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| Path: Main Street : NewsWeek : Archive : NewsBytes : Article |
This is an archive of CharityVillage NewsWeek.
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To view other articles in the archive, use our Chronological Index.
NewsBytes: March, 2003
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
Canada pledges $100 million in humanitarian aid for Iraq
March 31, 2003
The Canadian government announced last week that it will commit $100 million in humanitarian assistance for the people of Iraq. Through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) there will be an immediate allocation of $20 million to UN humanitarian agencies, the Red Cross, and CARE Canada. "We are monitoring the situation closely and are in regular contact with our partners and our missions in the region," said Susan Whelan, Minister for International Cooperation. "The UN and international humanitarian aid agencies are extremely concerned about the impact of the conflict on Iraqi civilians, and are taking measures to respond to humanitarian needs. Canada is committed to support their work." For more information, visit: www.acdi-cida.gc.ca.
March 31, 2003
A new survey, conducted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), reveals that charitable fundraising remained strong across North America in 2002, despite the challenges of a slowing economy. However, Canadian organizations are doing significantly better than their American neighbours. Almost 63% of Canadian respondents reported raising more money in 2002 than in 2001, compared to only 49% of US organizations. The average increase in Canada was 8%, while the increase was slightly less than 2% in the United States.
US respondents said the biggest challenge they faced was the economy. Canadian fundraisers listed a host of reasons impacting their fundraising efforts, including increased competition for charitable dollars, government budget cuts, and a drop in corporate support and sponsorship. Still, Canadians remained optimistic, with 68% predicting that their organization would experience increased giving in 2003. Only 45% or American organizations felt the same way. For more information, visit: www.afpnet.org. Why do you think the results are so different between our two countries? Is it just the slower American economy or something else? Have your say at Speak Out!
March 31, 2003
The Calgary-based Integrative Health Institute will benefit from a recent auction of rare and valuable art by some of Canada's most celebrated landscape and contemporary artists. The art, owned by EnCana Corporation, raised $599,825 at auction, with proceeds going to the institute. "These funds are a clear commitment from the private sector to support our mandate," said institute chair, Patricia Trottier. "We hope to secure public sector funding that will help us continue our efforts to promote health and wellness information, education and research." For more information, visit: www.encana.com.
Fast Fact: Most families better off after quitting welfare
March 31, 2003
According to the first-ever national study of the economic outcome for people who leave welfare rolls, six in 10 people who left welfare in the 1990s saw their after-tax family income improve substantially. After five years off welfare, average family earnings improved by about 40% for most people. However, slightly less than one-third of those who left welfare eventually returned for a full year or more within that five-year timeframe. Welfare exit rates were highest in Alberta at more than 13%, followed by Ontario at 9%. The average exit rate among other provinces was just under 8%. -- Statistics Canada
March 31, 2003
The BC government is eliminating the 25-year-old British Columbia Heritage Trust and handing the job of funding community and heritage grants over to a new nonprofit society. The Heritage Society of BC and the Land Conservancy will handle the creation of the new British Columbia Heritage Legacy Fund with $5 million in seed money from the province. The government argues that a nonprofit will do a better job of managing heritage because the organization will be able to solicit tax-deductible donations from the public, rather than looking to government for the funds. For more information, visit: www2.news.gov.bc.ca.
March 31, 2003
Toronto Police Services announced last week that Block Parents, the volunteer child safety program, is being shut down. The police cited lack of public support as the reason for its demise. There are currently less than 600 Block Parent participants in the city, which has a population of 2.6 million. Crime Concern, a citizen group, has been trying to bolster the Block Parent network for the last five years, without much success. "We sent warnings and Block Parent invitations to 600 schools last year," said Elizabeth Hawley of Crime Concerns. "Three people showed up to our meetings. There was no interest." Neighbourhood Watch, another program operated by Crime Concerns, is still going strong. For more information about Crime Concern, visit: www.crimeconcern.org.
March 31, 2003
Scotiabank announced a donation of $500,000 to fund a new Faculty of Management building at Dalhousie University. The gift is part of the university's Management Without Borders campaign, which aims to offer students leading-edge, integrated management education. To date, the campaign has raised $23.2 million toward an overall goal of $25 million. For more information, visit: www.dal.ca/%7Ealumni/campaigns/index.htm.
March 31, 2003
A new study by the U.S.-based Institute for Jewish & Community Research finds that mega-gifts (gifts of $10 million or more) are distributed primarily in three areas: education, arts and culture, and health. Between 1995 and 2000, a total of 502 mega-givers contributed a total of $29.3 billion in the United States. Higher educational institutions received the majority of gifts, representing 56% of all mega-gifts. -- Institute for Jewish & Community Research
US approves national "do-not-call" registry
March 31, 2003
Beginning July 1st, Americans will be able to put their names on a national "do-not-call" list being coordinated by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Consumers who register will be protected from unwanted telemarketing calls for five years, or until they change their phone number. Telemarketers will be required to check the registry every 90 days and remove registered names from their list or face fines of up to $11,000. Charities, surveys, and calls on behalf of politicians will be exempt from the restrictions.
In Canada, a "do-not-call" list is operated by the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA), but applies only to telemarketers who are members of the CMA. Several years ago, Industry Canada examined the possibility of a national registry, but concluded that it was not necessary.
March 31, 2003
The Molson Donations Fund recently presented Frontier College with a cheque for $80,000. The gift will help the college provide leadership training to the volunteer organizers of its literacy programs. These volunteers support more than 4,000 tutors who work with learners across the country. "Students for Literacy is an excellent fit with the Molson Donations Fund strategy," said David Jones, director of public relations for Molson Canada. "It is a post-secondary campus program that is national in scope and demonstrates leadership and volunteerism by students. We are extremely proud to partner with such a stellar organization and applaud the efforts of all those involved." For more information about Frontier College, visit: www.frontiercollege.ca.
March 31, 2003
Toronto-area high school students have only one week left to apply for a newly launched scholarship program from investment company Cadillac Fairview. SPIRE challenges graduating high school students to demonstrate their commitment to community involvement, further education, and school participation. Thirteen $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to graduating students who have been selected for their combined outstanding academic improvement and social responsibility throughout their high school careers. The application deadline is April 7. For more information, visit: micro.newswire.ca.
March 24, 2003
As the US-led war with Iraq continues, more and more humanitarian organizations are calling for donations to help the Iraqi people. Leading the way is the Canadian Red Cross, which is appealing for cash donations in support of the worldwide appeal for $219 million for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement relief efforts in Iraq and bordering countries. The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP) is also coordinating relief efforts with churches and NGOs Canada-wide. Other organizations that are currently collecting donations for humanitarian aid in Iraq include the Canadian Relief Foundation, Care Canada, Oxfam Canada, the Mennonite Central Committee, and World Vision, to name a few. If you would like to make a donation or to find out more about these relief efforts, follow the links from our Nonprofit Neighbourhood at: www.charityvillage.com/nonpr/nonpr9.html.
March 24, 2003
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance released new guidelines that it will use to evaluate charities in the United States. The Standards for Charitable Accountability were developed by the BBB as a way to assist donors in making sound giving decisions and to foster public confidence in charitable organizations. The standards assess four key areas: governance and oversight; measuring effectiveness; finances; and fundraising and informational materials. Although some BBBs in Canada do offer information on charities, to date no universal evaluation standards have been created. For more information, visit: www.give.org/standards/index.asp.
March 24, 2003
A national survey sponsored by Investors Group reveals that Canadians are more generous when they plan their charitable giving in advance rather than making a spontaneous contribution. Those who made decisions about their charitable giving before being asked to contribute claim an average tax deduction of $756 annually. People who wait until they are asked to give claim an average of only $270. The survey found that 32% of Canadians planned their donations, while 64% did not. Although 47% of respondents said they claimed charitable donations on their income tax return last year, only 19% said this was an important factor in their decision to donate. -- Investors Group
March 24, 2003
The Tech Museum of Innovation is calling for nominations for the third annual Tech Museum Awards. The awards are presented in five categories - health, education, environment, economic development, and equality - and honour inspiring individuals and organizations who use technology in innovative ways to improve the quality of life for people around the world. Any person or group may submit nominations, and individuals or organizations can nominate themselves. Individuals, for-profit companies, and public or not-for-profit organizations are eligible. One winning finalist in each of the five categories will receive a $50,000 cash award at The Tech Museum Awards Gala on October 15, 2003. The deadline for nominations is May 2, 2003. Nomination forms can be found at www.techawards.thetech.org.
March 24, 2003
The University of Waterloo has a new environmental scholarship program thanks to a $900,000 boost from the TD Bank Financial Group. Six TD Bank Graduate Scholarships in the Environment will be awarded annually to graduate students enrolled in the UW faculties of engineering, environmental studies, and science whose areas of study have a strong environmental focus. Each $5,000 scholarship will also be double-matched through an Ontario Graduate Scholarship or an Ontario Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology, making the combined value of each award $15,000. For more information, visit: www.adm.uwaterloo.ca.
March 24, 2003
The Ottawa Hospital received $500,000 last week toward its $100 million capital campaign. The donation from CIBC will be used to redevelop the Riverside Campus, which will become an ambulatory care and day-surgery facility. "This generous gift moves us along the way to creating a nationally recognized centre for excellence in healthcare and to becoming the hospital of choice for patients who need our services and for the wide variety of healthcare professionals that deliver our programs," said Dr. Jack Kitts, president and CEO of the hospital. For more information, visit: www.ohfoundation.ca.
March 24, 2003
The first annual PlannedLegacy Donor Recognition and Campaign Awareness E-Survey found that 92% of respondents consider donor recognition to be an important component of fundraising, and 55% consider it to be very important. However, only 25% of respondents said that they allocated more than $20,000 annually to their recognition budget. Fifty-six percent said the major drawback of their current donor recognition system was its inability to attract new donors, followed by more than 30% of survey respondents who said they were unsatisfied with their current system's inability to grow and its overall effectiveness. -- PlannedLegacy
March 24, 2003
McDonald's restaurants in Ontario announced a donation of more than $170,000 to help support child nutrition programs across the province. This donation marks the six-month fundraising amount in a year-long program with BREAKFAST FOR LEARNING, Canadian Living Foundation. Each Friday until September, 10 cents from every coffee sold at McDonald's goes towards this initiative. "The success of a program like this is largely dependent on our customers," said Mike Forman, regional vice-president, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited. "With their help, we've been able to reach our mid-year fundraising goal - in the last six months, our customers have bought more than 1.7 million cups of coffee at McDonald's on Fridays to support [the program]." For more information about BREAKFAST FOR LEARNING, visit: www.breakfastforlearning.ca.
March 24, 2003
A new report out of Washington, DC finds that almost two-thirds of American children between the ages of two and seventeen used the internet in 2002. The biggest gain, a 205% increase, occurred among African-American children. However, there is still much disparity regarding internet access. Sixty-six percent of children from high-income households use the internet at home, compared to 49% of children from middle-income families, and only 29% of children from low-income households. -- Corporation for Public Broadcasting
March 24, 2003
The application deadline for tuition assistance grants from Children First: School Choice Trust is Friday, March 28. Children First is Canada's first privately funded program to help Ontario parents in financial need send their children to an independent elementary school of their choice. The program will provide tuition assistance grants 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. Complete application details are available at: www.childrenfirstgrants.ca or by calling 1-866-924-8881.
March 17, 2003
The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) Charities Directorate is calling on groups and individuals to review its proposed policy regarding the registration of charities dedicated to eliminating racial discrimination, as well as those devoted to promoting positive race relations within Canada. The policy outlines how applicants that focus on anti-racism can be registered as charities under the 'advancement of education' or 'other purposes beneficial to the community' categories. CCRA will be accepting comments and feedback until March 31st. For more information, visit: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca.
March 17, 2003
Last week, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that a proposed online lottery would have violated the country's gambling laws because tickets would be sold across provincial boundaries. The Earth Future Lottery, an initiative of the PEI charity Earth Fund, planned to sell tickets over the internet to raise money for environmental and charitable groups in the province. The provincial government tentatively approved the concept, but lottery corporations in other provinces protested, saying it would cut into their revenues. The Supreme Court of Canada agreed with the appeals division of the Supreme Court of PEI, which maintained that putting the lottery on the internet would allow anyone to purchase a ticket and that violates the law. The lottery was expected to generate between $6 and $9 million for provincially operated environmental groups.
March 17, 2003
Developing Human Resources in the Voluntary Sector (HRVS) is currently holding a series of consultations with voluntary sector organizations from coast to coast. The HRVS project - which focuses on strengthening the voluntary sector's capacity to attract, support, and retain employees - is travelling to eight Canadian communities to develop a clear picture of national, regional, and local HR issues.
"We know our aging population is leading to more competition for human resources among all three sectors," says Lynne Toupin, who is leading HRVS on behalf of Community Foundations of Canada, United Way of Canada-Centraide Canada, and the Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations. "We want to know what kind of impact this trend is having on the voluntary sector. What are the challenges in recruiting, supporting and retaining employees?" For more information, visit: www.hrvs-rhsbc.ca or contact Kirstin Beardsley at kbeardsley@community-fdn.ca or 613-236-2664.
March 17, 2003
In 2000, women working on a full-year, full-time basis made just over 70 cents for every $1 earned by their male counterparts. In 1980, that figure was only 52 cents for every $1 dollar men earned. Among men, earnings fell by roughly $200 between 1980 and 1990, then increased by $2,000 or 5.6% during the next decade. Among women, earnings rose 13.9% between 1980 and 1990, and a further 12.9% between 1990 and 2000. One of the reasons women made these gains in employment income is because they increased their hours and weeks of work. In 1980, there were only 5 million women in the labour market. By 2000, this had increased 48% to more than 7.5 million. In contrast, the number of male earners rose only 18% from 7.2 million to 8.5 million. -- Statistics Canada
March 17, 2003
Oxfam affiliates in 12 countries, including Canada, announced last week that they will not accept direct funding from "belligerent governments" for humanitarian work in Iraq if war breaks out in that country. Instead, the organization will rely solely on public donations, its own reserves, and EU and UN sources to fund its relief work. "We cannot be willing participants when governments attempt to use humanitarian agencies as instruments of a belligerent foreign policy," said Oxfam Canada executive director Rieky Stuart. Oxfam supports Canada's efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. "But should that fail and Canada becomes drawn into a US-led war, we will not accept Canadian government funding," Stuart added. For more information, visit: www.oxfam.ca/news/Iraq/Funding.htm.
March 17, 2003
The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation announced a $1 million donation to fund a Clinical Scholar in Paediatric Nerve Injury. The donation by the CHIN UP Foundation will be matched by the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation to create a $1.5 million endowment. It is the first gift made to the HSC Clinical Scholar Program, which is designed to provide research funding in order to recruit and retain the world's best paediatric physicians and surgeons. The creation of the HSC Clinical Scholar in Paediatric Nerve Injury will help ensure world class research into children's nerve injuries. For more information about the foundation, visit: www.sickkids.ca/foundation.
March 17, 2003
RBC Financial Group is inviting charities across Canada that offer after-school programs to apply for grants of up to $40,000 for the 2003-2004 school year. Charities requesting funding should offer activities such as computer instruction, sports, literacy tutoring, music and art lessons, nutrition guidance, and homework help. RBC believes that these activities provide children with opportunities to gain an area of competence outside of academics and ultimately benefit their self-esteem. The deadline for proposals is May 1, 2003. For more information, visit: www.rbc.com/community/donations/after-school/index.html or contact Joanne Kviring at 416-974-2176 or joanne.kviring@.rbc.com.
March 17, 2003
The Canadian Policy Research Network (CPRN) released the third in a series of reports by researchers Kathryn McMullen and Grant Schellenberg. Skills and Training in the Non-profit Sector reveals that, where training is concerned, the nonprofit sector compares well with the for-profit sector. Nonprofit employers show a higher commitment to training in terms of both classroom instruction and financial support, and there is a higher rate of participation in training than in the for-profit sector. "These are all good signs," McMullen says. "Opportunities for training and skill development are linked to job satisfaction, confidence on the job, higher productivity, morale and commitment. They are essential to attracting and keeping skilled workers." For more information or to download the report, visit: www.cprn.org/pubs/files/pubs-w_e.html#sat.
March 17, 2003
For almost 40 years, Operation Eyesight Universal has been collecting eyeglasses from Canadians and distributing them to people around the world. Now another well-known group, the Lions Club, will be responsible for the program. According to Lynda Cherry, vice president of overseas programs for Operation Eyesight, the need for used eyeglasses has changed in places throughout the developing world where the organization works. "Ours is an ambitious organization, actively involved in eye surgery, preventative treatment and education. Low vision is part of that, but now we want to put more effort into comprehensive eye care and, ultimately, the elimination of preventable blindness," says Cherry. However, there are still places around the world accepting used frames and lenses from Canada, so the Lions Clubs in the Calgary area will create a new entity under the Lions umbrella to handle the program. Negotiations are now underway to share this work with Lions across Canada. For more information, visit: www.giftofsight.com/what_newsroom.html.
March 17, 2003
The city of Toronto is calling for applications from individuals and organizations who work to make their communities safer places to live. The Mayor's Community Safety Awards honour six recipients for their contribution to improving the safety of the residents of the City of Toronto. Each award recipient will receive $1,000 to be used for community safety initiatives. Deadline for submissions is March 31st, 2003. For more information or an application, visit: www.toronto.ca/community_safety_awards/index.htm or e-mail safety2@toronto.ca.
March 17, 2003
It's not the time of year when Santa traditionally makes his rounds, but for underprivileged children in Trinidad, that didn't seem to matter. A toy drive by the Rotaract Club of Toronto yielded 50 pounds of toys for kids in and around centres from San Fernando to Port of Spain. Nadia Westmaas, a teacher in Trinidad, first contacted her Rotaractor friend, Stacey Gibbons, asking for support in her Trinidadian toy drive. Upon hearing about the project, Shep Inglis, director of international service for the Rotaract Club, offered to help. More than 30 Rotaractors, as well as their friends and family, donated time, money, and a variety of toys for youth of all ages. The club also covered the cost of shipping the toys south. For more information about the Rotaract Club, visit: members.rogers.com.
March 17, 2003
The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities' Wellness & Disability Initiative (WDI) and the AIDS & Disability Action Program (ADAP) recently published the first issue of HIV/AIDS Prevention Resources for Educators: Reaching Students with Special Learning Needs. "Youth with disabilities are at potentially higher risk due to vulnerabilities and are often overlooked when it comes to education about sexuality, sexually transmitted infections, communication/negotiation skills, substance use, bullying, and abuse." says WDI/ADAP program director, Shelley Hourston. The quarterly newsletter profiles programs and resources for students in grades 8-12, with the primary goal of HIV/AIDS prevention for youth with learning challenges. For more information, visit: www.bccpd.bc.ca/wdi/educnews.html.
March 10, 2003
The Voluntary Sector Initiative's (VSI) Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) Joint Table released its final report recently, calling for a broad strategy to help voluntary organizations, and the sector as a whole, improve technological capacity. The report, entitled Strengthening Voluntary Sector Capacity through Technology, offers a five-part strategy to strengthen the sector's ability to serve Canadians. The key elements of the strategy include: a funding agency campaign to encourage funding agencies to change their policies and procedures regarding IM/IT; access to IT planning, hardware and software, training and technical support; a voluntary sector portal for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of best practices; a funding exchange to connect funding agencies with organizations requiring funding; and a technology awareness campaign to provide information on the tools available to help organizations adopt and use IT effectively. To view the report, visit: www.vsi-isbc.ca/eng/joint_tables/im_it/reports_technology.cfm.
March 10, 2003
Based on feedback from grant recipients, the Ontario Trillium Foundation released new program guidelines that will affect communities across the province. Effective April 1st, local services boards and municipalities with a population of 20,000 or less will be eligible to apply for grants in the Arts & Culture or Sports & Recreation sectors. Eligible nonprofit groups in areas with higher populations will now be able to access up to $100,000 per capital project, an increase from $75,000. In addition, the foundation simplified the application process, making it easier for all applicants to apply, especially for requests of $25,000 or less. Three new program goals were also identified: to build healthy communities and strengthen volunteerism; to increase accessibility and celebrate Ontario's diversity; and to stimulate economic growth and innovation. To obtain a copy of the OTF's 2003-2004 Program Guidelines, visit: www.trilliumfoundation.org/OTF-English/new/index.htm.
March 10, 2003
For the second consecutive year, Scotia Capital hosted Invest in Kids Day, donating more than $682,000 in trade commissions to Invest in Kids, a national charitable organization dedicated to giving Canada's children the best possible start in life. "Given the current market conditions, we are thrilled to have raised such a significant contribution to help with the ongoing initiatives of Invest in Kids," said Jim Mountain, managing director and head of Institutional Equities at Scotia Capital. The money raised will support Invest in Kids' research, parent education, and professional education initiatives designed to strengthen the parenting knowledge, skills, and confidence of Canadian parents. Find out more at: www.scotiacapital.com/investinkidsday.
March 10, 2003
The 2002 AFP Compensation and Benefits Survey revealed that the average salary of US members in 2001 was $64,643 (USD), 6% more than the average 2000 salary reported in the 2001 study. The median salary was $56,000, up 8% from the $52,000 documented in the last survey. The top 25% of US fundraisers reported being paid $78,000 or more. The average 2001 salary for Canadian fundraisers was $72,495 (in Canadian funds), up 7% from the $67,600 reported in 2000. The median Canadian salary for all 328 respondents was $62,500, 4% more than the 2000 median salary. The salary for the top 25% of Canadian fundraisers begins at $80,000. -- AFP
March 10, 2003
An innovative fundraising initiative was launched last week that will recycle used cell phones to generate new funds for food banks. The Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB) and national sponsors Petro-Canada and Purolator announced the Phones-For-Food project as an extension of the successful thINK FOOD program, which recycles old printer cartridges. During the month of March, businesses, offices, and community groups are encouraged to sign up and receive a collection kit. Drop-off sites are also available for those who only have one or two phones to donate. "Over 700,000 people turn to food banks every month in Canada," said Charles Seiden, executive director of CAFB. "Phones-For-Food is an easy way for the public to help address growing hunger issues. The program supports community food banks and diverts harmful waste from landfills at the same time." For more information, visit: www.phonesforfood.com or call 1-888-271-3641.
March 10, 2003
The Change Foundation is once again calling on nonprofit organizations in Ontario to submit Letters of Intent for its annual grant competition. The foundation provides seed funding of up to $100,000 per grant over two years to support innovative ideas for improving health and health care services in the province. This year's theme is "Closing the Demand Gap in Health and Health Care Services". Applicants may apply in one of the three strategic areas designated, or identify another important demand management strategy. Designated areas are: programs that operate according to a population health framework; disease management; and harnessing consumerism in health and health care decisions. Applicants are invited to submit a short project description focusing on the innovation, and potential impact on closing the demand gap and improving health and health care services. The deadline for receipt of Letters of Intent is April 17, 2003. For more information, visit: www.changefoundation.com or contact Linda Cash at 416-205-1451 or lcash@changefoundation.com.
March 10, 2003
According to the latest "Blue Chip Edition" of the 2002-2003 Association Executive Benefits and Compensation Report, most "Blue Chip" CEOs receive annual compensation increases that are more than three times the average for the rest of the association management sector in Canada. Blue chip association executives are those whose total income is at least $175,000, though most earn substantially more. In the coming year, more than half of these blue chip CEOs expect a compensation increase greater than 6%, compared with only 7% of CEOs in general who expect similar increases. For more information, visit: www.csae.com.
March 10, 2003
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Ericsson Canada is encouraging all 1,800 of its employees to complete a minimum of 50 hours of volunteer work in their communities in 2003. Through the Ericsson Share 50 program, organizers expect nonprofit and charitable organizations across Southern Ontario and Greater Montreal to benefit from 100,000 hours of community service this year. The company invites organizations in these regions to contact them to express interest in receiving volunteer assistance. For more information, visit: www.ericsson.com/ca/en/press/2003-03-06.shtml.
March 10, 2003
According to author Jacques LeCavalier, e-learning activity in the nonprofit sector is increasing, and there is potential for even more growth. With this in mind, he has published the second edition of Making E-Learning Work in the Nonprofit Sector, an introductory yet probing look at e-learning in the sector. It covers the basics of e-learning, including definitions, examples, and a summary of key areas of interest, such as e-learning strategy, learning management systems, and requests for proposal (RFP). The report is designed to help nonprofits tailor their own e-learning initiatives for maximum effectiveness. To download an executive summary of the report, visit: www.brandonhall.com/public/publications/nonprofit/.
March 10, 2003
Earth Day Canada and Toyota Canada announced a new scholarship for graduating highschool students and Quebec junior college students who have distinguished themselves in environmental community service and achieved academic excellence. Ten scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded across Canada. A national winner - selected from the 10 regional winners - will also be awarded a notebook computer. Deadline for submissions is May 1, 2003. For more information or an application, visit: www.earthday.ca/scholarship or e-mail scholarship@earthday.ca.
March 10, 2003
In the next few months, the United Kingdom will review capacity building and infrastructure within its voluntary sector. In preparation, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) recently published a discussion paper which looks at the infrastructure support that currently exists, problems that need to be addressed, as well as a review of the principles for good infrastructure. It also proposes a model on which reform of the sector's infrastructure could be based. For more information or to view the report, visit: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk.
March 10, 2003
A $172,000 grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services will help children around the world learn about the importance of organ and tissue donation. The grant was awarded to Sandrine's Gift of Life Foundation, which will develop a Web-based organ donor education program available to 4.5 million students and teachers in 191 countries. The Ottawa charity was established to encourage organ and tissue donation awareness after Sandrine Craig, an 11-year-old Dunrobin, Ontario girl, was killed in a school bus crash in May 1999. Her family decided to donate the girl's organs for six transplants, including three for children. For more information about the foundation, visit: www.sandrinesgift.com.
March 3, 2003
A gift of $5 million to the University of Calgary will help create a new undergraduate honours program in the Faculty of Medicine. David and Gail O'Brien's donation to the new Bachelor of Health Sciences program is one of the largest ever received by the institution. "This gift will help us mount a program that incorporates the kind of learning experience we want for all our undergraduate students - high quality, inquiry- and researched-based, and interdisciplinary," said Harvey Weingarten, president and vice-chancellor of the university. The O'Brien Centre for the Bachelor of Health Sciences program is accepting applications for the fall. For more information, visit: www.fp.ucalgary.ca/unicomm/news/Feb_03/obrien-centre.htm.
March 3, 2003
In honour of its 25th anniversary, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) launched two new awards last week to celebrate outstanding research achievement in the social sciences and humanities. The SSHRC Gold Medal for Achievement in Research, valued at $100,000, is one of Canada's largest prizes in this field, and will be awarded to an individual whose leadership, dedication, and originality have significantly advanced understanding in his or her discipline, while also enriching Canada's cultural and intellectual heritage. The $25,000 SSHRC Aurora Prize will honour an outstanding new researcher who is building a reputation for original research in the social sciences or humanities. Universities and researchers are encouraged to submit nominations by June 2003. For more information, visit www.sshrc.ca.
March 3, 2003
Members of professional associations across Canada are being cautioned to closely examine any membership renewals they receive by mail. The Competition Bureau recently issued a warning about mailings that appear to be from well-known associations requesting payment for membership. These invoices use names similar to existing associations of which the recipients may already be members, including names such as: Veterinary Association of Canada, Dental Association of Canada, and Pharmacists Association of Canada. Anyone who receives a misleading mailing is encouraged to contact the Bureau at 1-800-348-5358. Find out more at: strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/ct02502e.html.
March 3, 2003
A December 2002 study of online giving for a Canadian nonprofit organization revealed that 75% of donors did not visit the nonprofit's web site specifically to give. Of those who donated, 55% had not given to the charity previously, while 13% became monthly donors. By age, 27% of online donors were 18-29 years old, 29% were between ages 30 and 39, 17% were 40-49 years old, 20% were between 50 and 59, and 7% of donors were ages 60-69. -- HJC New Media
March 3, 2003
The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation announced a gift of $5 million from the WB Family Foundation in support of the hospital's $50 million "World Class Right Here" capital campaign. The WB Foundation hopes the gift will be used to purchase a second MRI unit and a second CT scanner for the hospital in order to reduce long waiting times. For more information, visit: www.cvh.on.ca/news/default.htm.
March 3, 2003
Business Community Connections (BCConnections), a UK charity that helps other charities obtain support from business, has published a new report on the benefits of these partnerships. The report concludes that "Charity of the Year Partnerships", in which businesses adopt a charity and then work with it for a specific period of time, can be very valuable for all involved. Also included in the report is a cost benefit analysis and template that charities can use to assess the worth of prospective partnerships, as well as comprehensive "Good Practice Guidelines" for both businesses and charities to use to secure, develop, and implement this type of partnership. For more information or to download the report, visit: www.bcconnections.org.uk/research_coy1.asp
March 3, 2003
2003 marks In Kind Canada (IKC)'s 10th anniversary, and the passing of a significant milestone. Since launching in 1993, the organization has processed $100 million in "in kind" donations from corporations across Canada. If the current level of donations is maintained or increased, IKC expects to reach the $200 million plateau in less than five years. The organization currently assists more than 1,250 charities nationwide by matching their needs with "in kind" donations received from corporate participants. For more information about IKC, visit: www.inkindcanada.ca.
March 3, 2003
In response to many complaints that the mainstream media often relies too heavily on white middle class men as experts, media giant CHUMM has asked the Pearson Shoyama Institute to create a list of visible minority people who are willing and able to be interviewed by the media. Dr. Minelle Mahtani, who is leading the project, sees herself as creating something akin to a "Rainbow Rolodex", a list of minority experts who can offer journalists a slightly, or perhaps very different, perspective on various aspects of Canadian social reality.
Mahtani is looking for articulate, thoughtful people in the NGO, academic, governmental, and corporate sectors who might contribute to a more informed public debate on issues including: Canadian identity, culture and arts, education and training, gender, health policy and medicine, immigration, foreign affairs, environmentalism, justice, and a range of other public policy concerns. Currently, she is seeking contacts in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. For more information or to suggest a name, contact Dr. Minelle Mahtani at minellem@impacs.org.
March 3, 2003
According to SeniorNet, 46% of adults over age 50 have been using the Internet for more than five years, and contrary to what some may believe, the way older people use the web is comparable to the way it is used by younger adults. Communicating with friends is the number one thing that seniors do online (94%), followed by accessing news (72%), or health information (70%). Other online activities include product research (49%) and playing games (35%). -- SeniorNet
March 3, 2003
Frozen Pond Inc., the world's leading distributor of autographed hockey memorabilia, provided the winning bid in a charity auction held recently by Special Olympics Canada. Up for grabs was a complete set of game-worn jerseys from the Men's and Women's Canadian Olympic Hockey Teams - a total of 44 jerseys in all. The auction raised more than $100,000 for Special Olympics, with all proceeds being directed to the development of sport programs for athletes with a mental disability. Frozen Pond plans to break up the collection and sell individual jerseys directly to collectors through an Internet auction being held this spring on NHL.com. Find out more at: slam.canoe.ca/CanadianSpecialOlympics03/0226.html
March 3, 2003
With a continued commitment to fitness and community involvement, the Molson Local Heroes program is once again accepting applications from individuals who want to improve sports and recreation facilities in their neighbourhoods. Each project can receive up to $4,000 in funding towards the purchase of materials and supplies to upgrade facilities. Applicants must be of legal drinking age and are responsible for coordinating the project, supplying the volunteer work group, arranging additional funding, and securing the necessary permits. All labour must be voluntary and completed projects should be free and accessible to everyone. The application deadline is Friday, April 25. For more information or to apply, visit: www.molson.com/en/community/local_heroes/index.php.
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