding, the biggest “hiding in plain sight” competitor to charitable giving, is growing fast.

Cause Funds As the name implies, Cause Funds are charitable funds that are structured to support a number of charities that share a cause or issue. While I’m reluctant to use a financial metaphor, they are a bit like a charitable mutual fund or ETF (exchangetraded fund). One allows investors to buy many stocks with one purchase; the other to support many charities with one donation. The act of packaging helps lower barriers. With Cause Funds it is easy to find charities that align with your interest and to give. The hope is to have impact that is both broader — reaching smaller charities — and more focussed.

In a way, Cause Funds are like the coordinated campaigns from a previous century best exemplified by the United foundationmag.ca

Way. The original rational fundraising innovation. CanadaHelps isn’t the first charity to introduce Cause Funds, but they have been leader in Canada.

CanadaHelps is now taking the big step of creating a new brand, Unite for Change, to connect with younger donors.

Since 2020, CanadaHelps has developed 34 Cause Funds that have raised over $5 million in donations from 35,000 donors.

The Unite for Change suite includes local funds for a particular community, social justice funds such as the Anti-Racism Fund, Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Fund and LGTBQ+ Pride Fund. Now we have funds for Animal Welfare, COVID-19 International Relief, and Literacy.

Environics Canada research has validated the power of Cause Funds to engage younger donors. Over half of donations to CanadaHelps’s Black Solidarity Fund and Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Fund were made by younger donors. And, brands and companies, such as, P&G Canada and Gore Mutual have provided major donations. All of this is done within a transparent structure.

Donors can see exactly what charities are included, and the rationale behind the fund. This is key in terms of trust.

Evolution or Revolution?

In some ways, Cause Funds look like a simple evolution in charitable giving, but I want to suggest they are actually a form of tech and marketing enabled revolution.

If they take off, they have the potential to be both a charitable sector saviour and a disruptor.

Here are a few points to ponder: ❯ Well-marketed Cause Funds will attract donors to small charities that struggle to get support and visibility. Unite for Change focuses on small charities and limits participation of the big ones that can stand on their own. Two-

❯

❯

❯

thirds of Canada’s registered charities are volunteer-run and have revenue of under $100,000. Could this be a way to mitigate the sector’s structural inequities and the “may the best fundraiser win” culture?

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Advocacy and awareness are very well and fine, but Cause Funds can provide dollars to BIPOC-led that get lost in the charity marketplace. Cause Funds create a brand that embraces and enables these organizations, while delivering unrestricted funds. The Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Fund, for example, has raised $930,000 for 40 charities in two months and attracted a corporate matching sponsor. This curated fund of indigenous-lead charities makes it easy to act on one’s conscience.

Unite for Change could be Canada’s best solution to reverse the trend of declining charitable giving and young donor engagement. The average age of taxpayers that claim donations is age 54 and has been climbing for years. It’s time to reenergize the sector with new donors, passion and funds.

Cause Funds will ultimately be driven by public demand and interest. They are nimble and can be established quickly in response to headlines and social issues. Far, far faster than any new charity.

It’s hard to anticipate the future success of Cause Funds. CanadaHelps Unite for Change is a smart piece of generational marketing, so strong it could shift the future of charitable giving in Canada.

Here’s hoping.

MALCOLM BURROWS is Head, Philanthropic Advisory Services for Scotia Wealth Management. He is also a volunteer director of CanadaHelps. He writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

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LEADERSHIP KATHLEEN PROVOST

A Centennial Reflection

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BY KATHLEEN PROVOST

Kathleen A. Provost

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November/December 2021

s a professional fundraiser, I have chosen today, November 11th, to reflect on empathy and action. But most importantly, I am reflecting on how we develop empathy and how this empathy shapes our societies; shapes our very social fabric; hence how our empathy contributes to shaping our philanthropy — by our actions.

A few years ago, while reviewing keys studies on “How the Stress of Disaster Brings People Together”, Emma Seppala (2012) highlighted the evidence that when under stress, men chose to cooperate and trust each other. Since human beings are fundamentally social animals, we are protective, by nature of our social relationships. Given our profound need for these social connections, an element such as stress becomes a motivator for cooperative behavior.

Benjamin Converse and colleagues at the University of Virginia, further demonstrated that stress naturally leads to a sense of vulnerability and loss of control which can lead to greater generosity and helpfulness.

However, it was Brene Brown, an expert in the field of Social Connections and professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, who best illustrated why vulnerability is a core ingredient of social bonding.

“Think back to a time when you felt out of control, for example during a romantic break-up, when you had an empty bank account, or lost a job. Chances are your feeling of vulnerability and feelings of lack of control may have made you seek the comfort of others in some way.” foundationmag.ca

COLUMNIST And why is this important? Because acute stress may help remind us our shared vulnerability which inspires kindness, connection, and the desire to stand together and support each other.

Which is the foundation empathy.

A human touch As unpleasant as it may be, stress is an opportunity to experience one of the most beautiful aspects of life: social connections. This social need is at the core of what shaped our social fabric throughout history. Specifically, when considering how world events and their stressors have impacted our own empathy.

Lynn Kier (Forbes) wrote in November 2020 about four key takeaways to help us mange stress.

1. Staying calm when emotions are running high helps us think pragmatically.

2. In order to communicate and manage effectively through a crisis, we have to accept those uncomfortable feelings and view adversity through a new lens.

3. Sharing positive stories and creating uplifting moments are important building blocks for cultivating resilient spirits.

4. By sharing our experiences, we can help each other persevere through adversity and emerge stronger on the other side. We can all learn something from each other.

Then I must ask: If we can use this stress, this “pressure”, to act or to address an issue that needs changing… And if social connectivity is a primary driver for the voluntary sector, can we not use it as a way to increase equitability, sustainability and opportunities for all?

The emotional setting for social connectivity Dr. Saul Levine (2017) talked about our emotional footprint by which it seems we strengthen empathy through tragedy. World-wide natural and human-engineered disasters, whether serendipitous or intended, are marked by shock, bewilderment, and pain. As foundationmag.ca

the “noise” surrounding these event increases, sounds of animosity diminish, and people become nicer to each other.

Levine claims that no matter what your ethnic group, race, age, or socioeconomic level, our natural human impulses of empathy and communality are aroused and intensified by stress and we feel a sense of implicit kinship.

At such times of disasters, extraordinary acts of kindness, caring, and courage done by a variety of individuals and groups can be seen. We are then in fact addressing our responsibilities to an implicit “social contract,” by which a civilized society depends. This gives rise to the volunteers from nearby neighbourhoods, towns or even countries, to work selflessly to offer support, rescue, carry, and to alleviate the burdens by those who may be affected. We develop an amplified sense of “civic duties” to help and contribute, to provide support and solace. At times, this offer is temporary and reactionary.

However, throughout history we have seen incidents that offer hope for more permanent civility, whether it is for our survival or with a goal to engender respect and empathy, and to diminish conflict and hostility.

The physical setting for social connectivity Wars, epidemics, conquests and pandemics have come and gone in our history. However, our global awareness was heightened at the turn of the 20th century with events such as WWI, Bubonic plague and the Spanish flu, to name a few.

The early 1900s, an era some call progressive, were influenced by a number of events such as: the rapid growth of cities, increased factory output, and flourishing businesses, alongside the invention of the automobile, the airplane, the radio, and alike. All these drastic changes shaped our societies as we knew them. The mass migration of people into the cities enriched some people, but also caused severe problems for others.

For the emerging middle class, there were benefits from growing incomes; however, thousands of poor people also lived in the cities — “city slums”. Lured

by the promise of prosperity, many rural families and immigrants from throughout the world arrived in the cities.

For many of the urban poor, living in the city resulted in a decreased quality of life.

With few city services to rely upon, this social stress provided an incubator for unprecedented social stresses giving the opportunities for movements and new organizations to rise in response to these unparalleled social challenges.

A social response Formed primarily in the 1920s, “social clubs” for example played an essential role in the history of America. Initially, the idea of creating a civilian “service club” started as a vision of an organization comprised of all the essential features of a club, including the classification principle that restricts membership. As social needs grew, the “social clubs” were “mimic” by other social groups and movements of men or women, promoting a fellowship among its members and a devotion to the principle of volunteering and community service.

A wide range of political, social, moral and economic reform movements were born out of these “clubs” including the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and social gospel movements, which also promoted the moral and physical wellbeing of fellow citizens. Slowly, these “social groups” tackled issues related to women’s education, urban public health, and sanitation.

Peter Elson, PhD, from the School of Public Administration, University of Victoria reminds us that even if the early 1900s have been described by some as the “golden age” of philanthropy, it was also a period of tight moral control and extensive worker exploitation. Alongside the industrial revolution, this era saw a rapid growth of clubs such as the Lions Club — a club created to improve people’s lives around the world; or the Rotary Club who by the mid 20th century counted a membership nearly 1.2 million in more than 158 countries.

Here in Canada, this same period gave

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MARKETING & FUNDRAISING SARAH CHAMBERLIN

Our Evolving Environments

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BY SARAH CHAMBERLIN

Sarah Chamberlin

“Lack of people gave animals the courage to re-emerge in parts of the world.”

“The environment in our everyday lives changed too.”

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’ve gone for many rides over the summer, and the feeling it’s given me couldn’t be described as anything other than relief. Seeing people safely enjoy themselves on patios and in parks feels like a collective weight is slowly being lifted as we continue to live through what we hope is the tail end of the pandemic. We can optimistically look at post-COVID life and, with so many things having changed since March 2020, it will be comforting to somewhat return to “the way things used to be.” But, while that sense of normality is welcomed, some things have hopefully changed forever, and for the better.

As the world slowed to a halt in spring 2020, there were many news reports of the environment around us healing. The lack of boats cleared up the canals in Venice, Italy more than they’ve been in years. The lack of flights dropped air pollution lower than it’s been in decades. And the lack of people gave animals the courage to re-emerge in parts of the world where they haven’t been seen in quite some time.

Affords us flexibility On a more micro level, the environment in our everyday lives changed too. How, when and where we work has never looked more unfamiliar. For safety reasons, remote work — accompanied with its pros and cons — became the norm in fields where it was possible. On one hand, it affords many of us with the flexibility that commuting to, and working in, an office. On the other hand, work can feel more invasive now, and the social aspect has suffered for some foundationmag.ca

COLUMNIST people more than others. Throughout these changes, employers and employees everywhere continue to wonder: What does the working environment look like after the pandemic?

CAMH faced a unique challenge here. Like many other organizations, we shifted to a more flexible work schedule that allowed employees to maintain their distance from coworkers by working from home. In the same breath, it was critical to create an environment that didn’t impede access to mental health services as the public’s need reached its peak.

By opening the McCain Complex Care & Recovery Building, and the Crisis and Critical Care Building in November 2020, CAMH welcomed patients, families, and our community to two new state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to patient-centred care. Both buildings provide dignified indoor and outdoor spaces for patients to heal and recover, while also encouraging collaboration for staff. Although plans for the buildings were years in the making, the timing could not have been better as an open environment for mental health treatment and resources has never been in higher demand.

Like non-frontline employees in other sectors, physical distancing and lockdown measures drastically changed the concept of “work” for CAMH staff. Tracksuits became business suits, and bedrooms became boardrooms, while our children and pets reluctantly became coworkers.

The changes to where we work meant we had to change how we worked. And CAMH was primed to lead this charge.

containing five research-informed recommendations to provide a pathway to psychologically safer workplaces. The timing — while coincidental — allowed us to best support people in need as the pandemic began just a couple of

are a few things I hope we’ve learned about our environments and making them as safe and healthy as possible.

If you would like to learn more about CAMH’s movement for mental health, how you can create psychologically

“CAMH faced a unique challenge...to create an environment that didn’t impede access to mental health services.”

Building a pathway In January 2020, CAMH published its Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders foundationmag.ca

months later. To help people navigate the uncertainty, we also published a COVID-19 supplement to the playbook.

Both are available for free download, and I’m confident that they will continue to be useful to anybody who reads them and incorporates the recommendations.

Aside from being a little chillier, my fall bike rides provide the same level of relief as they did in the summer. It feels as though that collective weight is almost off, and the worst is behind us. While the past year and counting has been unlike anything we could have imagined, there

safe working environments, or joining our growing community, please visit https://www.camh.ca/en/get-involved.

SARAH CHAMBERLIN is Vice President of Marketing and Donor Experience at CAMH Foundation. The Foundation supports the philanthropic efforts of CAMH, Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and a world leader in mental health research, treatment, and advocacy. Please visit CAMH. ca to read more about the important work CAMH is doing with the help of our communities. You’re also welcome to contact Sarah directly about supporting CAMH Foundation.

She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

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THE ACCIDENTAL PHILANTHROPIST MARK HALPERN

Family Values: A Letter You Can Share

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BY MARK HALPERN, CFP, TEP, MFA-P

t’s been another crazy COVID year, with so many of us anxious to resume family gatherings, large and small, and take vacations to exotic locales.

As we await a return to ‘normal’, this is a time when parents and grandparents can at least get together on zoom and chit chat about the family, share the stories that form the fabric of family history and values, and hopefully discuss the family legacy through charitable giving, strategic philanthropy, and ways to “give back.” Holiday season is an especially auspicious time to have that conversation.

I was asked to pen a letter that non-profits and professional advisors could share with their donors and clients as a “reminder” of what can be done to maximize impact and minimize taxes. I hope you enjoy my “letter” below and that it helps to spark more current and planned legacy giving activity. Please edit, cut and paste to your taste.

I hope you find this letter to be useful and practical.

MARK HALPERN is a well-known CFP, TEP, MFA-P is a Certified Financial Planner, Trust & Estate Practitioner, Master Financial Advisor – Philanthropy. He was honoured to speak in the Disruptors Category at Moses Znaimer’s most recent ideacity conference. His talk generated high interest and comments.

Watch “The New Philanthropy” at bit.ly/MarkHalpernTalk. Learn more at www.wealthinsurance.com. He writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

Mark Halpern, CFP, TEP, MFA-P 14

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Dear Friend, Hope you and your family are well!

Any time your entire family gets together, particularly during the holiday season, is an excellent opportunity to inspire future generations. And while thoughts of charitable giving come to mind, you should remember that proper estate planning and investing in good causes does good for others while preserving family wealth.

A discussion of finances can also provide peace of mind to parents and grandparents, knowing their financial affairs are well organized and they won’t run out of money. That important information should be communicated to the chain of family members who will replace them as patriarchs and matriarchs for the next generation.

Most successful people we meet have “never spend money” – funds they do not need to pay their bills or support their lifestyle, money that just gets taxed, reinvested and re-taxed for the benefit of the next generation. We call that the “Tax Grind”.

As the ‘custodians’ of that wealth, they can choose to share it with the tax department or preserve it for the family by supporting the causes they are passionate about. That’s when they can become “Accidental Philanthropists™”.

If your family is in that fortunate position, now is the time to start thinking about the kind of legacy you want to create with those funds.

Many people donate to charitable causes to affirm their own values, like compassion for those in need, or a personal connection to a specific charity or cause.

Whatever the reason(s) for giving, there are many ways to be generous, including a gift in your will, also known as a bequest, where you name a charity as a beneficiary. You can designate a charity as the beneficiary of all or part of your RRSP or RRIF, or donate appreciated marketable securities, or buy and donate a tax-exempt Life Insurance policy.

No two situations are the same and there are no cookie-cutter solutions. All the moving parts will work in harmony if coordinated by your professional advisors as part of your estate plan, allowing you to be both philanthropic and tax advantaged.

Most Canadians who donate to charity use cash, credit cards or a cheque. In truth, those are the least cost effective or tax-efficient ways to be philanthropic (Contact us for a copy of our report “More Than 20 Ways To Be Generous” and share it with your donors and clients).

One great strategy uses appreciated marketable securities such as stocks, mutual funds, ETFS, etc. Sadly only 5,000 Canadian taxpayers have used this strategy endorsed by the tax department to make it easier to give. If you invested in the stock markets over the past 10 to 20 years, you undoubtedly have some securities that have gone up in value and they can be the bedrock of your philanthropic goals.

Let’s say you bought common shares in ABC Company. When you bought them 10 years ago, they cost you $5,000 but now they’re the hottest thing in town and worth $15,000 – a capital gain of $10,000. If you sold those shares, you would pay taxes on your $10,000 capital gain of approximately 27 percent or $2,700. That means your shares are really worth only $12,300 and not $15,000.

By donating these shares directly to your preferred charity, you will get a charitable tax receipt for $15,000 and pay no capital gains tax! The receipt alone will save you around $7,500 of tax and more importantly you will be helping the charities you care about.

You can also set up what’s called a donor-advised fund (DAF) that allows charitable people to enjoy full tax benefits for their contributions to charity without having to disburse any money right away. By donating the shares, the capital gains tax is eliminated, and you would receive a charitable tax receipt for the entire market value that goes into the DAF. In turn, that donation helps to lower your general taxes and you now have a fund to disburse throughout the year to any registered charities in Canada. ­--TAX TIP: Eliminate the taxes you know will due next April. Deposit twice that amount in your DAF before Dec 31st and retain all those funds to be distributed at your discretion.

--Donating personally gives you about a 50 percent tax savings. You can get an even bigger bang for your buck by donating funds through your corporation and enjoy a 100 per cent deduction. A corporation donating appreciated Continued...

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COLUMNIST

marketable securities doesn’t have to pay capital gains tax and the profits that would have been taxable, can now be withdrawn from the company on a tax-free basis through the Capital Dividend Account (CDA).

Then there’s Life Insurance. Normally thought of as a financial safety net when a spouse passes away, there are many other ways to use Life Insurance now, especially for philanthropic reasons.

Take this example of how a person can benefit from Life Insurance while they are still alive.

People who buy term insurance may become uninsurable after the policy has been issued. Many term insurance policies can be converted to permanent insurance with no medical evidence required. In most cases, the new permanent insurance is more expensive and paying the higher premiums can be a challenge.

Charitable people can get an actuary to value their policy and then donate that policy to a registered charity or foundation. They will receive a charitable receipt that will offset current taxes. (Beware of the 3 year and 10 year redeeming provisions - so speak to a professional before doing this yourself).

Depending on the age of the insured, a charity might consider funding that policy itself, knowing that a much larger benefit will be received when the person passes away. Many charities are delighted to recognize a donor’s gift of Life Insurance while they are alive.

Many people mistakenly assume they must be a Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey to make a financial difference to a worthy cause or that they must leave all their money to charity in order to make an impact. Major donors have indeed supported many worthy causes and you too can make a charitable gift that matters.

Donating to causes you care about benefits the charities and can be deeply rewarding for you too. Supporting the causes, you believe in has a positive affect on donors’ lives and their families.

To many people, having the power to improve the lives of others is a privilege and one that comes with its own sense of obligation.

Sharing the experience with your children or grandchildren teaches them that they too can make positive changes.

It’s this kind of inspiration that will stay with them for years to come and one they will hopefully share with their own children.

Family, friends and colleagues will also be encouraged to be generous and thoughtful and eventually filter these qualities down to their children as well.

A variety of philanthropic strategies can be used to convert taxes into charitable dollars, creating transformational gifts.

We live in a great country, and we all know the importance of paying taxes – but there is no need to pay any more than what’s legally required.

In fact, the federal government has introduced 25 different pieces of tax legislation since 1995 to make giving easier for people.

Proper planning now will ensure that you meet the legal requirements and maximize the value of your estate.

Your personal strategy can facilitate wealth transfer to your family and leave your mark by supporting your favourite charity now – or bequeathing a substantial amount as a future gift.

The last 2 years have been extremely difficult for most Canadians, especially those who watched family or friends fall ill (or worse) with COVID-19. We’ve seen our children and grandchildren stuck at home when they would rather be at school or at work. Friends and family members were forced to shutter businesses during government-imposed lockdowns.

Many of us feel frustrated in our inability to do much about this. But no matter the illness, project or situation, being able to donate to help others is a blessing and a privilege not available to everyone.

May the New Year bring health, wealth, and happiness to all of us.

All the best, INSERT YOUR NAME HERE [end]

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TECHNOLOGY

Embracing New Ways to Gather for the Greater Good

W

BY SIMA PAREKH

ith the pandemic slowly receding, we are only just beginning to learn how its impact has permanently changed elements of everyday life. The past eighteen months undoubtedly exposed the tenuousness of many societal structures, from healthcare to business to our political system in the United States.

As the executive director of a nonprofit, I’ve also seen firsthand the devastating effects COVID-19 had on organizations like ours, and philanthropic efforts in general.

Nonprofits by nature serve populations most in need, who in turn were disproportionately affected by COVID-19, whether it be in health, economic or labor terms. Recovering from our own internal setbacks while focusing on the acute needs of those we serve, my peers and I are now taking stock of lessons 18

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learned and re-examining how to move forward collectively.

Looking ahead and reimagining philanthropy in a predominantly digital post-COVID world, we need to ask questions that help us productively evaluate the last eighteen months. How did the pandemic impact the ability of nonprofits to mobilize when needed? How did it change the ways we market, interact with donors and facilitate charitable giving?

What do all these facets look like in 2021 and beyond?

Goodbye, live events There is no underestimating the significance of the live event lockdown in 2020. Understandably, gatherings of every size were quickly identified as dangerous, possible super-spreader scenarios. For nonprofits, this meant the elimination of fundraising events, galas, donor drives, group on-site projects foundationmag.ca

TECHNOLOGY and more, not to mention the volunteer and board meetings that bring all of those endeavours to fruition. It isn’t overstating to say that such a sudden change shook the very foundation of our working model.

But when your organization helps those in need, there is no time to lament. Like many industries and people in general, we in the nonprofit world upped our digital game quickly. The first imperative was to bring our folks together virtually, then to use those meetings to envision how we could fulfill our mission in this new reality. Charitable organizations need to be nimble by nature, as the ups and downs of fundraising often dictate what we can achieve. This agility came in handy as we shifted live events to virtual ones. The process was not without hiccups along the way, and the notion that any event can move online with the click of a zoom link was quickly proven to be the pipe dream we suspected it was.

Once we dove in, however, we found the resources we needed to steady the effort. For our team, the inspirational in-person element was sorely missing, but we chose to focus instead on making sure our technical infrastructure, platforms, talent and resources were solidly in place to make the digital shift.

inclusion are core tenets of nonprofit work; it takes a village to make a difference, and there are no limitations to the opportunities we will work toward when there is a need. By creating virtual space for those who want to volunteer time, make a donation, seek information on a topic, attend an event or get involved to any extent, nonprofits immediately had the ability to reach — and be reached — beyond any geographical limitations. This translated into the potential for a wider donor base, increased event attendance, new speakers and educators, more channels to share information and most of all, the ability to help more people in more places.

“More people were willing to offer commentary or ask questions.”

Creative screen time The double-edged sword, of course, is that as so many elements of our day-to-day lives moved online, we in the nonprofit world confronted a new set of challenges very quickly. Digital fatigue is real, which meant we needed to find new ways to engage with our donors, virtual event attendees, and those we supported.

While a virtual wine tasting might have seemed fun and innovative in April, many of these stand-in activities ran their course as spring became summer and summer became fall.

In the case of our team, it became an opportunity to substitute entertainment with education. Where we would normally have been on-site at one of our signature events with breakout activities and live coverage, we opted for educational opportunities offered as value propositions to participating organizations. Opening ourselves up to this new mode of engagement allowed us to attract a broader group of speakers, both geographically and professionally. We also found that more people were willing to offer commentary or questions during digital roundtables, without the pressure of speaking up in a large room. Participation from home turned quickly into comfortable chatter. As a result, we learned that while digital engagement is often framed negatively, it’s really about what you’re offering when you have your audience online.

Embracing virtual engagement also illuminated another silver lining for those of us in the nonprofit and philanthropic space — the potential for greater inclusivity. Diversity and foundationmag.ca

A hybrid future Live events are beginning to make a comeback, and while those of us in the charitable giving space are looking forward to reconnecting with our peers and supporters, the truth is there’s still hesitancy from many volunteers, donors and staff about gathering in large crowds. Unlike what was thrust upon us in 2020, however, we’re prepared to navigate the new reality, having added valuable digital know-how to our toolbox along the way.

A recent report found that 23 percent of nonprofits surveyed are planning to hold hybrid events in 2021. By mixing both live and virtual programming components, hybrid events may soon be seen as the best of both worlds. Organizations can return to the all-important in-person activities that populate their fundraising calendars while creating virtual elements geared toward a newly minted database of remote attendees, sponsors and donors who may not have been on the radar before 2020.

For both nonprofits and philanthropic organizations, this new connectivity has the potential to increase volunteerism and donations, a win for all.

The challenges brought on by the pandemic may have shaken the foundation for nonprofit organizations, but it did not break us. As a segment of the population accustomed to driving growth with grit and passion for a common purpose, we see 2020 as a time that tested our resilience, requiring us to adapt quickly, embrace new concepts and keep moving forward. In the process, we learned and grew in ways that will only help us forge new paths as we continue to support the communities we serve.

SIMA PAREKH supports organizations through transformation, execution, and growth. She is the director of operations, strategy and programs at IHG Hotels and Resorts and also serves as the executive director at 48in48 — a nonprofit organization that hosts hackathon-style events that create free websites for small nonprofits. Over the past six years, she has held various roles at 48in48 prior to taking over as the executive director. In the past year, she pivoted the organization from hosting onsite events to 100 percent virtual events. Her skills in strategy and execution have allowed her to help 48in48 continue to not only survive but also excel during the pandemic.

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VOLUNTEERISM

Has Volunteerism Declined?

Or Have Canadian Charities Simply Hit Pause?

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BY LAURA ARLABOSSE-STEWART

istorically, Canada has been held up as an example of a nation with strong philanthropic roots. We are a country that considers volunteering as a social pillar of our society, and a fundamental component of how we determine the health of our democracy.

Canadians take their international status and reputation seriously. In 2017, according to Volunteer Canada, about 8 in 10 Canadians volunteered their time. Data from Statistics Canada in a 2018 study entitled: Volunteering counts, has estimated that volunteers contributed approximately two billion hours to Canada’s workforce in 2018. To provide context, that is almost equivalent to the hours contributed annually by the entire education sector in this country.

As of spring 2020, the numbers look radically different. If you are seeing a decrease in the numbers of volunteers in your organization, you are not alone. Across the board, volunteers within Canadian charities have waned and there is data to back it up. This past spring, CharityVillage and The Portage Group released a report: Human Resources Impact of COVID-19 on Canadian Charities and Nonprofits which among many topics, discusses the impact of COVID-19 on volunteerism.

The survey suggests that the pandemic has had a significantly negative impact on volunteerism across the charitable and non-profit sectors in Canada. A majority (64 percent) of organizations surveyed indicated that they have experienced a decrease in the number of volunteers since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Further, among those that have experienced a decrease in volunteers, the impact has been significant, with most experiencing a decrease of more than 30 percent of their volunteer base. A full quarter (26 percent) of participating organizations lost more than 75 percent of their volunteers over the last year.

This can be a hit to any organization, but what happens when volunteers are a significant stakeholder group for your organization, integral to the operating model? From corporate build days, to Habitat ReStore volunteers, to potential Habitat families who are required to bank 500 volunteer hours as part of Habitat’s homeownership model, volunteering is core to our organization’s mission. Many local Habitat for Humanity charities across the country have faced the challenge of a diminishing volunteer pool during the past 18+ months. foundationmag.ca

While the decline in volunteering has no doubt had a negative impact on many organizations, we have also learned that the global pandemic may have provided a rare opportunity to rethink the more traditional role of volunteering and use it as an essential tactic to build back better for Canadian charities.

Rethinking the value of volunteers Providing quantifiable data around the value of volunteers is challenging. Therefore, when organizations in the non-profit sector and charities must downsize, it is often the volunteering department that goes first. Yet, there is strong and compelling qualitative data around the role of volunteers such as the benefits of social capital (civic engagement) and human capital (skills, expertise, knowledge provided). Not to mention, the essential role of ambassador that volunteers inherently play.

Volunteer Canada has beautifully captured the many ways volunteers add value with the Value of Volunteering Wheel including: building confidence, competence, connections, and community. The volunteering wheel also serves as a portal to research, that examines the social and economic value to organizations, neighbourhoods, businesses, society-at-large and to volunteers themselves.

Although it is beneficial for organizations relying on volunteers to continue to find ways to quantify the value volunteers bring, as this will only increase buy-in and funding, the less tangible qualitative reasons are heavily impactful and should be equally highly regarded.

Forced innovation: COVID-19 has provided an opportunity to rethink the way non-profits and charities develop their volunteer strategies (recruiting, leveraging, managing, and retaining) that may have a lasting impact, long after the pandemic ends. Understanding that volunteer efforts across the board screeched to a halt in March of 2020, many organizations shut down that part of their operations indefinitely, scrambling instead to keep the rest of the organization intact.

For some, this was only a temporary pause and as organizations took stock of the evolving situation (strict lockdowns and public health measures) they were able to re-evaluate and re-prioritize their needs. The pandemic gave them the opportunity to reassess their volunteer needs and determine how best to utilize November/December 2021

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VOLUNTEERISM their existing volunteer base.

This took many different forms, but at Habitat Waterloo they saw this as an opportunity rethink a mass recruitment strategy, which in part focused on their, “core volunteers”. These are some of their most dedicated volunteers, the ones who due to public health requirements could not volunteer, but who were still eager to help in any way they could. In the short-term, Habitat Waterloo will be asking more of these volunteers — more dedicated hours and greater responsibility — to ensure an even more loyal and committed brand ambassador. This will be part of their strategy to increase their base, rather than increase their overall number of volunteers.

It provides a chance to look beyond traditional volunteering profiles.

Another example comes in strengthening already existing partnerships, particularly ones that were also impacted by restricted movement throughout 2020. Habitat Fredericton was able to benefit from an existing partnership with the Canadian Military, who could not be deployed but who suddenly had time, energy, and unique skills to temporarily invest elsewhere, such as assisting professionals with framing, exterior insulation, window, and door install, siding install and plumbing and electrical rough-in. While this particular solution or shift might not be permanent, it provides a chance to look beyond traditional volunteering profiles and opens the possibility for reimagined volunteer opportunities.

Lastly, for local Habitats, this time has also been an opportunity to learn how to efficiently work with volunteers virtually. Habitat Windsor-Essex wanted to ensure student volunteers were able to get in their volunteer hours in a short 22

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amount of time and developed tangible projects where they needed support such as developing social media content and asking students to roll up their sleeves on DIY projects like upcycling items from the local Habitat ReStore in an effort to help promote shopping and donating to this local social enterprise.

An unintended benefit of virtual volunteering has been an even more inclusive way to work, and many see the virtual component as one with staying power.

The answer to languishing In April of this year, organizational psychologist Adam Grant published an article on languishing (lacking joy or purpose), which quickly spread through executive management circles and LinkedIn. In essence, he captured the collective feeling of, “meh” that many people were feeling at that point in the pandemic. He went on to explain that languishing is, “a search for bliss in a bleak day, connection in a lonely week, or purpose in a perpetual pandemic.”

Could volunteering be the answer to languishing? By nature, we are social beings, we need interaction to maintain a healthy lifestyle and for many people who were forced to work from home, this was completely removed from their daily routine.

Habitat Victoria saw a notable uptick in volunteer interest from people working from home and began responding to this feeling of isolation and lack of purpose in their recruitment communications. It is well documented that those who volunteer have a greater sense of belonging and inclusion, as well as overall wellbeing. What an unbelievable opportunity to link the benefits of volunteering to mental health.

As Canadian charities and non-profits look to revive their volunteer strategies, they should reevaluate their value proposition and place a greater emphasis on the benefits of volunteering to mental health. This could be a powerful tool in recruiting the kinds of committed volunteers that will serve as ideal contributors to and ambassadors for your organization.

In closing, the seemingly sharp decline in volunteerism largely tied to COVID-19 may not be permanent. What it has done though, is given us all a mandated pause, a time for quiet reflection and an opportunity to rethink and reshape operations and missions, including the invaluable role that volunteers have and will continue to play in Canadian charities and the greater society.

For more information on volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, visit https://habitat.ca/en/volunteer.

LAURA ARLABOSSE-STEWART is Acting Director, Communications for Habitat for Humanity, and will soon be taking her own pause to reflect on what great adventure she will pursue next. foundationmag.ca

VOLUNTEERISM

It provides a chance to look beyond traditional volunteering profiles.

I Learned the Importance of Volunteering at a Young Age

I

BY RYAN TENG

magine Halloween 1950, in Philadelphia.

Small orange boxes were distributed to school children to be carried with them while they walked through their neighbourhoods trick-or-treating. As they received candy for themselves, they held out these boxes and asked adults to donate coins, spare change, to help feed the hungry children around the world. Over time, the program’s concept spread across the United States and to Canada, Mexico, Ireland and Hong Kong and raised more than US$188 million. That now world-renowned program is Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. Kids helping kids is not a novel concept. But volunteering entails more than simply devoting one’s time to altruistic deeds.

Volunteers have the dual benefits of providing great help to the community while also immersing themselves in a pool of opportunities, such as gaining new skills and meeting new people. As many students are finally back in school after a long period of remote learning, now is an important time to encourage students to get out into their communities and volunteer.

Throughout my childhood, I have listened to adults repeatedly describe children as self-centered and only focused on themselves. Well, I disagree, and I speak from personal experience. I founded the non-profit Colorbreak in 2019 when I was in 8th grade with the mission of kids helping kids. I was inspired by my little brother Jason, who was 11 years old when he was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome. He was treated at SickKids hospital and they took such good care of him that I wanted to help other kids who were suffering, the way SickKids foundationmag.ca

helped my brother. Colorbreak is an organization entirely run by youth- from its leadership to its volunteers- and I am amazed every day by the students I work with who feel passionately about making a difference.

There are so many reasons why students should volunteer.

Volunteering creates a brighter future because it provides vital assistance to worthy causes, people in need, and the larger community. There are also many benefits to the volunteers themselves. For example, volunteering helps kids build empathy, as they give their time and care to help someone who is in need of help. Volunteering is a great way to interact with others in the community. While volunteering, you may meet up to twenty or more people in less than an hour. Talking with a stranger who shares your interests and is working for the same cause may turn into an enduring friendship. Bringing existing friends and family along on a project can be a fun way to bond with them.

“One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a shared activity together”, a note from Saisan, Smith, and Hemp, 2015.

Volunteering fosters the development of young people all over the world by encouraging them to connect, communicate, and devise plans to help their communities. Getting involved early and often can show firsthand just how much volunteering matters. The possibilities are infinite- you can volunteer at your local library, an animal shelter, a community center, and more.

RYAN TENG, age 17, is Founder/CEO of Colorbreak. If you know a student in the Toronto area looking for a volunteer opportunity, please visit Colorbreak’s website at www.colorbreak.org November/December 2021

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OPERATIONS

Thoughts on the Overhead Beast

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BY JOHN PHIN

sk a random stranger what their number one problem with charities is. Chances are good they will say they are bugged about something to do with overhead, fundraising, and administrative costs. Oh, and they are certain charities waste donor dollars.

That is the disconnection that needs repair. Charitable organizations have invested decades improving the effectiveness with which they deliver impactful programs and services. They have had to. Missions are always to move the needle on a human problem or community concern.

Today, the interventions of skilled professionals are how they will do it. This is a massive shift from charitable models of the past and a welcomed response considering how complex our modern world is. It’s certainly a relief for those who depend on philanthropically motivated support. As people committed to humanitarian causes, we know there is a cost to achieving the impacts and outcomes of valuable programs and services.

Let’s not keep this a secret any longer.

Like business, charitable organizations are at their best when they operate as whole entities. They are complete when service delivery, management, fundraising, and other functions come together to achieve a vision. Each of the parts gives an organization its power and each must be delivered at high, professional levels. At its most basic, this means investing in the engine that drives philanthropic activity. Because Canadians demand solutions.

A new way of thinking Full disclosure, I am influenced by writers and thinkers who challenge conventional notions of philanthropy. Is the work of charitable organizations too costly to deliver, and do expensive organizations waste donor dollars? No, yes, and maybe, but these opinions must be forcefully met with the knowledge of what it takes to change a life. We know what that is and it’s time to say so.

One who influences me is American entrepreneur and activist, Dan Pallotta. Read his 2008 book Uncharitable and watch his 2013 TED Talk. Pallotta argues (and persuasively) that charitable organizations are unfairly handcuffed by a new “non-profit ethic”. I am not convinced the handcuffs are particularly new but appreciate Pallotta’s view of a double standard at work between charities and commerce.

He argues that when it comes to inputs that might be effective, philanthropic organizations are unfairly restrained 26

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and that these restraints prevent them from being truly effective forces for social good. Three key factors are: 1. Compensation & Pay: Charities are often broadly criticized for staff compensation practices. Pay scales have to be kept to a minimum to combat beliefs of personal gain. This means talented, enthusiastic people with the potential to move an organization closer to achieving its mission avoid working in charitable organizations for employment in the private sector.

2. Marketing & Advertising: Marketing and advertising are indispensable in business, but a waste of donor money in charitable organizations. The result is that our messages and voices, many of which are in dire need of the public’s attention, go unheard.

3. Punishing Failure & Constraining Innovation: Many business startups with great, innovative goals go years without making a profit. Many more just fail in the attempt and our society has no issue with this. We sense that innovation and great achievement requires big, longterm thinking. Yet we demand that charities spend donor funds at once and we’re deeply skeptical when money is set aside for bold projects that might flop.

Pushing back What I want the average random stranger to ask is, how much more effective would charities be without these constraints?

What kind of big hairy audacious goals could we achieve with a full set of tools? Outdated thinking will not be fixed overnight, but if philanthropy and its outcomes are a priority, we need organizations to take brave steps.

Here are 5 things to consider: 1. Invest in talented people: An organization staffed with talented, creative people is a force to be reckoned with.

Hiring is an ongoing process and HR must constantly have eyes open for new, and diverse talent. Bring them on board before it is an emergency. Invest in good people and give them challenging projects. Pay them what they are foundationmag.ca

OPERATIONS worth. Work hard to ensure they feel valued, respected, and appreciated.

2. Market the organization and advertise its impacts: The importance of your Mission may be obvious to you, but the average citizen often does not have a clue.

Explore ways to get your message out. If nothing else, invest in community engagement.

3. Nurture a culture of innovation and “no stupid ideas”: In his book Alchemy, Ogilvy UK Vice Chair, Rory Sutherland, discusses the ways marketing is hamstrung by “conventional thinking”. He argues for a greater sense of openness, playfulness and experimentation.

Often, it’s the weirdest ideas that produce the greatest results.

Cultivate this attitude in your organization. Encourage wild ideas.

Some may just work.

4. Think about the long-term: Don’t be confined by what your organization can accomplish this year. Think about what it must do in ten, fifteen, twenty years. You might not be around, but your organization’s vision will. Paint mental pictures for your donors of what’s possible. It’s what your Case for Support is designed to do.

5. Be honest, be bullish: Level with your donors and other supporters.

Talk about what your overhead and other costs are and why your organization exists. Tell them what you are planning to do with the money and how each dollar affects the cause. People are not stupid.

They’re capable of understanding the complexities of modern philanthropy if you to take the time to break it down.

tremendous resources, innovation, and visionary leadership. We need to get away from the idea that organizations should stay, as Pallotta says, small and humble. I expect business to invest in itself. It’s the price of doing business.

Among other things it means growth, impact, creativity, and innovation. With all the really important things we have to do, shouldn’t charitable organizations be

able to invest in the same things? Time to change the narrative.

JOHN PHIN is Regional Manager of Western Canada for BNP Goldie. Phin has more than 35 years of experience as a professional fundraiser with diverse experience through many roles and organizations. He is an accomplished consultant, teacher, and expert in the art and science of fundraising.

You want to raise more money.

. p l e h n a c T S From creating integrated direct mail and email campaigns to branding monthly and legacy giving programs, we have the fundraising and marketing smarts to make good things happen for great causes. Like yours.

It all begins with a conversation.

Donna Richardson, CFRE Director, Fundraising Solutions 416.690.8801 x249 DonnaR@stephenthomas.ca

So, what My issue with the assumption charities waste or misspend money isn’t only that it ignores a double standard. It’s more that this attitude gets in the way of solving the overwhelming problems impacting the most vulnerable in Canada. That’s a waste. Solutions require foundationmag.ca

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Ageism in the Social Impact Sector My story

Maryann Kerr is Chief Happiness Officer, and CEO with the Medalist Group

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COURTESY MEDALIST GROUP

PERSONAL INSIGHTS

BY MARYANN KERR

ne of the hardest parts of writing a book was knowing when it was done. As something of an information junkie, this was particularly difficult for me. After I’d sent the final, final, final, final manuscript to the editor, another report would be published.

Another coin termed. And, as a new author, who struggled to find her voice, new personal learning and unlearning found me rethinking big portions of the book.

As a result, I’m already bugging the publisher about book number two and maybe three. One is on how to live the findings in the Truth & Reconciliation report. I have so very much still to learn and unlearn here. I’ve read the Truth and Reconciliation report, focused my fiction and nonfiction selections over the last year on Indigenous authors, participated in the KAIROS blanket exercise and yet feel I’m a neophyte in this area.

The other is on tackling ageism in the social impact sector.

Lisa Taylor, CEO at the Challenge Factory and her team do incredible work on this. Her book, co-authored with Fern Lebo, The Talent Revolution, Longevity and the Future of Work, speaks to the five myths that impede organizational thinking as it relates to the hiring of ‘older’ workers. According to Taylor and Lebo, organizations believe more experienced workers: 1. Will demand exorbitant salaries.

2. Have an expiry date on performance capacity — in other words — that we become less capable with age.

3. Are a waste of professional development investment as they have a shorter “shelf-life” than less experienced/younger workers so there isn’t as great a return on investment.

4. Are less productive than younger workers. And, 5. It is harder to manage older workers.

I strongly encourage you to read this book and understand the data and research that exposes each of these myths. Not one of these ageist biases is true and Taylor and Lebo have brilliantly debunked each one. I’m going to give you my personal debunk.

It is called lived experience.

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I will demand an exorbitant salary As I share in my book, at my peak compensation, working for someone other than myself, my total package was $230,000 annually. To be honest, even I thought it was a little over the top — but who am I to suggest an organization pay me less than they offered? As it happens, in this instance, they thought they’d provided a pair of golden handcuffs. That the compensation meant they had me by the…oh wait I don’t think I can use that phrase in polite company. They thought the compensation meant they could treat me like crap and I’d “take it” in order to keep that precious cash coming in. They didn’t understand, because they didn’t take the time to know me. For me, money was never a big motivator.

At the time, I had young kids and the prospect of university educations ahead. We were a one income family and so, compensation was more important to me then than it is now. But still, not the most important part of any job for me ever. We are now a two-income family and university educations are almost behind us. Our expectation as a family around our children’s ability to take care of themselves is certainly different from our parents.

At nineteen I was out on my own and while my parents helped when I ran into difficulties, I was 90 percent self supporting. (My parents might debate that number but they’ve both moved on to heavenly pastures, so you’ll just have to trust me.)

Taylor and Lebo share this key point, “When calculating employee costs, move beyond simple wage comparisons to include calculations for the costs of on-boarding, training, time-to-productivity, replacement, and so forth. Consider the inestimable value of wisdom, experience, and loyalty.”

I’m less capable and productive today than when I was 40 This one really annoys me. I turned 60 this year. ❯ I wrote a book. ❯ I run a successful business where I am CEO, chief consultant, marketer, accounts receivable and payable, IT support, and overall creative genius. (Sorry that one was just for me.) foundationmag.ca

PERSONAL INSIGHTS

❯

❯

❯

❯

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❯

I’m part of a volunteer team sponsoring a young man from Afghanistan through Northern Lights Canada.

I’m a member of a collective of seasoned governance experts who wrote a new governance curriculum that will launch in 2022: Good Governance for Good Causes.

I’m on the founding steering committee for a new nonprofit, the Employee Defense Fund.

I mentor and coach several women in the social impact sector and of course there are one or two non-work/volunteer activities that make up the ‘other’ part of my life.

Mom. Partner. Friend. Housecleaner. Laundry matron. Meal planner. Grocery getter. (Thankfully rarely chef.) Dog walker/ trainer. Payer of bills.

I’m a voracious reader, podcast listener and occasional purveyor of LinkedIn posts.

At 40, I worked longer hours and got less done. Experience, a network of associates and deeper knowledge mean I now do more in less time. Don’t get me wrong, I still have lots to learn.

With maturity comes the understanding that the more I learn, the more there still is to know. And that no matter how much knowledge we garner, it will only be a minute piece of all there is to know in the world. As Taylor and Lebo write, “Because of their wisdom, experience, judgment, and soft-skill mastery, the productivity of mature workers often exceeds that of younger employees.”

This leads nicely to the next problem older workers face.

Employers believe an investment in an older worker’s learning and development is money poorly spent. Guess what? I don’t agree.

I’m a waste of learning and development dollars When I undertook a master’s in leadership in my early fifties, there was a wide range of ages in the cohort from late twenties to mid-sixties. During one particularly challenging assignment, I asked the professor, is the learning different depending upon what age and stage of life you are in? He smiled. “Of course,” he said, “and that forms the basis of what we think of today as knowledge translation.” What I learned from the same presentation attended by my 35-year-old colleague isn’t better or worse — just different.

In mid-career, I was always very conscious that if I or a member of my team attended any kind of organizationally funded professional development, that knowledge transfer be part of the investment. We would share at staff meetings or do lunch-and-learns. Today, I think there is far greater value in having inter-generational learning occur and shared jointly. It makes for a much richer and more engaging experience.

I’m hard to manage Well, that may or may not be true, but one thing is for sure — if a I am or if I am not hard to manage — it has nothing to do with my age. I’ve never been a big fan of putting people in boxes. foundationmag.ca

Do you remember David Foot’s Boom, Bust and Echo? It talked about the application of demographics, age, gender identity, relationship status, and income to predict purchasing and program trends. Demographics help to plan how many schools we will need and when. Demographics help to predict the housing market, inform labour trends and the ebbs and flows in manufacturing. However, when we move to psychographics, the use of data to understand what groups of human beings think and believe and the “why” behind their purchasing habits — it gets a bit trickier.

Further, when we use psychographic data to define demographic groups, perhaps we’ve gone too far. A simple Google search of ‘millennial traits in the workforce’ brings up 1.6 million hits. According to the editorial team at Indeed.com: Baby Boomers, born 1946-1964 have a strong work ethic, and are disciplined and focused. Generation X born 1965-1980 are entrepreneurial, independent and value work-life balance. Generation Y/Millennials born 1981-1994 also value work-life balance, are confident, and tech-savvy. Generation Z born after 1994 are independent, entrepreneurial, and competitive.

Now I want you to think about anyone you know in any of these demographic categories. I was born in 1961, a boomer.

If I can choose only three words/phrases from the descriptors above, I choose strong work ethic, value work life-balance, and confident. The person I chose to consider from the Gen Z category is disciplined, focused and highly competitive. You get my point. When we put people in boxes and suggest a person is hard to manage, because they are a more mature worker, it just doesn’t make sense.

We need to manage our teams based on what they need, and in service to them and our missions rather than pre-suppose they will be difficult to manage based on their age. It is ageism pure and simple. And, like many workplace phenomena, ageism is more prevalent for women then it is for men. Taylor and Lebo point to a study by Cook and Rougette 2017 that revealed “institutionalized ageism may be felt more intensely by older women, who face double discrimination: age and gender.”

In the end, like most of the ‘ism’s’ we face in the workplace, this one can best be eradicated through an overhaul of organizational culture. We need to co-create inclusive workplaces where everyone is valued, respected and feels a sense of belonging.

And for those looking down the road and wondering, it’s true, the best really is yet to come. #sixtyisfabulous MARYANN KERR is Chief Happiness Officer, and CEO with the Medalist Group. As a governance, leadership, and culture specialist, she knows successful organizations create and nurture a climate where everyone understands their role; politics are minimal; engagement is high and turnover low. Compassion, kindness, and a deep commitment to collaborative and productive workplaces are core to her work. Her first book Tarnished: Let’s rethink, re-imagine and co-create a new social impact sector was published by Civil Sector Press in 2021.

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GRANT MANAGEMENT

Justice-Oriented Grantmaking

Would a New Disbursement Quota Help?

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BY LAURA BONNETT

ignificant conversations have been happening at the federal level and in non-profit circles concerning the disbursement quota (DQ) that governs the charitable spending requirements of foundations in Canada.

The disbursement quota defines the minimum amount that Foundations, as charities, must spend every year on their own charitable programs or on gifts to qualified donees. According to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the quota is determined based upon the value, averaged over a 24-month period, of a charity’s property (real estate or investments) not used for charitable activities or administration.

While originally set at 5 percent when it was introduced in 1976 to govern private foundations, it was decreased to 4.5 percent in the 1980s (and expanded to cover public foundations), and then decreased again to 3.5 percent in 2004.

The expectation when it was first implemented was that the immediate tax benefits provided to the foundation should result in immediate charitable benefits to society.

So, what is the context now? Foundation assets have ballooned in the last decade, which has in part led to a call for an enhanced DQ. In Policy Options John Hallward reports that over $80 billion of financial assets have accumulated within Canadian foundations, more than doubling within the past six years. Other estimates by Claire Brownell of The Logic indicate that total investable assets held by Canadian foundations increased 70 percent from 2015 to 2019.

The majority of Canadian foundations are, however meeting their social and legal obligations to disburse 3.5 percent of their assets. A survey conducted by the Philanthropic Foundations of Canada of its members and other large foundations found 30

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that prior to the pandemic 75 percent of foundations were meeting their DQ requirements--and yet 23 percent still were not. Comparatively speaking, however, Canada does not rate high in its overall charitable spending rate. In 2020 the Harvard Kennedy School released a study of 14 countries, the Global Philanthropy Report, which placed Canada the fourth lowest in the world for its foundation charitable spend rate (at 6 percent) behind all European, Latin American and other North American countries in the study.

The devastating impact of the pandemic on charities and non-profits in Canada as well as other broader debates in the charitable sector led the Department of Finance Canada to launch a public consultation on August 6, 2021 to review the annual disbursement quota and to identify the regulatory tools to enforce it. A diversity of opinion has emerged in response.

Some of the sector’s most powerful organizations, such as the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector, did not outright support an increase in the DQ, arguing that raising the DQ alone will not achieve the goal of supporting organizations in the non-profit sector. Others — such as the Community Foundations of Canada — have recommended a meaningful increase in the DQ without mentioning a specific percentage, while still others — Imagine Canada — first argued that there wasn’t enough evidence to recommend an increase, and then updated that position to include support for a scaled DQ for foundations, based on their asset size. The Philanthropic Foundations of Canada supported a DQ increase to a minimum of 5 percent, alongside a ‘reasonable’ transition period. All of the submissions also recommended a wider variety of tools and approaches were needed beyond the DQ, in order to support the charitable sector. foundationmag.ca

GRANT MANAGEMENT So, would increasing the DQ succeed in creating a more just charitable sector? An analysis by Charity Intelligence found that increasing the DQ to 10 percent would generate an extra $4 billion in charitable funding annually. However, other studies have found that it is not just a matter of raising the DQ, but also ensuring transparency and compliance for foundations that are not even currently meeting their legal obligations.

Investigative reports by Claire Brownell of The Logic found that many private foundations are not meeting their annual 3.5 percent DQ requirements.

She found that in 2019, 1 in 5 (or 14) of the country’s largest foundations failed to meet their minimum rate of charitable spending, resulting in a shortfall of $414 million in funds that ‘would have flowed to frontline charities and into communities’.

All but one of those foundations is private. The largest of these, the Mastercard Foundation, was responsible for 61 percent of the $414 million DQ shortfall in 2019. Nevertheless, on the surface it appears that these foundations were in compliance with CRA regulations. Foundations are able to apply for an exemption in their annual quota if they have exceeded it in the previous 5 years. However, when The Logic did the math for the previous 5 years, four of these private foundations still failed to meet their minimum payout requirements.

The priorities of many private foundations do not necessarily address pressing issues today — the environment, food insecurity, homelessness, racial inequality, etc. A recent study

by The Charity Report entitled Who Gives and Who Gets: The Beneficiaries of Private Foundation Philanthropy sheds some light on this issue. The study looked at the top 20 private foundations in Canada which represented 75 percent of the total private foundation giving in Canada. The most recent 5 years of data revealed that they gave a total of $1.63 billion in grants, as follows: ❯ 34.7 percent were given to benefit institutions outside of Canada, mostly post-secondary institutions such as Oxford and Stanford University ❯ 19.7 percent of their grants went to education charities, 90 percent of which were well-known Canadian universities ❯ 19.3 percent went to health charities; 32 percent of that was to hospital foundations ❯ 7.2 percent of grants went to charities benefiting communities.

Among the top 10 grant recipients in this category were the Fraser Institute and the MaRS Discovery District ❯ 6.8 percent went to charities relieving poverty ❯ 0.2 percent went to support Indigenous organizations ❯ 0.1 percent went to support racialized communities

foundations are spending their money right now — very little of those funds would serve equity-seeking organizations.

These findings echo those by Indigenous organizations and organizations representing racialized communities such as the Foundation for Black Communities and the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund.

So, how can grant-making integrate a justice-oriented approach? While the many organizations that made submissions to the DQ inquiry did not necessarily agree on the exact number for a new DQ, their majority of their submissions all pointed to the fact that a more equitable philanthropic sector in Canada is needed, and that they are prepared to put the work in to achieve that future.

Justice-oriented grant-making requires a shift in the balance of power between granters and grantees. As has been noted by others, many charitable organizations are reticent to speak out about the disbursement quota in case it impacts their future funding opportunities. Applying community-centric fundraising principles to grant-making can shift this imbalance and also allow us to see that our grant-making must be grounded in race and equity in order to achieve social justice.

We must also resurrect the original social contract that underscored the establishment the disbursement quota.

Canadians were willing to allow enhanced tax benefits to philanthropists — public and private — provided they redistributed a percentage of their wealth to serve the broader public good. It is clear that, while the majority of foundations in Canada are doing so, there are many that are not. If philanthropists are to receive the substantial tax benefits that foundations provide, they must live up to their end of the bargain to distribute that wealth accordingly. And it goes without saying that an increase in the disbursement quota would better achieve that goal.

The ‘trickle-down’ grantmaking that comes as a result of the DQ is not in and of itself sufficient, however. The extraordinary capital gains made by foundations in the last decade should be repositioned to better support the charitable sector, and the proper policy and legislative tools implemented to help them do so.

Many organizations have recently recommended ways to transform the relationships between non-profit organizations, the Government of Canada and foundations to better achieve social justice. And as Co-founder of the Foundation for Black Communities Liban Abokor notes, “We must adopt the appropriate sense of urgency, reject incrementalism and demand transformation at scale.”

Now it’s time to put our words into action.

The most significant conclusion of the report is that even if the disbursement quota was raised — and based on where private

LAURA BONNETT, Ph.D. is CEO of YellowTree Grant Services, Inc., in Ottawa Ontario. www.yellowtreegrants.com

“Trickle-down grantmaking that comes as a result of DQ is not...sufficient.”

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TECHNOLOGY

Noble Free Giving:

Breaking Out with a New Dimension

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BY GIDEON SAMID

efore I set out to describe this “new dimension” I wish to prepare you, my reader, to a dose of ‘strangeness’ that always wraps up new concepts. Please think it through carefully. The two big attractions of this “Noble Free Giving” initiative are spreading the act of giving to ordinary folks, not engaged in elaborate giving as of yet, and exercising 'giving' without any cost, or loss. That is, free.

The second point raises eyebrows, I know. So let me focus on it first, using an analogy. The Niagara Falls generates electrical power without burning any fuel. We simply tapped into an existing power source that was there for the taking. Similarly, banks project a lot of credibility. We trust them with our money. Why not then tap this credibility for well engineered giving. We all carry around ready cash, and liquid accounts to pay for daily living. These funds are not invested anywhere, something to tap.

Enter now an old/new concept: a “financial claim check”.

That’s a digital entity that may be used to claim its denominated value in cash. You give a $100 to the bank, and the bank gives you a $100 claim check in return. You can activate it at any moment and get your money back. So what of it, you ask.

Here comes the clincher: the bank takes the $100 you gave them and deposits them in a no-risk interest bearing account.

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broadly recognized social cause. This very fact generates a moral pressure on the holder of said claim check to keep holding it a while longer, rather than rush and cash it out.

And since this Noble Free Giving initiative is well advertised, when the holder of the $100 claim check faces a restaurant check for the same amount, they will be well disposed to offer their claim check to satisfy their bill. Now the moral pressure shifts to the restaurant.

Since the claim check is redeemable at any time, its recipient is not subject to any negative financial impact. On the other hand, accepting the claim check projects a noble charitable spirit. Once the Noble Free Giving initiative flourishes, restaurants will proudly post: “We accept Noble Free Giving claim checks!”

It will require effective public movers to drum up the use of the Noble Free Giving claim checks in lieu of cash. But when ignited and flared up, the trading public will pass the claim checks with as much ease and as much benefit as they experience when they make their daily payments with cash.

It is free. The public holds and pays with the Noble Free Giving claim checks as if it were cash. That is un-invested cash, pocket cash, which now accumulates to a growing fund that clocks interest for a good cause. And in the process it brings in ordinary folks, too busy, too stressed to worry about charity and giving. By accepting and paying Noble Free Giving claim checks the public is drawn in — society does the giving. foundationmag.ca

TECHNOLOGY It does sound like a Ponzi scheme, doesn't it? The same money that stays in the interest-bearing fund is also used to buy coffee and gas. But it sure is very sound. Noble Free Giving taps the credit stock claimed by big banks and respected financial institutions. When people trust that the claim check in their hands can be readily claimed for its denominated value, they will be happy to accept it as money and hold it as money, with the net effect of feeling charitable and giving.

It is easy to belittle this Noble Free Giving plan on account of the vanishing interest rates today, but that would be shortsighted. Rates oscillate, and are quite substantial over the long run, which is what this plan should be judged by.

Mitigating options also exist.

Implementation options galore: BitMint developed technology to provide money-grade security to the digital claim checks. These necessary claim checks are as much a fraud-target as money per se.

We know how to split the denominated value and pay any part thereof. Another new technology offers a physical Noble Free Giving coin engineered to be passed around like old-fashioned jingles. The beautifully designed coin will identify the social cause it supports, and will thank its holder for participating in this great program. Some of these coins will be denominated in impressive high value; people will display them with pride.

Noble Free Giving can be channeled through credit cards accepted everywhere regular cards are used. The consumer over time will treat the claim check as cash, with a background thought of active giving.

Holders of the Noble Free Giving coin will not sacrifice or lose anything, and at the same time will obey their moral compass, and be proud to visibly support a noble cause. Properly promoted Noble Free Giving will sweep the land.

All in all Noble Free Giving is pregnant with sweeping scenarios spreading the joy of giving to the public at large. .

PROF. GIDEON SAMID, PhD, PE is a versatile engineer, born in Jerusalem, lived in the desert, worked in coal mines, and in the Space Program; a prolific inventor (28 granted patents), and a designer of a digital currency, BitMint, implemented foundationmag.ca

by The Bank of Shanghai. In his PhD dissertation Gideon developed the “Innovation Solution Protocol” a robust tool to accelerate innovation. The methodology is now being implemented in an artificial intelligence setting to boost the productivity of human innovation. Prof. Samid is a broadly recognized teacher; he authored several critically

acclaimed books on artificial intelligence, cost engineering, cyber security, and digital money. In recent years Gideon is busy promoting and advocating for exploiting the powerful technology of digital money to serve society in ways that were not available before.

THIS WAY TO GREAT FUNDRAISING

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MANAGEMENT

Successful Succession

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BY CYNTHIA ARMOUR, CFRE

ometime in the mid-1990s I was facilitating a planning exercise with a small charity’s board. The Executive Director informed me she was retiring in December after more than 25 years running the organization. She’d given one year's notice and it was now six months in; to her knowledge, the board hadn’t begun any efforts to fill her position.

I recall being surprised that during the brainstorming exercise no mention of her imminent departure was identified. As people ran out of suggestions to place in the “swot” quadrants, I casually mentioned, “Does anyone feel the ED’s fast-approaching retirement might be a threat to the organization?” She quickly piped in and added “or an opportunity!” That was the day my interest in succession planning took root.

Leadership makes or breaks results Putting the necessary policies and procedures in place to ensure your nonprofit has an orderly leadership transition will help prevent chaos during vulnerable times. Over the passing decades I’ve observed a general avoidance of these important tasks, despite the inevitable aging of the largest generational cohort. The leadership of any organization will make or break its results. How is it possible that we put the organization and more importantly, those it serves at risk by sabotaging our ability to successfully “pass the torch”?

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I’m not only referring to the “chief executive” role (ED or CEO interchangeably) and the huge impact on our sector of retiring baby boomers...further fuelled by pandemic burnout and The Great Resignation (in charities and beyond). Leadership includes the board of directors and filling those shoes is increasingly difficult. However, board succession will have to be a topic for another discussion.

Today I’m concerned about the stability and continuity of so many organizations whose leadership teams have failed to build upon the tenuous strand their success depends upon.

Affordable leadership training and support It turned out that the board of the above-mentioned charity didn't know where to start in their search for a new ED and that reality totally paralyzed them. Additionally, they were located in a remote part of Ontario (Canada) destined to make their search even more challenging (which just reinforces why they should have been thinking about replacement long before her retirement was looming.)

I was travelling the province in those days as a fundraising trainer and quickly realized that fundraising problems usually stem from inexperienced leadership (and wishful thinking).

Thanks to a significant capacity-building grant, access to my services was a “benefit of membership” in a provincial association.

We were able to broaden training to cover governance 101 and include risk management.

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MANAGEMENT I welcome and applaud affordable education for those committed to a cause. Since the pandemic, I’ve taken two extraordinary courses (now online) with Third Sector Company based in Seattle. I’m a lifelong learner who’s continued my studies for the last 40+ years and I’m totally enthused by the thought-provoking knowledge I’ve gained through their academies, roundtables, case studies and research-to-practice sessions. Perhaps the most enlightening moments come from the discussions with people across North America as we attempt to put theory into practice. The bonus for Canadians is, in a gesture to be equitable they accept our tuition at par.

The board’s role in choosing the right leader Nonprofit board members have a number of critical (often misunderstood) responsibilities and one of the most important ones is the selection and support of the chief executive. They have a few options: promote from within; conduct the search themselves (with inadequate expertise for the task?); retain an executive search firm with whom a hiring team works; or consider an interim executive. Done properly, the board’s search will have lasting benefits that spread like ripples within and beyond the organization; done hastily or naively, the costs go well beyond the financial ramifications (which, according to various researched sources spanned 30 percent of the employee’s first year wages to 213 percent of their annual salary...suffice it to say, it’s expensive!)

The non-monetary costs of a bad hire are potentially even more expensive than a bruised budget. Consider everyone's time required to recruit more than once (Conference Board of Canada calculates the average time-to-hire a chief executive at 15 weeks), along with the added supervision, documentation and reporting necessary when a candidate doesn’t live up to legitimate (or idealistic) expectations and the toll that takes on competent employees who take up the slack. The wrong leader can result in reduced productivity and momentum, a potentially-damaged reputation, lost staff, volunteer, client, donor or funder confidence, decreased team effort, or low staff and board morale triggering a further exodus. Sadly, there is a generally-oppressive atmosphere that doesn’t inspire confidence, or attract the talent necessary to get the organization out of the doldrums (i.e. stuck on windless waters!) Recovering from such drastic results can take years.

Finding the right individual to lead your organization, particularly in these uncertain times requires a strategic and coordinated team effort. Ideally leadership development is imbedded in your organizational culture — rather than an episodic event instigated by a staff member’s planned or sudden departure? If your board has yet to embrace the priority of succession planning and supported the steps necessary to

foster the growth of leaders from within, all the more reason to consider calling in the experts. In the words of one of my Third Sector colleagues “this is chess not checkers!”

Interim Executives - A misunderstood term and an evolving calling In the first class of the Interim Executives Academy Jeffrey Wilcox said, “Think of yourselves as emergency room physicians”. I immediately thought “triage” and have since concluded (after 3+ decades of examination) many not-forprofits are unknowingly hemorrhaging internally, which means their life-threatening issues aren't immediately visible (to them or potential employees).

One article I found useful was entitled Interim Director: Place Holder or Catalyst for Change, obviously with two entirely different outcomes. To reinforce the confusion, many of the interim job postings I found used “acting” and “interim” interchangeably and upon further investigation, one blog said neither title is desirable on your resume because they suggest impermanence; it failed to acknowledge that some leaders are inspiring agents of change and can navigate resistance with patience, respect and support.

My colleague Jane Garthson, who introduced me to Third Sector Company (and surpasses my lifelong learning pursuits), provided some insightful reflections. She’s been an Interim ED at least three times so I asked her what she'd do differently as a graduate of the Academy. Her reply was to build in far more structure and reporting mechanisms that she wished she’d known to do during her previous contracts.

Jane’s perspective and so many others I’ve heard from who’ve been interims prior to our studies together have expressed similar sentiments. Key principles that ground interim management are that it’s purposeful, transformational, methodical and profound. With thirteen protocols and six phases of strategic interim leadership being constantly reinforced, this work has been guided by respected experts who’ve collaborated to evolve this professional calling.

Despite my constant curiosity, decades of studies and 31 years of consulting, I haven’t experienced such an intentional, practical and ethical approach that has also taught me volumes about JEDI (justice, equity, diversity & inclusion). An interim executive is not a consultant, even if we share some of the same talents. If I pursued this role I’d need to know when to delegate so I don’t venture down a path of familiarity and miss a signal in an area I’m less confident. Finally, interim executives are never prospective applicants and nor do they want the full-time job; their role (ideally 9 months and often 12 months or more) is to help ensure the success of their successor!

Personally, I prefer the term “transitional leaders” because I value and admire that their priority is to bridge the gap between the

“The wrong leader can result in reduced productivity and momentum.”

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MANAGEMENT organization’s past and future. This is a noble role that challenges even the most highly skilled leaders and every one of them I’ve met over the past year is still motivated to learn and share their expertise (and scars for educational purposes) with their peers.

I’ll admit that my desire to rebrand this role may fall on deaf ears, despite its evolving nature. It seems to have been a misnomer (imho) for many years. There’s even a 20 year old Institute of Interim Management in the UK complete with a Code of Conduct and an interesting survey online that’s worth investigating.

The benefits of a transitional leader Let’s reframe the challenge and get back into the emergency room.

Just because ER physicians can’t see an open wound doesn’t mean internal hemorrhaging isn’t ruled out without meticulous and skilled examination. Finding your next chief executive is a rare opportunity, particularly in cases of founder’s or long-term leader’s departures. Any CEO who’s been in that role for at least 5 years will have influenced the organizational culture significantly. It’s worth the investment to let an objective expert, working with a selected transition team, take your organization's “vital signs” before making any hasty and potentially (or inevitably) costly decisions.

Leaders who follow in the footsteps of a veteran ED often become an “interim” whether intentional or not!

What differentiates a transitional leader from a newly hired ED is the intended interim is a skilled, unbiased and sensitive “truth-teller” with an extraordinary knack for questioning, listening, actually hearing and responding; they understand resistance to change and maintain the clear purpose of preparing the organization and its team for the future lead role.

That depth and breadth of objective honesty isn’t possible for a permanent CEO who is not only on a steep learning curve, they must establish long-term relationships with staff, board, clients, volunteers and investors. Truth telling from their perspective is frequently detrimental.

While a new hire takes time to get oriented and create a (pleasing) plan for their first hundred days, the transitional interim can hit the ground running with specialized skills that meet unique current needs. Their methodical process follows a proven strategy that builds mission alignment, creates shortterm work plans and offers solutions to the most demanding challenges. By the very nature of their temporary role they can instil a sense of urgency. Finally and perhaps most important to the board, the transitional leader is there to help the organization identify and successfully select the right permanent hire.

the wrong choice, reduced morale, productivity and potential resignations of dedicated staff and volunteers.

What we haven’t covered is the current landscape of supply and demand. We’re still learning about the consequences of The Great Resignation, pandemic burnout and increased turnover as baby boomers retire. All of that leaves a void of qualified candidates; this leadership predicament has been a growing concern long before COVID intensified the problem.

Unfortunately, the sector hasn’t adequately invested in fostering the next generation of leaders so there’s a shortage of emerging talent at the top.

I wish there was a simple answer. The good news is your cost/ benefit (fiduciary), qualitative/quantitative (strategic) analyses will require a deeper-dive-dialogue (generative) to explore what is possible as opposed to what is. (Search Governance as Leadership for more information.)

Chait, Ryan and Taylor present the benefits of boards functioning in all three modes but they recognize that many organizational issues are examined through a fiduciary lens so cross-training is necessary to develop muscle memory and reduce one mode dominating your perspectives.

Engaging in deeper inquiry, exploring root causes, values, and optional courses of action is complex. This generative investigation encourages your team to reframe the issue and would be a worthwhile discussion to explore during a board retreat.

If you’re at a loss for what to ask each other try searching the Chartered Professional Accountants Canada (CPA) 20 Questions Directors of Not-for-Profit Organizations Should Ask About CEO Succession and you might also want to look for the same mouthful of a title “...About Human Resources”. I can assure you, building consensus will keep you focussed on what matters most.

The bottom line is you need to consider the value of the job you’re filling rather than just the cost. Of course the financial expenditure might appear to be more than simply hiring your next ED but when you factor in the transformational potential — at a time when the organization is at its most vulnerable — successful succession is a priceless opportunity.

Third Sector Company invites you to attend a complimentary Introduction to the Interim Executives Academy on Dec. 1, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. PST. Register at https://thirdsectorcompany. corsizio.com/c/60f191eb08f358d833c6e1d6. You are also welcome to stay online as our guest at 10:30 a.m. PST for an engaging Roundtable - Lessons from 2021.

What’s the cost?

It depends. We’ve discussed the less tangible costs of how the organization’s culture informs its actions, the impact of well-meaning but inexperienced volunteers possibly making

CYNTHIA ARMOUR, CFRE, is committed to strengthening governance, fundraising, board/ staff leadership teams, strategic thinking and planning for the benefit of those you serve. If you have questions about these services, this article or the courses referenced, contact her directly at 705-799-0636 or cja@elderstone.ca.

“Truth-telling from their perspective is frequently detrimental.”

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FUNDRAISING

Fundraising Storytelling Are emotions manipulative? What about images? Is it bad if people cry?

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BY MARY CAHALANE

hen we nonprofits tell a story that shares the needs of a beneficiary, we don’t create the tension that the donor feels. The story just reveals the internal tension the donor holds between how the world is and how they believe the world should be.

In a recent post, Steven Screen shared this quote from a wise leader of an organization. I absolutely love it.

Because for fundraisers — especially fundraising writers — these are serious questions. They hinge on honesty and people’s right to dignity. And beneficiaries should never, ever be asked to give up that dignity.

But those questions shouldn’t hinge on the discomfort of people inside your organization about messy emotions.

In a professional setting, many of us aren’t comfortable with too much emotion. It can feel like weakness. Or even attention-

seeking. (I’m sure you’ve worked with someone who was known as the office drama queen or king.)

But that has nothing to do with how to communicate with donors. Your discomfort is probably a useful clue that you’re on the right track.

Because people who need help, who are hungry or sick or struggling, make us uncomfortable. And that’s a good thing!

(Worry more about the people who aren’t bothered!)

If there isn’t a problem to solve, there isn’t a reason for donors Not every problem is life and death, of course. I wrote for a theater for years. And we had to struggle internally with knowing that we weren’t promising to house or heal people — at least physically.

The problem we asked donors to solve was both more simple and more nuanced. And it depended on a particular audience.

We Create Accidental Philanthropists™

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FUNDRAISING But we knew that theater lovers connected emotionally to the work. They understood the value of an emotional journey. The catharsis of a moving story, well-told.

But there still had to be a problem. And it also depended on some discomfort: I love coming to the theater! And I don’t mind paying for my ticket. But now I know that my ticket only covers half the expense of the show. What can I do about that?

Your organization isn’t failing if you haven’t solved every problem yet Inside, it’s hard to admit that your solutions haven’t already solved the problem. It feels like you’re not doing your job.

But if you’re a fundraiser, your job isn’t just housing people or feeding them. Your job is widening the circle of people who are willing to help you solve the problem.

Donors aren’t stupid. They know big problems need lots of willing hands. You need to find your donors, persuade them, and then keep them engaged as part of the solution.

And that means being emotionally engaged. We are emotional creatures.

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” - Robert Frost It’s how our brains work. Think about what happens to people when they have a baby. Yes, you’ve chosen to have a child. Intellectually you understand that means a high level of commitment for at least a couple of decades. You may even have calculated the financial investment you’ll need to make.

But mother nature knows more. And your brain is also being tuned to react to that small presence. Oxytocin is flooding your system when little hands grab yours.

(Personal confession: I have never met a baby or small child I wasn’t absolutely ready to fall head over heels in love with. So if you find me making googly faces at your baby, be reassured that I’m utterly harmless.)

Don’t be afraid to communicate honestly and with feeling Read the quote I borrowed from Steven Screen again. You’re not creating the donor’s discomfort. You’re revealing it — and inviting them to do something good. They’ll feel better when they do, and so will your beneficiaries. It’s a win-win.

You’re encouraging kindness.

But you won’t get there if you shy away from human feelings and showing problems honestly.

With more than 30 years experience in the non profit world, MARY CALAHANE is the principal of Hands-On Fundraising and specializes in donor communications and fundraising planning.

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A Centennial Reflection CONTINUED FROM page 11

rise to the Antigonish cooperative movement, led by Rev. Moses Coady, at St. Francis Xavier University, in Nova Scotia, whereby lives were transformed through shared adult education, discussion, and action. In December of 1900, Alphonse and Dorimène Desjardins, with the explicit support of the local parish priest organized a meeting of about 100 people in Lévis, Québec, to create the Caisse Populaire de Lévis. Both cooperatives and credit unions became fixtures in communities across Canada during the early 1900s and continue to this day. We witness the creation of the Catholic Women’s League, the Kiwanis, 4-H, the YWCA, the YMCA and others alike… all reacting to social stresses, all coming together showing empathy in times of crisis.

A call to action In 1849, French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” — the more things change, the more they stay the same… because history often repeats itself.

Throughout history when humanity was awakened by global issues, we showed our empathy in numerous social responses and addressed social challenges worthy of our attention. So, we thought. We used the stress of disasters to build our social connectivity and take social action — together. Today, we are still faced with global issues that are asking for our empathy and our action. Climate change, world hunger, black lives matter and a number of other current social issues need immediate attention.

If philanthropy means - the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed by generous donations towards specific causes — can we use the current crisis to push us towards connective philanthropy to address pressing global social issues?

Right here, right now, the COP26, a global United Nations summit about climate change, needs all countries’ social connectivity to lead to action. This climate ticking time bomb creates enough stress to intensify our sense of civic duty — and help inform how we can use our empathy to resolve this crisis – today — for the benefit of tomorrow. That is what the power of empathy and action can do.

KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE is currently the Director, Campaign Initiatives at St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, NS. She brings over 25 years of fundraising experience within the charitable sector. She has been a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2007, and a long-time member and volunteer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). As a recognized leader, Kathleen has tailored presentations and workshops for French and English audiences at various events including AFP-Nova Scotia, AFP-Ottawa, AFP-National Congress, Coady International Institute and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education.

Kathleen is a McGill University graduate and holds a Master, Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University. She has received numerous recognitions during her career, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the charitable sector. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine. foundationmag.ca

FUNDRAISING

Movember: Redefining the Man and the Moustache

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BY SARA JANKOWSKI

hen the season changes, Movember begins, bringing with it the (re) emergence of the moustache. Drawing attention to men’s upper lips across the country, the moustache raises awareness for men’s health issues including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s mental health. This month, it also represents an opportunity to redefine the connection between a man and his moustache.

The popularity of the moustache and its meaning has been hotly contested from the moment the term “moustache” was coined in the 1500s. For many years, the moustache was attributed to characteristics deemed ‘manly’. They made military men stand out amongst civilians, aristocrats amongst the lower classes, and masculine men amongst the less endowed.

As times have changed, growing a thick moustache no longer

signifies masculinity. No one moustache is deemed superior to the next, instead appearing in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

Moustaches have become a form of artistic expression, the face merely a canvas.

Every November, the moustache now represents a global movement bringing attention to men's health. During the annual fundraising campaign, an individual is not defined by their ‘Mo’, but simply what it stands for. But by attempting to redefine the symbol of ‘the moustache’, it's also time to change our cultural definitions of what it means to ‘be a man’ in hopes of forever changing perceptions that make it difficult for men to reach out for support.

‘Strength’, ‘toughness’, ‘resilience’, ‘pride’ and ‘honour’ are terms often associated with masculinity. These represent values society has deemed qualities men must possess in order to be seen as successful. History, media and relationships have all

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FUNDRAISING enforced these beliefs. A man's stature can make them more appealing, emotional strength means being a crutch for others, and financial and social achievement provides a feeling of honour and pride.

Achieving success in a single area of life is daunting enough; doing so while suppressing feelings or emotions is an unfair challenge to bestow for anyone. So

why do men still hold themselves to such unrealistic standards? These stereotypical ‘norms’ can be quite harmful. Oftentimes men can feel as though they are ‘failing’, or, for some, by attempting to uphold these values, they hold themselves back from showing emotion or vulnerability.

For men asking for help has been seen as a ‘weakness’; they tend to fight alone,

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looking to resolve issues themselves.

Redefining masculinity and ‘what it means to be a man’ is crucial in encouraging men to understand that it’s okay to reach out for help.

Men and women showcase struggle and stress differently. Men can often appear more irritable, showing signs of increased anger, impulsivity, or substance abuse. These coping behaviours may be ignored because they are deemed ‘typical’ male behaviours. This is where acknowledgement and reciprocity are essential.

Movember has been active in the men’s mental health space for over eight years.

Since it began investing in men’s mental health programming, Movember has built resources and customized programs that help navigate tricky conversations about mental health and encourage men to be more open. One such example is Movember Conversations, launched in 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the free online module-based program provides users with a guide to having a conversation with a male friend they suspect may be struggling. And the organization’s support extends beyond just the mental health space, with annual messaging that aims to encourage men to prioritize both physical and mental health, encouraging doctor’s visits, socialization and providing tips on what to watch for.

Listening, connecting, and reaching out is the first step in helping men get the support they might not ask for (or even realize) that they need. By acknowledging our responsibility to reframe what it means to ‘be a man’, together we can change the face of men’s health. The moustache may have begun as a symbol of peak masculinity, but as times have changed it now represents the many important conversations that are had through the month of Movember and all year round, changing the way men perceive themselves and saving lives.

It’s never too late to sign up for Movember.

Visit Movember.com to learn more.

SARA JANKOWSKI is public relations intern with Movember.

foundationmag.ca

FUNDRAISING

SHINING LIGHTS IN CALGARY

Generosity of Spirit and Professional Award 2021 Recipients

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he Calgary and Area Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has an awards program which recognizes the many individuals, families, groups and businesses which demonstrate the spirit of philanthropy through outstanding contributions of time, talent, leadership and financial support.

The Generosity of Spirit Awards provide the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate philanthropic leaders who make a difference, whether the community is local, regional, national or international.

As a vital component to the National Philanthropy Day celebrations in Calgary & southern Alberta, this day provides an opportunity for non-profit organizations, professionals, volunteers, service organizations and others in the community to acknowledge and showcase their philanthropic partners.

Here are this year’s winners.

Corporate Philanthropist | Crescent Point Energy Nominated by Brown Bagging For Calgary’s Kids.

Crescent Point Energy is an astounding, innovative corporate leader in the communities they serve. Their focus on education, health, safety, environment and community infrastructure is at the core of every community initiative they are part of.

Their long-term commitment to the community is expansive by supporting amazing organizations such as STARS Air Ambulance, the Weyburn and District Hospital Foundation, Inn from the Cold, Calgary Zoo, TELUS Spark, Ronald MacDonald House, Children’s Cottage Society, Alberta Children’s Hospital and of course Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK).

But Crescent Point Energy is so much more than that. They are an unwavering, loyal, hardworking friend you can count on to be there for you when you need them. They are the friend that will ask how they can help and then support you in ways you foundationmag.ca

never even dreamed of.

Crescent Point’s community support comes in many different forms. They have been generous financially to the community with over 30 million dollars dedicated to supporting organizations and initiatives who really need it. Crescent Point also has an army of amazing volunteers who give of their time and expertise to the organizations they support. Crescent Point volunteers are like no other. Employees roll up their sleeves and get the job done. From harvesting vegetables, gathering food donations, facility maintenance and yard work, grocery shopping, preparing and delivering meals, answering phones and organizing fundraisers they are there to serve in any capacity that is needed.

Specifically, Crescent Point has been an essential community partner for BB4CK since 2012. One of Crescent Point’s most shining community commitments is in their support of employee groups who make lunches for students at local schools.

Before the pandemic, Crescent Point coordinated all aspects of this endeavour for two high schools in Calgary. From purchasing food, preparing and personally delivering lunches directly to these schools each day, they were outstanding. During COVID restrictions, Crescent Point generously re-purposed funding for its brown bagging in-house lunch program to support at home learners with grocery gift card support. Even though their in-house program has not been able to resume during the pandemic, Crescent Point’s financial and volunteer support has stayed strong. Just last month a group of Crescent Point volunteers, with one day’s notice, jumped in, rolled up their sleeves and helped at the BB4CK main kitchen to make sure lunches went out on time that day.

Annie Desrochers who is the vice principal of St Anne’s (One of the schools that received lunches from Crescent Point) says: “It is important to us that our youth are aware that the employees within this company use their personal time, early in the morning to make various lunches and ensure our students have something to eat so that they can have success in their studies.

Over the years we have seen a great improvement in terms of student attendance and we are truly grateful for Crescent Point’s contribution to our student’s success. Their dedication to our school community goes above and beyond expectation. From the staff and students at St Anne Academic Center we wish to thank them for their efforts”.

Bethany Ross, executive director at BB4CK, commented, November/December 2021

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FUNDRAISING “Crescent Point has been an outstanding partner in feeding kids for many years. We’re so grateful for the impact they create and the amazing contribution they make in our community!”

Crescent Point Energy has helped our community through this pandemic and has been the loyal supporter many organizations have needed especially during these uncertain and challenging times. We are so lucky to have such a loyal, dedicated friend in our community.”

Philanthropic Group | TransAlta Retirees Nominated by the Calgary Food Bank.

POWER, an acronym for Projects Organized With Energetic Retirees, truly does convey the drive this volunteer workforce of retirees has and the zeal they demonstrate for all the tasks they undertake.

Spawned in a workplace culture which emphasized customer and community service, for over 25 years this group of TransAlta retirees has taken on a wide variety projects to help those in need throughout Calgary and the surrounding area. Projects have include bi-annual Tim Horton’s Children Ranch cleanups, Drop in Centre clothing drives, meals for Ronald McDonald House, highway cleanups, Poppy drives, knitting for cancer patients, new born and under privileged, house painting for low income seniors,…. just to mention a few.

Since its inception in the ‘90s, it is estimated the POWER volunteers have donated over 190,000 hrs serving our communities. Humbly, Fred Ritter, POWER’s current chairman, is quick to point out the social and emotional benefits the volunteers get in maintaining contact with old workmates and making new acquaintances at the same time as helping worthy causes throughout the city.

Since 1999, the Calgary Food Bank has been privileged to be the recipient of large annual donations of fresh garden vegetables from the POWER Gardens. Over this 22 year period, these volunteers have grown and donated to the Food Bank 526,000 lbs of potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, kohlrabi, zucchini and spaghetti squash. In order to accomplish and sustain this amazing feat, over the years POWER leaders built a network of partners and suppliers who make significant donations to help plant, maintain and harvest these gardens.

In 2020, COVID-19 either shut down or severely restricted most charitable activities in the city. At the same time demands on the Food Bank increased and supply lines became constrained.

To the surprise and delight of the Food Bank however, in the spring of 2020, POWER and one of its suppliers, Eagle Lake Professional Landscaping Supply entered into discussions about establishing a new garden at Eagle Lakes’ sod farm east of Strathmore.

This partnership added 1 acre of irrigated prime farm land to the POWER gardeners’ inventory and promised to more than double POWER’s donation of vegetables in the coming years.

This plot has been named the Get Growing Garden and has far exceeded all productivity expectations producing a bumper crop in 2021 totalling 58,920 lbs of much needed fresh produce for the 42

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Food Bank. When combined with POWER’s other 2021 gardens, their Food Bank donation of fresh produce totalled 76,640 lbs At a this particularly difficult time where lockdowns and restrictions severely strained our ability to adequately serve those in need, the POWER volunteers not only found ways to sustain their Food Bank donations, they also formed an alliance that increased their annual donation by almost 300 percent.

POWER’s dedication so serving their community truly embodies the spirit that is celebrated through National Philanthropic Day and we are pleased to celebrate their achievement with receiving the Outstanding Philanthropic Group award!

Philanthropic Family | The Blasetti Family Nominated by St. Mary’s University.

The Blasetti family – Guy, Raymond, Andrew, Patricia, Laura, Ernie, and Philip – are all passionate philanthropists, supporting various charities, including St Mary’s University.

They were engaged in the initial planning for St. Mary’s, and were heavily involved in working towards the vision of a Catholic liberal arts and sciences university that is now the reality of St. Mary’s University.

They all supported the creation of the Guido & Julia Blasetti Bursaries to honour the memory of their parents who instilled in them the value of Catholic education and the importance of giving back to support local communities. Their sister Laura also created the Albert and Laura Tysowski Bursary which is supporting students in need. The entire family continues to uphold and support many local charities and are ongoing champions in their work to bring Catholic education for all into our communities.

The leadership and financial support demonstrated by the Blasetti family was instrumental when St. Mary’s hosted a successful Festa Italiana — a fundraising dinner event which raised more than $10,000 for scholarships and bursaries. The event inspired many in the Calgary Italian Community to support the University.

Their continued presence and participation at our two annual events, the St. Mary’s University Golf Tournament and the President’s Dinner has ensured the University continues to offer scholarships of excellence for deserving students.

They build community and it is especially true for their engagement with St. Mary’s University where they are true “friend-raisers”.

Thanks to the Blasetti family, St. Mary’s University has been able to foster many influential relationships in Calgary, including the Calgary Italian Sportsmen’s Dinner Association and the Calgary Juventus Sports Club who are sponsors and committed supporters of many St. Mary’s initiatives. foundationmag.ca

FUNDRAISING St. Mary’s University has been fortunate to have 3 generations of the Blasetti Family engaged in volunteering , and serving on committees for the McGivney Hall Fundraising Initiative, the University’s Founding Members, and the Golf Tournament, just to name a few. Their enduring commitment to St. Mary’s University has been foundational in establishing St. Mary’s as a leader in post-secondary education.

Doc Seaman Individual Philanthropist presented by The Calgary Foundation | Jessica Janzen Olstad Nominated by Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Jessica is mom to three children, including Lewiston who was treated at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and passed away from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in 2016.

Jessica and her husband Ronnie felt the community surrounded them in their darkest moments. They encountered so much light and strength in sharing their burden that they were inspired to spread joy and love to others like it was so generously offered to them.

Jessica turned unimaginable grief into a goal of preventing other families from experiencing a similar journey.

She founded the Love for Lewiston Foundation to honour the memory of her son. Her infectious spirit has inspired many to join in her efforts to make a difference for families in our community.

Since losing Lewiston five years ago, Jessica has worked tirelessly to relieve the financial burden for families of children with SMA, who often have to cover the costs of some medical equipment and medications. She has also championed an SMA screening program for all newborns in Alberta. She initiated and lobbied for a pilot research project to study the implementation of screening, and committed to raising half the funds needed for the project, donating over $500,000 to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Her dedication and leadership paid off.

The provincial government announced earlier this year that SMA newborn screening would be publicly funded. This foundationmag.ca

means all newborn babies in Alberta will be tested for SMA to ensure the earliest possible diagnosis. Treating children for SMA before they start showing symptoms greatly increases the odds they will survive.

Jessica’s efforts have also positively impacted other areas at or related to the hospital, including Rotary Flames House

— the pediatric hospice where Lewiston passed — as well as a brain surgery program called Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy and various mental health initiatives for children and adolescents.

Her gifts are being felt throughout the entire hospital and in the greater community and will change the lives of many families now and in the future.

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FUNDRAISING

Youth Philanthropist | Dane Benesh Nominated by Autism Aspergers Friendship Society.

Dane Benesh was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the age of 8 years. When he was 8, his Mom found the Autism Aspergers Friendship Society (AAFS). AAFS provides respite care in a social and recreational environment for children, youth and adults on the Autism spectrum. Our mission is friendship. Our mission statement was written entirely by two AAFS Members, and it reads: Friendship means someone who you can trust and/or someone who heals you. You cannot simply ask to be friends, or if the other person is your friend, it is much more advanced than a yes or no answer, and friendship builds up over time.

Friendship is “People getting to know other people and being interested in one another. Liking them for who they are, and not judging them. Not judging the book by its cover.”

It is in this environment that Dane found a place where he could have fun, make friends and indulge in his passion for all things with wheels. As an avid cyclist, Dane wanted to learn how to take care of his own bike. In 2019, he took part in AAFS’ Earn-A-Bike program. This is a program in partnership with Two Wheeled View. Members enroll, attend two, two-hour sessions once a week for 8-weeks, and at the end, receive their own bike, helmet and bike lock.

Dane’s involvement in the program and with AAFS began him on his philanthropic journey. His first fundraising effort happened on the 2019 May long weekend, when Dane set up a lemonade stand at McLean Creek. This is a popular spot for mountain bikes, dirt bikes & ATV riders. His first fundraising attempt raised $88.

Fast forward to May 2020… wind, rain, cold and, of course, COVID, but the dedicated young man was not deterred.

Lemonade was the drink of the day and $300+ was raised.

Then we have 2021 and what a year this has been. Not even COVID-19 could keep Dane away.

This year, Dane got a corporate sponsor (UTV Canada) who committed to matching whatever amount he raised. UTV Canada provides all things wheeled, such as bikes, parts, clothing, and more. Dane has been buying from them for all his dirt bike/ATV needs and they in turn put their corporate support behind him.

Dane raised $750 and UTV Canada matched it, dollar for dollar with their cheque for $750. Both amounts were donated through Birdies for Kids which leveraged additional money that increased the overall donation amount.

This young man is now 11 years old. Take a passion for riding, add a belief in AAFS’ mission and vision, and you have a youth beginning his philanthropic journey.

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Lifetime Achievement Philanthropist | Gordon Hoffman Nominated by Alchemy Communications.

For over four decades, Gordon Hoffman has been at the heart of Calgary’s philanthropic and volunteer community. He has served as chairman, co-chairman, director, and sometimes founder of nearly 100 charitable and community organizations supporting a broad spectrum of people.

These efforts include his charitable enterprises, Project Warmth, Operation Kickstart, Alberta Champions and the Gordon Hoffman Charity Golf Classic. Each of these incredible charities has made a significant impact on the lives of Albertans.

Gord founded Project Warmth in 1996, and for 25 years, has been keeping Calgarians warm through donations of gently used items of apparel, which, to date, have been distributed to over 1 million individuals and organizations. Project Warmth also raises funds to host an annual night at Theatre Calgary’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ for deserving families in our community.

To date, more than 10,000 children and their families have attended the presentation. In that same year, Gord also founded Operation Kickstart, a nonprofit designed to educate and train individuals having difficulty entering or re-entering the workforce.

In 2003, Gord launched his next charitable initiative, The Alberta Champions Society, to commemorate, recognize, and honour Albertans who have made significant lifetime contributions, bringing together an incredible board around his vision of building community pride and spirit. Alberta Champions Society completed six ‘Fields of Fame’, (with a seventh to be unveiled shortly) recognizing over 40 exceptional Albertans.

In 2010 he launched The Gordon Hoffman Charity Golf Classic, an event in support of The Foothills Academy that takes place annually at the Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club.

To date, it has raised over $1 million to support children with Learning Disabilities and ADHD. Gord is also a member of the Queen’s Counsel and, in 2019, was appointed to the Order of Canada. Any one of these achievements would be incredible for anyone of any age, but the fact that Gord continues to run these charities while working full-time into his ‘70s is truly remarkable.

Furthermore, he has always invested time to help those around him, and during the challenges of the pandemic, he has lent a friendly ear and a helping hand to the many who regularly seek his advice and wisdom. There is no question that our city is a better place because of Gord Hoffman.

Outstanding New Fundraising Professional | Gabriela Pino Nominated by Bow Valley College.

Gabriela Pino has always been philanthropic and entrepreneurial.

Inspired by her sister, who has physical and developmental foundationmag.ca

FUNDRAISING disabilities, Gabriela began her career by founding Chocatto.

This small business produced chocolates using Ecuadorian cocoa beans and hired people with disabilities. In April 2010, Chocatto won a National Entrepreneurship Award for its inclusive business model in Ecuador. Gabriela’s passion in her career has always been about community building. During her pre-fundraising days, she worked for a multi-national consumer goods corporation, where she was responsible for establishing and maintaining strong business relationships with the company’s customers.

Today, as the Senior Development Officer, Major Gifts at Bow Valley College, Gabriela continues to demonstrate excellence in building relationships with major donors and other college stakeholders, ensuring our major gifts fundraising program is successful and values-based, given her commitment to inclusion and her work with underserved groups.

In early March, the COVID-19 Response Emergency Financial Need Bursary Fund was created to respond to an increasing need for financial support for students impacted by the pandemic. Gabriela was able to leverage initial support from the Student’s Association of Bow Valley College to obtain an additional $35,000, allowing the College to support over 100 vulnerable students, ensuring they could continue their studies and pay for their basic needs. The impact of these bursaries has gone far beyond supporting our students in pursuing their education. It has also given them the opportunity to give back to our communities as nurses, early childhood educators, social workers, and volunteers.

She notes, “I work at Bow Valley College to help remove barriers and increase access to post-secondary education, especially for marginalized groups, supporting our students to fulfill their potential and build a better and more just society.”

Gabriela is a proud member of AFP’s Calgary Chapter. At AFP’s workshops and webinars, Gabriela learned about the importance of being certified as a fundraising professional and strived towards meeting the certification requirements. As a result, in 2019, Gabriela became a CFRE. She has included CFRE recertification goals into her work plan each year since.

Hazel Gillespie Community Investment Leadership Award | Leanne Courchesne Nominated by Calgary Police Youth Foundation.

Leanne is a shining example of a great Calgarian who exemplifies Hazel Gillespie’s high ethical standards, commitment, and dedication to her community. Leanne has dedicated her life to helping others succeed and through her outstanding and collaborative leadership she created an inclusive environment at Cenovus Energy which raised the bar of community investment in this city, province, and nation.

With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Leanne generously donates her time and effort to the not-for-profit foundationmag.ca

sector, using her expertise to strengthen relationships, connect like-minded organizations, enable and facilitate networks, and make important ties with what is going on in our communities.

Currently serving as a Director on many local and provincial boards Leanne is passionate about building the capacity of many community organizations by providing leadership, governance, and evaluation support.

As a director on the board of YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre, Leanne always provides visionary leadership while striving for systemic change in the industry.

Through her creativity and determination, Leanne has been able to successfully address the needs of the community and bring others together to achieve outstanding results.

Throughout her time with Cenovus, Leanne worked with Executive, Sustainability, Safety, Operations, HR, and Meetings & Events to consistently integrate community investment and involvement opportunities at all Cenovus social and business events. She consistently led the way in new strategic visioning, looking beyond financial resources to consider how to make the best use of her team’s assets, expertise, and relationships.

Leanne is an incredible Community Investment Leader and Calgary is lucky to have such a dedicated and kind individual committed to positively impacting our community.

At the Calgary Police Youth Foundation, we are honoured and privileged to not only work alongside Leanne but to get to know her and appreciate her values. It has been said that a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way and in our minds, Leanne Courchesne shows the way for others to follow and we appreciate her very much. We asked Leanne how she felt about receiving the Award and she told us “I am honoured to receive this special award in Hazel Gillespie’s name — a dedicated community investment professional and true pioneer in corporate citizenship whom I was fortunate enough to meet. I was humbled to be nominated and especially thrilled that the Calgary Police Youth Foundation wanted to recognize me in this manner as they hold a special place in my heart. I have always said that I have the best role in the world —to be able to build strategic partnerships, creative relationships and connect communities for social impact.”

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HISTORIC PLAQUES Historic Plaques Which Honour Philanthropy Roy Bonisteel One of the most admired people who called Quinte West home was the unforgettable media personality Roy Bonisteel. These days, he resides on a bench in the area’s Trent Port Marina, an open book resting on his knees.

Bonisteel was born in Ameliasburg, Prince Edward County, Ontario, in 1930 and began his journalism career in Belleville and Trenton. He moved away from the area during the course of his career but the family moved back to Trenton in 1971 and was there to stay.

For all his national fame as a respected journalist and broadcaster, he was truly a man of the land in the Quinte region he loved.

After his passing at the age of 83, in 2013 his family and friends set about finding the right way to pay tribute to a true local hero, and that led to the constructed a Roy Bonisteel Garden on the waterfront at Trent Port Marina.

The garden includes the warm statute along with a dedication plaque which recognized the way Roy was always open to helping, volunteering, donating and supporting any and all local and regional charities and nonprofits.

Part of the plaque sums it up: “He taught us the importance of humanity and compassion by compelling us all to examine our values, our spirituality, and our beliefs. In leading by the example of his generosity, Roy gave his time and talent to every worthy cause that came to him.”

Roy may be best known for hosting CBC’s long running television show ‘Man Alive’, but he was also a recipient of the Order of Canada, and after enjoying an illustrious career in newspapers, radio and television became a citizen court judge. Roy’s natural talents and willingness to share them, his reverence of the written word and the truth it could reveal combined to make him one of our brightest lights, known the world over.

The garden sits on the waterfront in Trenton, between Quinte West City Hall and the marina with three benches so visitors can relax and enjoy a view of the water. The life size bronze sculpture of Bonisteel was created by renowned Canadian sculpture Brett Davis.

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FOUNDATION Magazine

November/December 2021

foundationmag.ca

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