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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: October 2007
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
Charity leaders band together to maintain public trust
October 29, 2007
A group of Canadian charities recently announced a new initiative designed to maintain public trust in their fundraising work. “While there is an important role for regulators such as the Canada Revenue Agency, we believe that charities can do a great deal to self-regulate their activities by adopting standards of good practice," said Don McCreesh, chair of Imagine Canada. "We need a balance between sound third party regulation and charities showcasing that they take these issues seriously themselves.” To that end, Imagine Canada unveiled a newly revised Ethical Code program, with 11 charities signing on as flagship members.Set to launch formally in January 2008, the new program will prohibit organizations that sign on from using commission-based fundraising. As well, "the charity will not make claims that cannot be upheld," reads the code. Each charity that signs up will be expected to clearly tell the public what programs they are running, where they are located, and how much money is spent on those good works. And donors will have a right to learn how much of each dollar is spent on fundraising. For complete information about the code, visit: www.imaginecanada.ca.
October 29, 2007
The Toronto Rehab Foundation announced two seven-figure gifts last week in support of "Everything Humanly Possible: The Campaign for Toronto Rehab". A $5-million donation from philanthropist Judith Ryrie (Billie) Wilder is one of the largest known single donations ever made to an adult rehabilitation facility in Canada. The other donation is from David Kerr, director and past chair of the foundation, and his wife Sheryl. Their gift of $1 million was the first seven-figure leadership gift of the campaign. The announcements mark the public launch of the hospital's $60 million fundraising campaign. For more information, visit: www.torontorehab.com.
October 29, 2007
The Association for Nonprofit and Social Economy Research (ANSER) is a newly formed organization for the support and encouragement of research in the broad fields of social economy, the voluntary sector, and nonprofit organizations in Canada. It will hold its inaugural conference as part of the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences 2008 from June 4-6, 2008 at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. All those engaged in applied and theoretical research related to the ANSER mandate, including researchers from outside of Canada, are invited to submit proposals for papers, panels, and roundtables by January 14, 2008. ANSER is not limited to faculty and graduate students from universities and colleges; consultants and practitioners who engage in research are especially encouraged to submit proposals. For more information, visit: www.anser-ares.ca/proposals.asp.
Fast Fact: Compensation increases for association executives this year
October 29, 2007
Average compensation and benefits for Canada's association executives increased over the previous year, according to the 26th edition of the Association Executive Benefits and Compensation Report. The 2007 report examined salaries and benefits of more than 1,557 not-for-profit executives employed in 582 trade, professional, charitable and issue-specific organizations across Canada. Industry/trade and professional organizations pay, on average, 30% more at the chief staff officer level than registered charities and special interest/issue-specific organizations. Association executives with the highest average earnings are located in Ottawa or Toronto. Executives with the Certified Association Executive (CAE®) designation earn between five and 41% more than those without it. As in previous years, female executives still earn significantly lower average compensation than their male counterparts at all levels. The trend toward an increasing female presence in leadership is a continuing, however, especially at senior management levels below that of chief staff officer. -- Canadian Society of Association Executives
October 29, 2007
A new study, Ethiopia: The Path to Self-Resiliency, commissioned by CANGO, a network of 15 Canadian NGOs operating in Ethiopia, has identified some of the missing elements that have been dodging development practitioners in their quest to alleviate chronic poverty. "Development efforts have focused on the tangibles and not enough on the intangibles, such as social networks or belief systems," explains Leslie Gardiner, coordinator of the study. The research team found that the predictors of self-resiliency have as much to do with attitudes, expectations and power-sharing between men and women, as with access to physical or financial resources. The study concludes with key recommendations for governments, donors and aid organizations on how to improve the effectiveness of their programming and policies:According to Gardiner, "If these intangibles are factored into the design of policies and programs, we can improve how we deliver aid." For more information or to download the full report, visit: www.chf-partners.ca.
- Involve "better-off" local households as role models and motivators.
- Enhance expectations of women through role-modeling and experience-sharing.
- Improve access to credit and savings programs, especially for women.
- Base interventions on the types of livelihood activities already in the community.
- Expand and build upon established, local community groups.
October 29, 2007
The City of Toronto's Access, Equity and Human Rights (AEHR) Community Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP) is now accepting grant proposals from local organizations. AEHR-CPIP invests in strategic partnerships with community-based organizations and develops skills and capacity in the community to respond to a range of access, equity and human rights issues. The program objectives are:The deadline for applications is December 7th. For more information, visit: www.toronto.ca/diversity.
- to achieve a positive race relations and human rights climate in Toronto;
- to maintain a strong community infrastructure for advocacy and community engagement by groups working towards the elimination of barriers faced by human rights protected groups and to focus on human rights issues relating to race relations, gender equity, literacy, disability, sexual orientation, and Aboriginal affairs; and
- to provide public awareness and anti-racism education campaigns that respect and value Toronto's diverse communities and which target the elimination of hate activity.
October 29, 2007
The Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) recently received two donations of $1 million toward its ‘Thinking Ahead’ campaign. The Cyril & Dorothy and Joel & Jill Reitman Family Foundation pledged a million dollars to help establish and complete an accessible and spacious entrance and lobby for the MNI’s new North Wing expansion. As well, Dr. Brenda Milner, world-renowned pioneer in the field of memory research and faculty member at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) at McGill University for more than 50 years, announced that she will donate $1 million dollars to the campaign. “Brenda Milner has had an exceptional influence on the shape of neuroscience and on the lives of scientists around the world. With this gift she continues to encourage the most talented young people to study cognitive neuroscience, and her legacy will be a lasting program that will support outstanding young scientists,” said Dr. David Colman, director of the MNI. For more information, visit: www.mni.mcgill.ca
October 29, 2007
Last week, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4), the latest in UNEP's series of flagship reports. The 540-page study assesses the current state of the global atmosphere, land, water and biodiversity, describes the changes since 1987, and identifies priorities for action. It states that major threats to the planet, such as climate change, the rate of extinction of species, and the challenge of feeding a growing population, are among the many that remain unresolved, and all of them put humanity at risk. But it insists: "The objective is not to present a dark and gloomy scenario, but an urgent call for action." GEO-4 is the most comprehensive UN report on the environment, prepared by about 390 experts and reviewed by more than 1 000 others across the world. For more information, visit: www.unep.org.
October 29, 2007
The Health Care Foundation's annual gala dinner in St. John's met its fundraising goal of $150,000, and then some. The event, which supports the St. John's adult hospitals, was attended by more than 500 people, including Ron Joyce, the owner of the Fox Harb'r Golf Resort and Spa. Midway through the evening, it was announced that an anonymous donor had agreed to match the $150,000 raised from the event. Afterward, Joyce let his donation to the foundation be publicly recognized. The first $150,000 raised from the gala will support the Labour and Delivery Unit of Eastern Health's Women's Health Program. It was Mr. Joyce's wish that his donation of $150,000 also be used to support women's health. For more information about the Health Care Foundation, visit: www.healthcarefoundation.ca.
October 29, 2007
It's Halloween time again, but this year instead of scrambling at the last minute to put together a costume, why not try being an internationally respected icon of environmental stewardship and famous broadcaster, David Suzuki? That's the suggestion from the David Suzuki Foundation. Download his face, print it at home, attach your own string, colour it in if you're feeling ambitious, and you're done - ready to frighten climate-change deniers, polluters and gas-guzzling non-recyclers throughout your neighborhood. And you can complete the illusion by printing foundation leaflets to invite your friends to join the Nature Challenge. For more information, visit: www.davidsuzuki.org.
October 22, 2007
Calgary's Simon House Residence Society walked away with three awards, including the top two awards, at the 10th annual Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services. The society, which runs a series of drug addiction programs in Calgary, was named highest performing agency overall, earning the $20,000 William H. Donner Award for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services, as well as the Peter F. Drucker Award for Non-Profit Management ($5,000), and the award for Excellence in the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse ($5,000). Eight other organizations shared the remaining $40,000 in category awards. The award recipients were selected based on a ranking of their performance in ten key areas, including management and governance, the use of staff and volunteers, innovation, program cost, and outcome monitoring. For more information and a complete list of award recipients, visit: www.fraserinstitute.org.
October 22, 2007
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has expanded its Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice to apply to for-profit businesses involved in fundraising. The changes, which include the addition of seven new standards and the alteration of one standard, now allow for-profit businesses to join AFP as members and actively promote ethical and efficient fundraising. "Thousands of organizations have sprung up that provide services and programs to the fundraising profession, yet there is no organizational guidance for them in terms of ethical behavior related to charities and other clients," said Paulette V. Maehara, CFRE, CAE. "Many organizations have come to us and asked how they could fall under the code's standards and principles, and the new changes accommodate these entities." For more information, visit: www.afpnet.org
October 22, 2007
St. Michael's Hospital announced a $20 million contribution toward its new medical research and education facility. The funds, $15 million from the federal government and $5 million from private donors Arthur and Sonia Labatt, will support the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital. Slated to open in 2010, the new facility will focus on developing novel therapies and better ways to bring best practices and research discoveries to patient bedsides faster than ever before. For more information, visit: www.stmichaelshospital.com.
October 22, 2007
According to the latest Statistics Canada data, nearly 12,000 Canadian registered charities carried on programs, directly or indirectly, outside of Canada in 2004. This represented 15% of all Canadian registered charities that filed with the Canada Revenue Agency that year. The charities spent approximately $1.8 billion on international programs during the year, an increase from $1.4 billion in 2002. In 2004, 204 Canadian charities spent an average of more than $1 million outside of Canada. The top three on the list spent a total of more than $433 million, and of the top twenty, each spent more than $12 million. -- Statistics Canada
October 22, 2007
The organizers of the CanWest Raise-a-Reader initiative confirmed that this year's fundraising total of $2.7 million set a record and takes the program to more than $10 million since its national launch in 2002. "Whether it be funds from the CanWest Raise-a-Reader Day events, our new concert series, or money raised through local book drives, coin-box collections, etc...this is a campaign that makes a meaningful difference in advancing our country's literacy levels," said Leonard Asper, president and CEO of CanWest Global Communications Corp. For more information, visit: www.raiseareader.com.
October 22, 2007
Last week, CanadaHelps announced its latest offering to both donors and charities - the online giving of gifts of securities. With the elimination of capital gains tax on publicly traded securities, these gifts are now the most tax efficient way to make a charitable donation in Canada. Fred Ketchen, director of equity trading at ScotiaMcLeod, made the first official online gift of securities donation to the charity of his choice through CanadaHelps.org. For more information, visit: www.canadahelps.org.
October 22, 2007
The Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) received the largest gift in its history last week. Calgary philanthropist Jill Rawlinson donated $1 million to the school to advance innovative thinking. The money will be used to establish the Jill Rawlinson Fund, which will be dedicated to the support of important original ACAD projects and initiatives that advance the capability of the faculty, staff, and students of ACAD, as well as the institution itself, to reach greater levels of capability, influence, and distinction in the world. For more information, visit: www.acad.ab.ca.
October 22, 2007
The BoardsCount benchmarking survey found that among smaller UK-based charitable organizations women account for 45% of the board. But this figure drops to just 29% for larger charities. The survey also reveals that within smaller charities and voluntary groups, black and minority ethnic trustees make up 12% of the board, but only 7% for the largest third sector organizations. A total of 60% of the respondents to the survey said they felt their boards failed to adequately meet the needs of their existing board members, while 48% said there was a gap in the representation of disabled people on boards, and 32% believed there should be a better gender balance. -- NCVO
October 22, 2007
Imagine Canada recently launched a new Insurance and Liability Resource Centre for Nonprofits, an initiative of the Ontario Volunteer Partnership (OVP). The centre provides training and resources to enable nonprofit organizations to: improve their risk management practices; create a safer environment for their staff, clients, and volunteers; and improve their access to more affordable and predictable insurance solutions. For more information, visit: insuranceinfo.imaginecanada.ca.
October 22, 2007
The BC government has launched a new grant program open to nonprofit community organizations operating primarily for community benefit. BC150 Years grants support projects and events celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of British Columbia. Qualifying organizations may receive up to $10,000 for any combination of celebration projects and events that contribute to honouring BC’s past and celebrating its future. Organizations may submit only one BC150 Years grant application. These grants are available until August 2008. For more information or to apply, visit: www.pssg.gov.bc.ca.
October 22, 2007
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 Kaiser Foundation's National Awards for Excellence. These awards honour the outstanding achievements of those seldom recognized organizations and individuals who are active in countering the physical and mental harms associated with substance use. There are seven award categories for which Canadians can be nominated:The deadline for submissions is November 16th. For more information, visit: www.kaiserfoundation.ca/awards/.
- Excellence in Public Policy
- Excellence in Community Programming
- Excellence in Aboriginal Programming
- Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use Programming
- Excellence in Leadership
- Excellence in Youth Leadership
- Excellence in Media Reporting
October 22, 2007
Thirty-nine percent of executives polled in Canada said meeting deadlines is the most important characteristic of a team player, followed by whether a person is pleasant to work with (31%), supports his or her manager (17%), and avoids politics (10%). Survey respondents included senior Canadian executives from human resources, finance, and marketing departments. -- Accountemps
October 15, 2007
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled last week that sports organizations below the national level do not qualify as registered charities. The ruling is the result of a case involving the Amateur Youth Soccer Association (AYSA), which operates at the provincial level. It applied to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to become a registered charity under the Income Tax Act and was refused. The CRA decided that the promotion of sports by itself, which was identified as the mission of the AYSA, is not a charitable purpose. The Federal Court of Appeal affirmed the decision, finding that only sport organizations that operate on a nationwide basis qualify as charitable ventures, and the Supreme Court agreed. For more information about the ruling, visit: scc.lexum.umontreal.ca.
October 15, 2007
“The Friends of Tie Domi” recently honoured the Toronto hockey player with a donation of $1 million in his name to the SickKids Foundation to fund a major redesign of the current rehabilitation department at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). A group of friends and local business leaders, spearheaded by Toronto businessman Leonard Latchman and his wife Lori, joined forces to recognize the contribution of Tie Domi’s hockey career to the City of Toronto. Inspired by his friends’ generosity, Domi also made a personal donation to help the cause. “I can hardly imagine a facility that I would be more proud to have my name associated with,” he said. “I am privileged to have friends willing to commit their time, and resources to make this redesigned centre possible. It will create new chances and better choices for countless children.” For more information, visit: www.sickkidsfoundation.com
October 15, 2007
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter recently announced the recipients of the 2007 Philanthropy Awards. “We’re here to shine a light on the passion of giving and to encourage our communities to continue doing amazing things,” said Mark Climie, chapter president. The awards are an opportunity to honour individuals and organizations that lead by example to improve the lives of others by donating their time, talent and financial resources to not-for-profit organizations in the GTA. Recipients this year include Arthur and Sonia Labatt (Outstanding Philanthropist), Barbara Stymiest (Outstanding Volunteer), BMO Financial Group (Outstanding Corporation), Donner Canadian Foundation (Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation), Sanjay and Sofia Sugumar (Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy), Susan McIsaac (Outstanding Fundraising Professional), Camp Oochigeas and Community Matters Toronto (co-winners in the Small Organization for Excellence in Fundraising). For more information about the awards, visit: www.afptoronto.org.
October 15, 2007
The 2007 GuideStar Nonprofit Compensation Report reveals that median compensation of females working in the US charitable sector continues to lag behind that of males when considering comparable positions at similar organizations. The difference in compensation ranged from 17.4% at organizations between $500,000 and $1 million in size, to 25.2% at organizations larger than $50 million. Women held 50% of CEO positions at organizations with expenses of $1 million or less, but only 34% at organizations with expenses of greater than $1 million. Overall, women held 41% of the positions reported upon, but received only 32% of the total compensation. -- GuideStar
October 15, 2007
Mission Movers Group released a report last week that provides a new approach to capacity building within the nonprofit sector. After reviewing the performance of more than 500 nonprofit organizations, Mission Movers concluded that the conventional view of nonprofit capacity building includes three major erroneous assumptions: that limited funding limits capacity building; that effective programming solves community problems; and that traditional strategic planning creates a continuum of programs that automatically build capacity. The observations also led to ten key reasons why most nonprofit organizations operate below maximum capacity. The new approach to capacity building presented in Non-Profit Capacity Building That Works is based on three challenges to the current thinking about capacity building: asset allocation versus “funding determinism”; community building versus problem solving; and diagnostic and action-based model planning versus traditional strategic planning For more information or to download the full report, visit: www.missionmovers.com.
October 15, 2007
Every Safeway store across Canada is currently looking for a new charity to support for the upcoming 2008 Safeway We Care campaign. For 2008, the program will focus on supporting children and families living with physical and developmental disabilities. Safeway We Care is now looking for local causes that assist disabled children and their families by improving quality of life, supporting rehabilitation or by funding research. Eligible charities must have a volunteer base of at least ten people and a representative who is willing to play an active role within the Safeway in-store fundraising committee. All charities that fit within the program focus and have a large volunteer base are invited to apply for the 2008 program. Applications can be found at www.safeway.ca or in-store at Customer Service. Completed applications should be returned to your local Safeway store by November 3, 2007. Questions can be directed to Jennifer Sung, Safeway We Care Coordinator, at 604-301-2620 or jennifer.sung@safeway.com.
October 15, 2007
The International Schizophrenia Foundation (ISF) recently received a major grant of $1.6 million from Calgary philanthropist Allan P. Markin. The grant will support a national educational program aimed at improving public awareness of the many health benefits of orthomolecular medicine and orthomolecular psychiatry. "I was impressed by the work and commitment of the ISF and believe that this grant will be an investment in teaching the public about the growing field of orthomolecular medicine and in creating both national and international awareness among health care professionals as well as patients and their families so that schizophrenia and other mental diseases can be most effectively and economically treated through orthomolecular psychiatry," explained Markin. "If we want to live longer and healthier, we need orthomolecular approaches." For more information about the International Schizophrenia Foundation, visit: www.orthomed.org/isf/isf.html.
October 15, 2007
The National Post’s Raise-a-Reader campaign seeks to use the media to raise funds, awareness and resources for family literacy programs in the Greater Toronto Area. If your organization is interested in receiving funding for a literacy program in the GTA, you are invited to submit an application. Fund recipients must be a registered not-for-profit society or have a charitable number, and literacy programs must exist within the GTA. Funds allocated from 2007 campaign must be used during 2008 calendar year. The submission deadline is November 1st. For more information or to download an application form, visit: www.raiseareader.com.
October 15, 2007
Thanks to a $300,000 donation from Sears Canada, Boys and Girls Clubs across Canada will be able to provide a safe, fun and enriching after-school alternative to the streets for thousands of children and youth. Thirty clubs across the country will receive a $10,000 Sears After-School Enhancement Grant for the 2007/08 school year. With this grant, clubs will be able to enhance existing after-school programs, which comprise a wide range of activities including: dance; technology learning; homework clubs; cooking; native drumming; sports; and more. Clubs can also use the grants to create new after-school programs and expand existing programming to meet the needs of more local children and youth. Since 2001, Sears Canada has contributed more than $1.8 million to enhancing Boys and Girls Club after-school programs. For more information about Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, visit: www.bgccan.com.
October 15, 2007
A new web portal tool, expected to launch next June, hopes to help Canadians who care for family and friends. It will contain information on providing care, respite supports, financial advice, discussion boards for connecting with one another, and a Caregiver Electronic Record (CER), which will serve to connect caregivers to home and community care sectors. "This portal is an important step toward supporting millions of caregivers in Canada", said Judith Shamian, president and CEO of VON Canada. "VON Canada has for many years recognized the important role family and friend caregivers play in the delivery of health care. This portal is an important step in connecting this community to one another and to other sectors of the health care system." The initiative is supported by a $1 million investment from Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) and designed to support the three million Canadians who provide two billion hours of care to loved ones each year. For more information, visit: www.von.ca.
October 9, 2007
A new report released by Imagine Canada showcases some of the most inspiring philanthropic moments in Canada's history. This research, commissioned by BMO Harris Private Banking, marks the first step in highlighting the contributions of Canadian philanthropy in this country and around the world. “The impact of Stephen Lewis’ work in captivating and motivating people, and creating awareness of AIDS in Africa is an excellent example of this,” said Dr. Michael Hall, vice president of research at Imagine Canada, and author of the Philanthropic Success Stories in Canada report. “A number of our experts identified Mr. Lewis for the impact of his work, and also for his ability to attract financial resources to the cause through his foundation.” Other notable names in the study include Elizabeth McMaster, who established Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children in 1875, Sir Frederick Banting, Terry Fox, and Israel Asper. For more information or to download the full report, visit: www.imaginecanada.ca.
October 9, 2007
The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure celebrated its 16th anniversary recently, raising $26.5 million to support breast cancer initiatives. This year's run attracted more than 170,000 Canadians in 53 communities across the country. With the money raised from the event, the CBCF will continue to support a wide range of studies in the areas of prevention, diagnosis and improved treatment, as well as quality of life research that focuses on helping survivors return to as normal a life as possible. For more information, visit: www.cbcf.org
October 9, 2007
Last week, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) launched its first annual national report, Canada's Vital Signs, offering Canadians an overview of our quality of life. The report provides a snapshot of the country in key areas such as housing, the gap between rich and poor, and the environment. “We hope Vital Signs will become a tool for change at the local and national level,” said Monica Patten, president and CEO of Community Foundations of Canada. “That it will help our voluntary sector, business, governments and other organizations and individuals say: ‘Yes, we have accomplished a great deal together, but not everyone is sharing in our prosperity.’” For more information or to download the full report, visit: www.vitalsignscanada.ca.
October 9, 2007
According to a new report out of the UK, 25% of charities have experienced adverse publicity in the last two years, yet only 43% had a response plan that could be immediately implemented in a crisis. And more than 70% of charities do not believe their risk management policies are as effective as they should be. Only 28% of respondents described their risk management procedures as 'embedded and working effectively'. For more than half of the survey respondents (54%), risk assessment was still only an annual process, while 7% reported that their trustees didn't even review it annually. -- Charity Finance Directors' Group
October 9, 2007
The Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, announced $30 million in new funding per year to support local arts and heritage activities that involve Canadians in their communities through activities that express, celebrate, and preserve local culture. The Building Communities through Arts and Heritage (BCAH) program will provide support for local arts and heritage festivals that feature local artists and artisans or local heritage, as well as major historical anniversaries of local importance. Applications are now available for local arts and heritage festivals and community historical anniversaries occurring in winter 2008. The application deadline is October 31st. For more information, visit: www.pch.gc.ca.
October 9, 2007
Athabasca University's Centre for Innovative Management announced the creation of a new scholarship. "There is a demonstrable need for master's level management education within Alberta's community service and not-for-profit sectors," said Dr. Lindsay Redpath, executive director of AU's Centre for Innovative Management. "Because our internationally recognized learning environment is online, it will allow managers in this sector to complete their degree from anywhere in the province while continuing to work full-time and without a need to drive into a major centre or interrupt their already busy lives." The successful applicant will receive full tuition support for Athabasca University's Online Executive MBA, valued at $42,000. The application deadline is November 15th. For more information, visit: www.mba.athabascau.ca.
October 9, 2007
The Canadian Cancer Society, B.C. and Yukon Division recently announced totals from its 2007 Relay For Life signature fundraising event. Fifty-two relays were held in communities across the province, attracting more than 22,000 participants and raising just over $6.6 million. "Relay brings out the true nature of our communities," said Kayla Stevenson, vice president of revenue development. "The society is proud to unite cancer survivors, donors, patients, and families against a cause that affects us all." For more information, visit: www.bc.cancer.ca.
October 9, 2007
The City of Edmonton is calling for applications for its Community Investment Operating Grant program, which provides operating assistance to nonprofit organizations whose activities result in benefits to the citizens of Edmonton. Local nonprofits are eligible for this grant if their programs and services have a primary mandate to deliver in the social, multicultural, or recreation/amateur sport sector. Organizations can apply for up to 25% of their total operating expenditures, with a maximum of $20,000 awarded. Minimum grant award is $650. The application deadline is November 1st. For more information, visit: www.edmonton.ca.
October 9, 2007
Fifty percent of advertising and marketing executives recently polled said they search online for information about prospective hires at least some of the time. Among those, 14% have decided not to hire someone based on their findings. When asked, "How frequently, if at all, do you use Google or another search engine to learn additional information about a prospective hire?" 19% of respondents said 'always', 31% said 'sometimes', and 48% said they rarely or never conduct such research. -- The Creative Group
October 9, 2007
Calgary's Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) is calling on all nonprofit organizations to step up and identify themselves as social purchasers. The SPP is building a directory that spotlights businesses that have progressive and socially responsible workplace practices. As a social purchaser there is no commitment or purchase involved, it simply means your organization will consider businesses listed on the Social Purchasing Portal the next time you need to buy something. This encourages businesses to pursue a socially responsible policy related to their employment practices. For more information or to sign up, visit: www.sppcalgary.org.
October 9, 2007
Montreal played host recently to Golf Legends for Children, a unique charity event under the honorary co-presidency of Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. The event raised $2,550,000 for sick children. "As parents and grandparents, we are very conscious of the impact a child's illness can have, not only on the child's life, but also on the lives of the loved ones around them," said Jack Nicklaus. A total of 135 golfers had the privilege of participating in the event, while 400 guests attended the evening's festivities, including personalities from the Quebec sports and entertainment scene. For more information, visit: www.leucan.qc.ca.
October 9, 2007
A new report commissioned by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) finds that nearly half of Canadians are still uncomfortable revealing a mental health problem to others and think that a person with a mental illness has trouble holding a job. The landmark study on mental health literacy took an overall look at what Canadians know and how they think about mental illness and mental health through extensive surveying and focus groups. It compared this data to findings about mental health literacy in other countries. "It seems that people have become more accepting of illnesses like depression and anxiety but continue to believe that people stigmatize what are considered the more serious illnesses like schizophrenia," said Constance McKnight, co-chair of CAMIMH. "We will be wanting policy makers and funders to put money into activities that will actually have an impact on stigma, and improve people's ability to mange their mental health effectively," added Joan Montgomery, chair of the committee overseeing the study. To download the full report, visit: www.camimh.ca.
October 9, 2007
Metasoft Systems Inc. is now accepting submissions for the 2007 World Proposal Championships, which aim to recognize and promote proposal writing excellence and help grantwriters learn, by example, what it takes to create a winning proposal. This year, $5,000 will be awarded to the winning organization, and the top 100 proposals will be showcased online. Any proposal that has secured a grant for a nonprofit or charitable organization from a foundation, corporation or government body within the last two years is eligible. The deadline for submissions is December 15, 2007. For more information, visit: www.bigdatabase.com/wpc.
October 1, 2007
We're pleased to announce the appointment of Zaheer Abbas Molu to our newly created position of Marketing Manager. Zaheer was most recently director of marketing and communications with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.We're also happy to announce that Sue Dafoe has joined our team as the regional Account Manager for Durham Region, Eastern and Northern Ontario. Prior to joining our team, Sue was box office supervisor at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.
"As our site continues to grow, it's essential for us to keep building great relationships with our visitors and clients," says Maggie Leithead, CharityVillage president and COO. "Both Sue and Zaheer have excellent track records in delighting clients and we're pleased that they're bringing their skills and enthusiasm to us."
Meet Zaheer today at: www.charityvillage.com/cv/about/zaheer.html.
Say hello to Sue today at: www.charityvillage.com/cv/about/sue.html.
October 1, 2007
The Wellesley Institute and Lynn Eakin published a new study that illustrates how the shift from long-term core funding in the early 1990s to the current trend of short-term targeted and program funding has placed a major administrative burden on the nonprofit sector in Canada. Entitled We Can't Do Business This Way: A Study of the Administrative Burden Resulting from Funder Accountability and Compliance Practices, the study found that extensive reporting and application requirements place a severe strain on providers' administrative capacities; take resources and time away from service delivery and innovation; and that these processes could be streamlined to meet the needs of both service providers and funders. For more information or to download the report, visit: wellesleyinstitute.com
October 1, 2007
Saskatoon's Persephone Theatre recently received a $1 million donation from Rawlco Radio. The donation gives Rawlco the naming rights to the main auditorium of the new theatre, which will be called Rawlco Radio Hall. The donation brings the theatre to the $10.1 million mark, within reach of its $11 million capital funding goal. The Rawlco donation will be split into two $500,000 gifts: one going directly to the building project and the remainder to Persephone's yearly operations. For more information about Persephone Theatre, visit: www.persephonetheatre.org.
October 1, 2007
Last week, a team of 32 corporate volunteers, together with members of Volunteer Canada’s board of directors, gathered to help renovate the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa Clubhouse outdoor garden and learning space. The corporate leaders are all members of the Corporate Council on Volunteering, a Volunteer Canada program that has grown to become one of the largest corporate volunteerism initiatives in the country. “The Corporate Council on Volunteering continues to lead the way in demonstrating the need to focus more on the social responsibility of the corporate sector and the tremendous potential of the corporate volunteer movement,” said Ruth MacKenzie, president of Volunteer Canada and co-chair of the council. “While Canada still lags behind many other countries in the area of employer-supported volunteerism, it is the continued commitment and leadership of the council that will help us catch up to the rest of the world.” For more information, visit: new.volunteer.ca.
October 1, 2007
Most executives would decline the opportunity to be their own boss, according to a new survey. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they feel the average executive would not choose to be self-employed if he or she had the necessary startup capital, whereas 33% disagreed. The poll included interviews with 100 senior
Canadian executives - including those from human resources, finance and
marketing departments. -- Robert Half Management Resources
October 1, 2007
A $1.5 million donation from Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, one of the country’s leading national energy law firms, will enable the University of Alberta Faculty of Law to create an endowed chair and strengthen its expertise in energy law and policy. “This generous donation will help our school recruit an internationally recognized scholar and ensure our students are learning from one of the world’s foremost authorities on energy law and policy,” said Faculty of Law Dean David Percy. “We will begin our search for an eminent scholar immediately.” For more information, visit: www.law.ualberta.ca.
October 1, 2007
Eva's Initiatives has launched the third season of its Award for Innovation, which recognizes the work being done by organizations across Canada in assisting homeless youth. A $5,000 award will be granted to three organizations that:The deadline for applications is November 2nd. For more information or to apply, visit: www.evasinitiatives.com/innovation.htm.
- Demonstrate innovation in delivering services to homeless youth;
- Successfully use partnerships to develop, implement or operate services;
- Deliver services that help youth who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to achieve greater self-sufficiency and reduce their chances of experiencing homelessness in the future;
- Offer services that integrate two or more of the following: housing, education, vocational training, employment, health and addictions supports, life skills, or other interventions aimed at assisting homeless and at-risk youth to become self-sufficient.
October 1, 2007
The ARTicipate fundraising campaign was launched in Ottawa last week, receiving its first major donation, a $1 million gift from the Shenkman Family Foundation. The donation will see the new arts facility, commonly known as the Orleans Arts Centre, being named the Shenkman Arts Centre. “The Shenkman name is synonymous with more than one hundred years of business and philanthropic activity enhancing the lives of the region’s citizens," said Bill Shenkman. "We truly believe this donation will go a long way to further support our values and beliefs.” For more information, visit: www.artsoe.ca/Sod.htm.
October 1, 2007
The Alzheimer Society of Canada announced a $1 million legacy gift from an Ottawa resident who witnessed the devastating effects Alzheimer's disease had on those in her community and wanted to make a difference. It is the single largest legacy gift in the society's history and will be used to help fund Alzheimer research, as well as support other important programs and services. "We continue to be humbled by the generosity of Canadians, and are particularly grateful for the thoughtfulness behind this very important gift," said Scott Dudgeon, chief executive officer of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. "Legacy giving is a very satisfying and meaningful way for people to make a difference. It is within reach of everyone, regardless of their economic status, and can be done in a way that doesn't impact their lifestyle, or that of their family." For more information, visit: www.alzheimer.ca
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