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This is an archive of CharityVillage NewsWeek. To find a word on the page,
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at their publishing date, the quick-changing nature of the web means that some
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To view other articles in the archive, use our Chronological Index.
NewsBytes: July, 2005
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
Another year of fundraising SUCCESS in Vancouver
July 25, 2005
More than 15,000 people, including citizens, politicians and businesspeople, took part in the 20th annual fundraiser for S.U.C.C.E.S.S., a Vancouver-based immigrant social services agency. The Walk with the Dragon event had a target goal of $550,000, which was surpassed by mid-morning. Money raised from the event will go towards the implementation of such services as immigrant settlement, language and employment training, seniors and women programs, and counselling. Jimmy Hung, director of resource development for the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Foundation, said this year's implementation of an online donation web site for walk participants helped reach the target. For more information about S.U.C.C.E.S.S., visit: www.success.bc.ca.
July 25, 2005
Last week, the Minister of National Revenue John McCallum announced the creation of a Disability Advisory Committee to deal with the administrative aspects of the Disability Tax Credit and with implementing recommendations made by the Technical Advisory Committee on Tax Measures for Persons with Disabilities. "This committee will provide a forum to identify the needs and expectations of the disability community," stated Minister McCallum. "[It] is an important consultative forum through which members can provide helpful advice, comments, and suggestions on tax measures for persons with disabilities." The Disability Advisory Committee will report directly to the Minister of National Revenue on all administrative aspects of the tax system related to persons with disabilities. For more information about the committee, visit: www.cra.gc.ca/disability.
Fast Fact: Nonprofit leadership crisis looming in Alberta
July 25, 2005
A new survey of Alberta's charitable sector reveals that approximately 36% of executive directors plan to leave their current leadership position within the next two years, and 82% predict they will be seeking new employment within the next five years. Of the EDs surveyed, 82% said their board of directors has not created a succession plan for their position, and 59% have not identified a staff member experienced enough to lead the organization upon the departure of the current ED. As well, 41% of nonprofit organizations surveyed have had two or more executive directors in the past five years.-- Calgary Centre for Non-Profit Management
July 25, 2005
Just a few short weeks after the House of Commons voted in favour of same-sex marriage, the Senate has passed Bill C-38 into law. Same-sex couples in Alberta, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories - the four Canadian jurisdictions where same-sex unions had not been legalized - will now be able to obtain a marriage licence. The passage of the same-sex marriage legislation was approved in the Senate by a margin of 47-21, making Canada the fourth country after the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain to legalize same-sex marriage.
July 25, 2005
Partnerships between nonprofits and business are a common and growing phenomenon, demonstrating that collaboration is key to tackling issues such as poverty, health, and the environment. However, new research commissioned by The Forster Company and TwentyFifty Ltd., shows that both NGOs and business often use subjective judgment, rather than objective external standards, as a means of determining the appropriateness of prospective partners. The report, entitled Collaboration in Context, explores the use of international standards and benchmarks in partnership assessment. It sets out a practical perspective on how cross-sector endeavours can be translated into lasting solutions, and shows how the use of international standards can help ensure greater sustainability, legitimacy, transparency and accountability within NGO-business partnerships. For more information or to request a free copy of the report, visit: www.theforstercompany.co.uk.
Fast Fact: Nonprofits migrating more communications to the web
July 25, 2005
A combination of print and web media continues to be prevalent among nonprofits, with 88% indicating they use some combination. However, 3% employ web communications exclusively, compared to just 1% in 2003. Information brochures are the most commonly produced communications piece among respondents, with 80% producing them and about 64% indicating they provide them on the web. As well, about 72% of respondents produce a newsletter, but only 53% post a newsletter online. Annual reports also have a fairly wide gap, with 62% of respondents producing an annual report, but only 36% putting it online. The gap narrows for advocacy pieces, issue briefs, and facts and figures pieces, all of which are produced by around 40% of respondents. -- Leverus
July 25, 2005
A survey conducted by UK-based Justgiving, finds that one in three online donors would not have donated at all if they couldn't do so online. Almost a third (31.3%) of people sponsoring a friend online through Justgiving said they would simply not bother if they were asked to donate using cash or cheques. "This survey powerfully illustrates the attractiveness of online donations in our time-poor society," saidJames Grieve, marketing manager at Justgiving. "People no longer have the time or inclination to write a cheque, find an envelope, buy a stamp, and walk to the post box. They want to make a donation in seconds online." The survey also demonstrated the power of online peer-to-peer fundraising for gathering new prospects. Each respondent to the survey had been asked by a friend to donate, rather than by a charity and 41.5% admitted they had never even heard of that charity previously. For more information, visit: www.justgiving.com.
July 25, 2005
The Canadian Cancer Society launched a new program last week that targets soon-to-be married couples who are looking for ways to make their wedding day even more memorable. The Wedding Celebration Program offers couples personalized gift cards and place cards (for $2 and $2.50 respectively) to let guests know that in lieu of wedding favours or gifts a donation has been made. "The Wedding Celebration Program is a unique and easy way for couples getting married to make a difference in the lives of those touched by cancer by making a donation to honour a loved one or in lieu of gifts," says Cheryl Bock, senior manager of community fundraising. Money raised through the program, currently available only in Ontario, will help the society fund cancer research, provide information on all types of cancer, and offer support to people living with cancer. For more information about the Canadian Cancer Society Wedding Celebration Program, visit: www.cancer.ca/weddingcelebrations.
July 25, 2005
More than 1,500 new grantmaking foundations were created in the US in 2003, but overall, foundation giving slipped to $30.3 billion in 2003, a drop of 0.4%. The decline in grantmaking was concentrated among private foundations, which chopped their grant budgets by almost 3%. Giving by community and corporate foundations remained virtually unchanged in 2003, while operating foundations increased their grantmaking by 46%, to $1.7 billion. Grants awarded by the 25 largest foundations increased by 10%, to $6.6 billion, while their assets climbed nearly 17%. -- Foundation Center
July 18, 2005
Imagine Canada is once again seeking submissions for its annual Community Partnership Awards. Established in 1996, the awards recognize and celebrate outstanding partnerships between business and nonprofit organizations that are finding new and innovative ways to strengthen and support Canadian communities. The panel of judges from across Canada looks for exemplary partnerships that demonstrate:The deadline for submissions is August 19th. For more information, visit: www.imagine.ca.
- Creative, sustainable solutions that are meeting community needs;
- Active involvement of both partners in the design and implementation of the project or program;
- A wide spectrum of resources brought by both partners; and
- A measurable benefit to the community
July 18, 2005
Donors to the Sick Kids Foundation in Toronto contributed more than $15 million for the creation of a Cardiac Diagnostic and Interventional Unit (CDIU) at the Sick Kids Heart Centre. A gift of $3 million from Mitchell Goldhar, owner of FirstPro Shopping Centres, completes the private funding commitment to the CDIU. Other major donors with gifts of more than $1 million include: Ruth and Douglas Grant, David and Judy Galloway, Jennifer Ivey Bannock and the Ivey Foundation. In addition, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will provide up to $7.2 million to fund the CDIU. For more information, visit: www.sickkids.ca.
July 18, 2005
Per capita government cultural spending increased in four provinces between 1992-93 and 2002-03: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Quebec. However, spending decreased in the other six provinces: Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, PEI, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador. After adjusting for inflation, total government spending on culture decreased by 0.3% between 1992-93 and 2002-03. In comparison:-- Canadian Conference of the Arts
- The number of cultural workers increased by 20% between 1991 and 2001;
- The number of artists increased by 29% between 1991 and 2001;
- Consumer spending on culture increased by 19% between 1997 and 2003;
- The population of Canada grew by 11% between 1992 and 2002; and
- Canada's GDP grew by 39% between 1992 and 2002.
July 18, 2005
CFRE International announced that the written examination for becoming a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) will only be available in North America via computer-based testing beginning in 2006. In an effort to increase availability of the exam and offer more immediate scoring, it will be available at more than 300 testing centres in the US and Canada in 2006. CFRE International is partnering with Thompson-Prometric, a computer-based test delivery organization, and candidates will be able to take the exam several times throughout the year at any of Prometric's testing centres. However, the exam will not be available via the Internet for candidates to test in their own homes or offices. For more information, visit: www.cfre.org.
July 18, 2005
For the first time since winning the NBA's most prestigious award, MVP Steve Nash returned to Canada last week bearing gifts. On behalf of Nike and The Steve Nash Foundation, Nash donated more than $100,000 of footwear, apparel, and equipment to the Harbourfront Community Centre in support of inner city youth basketball development. He also took part in the 2005 Nike All Canada Camps, where 54 of Canada's elite high school basketball players gathered for five days of on and off court skill sessions.
July 18, 2005
In order to accommodate the overwhelming interest in this year's Ethics in Action Awards, the nomination deadline has been extended to Friday, July 22nd. The annual awards recognize BC businesses that are leading the way in: environmental excellence, community care, overall leadership, and individual impact. Individuals and businesses in all industries are invited to apply. For more information, visit: www.ethicsinaction.com.
July 18, 2005
A new survey conducted by a leading staffing service found that the most common mistake that job candidates make is not researching the organizations that interview them for a position. Those polled were asked, "In your opinion, what is the most common mistake candidates make during a job interview?" Thirty-seven percent said the biggest mistake was having little or no knowledge of the organization, followed by being unprepared to discuss career plans and goals (24%). Other common mistakes cited were: limited enthusiasm (16%), lack of eye contact (5%), and late arrival (4%) -- Robert Half Legal
July 18, 2005
Cambridge is one of six Ontario communities that will tackle local restoration projects, thanks to grants from Benjamin Moore Paints. The Benjamin Moore Community Restoration Program provides cash grants to move a project forward, up to $1,000 worth of Benjamin Moore paint, and technical advice to volunteer organizations working on community renovation projects. Grants were also given to organizations in Woodstock, Oakville, Oshawa/Whitby, Kingston, and Toronto. The program was developed in partnership with Community Foundations of Canada (CFC), and in the six years since its inception it has supported more than 40 community groups with grants of more than $135,000 and $28,000 worth of Benjamin Moore paint. For more information, visit: www.community-fdn.ca.
July 18, 2005
The BC Library Association recently kicked off its 15th annual summer reading program for kids with help from RBC Financial Group. RBC donated $25,000 to the 2005 initiative and has supported the program since 2000. Sixty-eight libraries across the province are participating in the program, which is designed to encourage elementary school-aged children to continue reading during the summer break. Over the past five years, RBC has donated more than $2 million to dozens of education charities in British Columbia. For more information about the summer reading program, visit: www.bcla.bc.ca/src.
July 11, 2005
It's been ten years since CharityVillage first entered the online universe, and from the beginning our mandate has always been to support the work of Canada's nonprofit sector. One of the ways we do this is through our weekly e-newsletter, Village Vibes. And based on the results of our recent subscriber survey, we are on the right track. Respondents told us they appreciate the timeliness of the information we provide (81%), the variety of articles and resources we offer (77%), and the overall readability of the newsletter (74%). To show our appreciation for participating in the survey, six lucky Vibes subscribers were drawn at random to receive prizes.iPod Shuffle winner:
Thanks to everyone who participated in our subscriber survey. To find out more about how CharityVillage.com began, check out this week's Cover Story.
Sandie Kennedy, Prince Albert, SK
CV briefbag winners:
Laura Clark, Toronto, ON
Karen August, Peterborough, ON
Brian M. Fleury, Calgary, AB
Janelle Wakaruk, Calgary, AB
Tracy Knutson, Regina, SK
July 11, 2005
In the interest of supporting community-led social innovation projects, Social Development Canada (SDC) is issuing a Request for Letters of Intent (RFLI) for funding. The funding will support national learning on pre-existing cross-sectoral collaborations, involving nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations, the private sector, governments, and citizens aimed at reducing poverty within a comprehensive, holistic multi-community framework. The maximum per project will be $500,000 per fiscal year. The deadline for Letters of Intent is July 29. For more information, visit: www.sdc.gc.ca.
July 11, 2005
The Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) released a new report last week that examines government funding for the arts. The report, titled Government Spending on Culture in Canada, 1992-93 to 2002-03, looks at culture spending by federal, provincial, and municipal governments in Canada, focusing largely on changes in spending between the years 1992-93 and 2002-03. It reports that total government spending on culture, including transfers, was $7.4 billion in 2002-03. Of that total, heritage and libraries received $3.7 billion (50%), the cultural industries received $2.5 billion (34%), multiculturalism and other cultural activities received $690 million (9%), and the arts received the smallest share at $550 million (7%). When broken down by level of government, the numbers were as follows:Of the $550 million spent by all levels of government on the arts in 2002-03, the federal government contributed $243 million (44%, or $8 per capita); provincial governments gave $283 million (51%, or $9 per capita); and municipal governments spent $24 million (4%, or $1 per capita). To download the full report, visit: www.ccarts.ca.
- Federal: $3.4 billion (46% of total, or $109 per capita);
- Provincial: $2.1 billion (28% of total, or $67 per capita); and
- Municipal: $1.9 billion (25% of total, or $60 per capita).
July 11, 2005
Last year, the Canada Revenue Agency's Charities Directorate fielded 124,705 phone inquiries and 10,443 written requests for services from registered charities. CRA received 3,043 new applications for charitable registration and 445 applications for re-registration as a charity. Among those organizations that applied, 482 were sent letters saying they did not qualify at this time, 19 applications were formally denied, and 2,592 charities were registered or re-registered. As well, the Charities Directorate revoked the charitable status of 709 organizations at their request, plus another 1,261 because they did not file their annual registered charity information return. Only eight charities lost their charitable status for cause (e.g. failure to comply with the requirements of the Income Tax Act). -- CRA Charities Directorate
July 11, 2005
More than 1,000 Shriners gathered in Baltimore last week for their annual meeting and to vote on the location of a new $100-million Shriners Hospital. Shriners International began looking for a site to replace their 80-year-old facility in Montreal in 2000. Last year they settled on London, Ontario, but a strong lobby effort from Quebec reopened the campaign. That prompted a heated battle between London and Montreal as politicians on both sides tried to convince the Shriners to choose their city. When the decision was finally announced last week, Quebec Premier Jean Charest called it a "great victory." Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty thanked the London contingent for its efforts and credited the Shriners for considering the city as a potential site. For more information about the Montreal Shriners Hospital, visit: www.shrinershq.org/shc/canada/.
July 11, 2005
Ontario organizations that are using information technology to improve accessibility, effectiveness, and outreach are invited to apply for the 2005 Showcase Ontario Voluntary Sector IT Awards. The awards recognize and acknowledge the work that many community-based organizations are doing with information technology. This includes using technology in a creative and innovative way to fundraise, work with volunteers, develop partnerships, etc. The deadline for nominations is July 29th. For more information, visit: www.partnershipplatform.ca.
July 11, 2005
TD Bank Financial Group recently donated $750,000 to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights' capital campaign. The museum, which is scheduled to open in Winnipeg by 2010, will be the largest human rights centre in the world and will have a special focus on equipping and educating young people to become human rights leaders and advocates. The museum must raise more than $100 million from private sources in order to secure the full federal government commitment of $100 million. Total project costs are estimated at $293 million. For more information, visit: www.canadianmuseumforhumanrights.com.
July 11, 2005
Nova Scotia's lieutenant-governor, Myra Freeman, announced the creation of a new award to recognize significant creations by the province's artists. The $25,000 Masterworks Award will encourage excellence in all creative media, and the first award will be presented early in 2006. "In creating this award, I wish to recognize the many talented artists from our province and help create a dialogue about the contemporary arts," said Freeman. "The Masterworks Award will allow us to pay tribute to work created by Nova Scotian artists." Each year, an independent selection committee will be formed to choose five finalists and select the award recipient. The overall program will be managed by a volunteer board of directors through the newly created Lieutenant- Governor of Nova Scotia Arts Award Foundation. The award will be presented to individuals or groups working in music, dance, theatre, architecture, film, or any branch of the arts. For more information, visit: gov.ns.ca.
July 11, 2005
Last week, a London AIDS hospice was found guilty of harassing one of its tenants and interfering with his rights. The John Gordon Home was fined $5,000 and ordered to comply with the law after being found guilty of harassing a resident. Both the facility and its executive director, Eric Dow, drew harsh criticism from Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal member Elizabeth Leighton. The landlord "substantially interfered" with tenant Dennis Costello's enjoyment of his own unit by shutting off air conditioning and barring family members from visiting, and "went beyond substantial interference...to behaviour that harassed the tenant," Leighton ruled. "It is a total vindication of the Costello case," said lawyer Charles MacKenzie, whose firm represented Costello. "We hope the board will read this decision very carefully and take the appropriate action."
July 4, 2005
Imagine Canada announced that the Knowledge Development Centre (KDC) is now accepting applications for its 2006 funding competition. The KDC provides funding to nonprofit and charitable organizations and post-secondary institutions to conduct research on volunteering and volunteerism. In 2006, the centre will fund research projects that address the following themes:The deadline for applications is September 16, 2005. For more information and submission guidelines, visit: www.kdc-cdc.ca.
- volunteer experiences
- communities of interest
- research reviews of volunteers and volunteerism in Canada
- developing leadership
July 4, 2005
Last week, Prime Minister Paul Martin's government, with the support of New Democrat and Bloc Québécois MPs, voted in favour of a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Despite opposition from the Conservatives and 32 Liberals, Bill C-38 passed with a vote of 158 to 133. "[The] vote is about the Charter of Rights," said Martin. "We are a nation of minorities, and in a nation of minorities it is important that you don't cherry-pick rights. A right is a right, and that's what this is all about." The Civil Marriage Act includes various protections aimed at religious groups that refuse to perform same-sex unions. One of the approved amendments is that no religious organization will lose its charitable status over the question of same-sex marriage. The bill will now go to the Senate, where it is expected to pass within a few weeks. Once passed, Canada will join Belgium and the Netherlands and become the third country in the world to recognize same-sex marriage. For more information about Bill C-38 - the Civil Marriage Act, visit: www.parl.gc.ca or canada.justice.gc.ca.
July 4, 2005
The federal government announced the creation of a Task Force on Community Investments to examine federal policies and practices relating to the use of transfer payments and the funding of horizontal initiatives in support of community investments. It is anticipated that this work will result in more consistent, results-oriented funding practices across the federal government, and a seamless, horizontal approach to supporting investments in communities. The task force will carry out its work in the next two years, concluding in March 2007. For more information, visit: www.vsi-isbc.ca.
July 4, 2005
According to Pitney Bowes' Canada 2005 Household Mail Preference Study, more than half (58%) of Canadian households with access to e-mail prefer to receive documents, letters, and messages by mail, versus 30% who prefer the electronic version. The majority of respondents (81%) believe regular mail is more secure than e-mail, with only 8% holding the opposite opinion. While regular mail is the preferred channel for business communication, telemarketing is at the other end of the spectrum. Three-quarters (75%) of Canadian households say they will sign up for a do-not-call registry if one is implemented in Canada, compared with only 61% of US survey respondents. As well, 53% of Canadians expect the number of unsolicited telemarketing calls to increase in the next year, compared to just 13% of Americans. -- Pitney Bowes
July 4, 2005
A total of 4,734 teams recently took part in the Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life in Ontario. Fifty-nine June events raised more than $11 million for cancer research. "Relay For Life is more than a successful fundraiser. It's a moving and inspiring community experience and it's fun too - a great way to spend the night together," said Peter Vaudry, president of the Ontario division, Canadian Cancer Society. Last year, 54 Ontario communities raised more than $9.6 million during the event. For more information, visit: www.cancer.ca.
July 4, 2005
The Ethics in Action Awards are now accepting nominations for 2005. The annual awards recognize BC businesses that are leading the way in: environmental excellence, community care, overall leadership, and individual impact. Individuals and businesses in all industries are invited to apply. The deadline for nominations is July 15th. For more information, visit: www.ethicsinaction.com.
July 4, 2005
The Business Higher Education Forum (BHEF) recently released the results of their study on ethical business practices. Entitled Embedding Ethics in Business and Higher Education: From Leadership to Management Imperative, the report diagnoses the problem of corporate corruption, explains available management options to address organizational ethics, provides new strategies for weaving ethics into the culture of an organization, and offers a practical application of that strategy for businesses and nonprofits. This new methodology calls for "explicit accountability for the ethical performance of an organization" and "increased transparency or the ability for those with a stake in an organization to assess its ethical condition." For more information, visit: explore.georgetown.edu. To download the full report in PDF format, visit: www.bhef.com.
July 4, 2005
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan recently received CDN$6.9 million to develop and improve vaccines for newborns. Through the Grand Challenges in Global Health competition, an initiative supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the university's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) secured funding for five years to develop technologies to make existing and new vaccines suitable for delivery to newborns. "If we can make better vaccines that can be delivered easily to the developing world, that will dramatically alter the amount of suffering and mortality of young children," said Dr. Lorne Babiuk, a member of the VIDO research team. For more information, visit: www.usask.ca.
July 4, 2005
A new study finds that more than 65% of American donors visit at least one of the web sites of the charities they support, while 40% always go online before making a giving decision. Among those who give more than $10,000 annually, all respondent report using the Internet at least some of the time to learn about causes they support. The report also found that about 8.6 million households contributed more than $3 billion online in 2004, an increase of more than 50% from the previous year. Approximately 1.2% of all donations are made online, and about 35% of those who donate online make at least half of their overall donations via the Internet, while 22% of donors who use the Internet for giving make all of their donations that way. -- Kintera/Luth
July 4, 2005
BoardSource, a US-based resource for nonprofit governance, introduced a call-to-action for boards to move from passive stewardship to active leadership. It asserts that nonprofit boards represent an under-performing asset and must evolve in order to make a discernible difference in their organizations. In calling for this move, BoardSource released The Source: Twelve Principles of Governance That Power Exceptional Boards, which highlights the characteristics of outstanding nonprofit boards. These include:"If boards view compliance as the extent of their responsibilities as leaders, the nonprofits on whose boards they serve will not reach their full potential and will not be able to achieve their missions," said Deborah Hechinger, president and CEO of BoardSource. "Nonprofit boards can only advance the common good through uncommonly good work, and this new document highlights twelve specific principles to do just that." For more information, visit: www.boardsource.org.
- Constructive Partnership
- Mission-Driven
- Strategic Thinking
- Culture of Inquiry
- Independent-Mindedness
- Ethos of Transparency
- Compliance with Integrity
- Sustaining Resources
- Results-Oriented
- Intentional Board Practices
- Continuous Learning
- Revitalization
July 4, 2005
Opportunity International Canada, the 'banker to the poor', announced a gift of $1 million from the Bridgeway Foundation for its first Canadian-led project in Colombia. The three-year, $2.1 million project will provide microloans and training to more than 7,000 people affected by the 50-year-old civil war. These microloans assist impoverished entrepreneurs so they can start businesses and revive their local economies. "We were drawn to support Opportunity International Canada's first project in Colombia because we respect the dignity microfinance offers the poor," said Mark Petersen, executive director of the Bridgeway Foundation. "It empowers them to help themselves out of poverty. It's not a handout. It utilizes the industriousness and entrepreneurial spark inherent in a people already practiced at surviving creatively." For more information, visit: www.opportunityinternational.ca.
July 4, 2005
The Ontario Trillium Foundation's board of directors recently undertook a strategic review of the vision and mission of the foundation. It is now seeking feedback from individuals and organizations on how its granting programs are meeting community needs. During the next few weeks, through a series of community conversations and an online survey, the foundation will gather information that will help to further fine tune its granting programs and determine future directions. For more information or to participate, visit: www.trilliumfoundation.org.
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