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This is an archive of CharityVillage NewsWeek.
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NewsBytes: January, 2003
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
Modest oilman leaves $15 million to Calgary Foundation
January 27, 2003
Longtime Calgary resident Bob Kolstad, who died in November of 2001, has left a bequest of $15 million to the Calgary Foundation. It is the largest single cash donation ever received by the organization and will be used to establish The Kolstad Fund, a permanent endowment to assist Calgary charities. Money generated from the endowment will support, in perpetuity, five local community organizations, including the Salvation Army, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Arthritis Society, and the Alberta Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service Foundation (STARS). A portion of the funds will also go into the Calgary Foundation's Community Fund. Mr. Kolstad, who founded Land Bank Minerals, lived a very modest lifestyle, which allowed him to accumulate sizable wealth during his lifetime. "Bob was a proud Calgarian and was determined that his estate benefit those in this community," said friend and business associate Art Hibbard. For more information, visit: www.thecalgaryfoundation.org.
January 27, 2003
Political, business, and labour leaders met with Manitoba's voluntary sector recently to discuss the future growth and sustainability of the sector. The Manitoba Voluntary Sector Initiative (MVSI) Policy Summit was also the venue for the historic signing of declarations to support the sector. The provincial government, the mayor of Winnipeg, the Manitoba Federation of Labour, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce all signed a declaration of support and engagement which will launch a new era of on-going collaboration between the voluntary and nonprofit sector and its partners in government, business, and labour. For more information, visit: www.voluntarysector.mb.ca/whatsnew.asp.
January 27, 2003
The Fraser Institute and the W. Garfield Weston Foundation launched a new program last week that will give Ontario families more choice when deciding on their children's education. Children First: School Choice Trust is Canada's first privately funded program to help parents in financial need send their children to an independent school of their choice. "Children First puts into practice the mounting educational research that shows that when parents have a choice of school, children get a better education," says Claudia Hepburn, director of education policy at The Fraser Institute. "This is a pilot project and we're looking forward to evaluating the results."
Tuition assistance grants will be available to 150 elementary school students in Ontario in each of the next three years, based solely on financial need. These grants will pay 50% of the tuition at any of the more than 800 independent schools in the province, to an annual maximum of $3,500. For more information, visit: www.fraserinstitute.ca.
Fast Fact: Who do Canadians trust?
January 27, 2003
When a Reader's Digest poll asked Canadians who they trust, not surprisingly, national politicians were at the bottom of the list, along with car sales people, trade unions, and chief executive officers. Charitable organizations fared much better, coming in at number nine on the list. The top spot went to pharmacists, followed by doctors, airline pilots, teachers, police, the Armed Forces, day care workers, accountants, and rounding out the top ten after charitable organizations, was the judicial system. -- Reader's Digest Canada
January 27, 2003
According to a new study by the Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (CCSE), foreign acquisitions, corporate mergers, and relocations are taking their toll on the charitable sector. The Changing Corporate Landscape and Its Effect on Charitable Giving aims to provide a better understanding of the social implications of Canada's changing corporate landscape and the link between the corporate sector and the health of Canadian communities. A majority of study participants connect the decline in corporate giving to the relocation of head offices out of Canada and the influx of foreign managers who have little awareness of local community needs. Most respondents also believe that corporate motivation for giving is shifting toward more self-serving purposes. For more information or to download a copy of the report, visit: www.bus.ualberta.ca/ccse.
January 27, 2003
The Toronto General & Western Hospital (TGWH) Foundation announced that it will establish a new research centre at University Health Network, thanks to a gift of $10 million from Robert R. McEwen, chair and CEO of Goldcorp Inc. "As Canadians, we share a most remarkable treasure: our world class medical research and health care community," said McEwen. "Some of the best professionals in the field of medicine are here in Canada." The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine will enhance the ability of researchers to develop clinical applications of their work. For more information about the TGWH Foundation, visit: www.uhn.ca/foundations/tgwh_foundation/default.asp.
January 27, 2003
The Parkinson's Support and Research Society has been attracting some unwelcomed attention recently. Roy Jamieson, a spokesperson for the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA), says the agency has received complaints about the charity. "We take those seriously, and we do go through an investigative process which could lead, among other things, to the deregistration of the organization," he said. According to documents filed with the CCRA, donors gave the group $529,514 in 2002, but in that same period, the registered charity spent only $14,180 on charitable work. David Coles, the Dartmouth lawyer who represents the PSRS, says the society is considering its position before responding to the situation.
January 27, 2003
The Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation is now accepting grant applications for a wide range of Toronto park-based community projects. Grants ranging from $500 to $3,000 will be awarded to community organizations for projects in the categories of park improvements; recreation; environmental education and preservation; arts and culture; and communication and public education. Projects should be completed by October 31. "It's now time to put that money to good use," says George Dark, chair of the foundation. "We're excited about the potential impact that the grants program will have on our public parklands. Our goal is to initiate opportunities for grassroots projects to increase park use and activities." The foundation was formed in June of 2002 and works in partnership with the City of Toronto's Parks and Recreation division to enhance the public park system. Applications must be received by March 14. To obtain a grant application, please call 416-397-5178.
January 27, 2003
When researchers Paul Schervish, John Havens, and Mary OˇHerlihy issued a report in 1999 estimating that between $41 and $126 trillion would be transferred from one generation to the next in the period from 1998 to 2052, the news generated a great deal of interest. The charitable sector was particularly interested in the fact that between $6 trillion and $25 trillion of that intergenerational transfer of wealth would go to charity. The researchers recently reexamined the 1999 report in light of the economic downturn in the United States and concluded that the figures are still valid. The new study, entitled A Review of the $41 Trillion Wealth Transfer Estimate, addresses nine questions and challenges about the original findings. For more information, or to download a copy of the report, visit: www.bc.edu/swri.
January 27, 2003
Last week, the Ontario government announced the first seven Ontario municipalities to operate the Community Emergency Response Volunteers Ontario (CERV Ontario) program. The seven municipalities are: Barrie, Brampton, Carleton Place, Hamilton, Oliver Paipoonge, Prescott, and Timmins, with a province-wide rollout of CERV to take place this spring. "CERV Ontario volunteers are trained to meet the challenges in the event of an emergency - whether it's a flood, a major storm or a power failure," said Bob Runciman, Minister of Public Safety and Security. "Before emergency professionals - police, fire and medical responders - arrive on the scene, volunteers are trained to help their neighbours to the best of their ability." CERV is a grassroots, made-in-Ontario community volunteer emergency response program designed to become a vital component in the province's overall emergency and disaster management strategy. For more information, visit: www.newswire.ca/government/ontario.
January 27, 2003
The manufacturer of the smoking cessation products Nicorette and Nicoderm is donating $100,000 from the sale of the products. For the second year in a row, Pharmacia Consumer Healthcare is partnering with the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control (CCTC) as part of its mandate to support the National Strategy for Tobacco Control. "We are pleased to support the CCTC again this year in its efforts to eliminate the adverse impact on the health of Canadians caused by tobacco products. Our relationship with the CCTC reflects our commitment to support initiatives that discourage smoking among Canada's youth," said Pierre J. Montanaro, general manager of Pharmacia Consumer Healthcare in Canada. The goal of the company's donation campaign is to urge Canadian smokers to stop smoking and to prevent young girls and boys from picking up the habit. For more information about the CCTC, visit: www.cctc.ca.
January 27, 2003
Creative Response, a group of Canadian artists, educators, and cultural workers looking for solutions to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, is accepting submissions for a multidisciplinary cultural event. "NEGOTIATIONS: from a piece of land to a land of peace" will take place in Toronto from June 19 to July 26, 2003. The group aims to create alternative public spaces where people can consider shared entitlement and common responsibility for co-existence between Palestinians and Israelis. Creative Response seeks collaborative submissions for an exhibition, film/video screenings, literary readings, performances, public art, and creative workshops. The deadline for submissions is February 15th. For more information, visit: www.creativeresponseteam.net/negotiations/index.html.
January 20, 2003
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) announced last week that it will contribute an additional $40 million for emergency assistance in Ethiopia, bringing Canada's total response to the current crisis to $46.86 million. $2 million of this amount will go to the Canadian Hunger Foundation - PARTNERS in Rural Development to help Ethiopian families combat starvation.CIDA's contribution to the PARTNERS initiative comes on the heels of a $1 million donation to CHF from the Sprott Foundation. Eric Sprott, philanthropist and chair of the Sprott Foundation, also issued a challenge to individual Canadians to respond promptly to the 11.3 million people who are at the brink of starvation in Ethiopia. "The Ethiopia famine of 1984/1985 has haunted me and probably many other Canadians. When we heard that millions of Ethiopians were again close to starvation, we felt compelled to support an organization that could address the acute needs of Ethiopians and also introduce resources to help prevent this tragedy from reoccurring," said Sprott. For more information, visit: www.partners.ca/ethiopia_famine.htm or www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/index-e.htm.
January 20, 2003
Imagine's "New Spirit of Community" Partnership Awards were established in 1996 to recognize and celebrate outstanding programs created between Canadian businesses and nonprofit or voluntary organizations. Each year, a panel of senior leaders from the private and voluntary sectors select five winning partnerships that each receive community recognition as well as a $5,000 cash award to the nonprofit partner in each winning partnership. To be eligible for the award, the partnership must be between a business and a nonprofit organization working in Canada, and the partnership program must have been running for a minimum of two years. In addition, the business partner must be a member of Imagine's Caring Company Program or agree to become a member. The deadline for this year's nominations is March 7. For more information, visit: www.imagine.ca/content/awards&recognition/partnership_awards. asp.
January 20, 2003
Thousands of participants will gather this September and walk 60 kilometres to raise funds for breast cancer research. The Weekend to End Breast Cancer, an initiative of the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, will take place September 19-21, 2003, in Toronto. Each registrant will be required to raise a minimum of $2,000 to participate in the event, and will also receive coaching in order to be able to walk the 60 kilometres over two days. "This is the first event of its kind in Canada, a multi-day event for those who are looking to do something more in the fight against breast cancer," said Neville Kirchmann, president and CEO of the foundation. "Millions of dollars have been raised for breast cancer research through similar events in dozens of cities across the United States. We are excited to be able to bring this unique event to Toronto." For more information about the event, visit: www.endcancer.ca.
January 20, 2003
Municipalities across Newfoundland and Labrador will face increasing difficulties if the declining community volunteerism in the province continues. A report prepared by the Genuine Progress Index (GPI) for Atlantic Canada indicates that the province had 8% fewer volunteers in 2000 compared with 1997, and the number of volunteers in formal organizations in the province in 2000 totalled 138,000, compared to 150,000 three years earlier. Volunteers in informal and formal groups are estimated to contribute the equivalent of $1.3 billion worth of services to the Newfoundland economy. From a municipal perspective, it is estimated that 70% of all municipal activity is performed by volunteers, since few municipalities can afford to pay for services provided. Randy Simms, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Municipalities, says the declining trend in community volunteers points to declining community health. -- Genuine Progress Index
January 20, 2003
The Consumers Council of Canada is setting up a new Internet-based public network to focus on public policy issues that affect consumers. The Public Interest Network (PIN) is hoping to attract at least 500 volunteers considered "community thought leaders" to be polled via e-mail each month on issues affecting consumer policy. "We hope this will give consumer issues a more stable presence and make it easier for their expertise to be drawn upon. It is a grassroots approach, and we think the input would be very valuable for many sources," says Peta Lomberg, the project's leader. The group is looking for representatives from seniors' groups, student leaders, volunteer leaders, members of the community media, members of parent and student councils, and immigrants' groups, among others. Lomberg also stresses that all information about the members of the network will be kept confidential. For more information or to apply, call 416-778-9911 or e-mail CCCPIN@canada.com. Be sure to include some details about your background and why you would like to participate.
January 20, 2003
Seedco, a US-based nonprofit community development intermediary, recently released a report that examines nonprofit business models. When Good Work Makes Good Sense describes the history and context, business strategy and structure, operations, outcomes, and next steps for four real nonprofit ventures. These case studies are designed to provide a teaching tool for social entrepreneurs and others interested in the field of social enterprise. Across the different cases, several general themes emerged, including the fact that organizations whose business goals are aligned with their social business may have certain advantages. However, a close connection between a social and business mission does not guarantee success. It also became clear that skilled management is vital, but that even if a business venture does not succeed it can still improve the quality of a nonprofit's operations and management. For more information or to download a copy of the report, visit: www.seedco.org/about /pub/index.html.
January 20, 2003
The United Way of Greater Toronto was a busy but happy place last week as representatives accepted $8.5 million from two of Canada's biggest banks. Scotiabank presented the United Way with a gift of $4 million, its largest-ever donation to the charity. The gift was comprised of a corporate donation of $1.1 million and an employee contribution of $2.9 million, raised through silent auctions, online bingo, bake sales, pancake breakfasts, a walkathon, and other special events. On the same day, TD Bank Financial Group and its employees unveiled the results of their 2002 charity campaign with the announcement of a $4,598,897 donation to the United Way of Greater Toronto and other charities across Canada. The donation consisted of $3,298,897 million from employees and a $1.3 million corporate gift. For more information on the United Way of Greater Toronto, visit: www.uwgt.org.
January 20, 2003
In a strange turn of events, Libya - headed by Colonel Moammar Gadhafi - may soon become chair of the UN Human Rights Commission. It is Africa's turn to hold the one-year rotating chairmanship and Libya is the African bloc's nominee. Canada will join the United States in voting against Libya for the prestigious position on Monday, January 20th when the new bureau is elected in Geneva. However, only a few countries on the 53-nation commission are willing to vote against the African nominee, so the chances are low that the Libyan bid will be thwarted. "We attach the highest of importance to the commission on human rights," said Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham. "We believe its integrity is extremely important. We want to make sure it is in a position to promote and protect human rights in a way that is irreproachable, and we do not believe that Libya as chair at this time would be appropriate in these circumstances." Human rights advocates say the Libyan regime tortures and kills political opponents at home and is implicated in major terrorist bombings abroad, including the downing of a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, 14 years ago. For more information about the UN Human Rights Commission, visit: www.unhchr.ch.
January 20, 2003
A new report, entitled Voices of Canadians: Seeking Work-Life Balance, found that almost 65% of respondents struggle with problems related to work-life balance. Problems at the organizational level, such as a heavy workload or non-supportive management, were most common at 41%, followed by 12% who said their problems stemmed from the work-life interface (role overload, work and family roles interfering with each other, etc.) Only 8% of respondents mentioned problems at the family level, and 2% struggled with problems at an individual level. In the nonprofit sector, 38.7% of people said balance issues stemmed from the organization, 13.5% said they stemmed from the work-life interface, 9.9% said they were family related, and 2.3% cited personal problems. -- HRDC Labour Program
January 20, 2003
While e-mail is widely accepted as a vital communication tool, and an effective way to organize large groups of people, it is most often considered to be a single-user application. However, a new report by Michael J. Muller and Daniel M. Gruen, of IBM Research, suggests it can also be a locale for collaboration, rather than simply a means of communication. The groups that participated in the study use e-mail for collaboration within the same mailbox. The first part of the study looks at executives and assistants who share the executive's mailbox. The second part examines how larger teams or groups shared a single mailbox to conduct a work operation. The study highlights how users are reinventing technology to suit their own needs, and argues for more flexibility in e-mail applications. For more information, visit: domino.watson.ibm.com/cambridge/research.nsf.
January 20, 2003
IT For Charities, a UK-based information technology (IT) resource web site for the voluntary sector, has compiled its 2002 list of the top ten free software applications for charities. The list includes many useful programs, such as a fundraising database, office software, a PDF creation program, anti-virus and firewall protection, and more. For more information, visit: www.itforcharities.co.uk/top10-02.htm.
January 20, 2003
Nominations are now being accepted for British Columbia's largest community recognition program. The 2003 Courage to Come Back Awards, now in their fifth year, honour individuals who have shown inspirational courage in their recovery from illness, injury, or adversity. "Any courageous British Columbian is eligible, and anyone can submit a nomination," says Shirley Broadfoot, chair of the event. "There are six awards, so we're looking for six ordinary people who have achieved inspirational victories over great personal challenges." Awards will be presented in the categories of chemical dependency, general medicine, mental health, physical rehabilitation, social/economic adversity, and youth. The deadline for nominations is Monday, February 17th, and awards will be presented at a gala dinner held at The Westin Bayshore on April 24, 2003. For more information, visit: www.coastfoundation.com/courage/courage-2003.html.
January 13, 2003
The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) recently published draft guidelines for registered charities concerning political activities and allowable limits under the Income Tax Act. It also provides a framework that explains how the CCRA distinguishes between political and charitable activities, and seeks to clarify the full extent to which charities can usefully contribute to the development of public policy, under the existing law. The CCRA has narrowed what it considers political activities, so that it no longer includes many attempts to inform public opinion on an issue. It also addresses the "10% Rule" which stipulates that charities can only use 10% of their revenue for advocacy.
Under the new draft guidelines, registered charities with less than $50,000 annual income in the previous year will be able to spend up to 20% of their resources on political activities in the current year. Those whose annual income in the previous year was between $50,000 and $100,000 will be able to use up to 15% of their resources, and registered charities with an annual income between $100,000 and $200,000 will be able to spend up to 12% of their resources on political activities in the current year. The CCRA is now seeking feedback from charities about whether these guidelines are easy to understand and to apply to their programs. This consultation draft will be open for comment until March 31, 2003. To view a full copy of the draft, visit: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/tax/charities/consultations/political_activities-e.html.
January 13, 2003
The US-based National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG), the European Association for Planned Giving (EAPG), and the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) are joining forces to encourage and promote charitable gift planning worldwide. The newly formed International Gift Planning Alliance will advance the mission of each gift planning association through shared knowledge, efficiencies, services, and strength. The hope is to create an effective and proactive link between charitable gift planners worldwide and increase collaboration on international charitable giving issues. The NCPG will administer the new alliance. For more information, visit: www.cagp-acpdp.org/communique.htm.
January 13, 2003
Last week, RBC Financial Group presented the United Way of Greater Toronto with a record-setting donation of $7,653,510. The gift includes payroll deductions, lump sum donations, and money generated by fundraising activities of RBC employees and pensioners from across the Greater Toronto Area, as well as RBC's corporate gift of $1.4 million and a one-time $1 million gift from Tony and Shari Fell and their family. "RBC Financial Group and its employees have demonstrated incredible commitment to the community with this generous donation to United Way, the largest in our history," said Frances Lankin, president of the United Way of Greater Toronto. "This money will help find solutions to community problems by giving young children a healthy start, supporting homeless and disabled people, helping seniors, abused women, and newcomers to Canada." For more information, visit: www.uwgt.org/media_tools/press_releases.html.
January 13, 2003
A new report from the Canadian Policy Research Network (CPRN) looks at the quality of jobs in the nonprofit sector. Job Quality in Non-Profit Organizations, by Kathryn McMullen and Grant Schellenberg, is the second paper in a series of reports that examine human resources in the sector. The authors' findings reveal that only 25% of nonprofit employees are under the age of 35, compared to 37% in the for-profit sector, and women make up 75% of nonprofit employees, but less than 50% in for-profits. Fourteen percent of jobs in nonprofits are temporary, compared with 8% in for-profits, and 25% of nonprofit jobs are part-time - double the level in the for-profit sector. Almost 40% of nonprofit employees are dissatisfied with their pay and benefits, while only 20% of for-profit employees feel likewise. -- CPRN
January 13, 2003
The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) is asking organizations active in community economic development to participate in a new national census. The Network works to build the capacity of communities and their development organizations, and advances evidence-based policy to better support grassroots community efforts to create their own sustainable futures. Responses from this census will be used to create the first national database of CED groups that exist in Canada, and what they are doing. This will contribute to the knowledge base of community organizations and practitioners and be used to advance better support to community economic development. Deadline for responses is January 15th. For more information or to complete the census, visit: www.canadiancednetwork.org/ced.htm. Organizations can also request a telephone interview. Call (877) 202-2268 for more information.
January 13, 2003
A $200,000 donation arranged by Milt Harris, chairperson and chief executive of Harris Steel Ltd. will ensure that more London-area children get the chance to experience life at summer camp. Harris Rebar, a division of Toronto-based Harris Steel, is providing $100,000 over five years to pay for children to attend Camp Queen Elizabeth, operated by the YMCA-YWCA of London. Another $50,000 will allow children to attend summer day camp at the George White Outdoor Centre in London, and $50,000 will support health, fitness, and recreation memberships for children at the London Y. For more information about the YMCA-YWCA of London, visit: www.londony.ca.
January 13, 2003
Ashoka Canada is now in the process of selecting its 2003 Ashoka Fellows. The organization supports more than 1,200 social entrepreneurs in 45 countries worldwide and Fellows are individuals who have innovative solutions and the potential to change patterns across society. When selecting Ashoka Fellows, the organization looks for new ideas for solving a public need - ideas that have the potential to solve an important social problem at the national level or beyond. Successful candidates will possess creativity, a motivation deeply rooted in a commitment to serve others, and an entrepreneurial temperament that will allow them to cope with the inevitable challenges that arise.
To nominate a candidate, contact Christy Gibb, associate director for Ashoka Canada, at cgibb@ashoka.org. Be sure to include the nominee's name, contact information (e-mail address if possible), and a few sentences or paragraphs on the nature of their work. Deadline for nominations is January 24th. For more information, visit: www.ashoka.org/us-canada/selection/c_nom_form.cfm.
January 13, 2003
Last week, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) unveiled the new Calgary Board of Education Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that will advocate and raise money to support educational goals for Calgary's public school students. The first $700,000 in startup funding was provided by the CBE, but the foundation will also appeal to the public for donations for a variety of projects. Sam Aylesworth, the foundation's executive director, hopes the new foundation will engage the public in shaping the city's education system. "We want to start a conversation with Calgarians about the role public education plays in building our community and sustaining our democracy," he said. For more information about the CBE, visit: www.cbe.ab.ca.
January 13, 2003
According to the US Labor Department's first study of volunteerism in more than a decade, an estimated 59 million Americans performed volunteer work between September 2001 and September 2002. The agency found that 27.6% of the civilian population age 16 and over volunteered an average of 52 hours during the year. The survey revealed that religious, educational, and youth-service-related organizations had the greatest number of volunteers, and that the volunteer rate was higher among women than men. Those who were employed were more likely to volunteer than those who were unemployed or not in the labor force. Among the different age groups, one-third of people ages 35 to 54 donated their time. Volunteer rates were lowest among senior citizens and people in their early 20s. -- US Labor Department
January 13, 2003
Polaris Industries launched a new event last weekend that will raise funds for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The 2003 Cross Canada WOW (Way Out Women) Relay will see 30 women, selected by the Manitoba-based snowmobile manufacturer, take part in a cross-country snowmobile trek. Each driver will travel within a designated region and will be collecting pledges prior to their ride. As well, members of local snowmobile clubs will be invited to join in the ride and make donations or collect pledges. The relay got underway on January 11th in St. John's, led by three Newfoundland women. It will wind through Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Quebec before arriving in Ottawa on February 1, and then on to Manitoba and the western provinces. The relay will end in Squamish, BC on March 1. For more information, visit: www.polarisindustries.com/2003wowrelay/.
January 13, 2003
What began with a 300-word essay to CosmoGirl! magazine about how she wanted a library for her reserve, soon turned into a $10,000 US scholarship from the magazine, a Peter Gzowski literacy prize, and a tour the National Library in Ottawa for 14-year-old Skawenniio Barnes. Barnes, who lives on a Mohawk reserve in Kahnawake, Quebec, began her crusade to get a library on the reserve last year. Since then, donated books have been pouring in from as far away as Australia. She estimates that more than 15,000 books have arrived for the temporary library, which has a capacity of about 2,000 books. The decision to build a permanent library on the reserve is in the hands of the band council. For now, Skawenniio and fellow volunteers are concentrating on the task at hand. "We're going to go through the books again, make a selection for the temporary library and get that running as soon as possible. That's the goal for this year," she said. For more information, visit: www.kahnawakelibrary.mohawk.ca/.
January 13, 2003
The deadline is fast approaching to nominate someone for the AFP Greater Toronto Chapter 2003 Philanthropy Awards. Nominations for Outstanding Philanthropist, Volunteer, and Fundraising Executive must be received by Wednesday, January 15, 2003 at 5:00 p.m. The awards program recognizes outstanding achievement of regional or national scope by individual, foundation and corporate philanthropists; civic and service philanthropic organizations; and professional fundraising executives. These awards will be presented at the Philanthropy Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, June 4th. For more information, visit: www.afptoronto.org.
January 6, 2003
Late last month, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) issued a draft of its revised guidelines for what constitutes a charitable gift. It includes a revised threshold for benefits of nominal value to the donor -- the lesser of 10% of the value of the gift or $75 (up from $50). It also clarifies how CCRA officials will assess specific benefits to a donor. The guidelines include common examples for fundraising dinners, auctions, lotteries, concerts and sporting events, golf tournaments, and membership fees.
The new guidelines also withdraw the CCRA's administrative position on charitable annuities issued after December 20, 2002. Under the new annuity treatment, a donor might receive a larger up-font tax receipt in the year of the donation, but will have to pay tax on some of the annuity income. CCRA officials are accepting comments on the guidelines until the end of March. Download a full copy of the draft in PDF format from: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/itnews-26/itnews-26-e.pdf.
January 6, 2003
Charles Juravinski and his wife Margaret did their part to spread some holiday cheer in the Hamilton area recently. The couple, former owners of Flamboro Downs, announced a gift of $16 million to aid the local healthcare community. "Every success we've had in life has flowed from people who supported us, people who mentored us and helped make things happen for us," said Juravinski. "So when the Flamboro Downs sale went through, Margaret and I wanted to give something back in a way that will continue to touch people's lives for a long time to come." Their gift includes: $2 million to Hamilton Health Sciences' (HHS') General Hospital; $5 million to the Hamilton Regional Cancer Centre, $1 million to McMaster University; $1 million to HHS' McMaster University Medical Centre (MUMC); $2 million to St. Joseph's Hospital; and $5 million to St. Joseph's Villa. The money will fund several new facilities and projects, including a new academic research facility at St. Joseph's Hospital, and a new long-term care residential wing at St. Joseph's Villa.
January 6, 2003
Ajilon Consulting, TakingITGlobal, and Making IT Work for Volunteers have joined forces to offer a much-needed service to Ontario charities and nonprofits. FirSTep allows voluntary sector organizations across the province to access free phone tech support and advice on a variety of technology-related questions. "As a phone-based access point to technological ideas, support, and information, FirSTep successfully overcomes the traditional accessibility barriers associated with Internet-based resources. Organizations curious about the potential of technology to benefit their operations, seeking support with current IT projects, or simply needing help fixing their printer can now pick up the phone, and speak with a skilled IT volunteer," says Geoffrey MacDougall, director of voluntary sector initiatives for the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC). During the initial 6-month pilot phase, FirSTep will operate Tuesday through Thursday, from 11am until 4pm and seeks to provide a 7-day turnaround on all calls. For more information, visit: www.volunteersonline.ca/firstep.
January 6, 2003
A poll conducted in December found that 58% of Canadians did some sort of volunteer work in 2002. Of the 900 respondents who said they had done volunteer work in the past year, 37% said they did less than five hours a month, with only 7% doing 30 hours or more a month. Sixty-one percent of those who volunteered were female, 61% were over 65 years old, 67% were residents of the prairies, 66% were high-income, 62% were retired, 69% professionals, and 72% were university graduates. -- Leger Marketing
January 6, 2003
Each year the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Research Council distributes several small grants to selected AFP members in an effort to support research on philanthropy and fundraising. Greenpeace Canada gift planner Natasha van Bentum was among three recipients for 2002 and will receive $3,250 for her project, "Exploring Earliest Bequest Marketing Techniques & Sharing Results with Contemporary Practitioners". Laura S. Aguilar and Birgit Smith Burton, the other two recipients, will be conducting studies on philanthropy in the Latino and African-American communities, respectively. Over the next year, van Bentum will be gathering early examples of bequest marketing from around the world, with an emphasis on common-law countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the United States. One of the goals of her project is to make contemporary fundraising practitioners more aware of the rich body of work conducted by the earliest fundraisers. For more information, visit: www.afpnet.org/tier3_cd.cfm?folder_id=923&content_item_id=10007. Natasha van Bentum can be reached at nbentum@yvr.greenpeace.org.
January 6, 2003
Researchers at the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy have published a manual designed to help voluntary organizations enhance their volunteer program management by better understanding the economic value that volunteering contributes to their organization. Assigning Economic Value to Volunteer Activity: Eight Tools for Efficient Program Management, created by Michelle Goulbourne and Don Embuldeniya, demonstrates eight methods of calculating the value of volunteering, and is divided into three strategic areas: human resource productivity measures, volunteer program efficiency measures, and community support measures. Once calculated, the manual suggests that organizations can use the measure to help manage and evaluate volunteer programs and educate the organization, funders, and the public about the value of volunteer activity. For more information or to download the manual, visit: www.nonprofitscan.ca/report.asp?section=recently#Goulbourne.
January 6, 2003
FLARE magazine announced its call for nominations for the 7th annual FLARE Volunteer Awards. The awards honour Canadian women aged 18 and up who have made a significant contribution to the lives of people in their communities. "The FLARE Volunteer Awards have become an integral part of FLARE's commitment to not only reach out to Canadian women, but highlight their outstanding contributions in communities across the country," said David Hamilton, publisher of the magazine. Individuals, corporate, volunteer, and philanthropic organizations across Canada are encouraged to submit nominations. Deadline for submissions is February 7th. For more information, visit: www.flare.com/volunteer.
January 6, 2003
Dr. Aulayne Jeans-Mingo and Don Mingo consider themselves quite fortunate, so when they won a local contest they decided to share their good luck with others. The couple won the Halifax Herald's Live Free in 2003 promotion, which provides them with a $3,000 cheque each month - a cheque they will pass on to charity. "We are all right. We have enough to live and so this money really needs to get into the hands of those who need it," said Don Mingo, president of Maritime Inns and Resorts, a division of the Mingo Group of New Glasgow. He adds that Nova Scotia is a generous province and believes that most people in the same position would do the same thing.
January 6, 2003
While no one can dispute that e-mail has become an integral part of the workplace - 62% of all employed Americans have Internet access and 98% use email on the job - the belief that e-mail volume has grown out of control may be a misconception. According to research conducted by the Pew Internet Project, 60% of work e-mailers receive 10 or fewer messages on an average day; 23% receive more than 20 and only 6% more than 50. In addition, 78% of work e-mailers send 10 or fewer messages on an average day, with only 11% sending more than 20. In terms of time spent dealing with e-mail, 73% of respondents spend an hour or less per day on their e-mail. That includes 23% who spend fewer than 15 minutes per day handling email. Also encouraging is the fact that less than half (48%) of work e-mailers reported that their e-mail volume has increased in the past year. -- Pew Internet Project
January 6, 2003
Carl Woolner, 97, and his daughter Olga Woolner expressed their appreciation of PEI's Queen Elizabeth Hospital with a surprise gift of $25,000 to the QEH Foundation. Mr. Woolner, a retired farmer from Winsloe, was already an annual donor but decided to up the ante after cashing in a $50,000 investment. "I decided to donate half of the $50,000," he said. "I think we've got enough to live on." Over the years he underwent four successful operations at the QEH and his late wife, Florence, also made several trips to the hospital. More than $600,000 is donated each year to the foundation by thankful individuals like Woolner. For more information about the foundation, visit: www.qehfoundation.pe.ca.
January 6, 2003
Applications are now being accepted for the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation's 2003 Millennium Excellence Awards. These awards recognize, support, and encourage exceptional students entering their first year of post-secondary studies. Students may receive one-time or renewable awards of $4,000 per year for up to four years. Recipients are selected on the basis of demonstrated positive service to the community; academic achievement; demonstrated capacity for leadership and ability to motivate others; and a demonstrated interest in innovation. The application deadline is January 24. For more information, visit: www.millenniumscholarships.ca.
January 6, 2003
A Manitoba Hutterite colony that won Canada's top honours for pork production is donating its winnings to several charities. Winners are required to give half their award money to a charity but Phillip Hofer, hog manager at the James Valley colony outside of Winnipeg, decided to give it all away. "We felt it wasn't fair to keep the money. If a medium-sized farm like us could give $15,000, maybe others would match it." The $15,000 first prize went to the Variety Club of Manitoba and two area food banks also benefited. Winnipeg Harvest received the top 10 prize-winning hogs and Maple Leaf Foods in Brandon matched the donation with 10 hogs for Helping Hands. The meat amounts to an estimated 8,000 meals for needy people. For more information about the Variety Club of Manitoba, visit: www.varietyclubofmanitoba.ca, and for more information about Winnipeg Harvest visit: www.winnipegharvest.org.
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