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This is an archive of CharityVillage NewsWeek. To find a word on the page,
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To view other articles in the archive, use our Chronological Index.
NewsBytes: January, 2005
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
Federal government proposes new penalties for charities
January 31, 2005
A recent Notice of Ways and Means motion introduced by the federal government has proposed a number of new penalties for charities. Some of these penalty provisions include:Further details on the new requirements for official donation receipts can be found at: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/charities/jrt-e.html. For complete information about the Notice of Ways and Means, visit: www.fin.gc.ca/drleg/ITABud04l_e.html. (See Clause 43 & 44)
- A penalty for incorrect receipts. The penalty would be for 5% of the receipted amount on the first offence, and 10% on the second offence.
- A $500 penalty for failing to file the annual information return in time. Also, the charity's name will be published on a list of late or non-filers.
- A penalty of 125% of the receipt amount for issuing false receipts.
- A 5% penalty where a charitable foundation receives a dividend from a corporation that it controls.
- A 5% penalty on revenue generated from prohibited activities.
January 31, 2005
The RCMP are investigating a Saskatchewan social worker who was fired earlier this month by the provincial government. Although no charges have been laid, Evelyn Hynes is under suspicion in connection with as much as a million dollars in missing government money. Last week, Community Resources Minister Joanne Crofford confirmed that slightly more than a million dollars went missing over a 10-year period. Hynes was convicted of defrauding a bank in Newfoundland in the 1980s for more than $600,000 but was later pardoned after spending two years in jail. She then became a social worker and moved to Saskatoon. Her criminal record was not checked when she was hired by the Community Resources Department in 1989. Mandatory criminal record checks on prospective employees were not instituted until 1997. Crofford said she is disappointed, sad, and angry over the unaccounted for money. "This is a very huge breach of trust," she said.
January 31, 2005
Police in British Columbia will soon begin handing out tickets to aggressive beggars and squeegee kids as part of the province's new Safe Streets Act and the recently amended Trespass Act. People who break the new anti-panhandling law could face fines of up to $115 or even jail time. "Not having money has never been an excuse for breaking the law," said Attorney-General Geoff Plant. "My suggestion to people who don't have enough money is that they should obey the law." The BC Civil Liberties Association argues that the law unfairly targets the vulnerable and that its real purpose is to sweep the streets clean of the poor and mentally ill. The Safe Streets Act is a modified version of a private member's bill introduced last spring by Liberal backbencher Lorne Mayencourt. Mayencourt said he modelled his safe-streets proposal on a four-year-old Ontario law.
Fast Fact: Netherlands ranks first in private philanthropy
January 31, 2005
According to the latest data collected by the Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project, the Netherlands ranks first in the world in its level of private philanthropy (volunteering and giving) as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). Excluding donations to religious congregations, its giving represents 4.5% of the GDP. Sweden comes in a close second at 4.41%. Tanzania ranks third at 3.76%, followed by Norway (3.01%), France (2.93%), and the UK (2.57%). The US ranks seventh at 2.47%, and rounding out the top ten are Finland (2.36%), Israel (2.30%), and Spain (2.10%). Of the 34 countries that were included in the study, Mexico ranked the lowest at 0.12%. Canada's giving levels are not part of the current study but are expected to be included in a future study. -- Johns Hopkins University
January 31, 2005
Bell Canada, in partnership with the True Sport Foundation, launched a new fund last week that will benefit Canadian hockey and soccer programs at the grassroots level. With a $1 million initial investment, the Bell Community Sport Fund is part of the company's 'Connected to Communities' community investment program. Funds will be distributed through 12 premiere grants of $25,000 and 140 grants of $5,000 in 2005. Grants will be awarded to projects such as reducing enrollment costs, equipment sharing/swapping programs, increasing the number of qualified coaches and officials, and improving existing playing surfaces or creating new ones. For more information or to apply for funding, visit: www.truesportpur.ca/bellfund.
January 31, 2005
The Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery Of Social Services is accepting submissions for 2005. Each year $70,000 in cash awards are available to Canadian nonprofits demonstrating excellence in the delivery of nine categories of social services: alternative education, child care, counselling, crisis intervention, traditional education, prevention and treatment of substance abuse, provision of basic necessities, services for people with disabilities, and services for seniors. As well, the program's newest award, the Peter F. Drucker Award for Non-Profit Management, will be presented to an organization with a record of consistently high performance. All Donner Award applicants will automatically receive a confidential evaluation that compares their performance relative to their peers in the sector. The deadline for submissions is April 29th. For more information, visit: www.fraserinstitute.ca/donner.
January 31, 2005
The Michigan-based Kresge Foundation has issued a $1 million(US) challenge grant to the National Ballet School's building project. Project Grand Jeté, currently under construction in downtown Toronto, has raised almost 87% of its $90 million fundraising goal. "We are delighted that the Kresge Foundation has chosen to support the school in such a meaningful way," said the Honourable Margaret McCain, who chairs NBS's capital campaign with her husband Wallace McCain. "It is a mark of both the school's international reputation for excellence and the foundation's confidence in our ability to succeed." Under the terms of the grant, the school must raise the balance of the campaign funds by July 1, 2005 in order to be eligible for the payment. To date, it has secured $78.3 million of the $90 million needed for the project. For more information about Project Grand Jeté, visit: www.grandjete.ca.
January 31, 2005
According to a survey of more than 3,000 Canadian employees, just 43% of respondents said they would rate their company as a good place to work, down from 55% two years ago. Many report that pay and training fall short of their expectations. Only half (52%) feel they have been given the training they need to properly perform their jobs, while only 24% believe that excellent performance is rewarded at their companies. On a more positive note, 76% of employees said they understand their organization's business goals, up from 62% in 2002. However, 39% said they do not understand the steps they must take to achieve these goals. -- Watson Wyatt & Co.
January 31, 2005
George Smitherman, Ontario's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, recently announced plans to phase out the province's 16 District Health Councils (DHCs). The councils will be replaced by 14 new community-based organizations called Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), which will assume responsibility for local health system planning. The DHCs are to cease operations on March 31st and the government will begin implementing the new system on April 1st. District Health Councils have been the local voice in healthcare planning in Ontario for the past 30 years. The government says the LHINs will solve ongoing problems for residents who are frustrated by having to navigate through an unorganized web of healthcare services. For more information, visit: www.dhc.simcoe-york.on.ca.
January 31, 2005
Independent global PR firm Edelman recently unveiled its sixth annual Trust Barometer at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This year's survey found that global opinion leaders' trust in established institutions (business, government, media) and figures of authority (CEOs, heads of state) is declining, while trust in colleagues, friends and family, or a person like themselves is on the rise. 'A person like yourself' experienced a significant jump in credibility in both the US (22% in 2003 vs. 56% in 2005) and in Europe (33% vs. 53%). Less than three in every 10 opinion leaders in the US, Europe and Japan said that CEOs or CFOs are credible sources of information. Overall, independent experts (56%), academics (49%), a person like yourself (49%), and representatives of NGOs (47%) are the people most trusted by opinion leaders. In the US, trust in NGOs jumped from 36% in 2001 to 55% in 2005. For more information, visit: www.edelman.com.
January 31, 2005
A new study released by Statistics Canada, entitled Are Good Jobs Disappearing in Canada?, reveals that in 2004, 11% of all employees aged 25 to 64 were employed in jobs that paid $30 or more per hour. This was higher than the rate of 9% observed in 1981. However, newly hired employees (those with two years of seniority or less) have seen their wages drop substantially relative to their counterparts with greater seniority during that period. For example, newly hired men aged 25 to 64 saw their median wages drop 13% between 1981 and 2004, while their counterparts with more than two years of seniority saw their wages increase 4%. As well, the study showed that newly hired employees have been increasingly employed in temporary jobs since the late 1980s. In 1989, 11% of recently hired employees held a temporary job. By 2004, that number jumped to 21%. -- Statistics Canada
January 31, 2005
The nomination deadline for FLARE Magazine's 9th Annual Volunteer Awards is fast approaching. This year, six awards will be presented to Canadian women aged 18 and up whose volunteer contributions and achievements have made a significant difference to the lives of the people in their communities. Awards will be presented in three categories: the FLARE Volunteer Award, the FLARE Volunteer Award for Community and Leadership, and the FLARE Volunteer Award for Lifetime Achievement. The deadline for nominations is February 4th. For more information, visit: www.flare.com.
January 31, 2005
The fifth edition of the World Social Forum got underway in Brazil last week, bringing together an estimated 120,000 to 150,000 participants. The forum is an open meeting place where groups and movements of civil society come together to pursue their thinking, debate ideas democratically, formulate proposals, share their experiences freely, and network for effective action. It proposes to facilitate decentralized coordination and networking among organizations engaged in concrete action towards building another world. Since it began in 2001, the forum has taken the form of a permanent world process seeking and building alternatives to neo-liberal policies. For more information about the forum, visit: www.forumsocialmundial.org.br.
January 24, 2005
A new partnership was announced last week that will bring an investment of $2 million for the economic revitalization of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada. The Vancouver Agreement Economic Revitalization Plan for the Downtown Eastside and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) are partnering with Bell Canada. Bell will provide funds over the next four years to support the Vancouver Agreement and ensure that those in Vancouver's inner-city communities receive opportunities to benefit from hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
"Bell Canada's support for the Vancouver Agreement demonstrates the important role that the business community will play in revitalizing the Downtown Eastside," said the Honourable Stephen Owen, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport). "This unique partnership will inspire more businesses to get involved and help make the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games the most inclusive Olympics ever held." Bell Canada is the first corporate partner to support VANOC and Vancouver Agreement plans to revitalize the Downtown Eastside's economy. The investment will help foster economic development such as business opportunities to fill vacant commercial space, and jobs for local residents. For more information, visit: www.vancouveragreement.ca.
January 24, 2005
The Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award is once again accepting submissions from charitable organizations in Ontario. Now in its eighth year, the award was established to celebrate and encourage the outstanding efforts of nonprofits that work with needy children. As the largest award of its kind in Canada, it provides a one-time gift of $50,000 to a charitable organization in Ontario that has implemented an activity that significantly improves the life prospects of children at risk. The funds may be used to further develop the winning organization's activity, educate the public, or influence other organizations that help economically disadvantaged children. The deadline for nominations is April 8th. For more information, visit: www.atkinsonfoundation.ca.
January 24, 2005
An American survey finds that 77% of people believe that "companies have a responsibility to help support causes" through charitable donations, while 92% say corporations should be more socially responsible. Almost half of the survey respondents (43%) reported buying a product from a company in the last 12 months after hearing about its commitment to a social cause. A much higher percentage (90%) said they might stop purchasing goods and services from a company that did not have a good record of social responsibility. And although 87% of respondents said a company could earn their trust by donating to charity, 98% said it is the quality of services and products that determines their opinion of that enterprise. -- Cone
January 24, 2005
A national coalition of health groups launched an aggressive ad campaign last week in the hope that the federal and provincial governments will finally take action to implement and fund a national cancer strategy. The Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control was developed by 700 health experts and presented for adoption in 2002, but to date, government has not acted upon it. The coalition of 31 groups, including the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Cancer Research Alliance, Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada and Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies, believes that implementing the plan could greatly improve treatment and significantly reduce the number of cancer deaths. "We need a strategy with defined objectives and defined funding," said Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, chair of the governing council of the Canadian Strategy For Cancer Control. "The problem at this moment is there isn't a vehicle to say cancer control is a national priority, and we need that kind of framework." For more information about the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control, visit: www.cancercontrol.org.
January 24, 2005
A province-wide public policy research institute situated at the University of Alberta recently received a $1 million endowment from an anonymous donor. The Parkland Institute will use the funds to support its ongoing research and programming. "This donation will help ensure that the Parkland Institute can continue to provide insightful and progressive research and analysis of the public policy issues that matter to Albertans and that affect them in their daily lives," said Dr. Gordon Laxer, the institute's director. "The work of Parkland contributes to and helps broaden the scope of political discourse in this province, and this generous gift will help us strengthen that work." For more information, visit: www.ualberta.ca.
January 24, 2005
According to a recent survey by US-based Prince & Associates, charities should expect to receive fewer donations from rich individuals who gave to tsunami appeals. The survey found that people whose net worth is between $1 million and $10 million gave an average of $12,600 to the relief effort in South Asia. The majority of those people report that they intend to give less to other causes as a result of their donations to tsunami relief. People with a net worth of more than $10 million do not plan to alter their giving, the survey reports. They gave an average of $102,400 to the disaster appeal. -- Prince & Associates
January 24, 2005
Last week, Bell Canada unveiled its new community investment program. According to president and CEO, Michael Sabia, the Connected to Communities program will have a tighter focus and deeper commitment by Bell to help build strong and vibrant communities across Canada. It will build on the company's existing corporate giving initiatives, which encourage economic development and the strengthening of social foundations with an emphasis on projects that benefit children and youth. Bell will also seek out projects that have been successful at the local level and help extend them to other communities across Canada. As part of the new investment program, the company is increasing its annual community investment budget by approximately 40%, from $19 million this year to approximately $26 million in 2007. For more information, visit: www.bce.ca.
January 24, 2005
The Consumers' Association of Canada has filed a major class-action lawsuit against the British Columbia beverage industry, retailers, and Encorp Pacific, the not-for-profit operator of the province's bottle-recycling operation. The lawsuit focuses on the illegal use of consumer deposits collected under BC's Beverage Container Stewardship Program Regulation. "The BC beverage container regulation is very clear," said Bruce Cran, president of the Consumers' Association of Canada. "Deposits collected from consumers can only be used for one purpose - paying refunds to consumers when containers are returned. Since 1998 the industry has collected and used over $70 million in consumer deposits for purposes that are not authorized under the regulation." Aside from Encorp Pacific, dozens of companies are named in the lawsuit, including Coca-Cola Bottling, Save-On Foods, Wal-Mart, and London Drugs. For more information, visit: www.consumer.ca/1676.
January 24, 2005
According to a poll conducted for The Times, the British public claims to have donated eight times more than it actually has to the current tsunami appeals. Only 15% of respondents said they had not yet given to the cause, although 62% of these people said they were still planning to do so. Among the 83% who said they did give to a tsunami appeal, the average claimed donation was £33.28. However, if these figures were accurate, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) would have raised "more than £800 million" instead of the £100 million that it has collected. The survey also found that 25 to 34-year-olds gave the highest average donation at £36.53, with more than 10% reporting a donation of £100 or more. -- The Times
January 24, 2005
Nominations for the City of Toronto's inaugural Environmental Awards of Excellence are now open. The Green Toronto Awards are an opportunity for committed and dedicated individuals, community groups, organizations, and corporations to be nominated for recognition and reward. The awards will honour initiatives that are changing the face of Toronto and impacting its environmental health and sustainability. Awards will be presented in eight categories: leadership, community projects, green design, resource conservation, youth, environmental awareness, health, and market transformation. Winners will receive a $5,000 contribution to the environmental organization of their choice. The deadline for nominations is February 25th. For more information or to apply online, visit: www.toronto.ca.
January 17, 2005
Hong Kong billionaire and business mogul Li Ka Shing announced plans to set up a new charitable foundation in Canada. The Li Ka Shing (Canada) Foundation will be established with funds from the sale of Li's long-held 4.9% stake in the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). It is estimated that the 17 million CIBC shares are worth about $1.2 billion. The Toronto-based foundation will spend all of its income each year to support charitable objectives, including education, medical care, the relief of poverty, and cultural and religious causes. "It is an honour to have the opportunity to establish the Li Ka Shing (Canada) Foundation in recognition of the warm welcome Canada has extended to me and to our group of companies over the years," Li said in a statement from Hong Kong. For more information, visit: www.lksf.org.
January 17, 2005
A new organization was launched this week that will work with nonprofits and socially conscious corporations across the country. Imagine Canada is the result of an alliance between two leading voices in Canada's charitable and nonprofit sector: the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy (CCP) and the Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations (NVO). "For the past year and a half, we have been working to build this new organization," said Georgina Steinsky-Schwartz, president and CEO. "[It] will help charities and nonprofit organizations fulfill their missions, encourage businesses to become better corporate citizens, and help Canadians and their governments understand how important this work is to our country and to its future." For more information, visit: www.ccp.ca.
January 17, 2005
The federal government announced last week that it was increasing its pledge for tsunami aid from $80 million to $425 million over five years. This is, in part, because it agreed to match donations made by individual Canadians, an amount that now stands at about $150 million. The government's tsunami aid fund includes $265 million in emergency aid ($150 million of which will match personal donations), as well as $160 million in long-term assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). In addition, Canada and other wealthy country agreed to a moratorium on billions of dollars of debt payments by the affected countries. For more information, visit: www.acdi-cida.gc.ca.
January 17, 2005
A new survey finds that the investment portfolios of colleges, universities, and other educational institutions rebounded in the US last year after several years of decline. According to the Commonfund Institute, which surveyed more than 700 endowments, on average they earned 14.7% during the 12-month period ending June 30th. In 2003, the average gain was 3.1%, with losses during the two years prior to that. The endowments that performed best were those that were moved from hedge funds to investments such as real estate and energy. The survey also found that money managers do not expect to do as well in 2005 as they did in 2004. -- Commonfund Institute
January 17, 2005
Last week, the Canadian Red Cross received its biggest-ever personal contribution to a disaster appeal. Kroum and Eva Pindoff, the founders of Music World Limited and Pindoff Record Sales Limited, presented a cheque for $5 million to the agency's Asia Earthquake & Tsunamis Relief Fund. This is in addition to a $100,000 contribution made just after the disaster occurred. The Pindoffs made this second donation prior to January 11th to ensure that it would qualify for the federal government's donation matching program. "Prime Minister Paul Martin and the federal government have shown great leadership in creating the donation matching program," said Eva Pindoff. "It was very effective in inspiring the quick timing of our donation." For more information, visit: www.redcross.ca.
January 17, 2005
A national day care study released last week asserts that nonprofits offer better quality care than their for-profit counterparts. Gordon Cleveland and Michael Krashinsky, two economists at the University of Toronto rated 325 day care centres across Canada, examining 42 different components of child care on a scale of one to seven. These components included everything from diaper changes and the educational character of toys. to how well information is communicated to parents. The researchers found that nonprofit centres scored 10% higher than for-profit centres. About 43% of nonprofit centres scored an average of at least five, while only 26% of commercial operations rated that high. The study claims that part of the reason for the discrepancy is that nonprofits reinvest extra money back into their centres. They are also more likely to have better-trained staff, pay higher wages, and have lower child-to-worker ratios.
January 17, 2005
Greenleaf Publishing invites contributions for a special issue of The Journal of Corporate Citizenship (JCC) on the topic of "Corporate Citizenship in Latin America and the Caribbean: New Challenges for Business". It is currently accepting proposals for analytical articles from professionals of businesses, governments, and NGOs, together with academics and leaders from civil society. It will balance a mix of papers involving theoretical debates, practice-oriented research, cases studies, and innovative management tools. Contributors should ensure that they are addressing issues that derive from or can be applied to real-world business practice/activity. Initially, abstracts of 200-300 words should be submitted via e-mail to the guest editor, Jose A. Puppim de Oliveira at puppim@fgv.br. Abstracts should be sent as attachments, identifying JCC-LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN as the subject of the e-mail. The deadline for abstract submissions is February 28th. For more information about editorial guidelines, visit: www.greenleaf-publishing.com.
January 17, 2005
Although the numbers continue to climb, a poll released last week found that one-third of all Americans have donated money to aid tsunami victims, and another 44% are thinking about donating. More than 75% of those who gave said they contributed $100 or less and the rest gave more, with an average donation of $279. So far, American charities have raised more than $406 million for tsunami aid. The US government has pledged $350 million and 91% of survey respondents say the United States is doing its fair share or more to help areas affected by the tsunami. Statistics indicate that this is the most Americans have ever contributed to a catastrophe outside their country. By comparison, a total of $2 billion was donated after the September 11th attack. -- USA Today/CNN/Gallup
January 17, 2005
The United Way of Greater Toronto is celebrating the success of its 2004 fundraising campaign, which brought $89.5 million to support people across Toronto. The record achievement is an increase of $5.2 million over last year. Canada's major banks and their employees played a part in helping achieve this goal, with many raising their own record amounts. CIBC presented the United Way of Greater Toronto with $8.34 million, the highest total among the five major banks. RBC donated $6.5 million, followed by TD Bank Financial Group ($5.8 million), Scotiabank ($5.2 million), and BMO Nesbitt Burns ($2.24 million). For more information, visit: www.unitedwaytoronto.com.
January 17, 2005
Employees at the Saskatoon branch of the Canadian Cancer Society arrived at work last Monday to discover $20,000 in donations missing from a locked storage room. Thieves broke into the office over the weekend, stealing bank deposit bags containing cash, cheques, and credit card receipts. The society's executive director, Keith Karasin, said the thieves went through extraordinary efforts to steal the money, breaking through two locked heavy steel doors and one locked heavy wooden door before accessing a locked box containing the donations. The usual bank deposits were not made between December 29th and January 7th because a senior staff member was out sick. "The thieves were very lucky with their timing and we were not," Karasin said. "They went to incredible lengths to steal from a charity." Saskatoon police have a list of the credit card numbers on the receipts that were stolen, and are now investigating the incident.
January 10, 2005
To help visitors kick-start career opportunities in 2005, CharityVillage.com has launched a new resume service and job search kit in conjunction with CareerJoy. The resume services include a wide range of options, including resume and cover letter writing, HTML resume versions, and job search coaching. In addition to these services, visitors can also access the Canadian Job Search Kit, a 100+ page guide to finding work that you love, negotiating a new job, and starting in the new position successfully.
As part of the launch, Claire Horowitz, Senior Development Officer at the York Foundation won our draw for a deluxe resume package, worth $449, at the recent AFP Congress 2004 in Toronto. Congratulations Claire!
Find out more about the Resume Service and Canadian Job Search Kit today at: www.charityvillage.com/cv/careertools/resume.html.
January 10, 2005
The Better Business Bureau is warning donors who want to help tsunami victims to be wary of scams and fraudulent appeals. With any major crisis or disaster there are always scam artists who try to profit from the outpouring of generosity. "Scammers are always on top of current events. They capitalize on tragedies," said Valerie MacLean, vice president of the Better Business Bureau of Mainland British Columbia. So far, the bureau hasn't heard of any large-scale fraud related to the tsunami, but it advises donors not to give money to people who solicit over the phone or door-to-door. "If you want to give, go directly to the charity. Don't do it in response to a solicitation," said MacLean. For more information, visit: www.bbb.org. To search the list of Canadian registered charities, visit: www.cra-arc.gc.ca.
January 10, 2005
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) revised its ethics code, effective January 1st, in an effort to clarify how fundraisers should be compensated for sponsorships, advertising, and other types of support they help secure for organizations. The Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice already prohibited fundraisers from accepting a percentage of charitable gifts they help obtain. Now the association has also placed an explicit ban on percentage-based pay for other types of revenue. According to a 2003 survey, 1.5% of the association's members had accepted such percentage-based pay, but the majority of members (88%) were paid a flat fee or salary for soliciting all types of revenue. For more information, visit: www.afpnet.org.
January 10, 2005
There are now almost 800,000 charities registered with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), double the number that existed in 1990. The largest growth was among religious organizations. In just four years (1999 to 2003), 35,000 new groups were established, an increase of 140%. During that same period there were other areas of large growth. More than 30,000 new educational organizations were formed, 28,000 human service groups, and 20,000 arts and culture organizations. Overall, the number of charities grew by 5.6% in 2003 and it is estimated that approximately 4.5% of charities shut down each year. -- Chronicle of Philanthropy
January 10, 2005
The Canada Volunteerism Initiative (CVI) Community Support Centre is once again accepting funding applications for pilot and demonstration projects. The Centre provides funding for projects that develop and test new ways of encouraging, sustaining, and supporting volunteerism. In 2005 it will fund projects that address one of four questions:The deadline for submissions is January 21st. For more information and application guidelines, visit: www.volunteer.ca.
- How can voluntary organizations ensure that their leadership and mission remain relevant?
- How can voluntary organizations engage volunteers in resolving organizational issues?
- How can voluntary organizations engage people from diverse backgrounds in volunteer leadership roles?
- How can voluntary organizations change their organizational cultures and governance structures to attract a more diverse group of volunteers?
January 10, 2005
An Ontario woman who is accused of defrauding charities and individuals in Ottawa, Halton, and York turned herself in to police after skipping a court date in December. Michelle Salter allegedly defrauded the Salvation Army, the ALS Society, other charities, and individuals of approximately $600,000. Salter, who describes herself as a marketing specialist, gained employment with charities as a fundraiser or the charities agreed to employ her as a fundraising subcontractor. She is accused of raising money through regular donations and estate donations on behalf of the charity, but then pocketing some or all of the money for her own use. Vancouver police are also investigating Salter after receiving a complaint that she may have been involved in a similar B.C. fraud.
January 10, 2005
According to a US-based survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, religious, charitable, and nonprofit professional organizations offer more generous benefits than do other industries. The study assigned a value to benefits offered by organizations in each industry based on the cost to a worker in pre-tax earnings of purchasing or otherwise obtaining the employer-provided benefits. Nonprofits took the top spot, offering the highest total benefit value, while government was ranked second. Mercer also surveyed health-care and social-assistance groups, hospitals, and organizations that provide educational services as separate from organizations identified explicitly as nonprofit employers. Education-services employers came in third overall in total benefit value; while hospitals, health-care, and social-assistance organizations were ranked much lower. For more information, visit: www.imercer.com.
January 10, 2005
The Salvation Army announced last week that it is launching a National Kettle Campaign for tsunami relief. The familiar red kettles, which normally appear only at Christmas, will be in malls and stores across Canada during the month of January. "Our response to this disaster was immediate and we are committed to long-term support," said Commissioner M. Christine MacMillan, national leader of The Salvation Army in Canada & Bermuda. "In these countries devastated by disaster, the Salvation Army has been established for over a century and is an integral part of the infrastructure of response. Our goal is to help build secure and productive communities, thus rebuilding broken lives." For more information, visit: www.salvationarmy.ca.
January 10, 2005
A survey of nonprofit board members and executive directors found that most new trustees are recruited based on friendship or other personal connections to the organization's leadership. Of the 457 survey respondents, 427 said that personal networks were the most common recruitment tool, with 75% reporting that recruitment was based on nominations made by their organizations' executive directors. The majority (73%) focus on fundraising ability when recruiting new board members and 60% said they wanted new board members who could garner foundation and corporate gifts. In addition, 47% said they seek members who could oversee organization programs, and 45% want members who could provide financial oversight. -- Bridgestar
January 10, 2005
Money, supplies, and relief workers continue to pour into devastated regions of southern Asia. Governments worldwide have pledged more than US$4.5 billion so far, including US$815 million from Australia alone. The Canadian government says it does not have plans to increase its pledge beyond $80 million at this time. Individual Canadians have donated more than $70 million to aid organizations so far. To make a donation, visit our list of links to emergency aid organizations helping during this disaster.
January 4, 2005
The death toll is still climbing in southern Asia following the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the region on Boxing Day. Worldwide aid is nearing the $1 billion mark and donations and supplies continue to pour in. The Canadian government has pledged $80 million so far, and individual Canadians have donated about $50 million to aid organizations. In addition, the Canadian International Development Agency has identified several charitable agencies whose donations it will match dollar for dollar. To make a donation, visit our list of links to emergency aid organizations helping during this disaster.
January 4, 2005
The federal government is expected to approve legislation this year that will require charities to include the name and web site address of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on all receipts issued for charitable gifts. The Minister of Finance proposed the change last September. According to the Legislative Proposals, Draft Regulations and Explanatory Notes Relating to the Income Tax, it is proposed that "this amendment to the Income Tax Regulations apply for receipts issued after 2004." The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP), and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) are all recommending that members begin considering and even implementing this change as soon as possible in 2005. For more information about tax receipt regulations, visit: www.cra-arc.gc.ca.
January 4, 2005
A new poll finds that British Columbians have grown more generous in their charitable giving over the past three years. Seventy-nine percent of people in the province made a donation in 2004, up from 74% in 2001. The median donation also jumped, from $194 to $250 over the past three years. Among those with the highest median donations were: older British Columbians (55+) - $400 compared to $100 among the 18-34 age group; men ($300 vs. $200 for women); and people living in higher income ($100,000+) households ($500 vs. $200 in lower income households). -- Ipsos-Reid
January 4, 2005
The New Brunswick government announced that it is giving Fredericton's Beaverbrook Art Gallery a $1-million, interest-free loan to help pay for legal fees in the gallery's art ownership dispute with the Beaverbrook Foundations. The province also plans to increase funding to the gallery to $200,000 from $50,000, starting the next fiscal year. "The Beaverbrook's art collection is the most significant and valuable public collection in the province and the Beaverbrook Art Gallery stands out as a symbol of New Brunswick, known nationally and internationally," said provincial Justice Minister Brad Green. At issue is ownership of up to 200 paintings believed to be worth about $100 million. The Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation and the British Beaverbrook Foundation have claimed ownership of the works. The gallery maintains that the paintings were a gift to the province from the late Lord Beaverbrook, and were meant to stay in Fredericton.
January 4, 2005
Late last month, Scouts Canada suspended one of its executive directors after he was charged with possession of child pornography. Frank Jannis Kense of Edmonton, the 52-year-old head of the Northern Lights Council of Scouts Canada, was charged after two computer repair people reported to police that sexually explicit pictures were stored on a personal computer. The police investigation and search of Kense's home turned up CDs containing hundreds of images of males and females believed to be under 18 engaging in sexual acts. "As an organization, we are very disturbed by the charges," said Rob Stewart, executive commissioner and CEO of Scouts Canada. "We have confidence in the justice system and rely upon it to ensure that appropriate action is taken in situations such as this." For more information, visit: www.newswire.ca.
January 4, 2005
Canadian pharmaceutical company Apotex Inc. donated another $2 million towards the new Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building at the University of Toronto. This gift is in addition to its original pledge of $5 million. The funds will support the construction of a five-storey-high atrium in the building. "Apotex's continued support over the years has meant a great deal to the faculty, especially in the creation of this new facility," says Professor Wayne Hindmarsh, dean of the pharmacy faculty. "Their new gift will enhance the Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building by providing a focal point and gathering place for Canada's future leaders." For more information, visit: www.news.utoronto.ca.
January 4, 2005
Between 2001 and 2003, total revenue among nonprofit performing arts companies increased by more than 10%, to $602 million in 2003. Both attendance and earned revenue increased for theatre, dance and opera companies, but declined for music companies. Music companies reported losses of $2.1 million in 2003 compared with losses of $4.3 million in 2001 and $2.9 million in 1999. In terms of donations, private sector donations increased by 11.5% to $127.3 million in 2003, while government grants increased 10.8% to $183.4 million. Private sector support accounted for about 21% of total revenue overall, while government support accounted for about 30%. In contrast, government grants represented 37% of total revenue in 1993. -- Statistics Canada
January 4, 2005
Charities in England and Wales are welcoming the recently published charities bill, the first update of UK charity law in more than 400 years. The Charity Commission will decide the parameters of the term 'public benefit' and organizations will only be able to retain their charitable status if they can show they are a public benefit. The charities bill also sets out controls for street fundraisers, who will have to apply for public collection certificates, giving proof that they are 'fit and proper persons'. "This is the beginning of a new era for charitable action, one which releases potential and increases effectiveness," said Geraldine Peacock, chair of the Charity Commission. For more information, visit: www.charity-commission.gov.uk.
January 4, 2005
Schools, nonprofit organizations, and charities in Ontario can earn free technology, classroom and recreation equipment, and even cash through a free recycling fundraising program. FundingFactory rewards participants with free equipment or cash for collecting empty printer cartridges and used cell phones. Previously the program was only available in the United States, earning a combined $10 million in the past seven years. For more information or to register, visit: www.fundingfactory.com.
January 4, 2005
The author of a guidebook for Alzheimer's caregivers says she will donate all proceeds from the sale of the book. Judy McCann-Beranger, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of PEI, wrote A Caregiver's Guide for Alzheimer and Related Diseases to help families cope. It covers a wide range of topics, including diagnosis, everyday care, wandering, communication, and medications. "Once you have the information, you know what to expect," said McCann-Beranger. "It's still difficult, but you're a tiny bit more prepared." So far, 20,000 books and 10,000 CDs have been sold, worth $110,000. All money will be donated to the Alzheimer Society of P.E.I. For more information, visit: www.alzcaregiversguide.com.
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