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| Path: Main Street : NewsWeek : Archive : NewsBytes : Article |
This is an archive of CharityVillage NewsWeek. To find a word on the page,
use your browser's "find" feature (CTRL-F or CMD-F). Please note: While we ensure that all links and e-mail addresses are accurate
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: October, 2005
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
CharityVillage.com welcomes Amanda Dexter to the team
October 31, 2005
We're pleased to announce that Amanda Dexter has joined the CharityVillage team as our newest recruitment advertising account manager. Amanda will be responsible for helping our clients in the National Capital Region, Eastern and Northern Ontario. Amanda comes to CharityVillage.com with a terrific blend of client service excellence and deep volunteer ties to the area. Learn a little more about her in this profile: www.charityvillage.com/cv/about/amanda.html.
October 31, 2005
Your professional development just became even easier with the launch of CharityVillage Campus, our new e-learning program. CharityVillage Campus is a series of self-paced, web-based courses developed by senior fundraising consultant and trainer Judi Angel, FAHP. We've launched with three custom courses specifically for people who are interested in fundraising and nonprofit management. Right now, you can now sign up for Proposal Writing ($97), Grantseeking ($97), and How Fundraising Works ($37). In the coming months we'll be launching new courses regularly across the full spectrum of nonprofit management.
"We're thrilled with this new offering," said CharityVillage.com president Maggie Leithead. "The feedback we have received so far from users is incredible and we know that we're delivering guaranteed learning value at a very affordable price." Learn more about CharityVillage Campus today at: www.charityvillagecampus.com.
October 31, 2005
The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Ontario Chapter is now accepting applications for the Fall 2005 Community Health Promotion Grant Program. There are three types of grants available: Community Project, Assessment & Planning, and Community-Based Research. The application deadline is Monday, December 5. Application forms and guidelines can be downloaded at: www.cbcf.org/ontario/fund/community.html.
Fast Fact: Donations to largest US charities up 11% in 2004
October 31, 2005
According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy's 15th annual survey of the 400 charities that raise the most money in the United States, donations grew by 11.6% last year. Donations to the charities on the 400 list totaled $53.9 billion, or more than $1 out of every $4 given to nonprofit groups last year. Educational institutions garnered the most support overall ($14.6 billion), followed by youth and social services ($8 billion), international aid organizations ($7.7 billion), health ($3.89 billion), and United Ways ($3.88 billion). -- Chronicle of Philanthropy
October 31, 2005
Vancity Credit Union recently announced a program to help immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs build their credit ratings, access loans, and gain Canadian experience. Through a partnership with MOSAIC, a Vancouver multicultural nonprofit that works with new immigrants and refugees settling into Canada, Vancity has created a Microcredit Toolkit available to local nonprofit organizations serving new immigrants. The toolkit is modelled after Vancity's Peer Lending Program, a unique credit arrangement in which a small group of borrowers guarantee each other loans in lieu of collateral. The program looks at commitment and ability, rather than assets, with loans ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. For more information, visit: www.vancity.com.
October 31, 2005
Last week, the federal government announced an additional $20 million for humanitarian assistance, relief, and reconstruction efforts in the areas affected by the earthquake in South Asia. The funding, which will be provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is in addition to the cost of deploying the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and the $20.3 million previously announced by the government in response to the earthquake. To date, the Government of Canada has earmarked more than $57 million for humanitarian assistance, relief and reconstruction efforts. For more information, visit: www.acdi-cida.gc.ca.
October 31, 2005
A new report from the Rural Charitable Sector Research Initiative finds that the inability to pay competitive salaries and the lack of secure funding to hire full-time, permanent employees are two of the main challenges facing rural nonprofits in Ontario. This report, which is phase two of the initiative, presents the results of interviews with leaders of rural nonprofit organizations and leaders of key sector organizations in urban centres that serve or work with rural nonprofit organizations. The most significant challenges unique to rural nonprofits are: a small and shrinking pool of potential board members, staff members, volunteers, and donors; the high cost of serving clients who are spread out over great distances; and lower economies of scale. The next step of the initiative is to bring representatives of rural organizations together, along with representatives of government and business, so that they can begin to work together toward solutions. For more information or to download the full report, visit: www.frl.on.ca.
October 31, 2005
Last week, Bell Canada announced a five-year commitment to SickKids Foundation, in support of the Hospital for Sick Children. The commitment includes $5 million in fundraising proceeds collected through the Annual Bell Celebrity Golf Tournament and Bell Celebrity Gala events, as well as a $5 million corporate gift to be distributed over five years. The funds will be used to support projects in the hospital's emergency department, to enhance patient care, and to enhance other high-priority needs that include improving the patient and family experience during emergency visits. For more information, visit: www.sickkidsfoundation.com.
October 31, 2005
According to research from the Charities Aid Foundation, planned giving, including payroll giving, now represents 46% of total giving by UK households, up from 30% in 2001. Meanwhile, spontaneous giving represents 54%, down from 70% in 2001. The average weekly donation of those households that give to charity is now £6.21. -- Charities Aid Foundation
October 31, 2005
The Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO) is seeking participants for research about the impact of funding practices of local voluntary sector organizations. Organizations that participate in this study will work with the research team to complete a Workbook for Financial Analysis for their organization's programs. Participants will keep the workbook, which can help assess if revenues are fully covering the cost of delivering programs, measure the funding required for a program's front-line supervision, and the extent to which funders are covering their share of core administrative cost, among other items. For more information, visit: www.calgarycvo.org.
October 31, 2005
The federal government announced plans last week to work with private and charitable organizations to provide the homeless and community shelters with better access to information technology resources. The Digital Inclusion Partnership (DIP) will improve IT access for shelters by providing them with hardware, software and technical support. The partnership will also increase shelters' capacity to provide Internet access to homeless individuals looking for information on housing, jobs, social services, and learning opportunities. The DIP was instigated by the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) Initiative team, a component of the National Homeless Initiative (NHI). For more information about the NHI, visit: www.homelessness.gc.ca.
October 31, 2005
The Shoppers Drug Mart Tree of Life program achieved its goal of raising $1.7 million for healthcare charities from coast-to-coast. During the five weeks of the 2005 fundraising campaign, customers purchased and signed brightly coloured paper leaves for a loonie, maple leaves for $5, and apples for $50 to decorate the Tree of LIFE display in each Shoppers Drug Mart location. Twenty-eight healthcare institutions, programs, and charities were selected to receive local support for essential health research, treatment and education initiatives. "This is an incredible result and a testament to the astounding generosity of our customers," said Karen Bossin, national director of the campaign. "Knowing that the funds raised would support health organizations they hold dear to their hearts, was a powerful incentive for people to give."
October 24, 2005
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recently published an online pamphlet to inform charities about new tax and regulatory changes that affect the voluntary sector. The changes relate to five issues affecting charities: the disbursement quota; sanctions for failing to comply with the requirements of the Income Tax Act; appeals from charities related to actions by the CRA; official donation receipts; and penalties for failure to file the Registered Charity Information Return. To download a copy of the pamphlet in PDF format, visit: www.cra-arc.gc.ca
October 24, 2005
A new study published by The Philanthropist takes a look at Canada's Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI) and asks the question: did the VSI achieve its objective? Entitled Judging the VSI: Reflections on the Relationship Between the Federal Government and the Voluntary Sector, the report examines the origins of the VSI, the projects it undertook, and the deliverables it produced, including the Accord and several codes of practice. Author Kathy L. Brock states that, "the VSI succeeded most effectively where it reinforced pre-existing patterns and ties, and was less successful where it challenged those relations or required either side to engage in novel or unfamiliar ways." To download a copy of the report, visit: www.nvsn.org.
October 24, 2005
A survey of 1,820 randomly-selected Americans interviewed during the summer of 2005 finds that only 15% have a great deal of confidence in charitable organizations. Almost half (49%) said they only have a fair amount of confidence, 24% said not too much, and 7% said they had none at all. Only 19% of Americans think charities are doing a very good job running their programs and services, while the majority (66%) feel charities waste money. By comparison, in a May 2005 Gallup Poll, 42% of Americans expressed a great deal of confidence in the military, followed by the church (31%), the police (28%), banks (22%), and the presidency (21%). -- NYU Graduate School of Public Service
October 24, 2005
The Community Experience Initiative (CEI) is currently seeking applications from nonprofit organizations interested in hosting a student intern during the summer of 2006. Organizations eligible for the CEI program are those working towards social responsibility and environmental sustainability and fall under one of five broad categories: community organizations; foundations; nonprofit organizations; social enterprises; and small and medium socially-responsible-focused businesses. CEI helps organizations define projects and write job descriptions, assists with the interviewing and screening process, and assesses and visits student interns on site. The deadline for applications from host organizations is November 30. For more information, visit: www.cei-iec.ca.
October 24, 2005
Last week, 148 member states belonging to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), voted in favour of a new pact that aims to protect cultural products from the rules governing international trade. Formally titled the Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions, the goal of the convention is to recognize that a country's cultural activities, goods, and services have more than commercial value and to allow nations to take measures they deem suitable to protect and support their culture. It also seeks to promote a country's ethnic traditions and minority languages. Two of the pact's strongest proponents were Canada and France, while two countries opposed it (the U.S. and Israel), and four abstained from voting (Australia, Nicaragua, Honduras and Liberia). For more information, visit: www.unesco.org.
October 24, 2005
MDS Inc., a leading life science company, and five of its former executives are honouring the company's former president and chairman, Wilfred G. Lewitt, who retired in 2004. A gift of $500,000 to the University of Toronto will fund the Wilfred G. Lewitt Award, valued at $10,000 per year. The award will be given to a final-year student in the Jeffrey Skoll BASc/MBA program at the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering and the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at U of T. "Wilf worked hard to instill in MDS employees the spirit of integrity, accountability, fair play and balance - values that reflect the way he leads his life," said John Rogers, former president and CEO of MDS Inc. "When we were thinking of ways to honour Wilf's legacy at MDS, it became apparent that an award in his name to support young people in their careers was the most appropriate thing to do."
October 24, 2005
Bucking the trend found in Canada and US, top UK charities are paying female chief executives more than their male counterparts, according to a new salary survey. Responses from 716 charity CEOs reveal that in organizations with turnovers of more than £25m, women are paid an average salary of £105,000, compared with £91,950 for men. In charities with turnovers between £15m and £25m, women leaders earn an average of £78,817, compared with £76,650 for men. In the sector as a whole, however, female executives still earn less than men, an average of £44,242, compared with £53,175 for men. The report shows that although almost half of respondents took a pay cut to make the transition to a charity, voluntary sector salaries are becoming more competitive. The average chief executive's salary for NGOs with a turnover of at least £25m is £94,000, just £16,000 less than the private sector's £110,000. In charities with turnovers between £15m and £25m, the average salary is £78,300, up from £58,542 in 2000 - in the private sector it is £90,000, up from £78,500 in 2000. -- Acevo
October 24, 2005
A report published by TD Bank economists says it's time for a new perspective on charitable giving that borrows from many of the principles of investment. Entitled An Investor Approach to Charitable Giving, the report argues that encouraging donors to apply investment principles to their charitable giving may create a group of new philanthropists who are more engaged and have a bigger impact on the charitable sector. "While many Canadians will soon be able to contribute more money to charities, they will also want to make sure they get the biggest bang for their buck," said Jo-Anne Ryan, vice president, Philanthropic Advisory Services, TD Waterhouse. "They want to take a more strategic approach to charitable giving." The report also offers advice from personal financial planning that can be applied to charitable giving. For more information or to download the report, visit: www.td.com.
October 24, 2005
STAPLES Business Depot announced that it is donating $225,000 to elementary and high schools that participated in their Recycle for Education Program over the last 12 months. "STAPLES Business Depot collected 225,000 eligible toner cartridges and is pleased to donate one dollar for each one to local elementary and high schools in communities across Canada," said Steve Matyas, president of STAPLES Business Depot in Canada. "This program has been so successful that we are proud to repeat it for the 2005/06 school year." Cartridges can be dropped off at any STAPLES Business Depot stores across the country. The money raised will once again be channeled to the elementary and high schools that register online for the program. To be eligible schools are asked to register at www.recyclefored.ca before June 1, 2006. The funds raised will be distributed to participating schools in September 2006. All elementary and secondary schools in Canada are eligible whether or not there is a STAPLES Business Depot in their community.
October 24, 2005
The Transatlantic Community Foundation Network (TCFN), a project of the Germany-based Bertelsmann Foundation, released a new report outlining the benefits and challenges of cross-border learning communities. Building an International Learning Community: Lessons and Insights from the Transatlantic Community Foundation Network describes how international, peer-based learning communities can be leveraged to advance philanthropy around the globe. The report also offers major lessons learned and insights realized during the creation and development of the TCFN. Among the major learnings: the development of relationships is the most important objective; linguistic and cultural differences should be leveraged, not overcome; and timing is critical. For more information or to download the full report, visit: www.tcfn.efc.be.
October 24, 2005
The 2005 GuideStar Nonprofit Compensation Report finds that charities that focus on health care, medical research, and education tend to pay their executives higher salaries than other types of organizations. Salaries at human service, housing, and animal-related charities rank near the bottom of the scale. GuideStar reports that pay also varies greatly depending on an organization's size. For example, CEOs at arts groups with budgets between $1 million and $5 million earn less than half of what their counterparts earn at arts organizations with budgets greater than $5 million. -- GuideStar
October 17, 2005
Last week, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre in Toronto received a gift of $20 million from Susanne and Bill Holland. The funds will create the Holland Orthopedic & Arthritic Centre to address three key areas of need: patient access, increased technology, and ongoing research into orthopedic and arthritic care. "I am confident that this gift will have a major impact on wait times for joint replacements in Ontario, and that it will have a significant and long-term impact on healthcare in this province and country," said Mr. Holland, CEO of CI Fund Management Inc. "We have the best orthopedic physicians at Sunnybrook & Women's. We want this gift to provide some of the resources necessary to keep our doctors in Toronto and attract and train the next generation of medical leaders." For more information, visit: www.sunnybrookandwomens.on.ca
October 17, 2005
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada recently announced funding to create the HR Council for the Voluntary/Non-profit Sector. The council is a new, independent, nonprofit organization that will bring employers and employees together to provide leadership, build knowledge, and develop strategies on issues related to paid employment. The creation of the HR council follows a Feasibility Study (Oct 2003 - April 2005) that confirmed widespread interest in collaborative action to address issues related to the sector's paid labour force. The council's board of directors held its inaugural meeting in late September, where board members reiterated the importance of collaborating with a broad range of stakeholders and engaging all organizations interested in the work of the council. The new HR Council joins thirty other sector councils dealing with HR issues in a wide range of sectors such as mining, childcare, and culture. For more information about the new council, visit: www.hrcouncil.ca.
October 17, 2005
Findings from the 2005 GuideStar Nonprofit Compensation Report show that the median compensation paid to female CEOs at the largest US charities rose to $262,275 in 2003, 42% more than in 2002. Men in similar positions received an average increase of 17%, to $332,985. At charities with budgets between $25 million and $50 million, compensation for female executives grew by 35% from 2002 to 2003, while income for men rose 11%. Despite the significant gains for women in large npos, they are still earning far less than their male counterparts and are far less likely to work at the larger organizations. Among nonprofit organizations with budgets of $50 million or more, six men held chief executive spots for every one female chief executive. At the smallest charities - those with budgets of $250,000 or less - female employees outnumbered male employees in most positions, yet women still earned less. -- GuideStar
October 17, 2005
Following an initial assessment of the October 8th earthquake that devastated areas of Pakistan, India, and other South Asian countries, Canada is committing $20 million to relief efforts. This pledge includes $500,000 for World Vision's response team and $500,000 to CARE Canada, as well as $5 million in response to an appeal launched by the United Nations. To encourage charitable giving, the federal government will also match dollar-for-dollar all donations by individual Canadians to registered charitable organizations for relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction in the region (until October 26). The matched funds will be pooled, and Canadian development organizations can submit proposals for relief and reconstruction projects. For more information, visit: www.acdi-cida.gc.ca.
October 17, 2005
According to a new report from New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, public confidence in charitable organizations has been in a state of decline since the September 11th terrorist attacks. Only 19% of Americans think charities are doing a very good job running their programs and services, while only 10% feel charities are spending their money wisely. The majority (66%) feel charities waste money, and almost half think organizations pay executives too much. The report, entitled Rebuilding Public Confidence in Charitable Organizations, suggests that rebuilding confidence must involve sustained investment in strengthening the capacity of charitable organizations to achieve measurable impacts toward their missions. For more information or to download the report, visit: wagner.nyu.edu/news/276.html.
October 17, 2005
A new report from Johns Hopkins University reveals that, despite calls for reform and regulation of nonprofit governance, the majority of organizations already take governance and accountability very seriously. A survey of more than 600 nonprofits in the US finds that most have boards of directors that are already significantly involved in the key oversight functions that nonprofit boards are expected to perform. These include setting organizational missions (93%), setting the chief executive's compensation (88%), establishing and reviewing organizational budgets and finances (87%), reviewing auditing and accounting policies and practices (83%); and approving significant financial transactions (81%). The survey also found that the overwhelming majority of responding organizations already have other policies and procedures in place to promote accountability and ethical behaviour. These include internal controls on finances and financial accounting (98%), records retention policies (84%), conflict of interest policies (83%), and travel expense policies (81%). -- Johns Hopkins University
October 17, 2005
A white paper recently published by the US-based Sabre Foundation describes a new approach to encourage communities around the world to launch self-funding systems that expand grassroots access to learning, health care, and job opportunities. Entitled New Catalysts for Sustainability: A Global Opportunity for Digital Philanthropy, the paper proposes that current forms of digital donations such as free software and online reference materials be extended to include microscholarships for e-learning and microvouchers for health care resources.
"These new forms of giving can spread grassroots access to valued education and health information resources around the world, much as microfinance innovations have brought private capital within reach of tens of millions of small and new entrepreneurs," said white paper author Mark Frazier. In addition to offering a framework for digital donation strategies, the white paper provides a toolkit of resources that can be put to immediate use by nonprofit groups interested in launching replicable and scalable sustainability initiatives. To download the white paper in PDF format, visit: www.sabre.org.
October 17, 2005
Search engine giant Google Inc. is launching a philanthropic arm that will focus on fighting poverty and disease in Africa, addressing energy and environmental issues, and assisting nonprofit groups by giving away free online advertising. Google is setting aside the equivalent of three million shares of stock, worth more than US$900 million, to fund the Google Foundation. In addition, the company is endowing the new foundation with $90 million. "We hope someday this institution may eclipse Google itself in terms of overall world impact by ambitiously applying innovation and significant resources to the largest of the world's problems," said Google co-founder Sergey Brin. For more information, visit: www.google.org.
October 17, 2005
The Social Investment Forum reports that more than one out of every nine dollars invested and professionally managed in the United States ($2.16 trillion) is involved in a socially responsible investment. The forum also found that total assets involved in socially responsible investing have grown 40% faster than all professionally managed investment assets in the US. A second survey, conducted by the Calvert Foundation, reveals that the areas of greatest investing for community investors are: environment (17%); job creation (15%); homelessness (14%); women's issues (12%); and cooperatives (11%). -- Social Investment Forum
October 11, 2005
Canadians set two new records during last week's CIBC Run for the Cure. More than one million people have participated in the event since it began in 1992. They've raised $21 million so far and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) continues to receive donations associated with the run - the largest single-day fundraising event for breast cancer in Canada. "The remarkable participation and donation (records set) are testaments to the spirit of the survivors, their family and friends; our national and regional sponsors; and all the corporate and community teams," remarked Leslie Denier, national board chair for CBCF. Seventy-five percent of the funds raised through the run stay in the regions that generated them to support local research and educational initiatives. For more information, visit: www.cbcf.org
October 11, 2005
The Alberta government is demanding that a Calgary community association repay a provincial grant within 30 days or face charges for the misuse of the money. Community Development Minister Gary Mar said that if the Applewood Park Community Association doesn't pay back $20,000 it received from the Wild Rose Foundation the province will "pursue whatever legal means there are to recover this money," adding that it was not spent in accordance with the purpose that it was applied for. In his annual report last week, auditor general Fred Dunn raised concerns that Applewood failed to show that money granted for drinking water projects and health care in Vietnam was used for that purpose. He noted that grant applications filed by Applewood were "vague and conflicting" and filled with inaccuracies.
"I'm disappointed with the Wild Rose fund," said Applewood president Brent Harder. "I would have liked the opportunity for them to come to us and say, 'We have some concerns with this.' Wild Rose never, ever came back to us and asked for more information." He says that Applewood will struggle to find $20,000 in time to repay the grant. "Obviously, we can't go to Vietnam and ask [the recipients] to give the money back," he said. "My preference would be that we don't have to give a bit back and prove to them that this was done correctly." For its part, the government says it will ensure that the foundation implements changes suggested by the auditor general to protect the funding program from being abused. But Mar said he's confident most of the $1.5 million in funds granted for 102 international projects is helping the right people.
October 11, 2005
The Uniform Law Conference of Canada (ULCC) recently drafted legislation that would create one set of consistent requirements and regulations for charitable fundraising across Canada. The Uniform Charitable Fundraising Act is intended to replace the various provincial laws that currently exist and create one national set of regulations. According to the working committee's final report, the types of requirements involved with the act include: the permissible hours for soliciting; the types of solicitations allowed; information that a solicitor must provide during a solicitation; and the provision of receipts for donations of $10 or more. The ULCC is recommending that all provincial and territorial governments adopt its draft legislation. For more information, visit: www.ulcc.ca.
October 11, 2005
An Ipsos-Reid poll finds that relatively few British Columbians are currently engaged in legacy giving. Only 8% of adults in BC have made a legacy gift, with a median donation of $8,017. The good news is that 40% of those who have not yet made such a gift will consider doing so. Of these future legacy donors, 41% are between 18 and 34, 41% are between 35 and 54, and 18% are 55 and older. Among current legacy donors, 51% are between 35 and 54, and 40% are 55 and older. Almost one-third of these donors included faith or religious groups as the main beneficiary of part of their estate, followed by organizations involved with animal welfare (16%), and medical illness and conditions (14%). Sixty-four percent of British Columbians who haven't yet made a legacy but are likely to do so indicate they would most likely target a medical nonprofit group. -- Ipsos-Reid
October 11, 2005
The Suncor Energy Foundation is committing $3 million to help address the critical shortage of skilled tradespeople in Alberta. The donation, the largest single community investment in Suncor's history, will fund the NAIT Suncor Energy Centre for Piping Technologies. "The need for skilled labour in Alberta is a critical issue in which we all have a stake and a role to play," said Rick George, Suncor president and CEO. "Suncor is taking a significant step forward to ensuring we have the skilled workforce to maintain - and build - economic growth in Alberta and across Canada." Suncor's investment officially launched the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology's (NAIT) Building on Demand Campaign, which plans to raise $50 million to increase NAIT's capacity to train apprentices. For more information, visit: www.nait.ca/news/october2005/buildingondemand.htm.
October 11, 2005
Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) is hosting its next national conference from May 11 to 13, 2006 in Saskatoon. For the first time, CFC is seeking proposals for conference sessions from member community foundations, and others working within or for the Canadian and international philanthropic movement. The 2006 conference theme is Shining the Light on Leadership and CFC is looking for proposals that address this overall theme of leadership. They will also consider proposals on the following topics: media relations; endowment building; governance, management, and operations; grantmaking; community knowledge; youth philanthropy; and community foundations in the global market. The deadline for submissions is October 31st. For more information, visit: www.cfc-fcc.ca/services/national_conference.cfm.
October 11, 2005
Last week, Ontario's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, George Smitherman, announced a multi-year $115 million commitment for palliative care in the province. "While many people diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses would prefer to live out their days at home, most have no choice but to do so in hospital," said Smitherman. "We are giving them a choice. We are enhancing end-of-life care at home and funding nursing and personal support services in residential hospices, so that people can live out their lives with as much dignity and comfort as possible." The Hospice Association of Ontario (HAO) welcomes this news and applauds the government's investment in Ontario's hospice palliative care movement. It is the first time the Ontario government has pledged to invest in community residential hospices. "The significant investment made to more than 30 residential hospices over the next three years is an authentic expression of this government's commitment to providing Ontarians with humane, cost-effective and innovative choices at the end-of-life," remarked Janet Napper, executive director of HAO. For more information, visit: www.health.gov.on.ca.
October 11, 2005
According to a report commissioned by New Ventures in Philanthropy, an initiative of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, grassroots philanthropy has raised billions of dollars for healthcare, education, and community support in rural areas. Ellen Barclay, president of the forum, says only 3% of assets from traditional foundations are directed toward rural areas each year, resulting in a 132% increase in local philanthropic funds created by specific communities to serve their needs. The report found that more than 2,000 such funds exist across the country, with estimated assets of $1.5 billion. To facilitate the growth of these rural organizations, the New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative created an online Rural Philanthropy Knowledge Center with a how-to guide on the process of starting a rural fund. For more information about the Knowledge Centre, visit: www.givingforum.org.
October 11, 2005
Last week, the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre launched a new research project thanks to a $1.5 million contribution from Pfizer Canada. The ANCHOR (A Novel Approach to Cardiovascular Health by Optimizing Risk Management) project will assist Nova Scotians in reducing their risks for developing cardiovascular disease. "Health innovation requires a positive research infrastructure and environment, collaborative partners, and a strong vision for health and wellness," said Dr. Brendan Carr, director of Primary Care at the Capital District Health Authority. "Nova Scotia is sending a strong signal to indicate that this province is an excellent place to invest in innovative health care and technology. We have the ability to develop a model of health care in the primary setting that will be second to none in the country."
October 11, 2005
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter recently announced its annual Philanthropy Awards. This year, the award recipients include Michael Lee-Chin, Isadore and Rosalie Sharp, Anthony (Tony) Fell, the 2004 Grade Five Class of Havergal Junior School, TD Bank Financial Group, and the Grocery Foundation. "Leadership in philanthropy is demonstrated in many different ways. Anyone at any stage in life can make a difference by becoming involved and supporting community, cultural, health care, and social service organizations," said Yves Gadler, CFRE, president of the AFP Greater Toronto Chapter. "This year we honour individuals and organizations we believe represent and demonstrate the essential spirit of philanthropy." Award winners will be recognized during the AFP National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon on November 15th. For more information, visit: www.afptoronto.org.
October 11, 2005
The Ontario Great Lakes Renewal Foundation and Ducks Unlimited Canad are jointly funding 14 new landscape conservation projects. Together they are contributing $400,000 for wetland creation and habitat rehabilitation projects, on lands made available by private landowners, that are located in the St. Clair River, Wheatley Harbour, Detroit River, Welland River, St. Lawrence River, and Quinte areas of the province. "[This] is an example of a community conservation project at its best," said Scott Fortnum, national development manager for Ducks Unlimited Canada. "Partnerships between industry and conservation groups are essential to successful habitat restoration in this area and we're pleased to have this opportunity to work with the Ontario Great Lakes Renewal Foundation." For more information about Ducks Unlimited Canada, visit: www.ducks.ca. For more information about the Ontario Great Lakes Renewal Foundation, visit: www.greatlakesrenewal.ca.
October 3, 2005
Seymour Schulich, businessman and philanthropist, has donated $20 million to McGill University's Faculty of Music. Schulich is a graduate of McGill but has spread his donations to many academic centres across the country. Including last week's announcement, Schulich has given more than $100 million to Canadian universities:
- The Schulich School of Music of McGill University
- The Schulich School of Business of York University
- The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario
- The Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary
For more information about the McGill gift, visit: www.mcgill.ca/newswire/?ItemID=17008
October 3, 2005
Volunteer Canada and The Home Depot Canada announced that they are working together to establish the largest corporate volunteerism initiative in the country. The Corporate Challenge on Volunteerism is calling upon businesses of all sizes to encourage their employees to volunteer more than 150,000 hours of their time in a collaborative effort next year in the communities where they work and live. Businesses will have access to the tools they need to organize a volunteer project, as well as resources to show employers how to engage employees in volunteerism, how to select a community project, and how to organize a volunteer event. For more information, visit: www.volunteer.ca/challenge or e-mail CorporateCouncil@volunteer.ca.
October 3, 2005
Imagine Canada has released a discussion paper to gather feedback from voluntary organizations across the country. Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts was prepared as part of the Voluntary Sector Awareness Project, headed up by Imagine Canada as part of the Voluntary Sector Initiative. Input from voluntary organizations will be used to develop and unroll a national awareness campaign for the sector. Early in 2006 a report will be produced summarizing the input received through this process and the project partners will select a communications firm to work with them to develop a set of campaign materials. For more information, visit: www.imaginecanada.ca.
October 3, 2005
The Chronicle of Philanthropy's 13th annual survey of compensation and benefits reveals that leaders of the of the largest nonprofits in the US received pay increases that kept up with inflation in 2004 - a median salary increase of 3.7%. Chief executives earned a median salary of $319,119, while other nonprofit leaders received a median salary of $316,619 (a median increase of almost 4%). The median salary for leaders of community foundations, operating foundations, and private foundations grew by 3.6%, to $326,810. Leaders of private foundations fared best overall, with the median salary for chief executives at private foundations reaching $409,051. -- Chronicle of Philanthropy
October 3, 2005
A group of American investors are suing Ontario's Ridley College for a US$1.5 million donation the school received in 1998 from Toronto businessman Patrick Lett. The investors allege that Lett defrauded them out of $10 million and are suing Ridley over the donation, claiming the money belongs to them and they want it back. According to documents filed in the Ontario Superior Court, the investors allege the school "had knowledge of circumstances which would have led a reasonable person to inquire about the source of Lett's funds and Ridley failed to make such inquiries." The school argues in court filings that it acted responsibly and "had no duty to make independent inquiries as to the source of the funds." Lett has been involved in legal trouble in recent years and in 2004 the Ontario Securities Commission sanctioned him with a 10-year trading ban and a 15-year prohibition from serving as an officer or director. This case follows on the heels of news last week that Queen's University will return a $1 million gift from former Hollinger International Inc. executive David Radler because he has pleaded guilty to fraud at the company.
October 3, 2005
According to the most recent report released by Social Watch, a coalition of 400 non-governmental organizations from 50 countries, poverty is rising among children and new immigrants in Canada, and the middle class is finding it increasingly difficult to afford education and housing. The report on Canada examines why the country has failed to make serious progress in the fight against poverty and inequality. It also demonstrates how a commitment to "small government" feeds regionalism and inequality, and how economic growth alone cannot reduce poverty and inequality, or improve access to basics needs and services. For more information or to download the report, visit: www.socialwatch.org.
October 3, 2005
A new report finds that the percentage of the UK population making donations to charity has dropped from 80% to 66% in the past two years. In 2003, 80% of the adult population had given to charity in the previous 12 months, but by 2005 that figure dropped to 66%. Researchers also suggest that if those who gave to the tsunami disaster appeals are discounted from the numbers of those giving to charity, the overall figure could be much lower. One positive finding is that donors seem to be more confident that their money will reach the end cause. In 2003, 72% of respondents agreed that they would give more money to charity if they knew it reached the end cause. In 2005, this percentage dropped to just 28%. -- Key Note
October 3, 2005
The Canadian Red Cross is warning Canadians to beware of an e-mail scam currently circulating that purports to be collecting donations in support of its Hurricane Katrina Relief. "We are doing no e-mail solicitation for donations supporting hurricane relief," says Suzanne Charest, communications officer for the Canadian Red Cross. The fraudulent e-mail arrives with a subject line of 'Katrina Relief Update' and contains several links to actual Canadian Red Cross website pages. However, when selecting 'Donate Now' a mock page emulating the actual Red Cross donation page appears and requests credit card information. The URL of the fraudulent donation page is: www.comuniversidad.com/chat/chat/localization/greek/redcross.
If you receive such an e-mail, you are advised to forward it to info@phonebusters.com. Those who have responded to the fraudulent e-mail and provided confidential information should immediately call the PhoneBusters toll free line at 1-888-495-8501. PhoneBusters is the national anti-fraud call centre established by the Government of Canada, the RCMP, the Competition Bureau of Canada, and Ontario Provincial Police.
October 3, 2005
Thirty Boys and Girls Clubs will expand their after-school programming this year thanks to a $300,000 donation from Sears Canada's Sears Young Futures program. "With limited availability of childcare spaces, government cut backs on funding for extra curricular activities, and increasing user fees for recreation facilities, the need for quality after-school programs continues to grow," said Pam Jolliffe, national executive director, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. The $10,000 After-School Enhancement Grants will be awarded to 30 Boys and Girls Clubs to enhance existing after-school activities and help create new ones in order to extend their reach to more children and youth in need of these services. For more information about Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, visit: www.bgccan.com.
October 3, 2005
New research undertaken by international development organization World Emergency Relief reveals a low level of public confidence in the results of the G8 summit held this past July. Almost a fifth of those surveyed believe no good will come as a result of the G8 summit, while 42% believe the impact will be minimal. More than a third of respondents (35%) claimed to have been uninterested in the G8 summit altogether. The researchers also found that despite high levels of awareness about the Make Poverty History campaign (87%), a majority of respondents (62%) have not been inspired by the G8 summit or Live8 concerts to do anything more in the fight against global poverty. -- World Emergency Relief
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