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NewsBytes: September 2008
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
Banyan Tree Foundation has charitable status revoked
September 29, 2008
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has revoked the the charitable status of the Banyan Tree Foundation, effective immediately. The official notice from the CRA indicated that the status was revoked because of problems under the Income Tax Act relating to the issuing of improper or false gift receipts. Earlier this year, the CRA disallowed $208 million worth of tax receipts from charitable organizations, informing donors that the setup of a dontation scheme, where donors were given tax receipts for amounts greater than they had donated, was a scam. Donors will be forced to repay millions of the disallowed tax credits. For more information, visit: canadagazette.gc.ca.
September 29, 2008
As reported by cbc.ca, the All Women's Empowerment and Development Association has fired its executive director and shut its doors permanently. The Nova Scotia charity was created to assist immigrant women and had recently received two significant grants, one from Status of Women Canada, and one from the IWK Health Centre. The executive director, Rosamond Luke, is accused of issuing a series of cheques that the board of directors claims were not approved. The board states there is not enough funds left to pay salaries and Revenue Canada, which is why the organization is closing down. Luke was named as the Conservative candidate for the Halifax riding, however she withdrew from the race two days after announcing her candidacy. For more information, visit: www.cbc.ca.
September 29, 2008
The Art Gallery of Ontario received another large donation this week, cbc.ca reports. Maxine Granovsky and Ira Gluskin gave $7 million in addition to the $3 million they have already donated to the art gallery's capital campaign. To honour the donation, the entrance lobby of the new gallery will be called the Maxine Granovsky and Ira Gluskin Hall and the entrance to the coat check area will be named for Maxine's mother, Shirley Granovsky. For more information about the Art Gallery of Ontario, visit: www.ago.net.
September 29, 2008
The Ontario Trillium Foundation released a new report last week on the impact of foundation grants in small towns. In the Small Towns: Big Impact study, they found that small towns face challenges that either do not exist in large urban centres, or are far less prevalent and pervasive. Specific challenges that became apparent in the context of the study were the need for diversification in local economies, changing labour force dynamics and the mismatch between them and the skills and education levels of young workers, aging populations and youth out-migration, and issues of access to capital, health care, public transportation and technology. For more information, and to download the full report, visit: www.trilliumfoundation.org.
Fast Fact: Volunteer managers responsible for large pools of volunteers
September 29, 2008
According to a recent survey of volunteer managers, respondents indicated that they managed in excess of 1.5 million volunteers with the total number of hours contributed by these volunteers being reported at 75 million hours of time per year. Of the volunteers working with respondents, 11% were students and 7% were corporate volunteers, while 3% of the volunteers attended their volunteer workplace only one or two times a year with the remainder involved more regularly. The most common program size represented had between 100 and 249 volunteers, although 3% of the respondents had volunteer programs with less than 10 participants and 5% of respondents were responsible for volunteer pools that exceeded 10,000 volunteers. -- People First-Total Solutions
September 29, 2008
Imagine Canada launched its inaugural national Thanks & Giving campaign in partnership with CanadaHelps.org, Maclean’s magazine and Investors Group. Thanks & Giving aims to encourage and stimulate philanthropy during Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday. A special 20-page supplement will run in the October 6 issue of Maclean’s, showcasing inspirational stories on how individual Canadians are giving back to their communities and offering ideas on how Canadians can join the giving movement. The "You Give. We Thank." contest allows individuals to submit their Reflections Story to Imagine Canada, with the opportunity to win $5,000 to donate to a registered Canadian charity of their choice. For more information, visit: www.thanksandgiving.ca.
September 29, 2008
Senior executives from more than a dozen companies across the nation joined the board of directors of Volunteer Canada to participate in the first Canadian Corporate Council on Volunteering Leadership Summit in Ottawa. The Canadian Corporate Council on Volunteering was formed by Volunteer Canada in 2005 to promote the benefits of employer-supported volunteerism (ESV). Since the formation of the council, there has been steady growth in the number of paid hours employees are given to dedicate to volunteering in just the council member companies alone. In 2005, 15 companies contributed 150,000 hours. In 2007, more than 475,000 volunteer hours were donated by employees of 23 companies. Today, with 24 members, the council is the largest corporate volunteerism initiative in Canada. For more information, visit: volunteer.ca.
September 29, 2008
The Immigrant Success (IS) Awards recognize employers and individuals in the Toronto region that are leaders in recruiting, retaining, and promoting skilled immigrants in the workplace. There are four award categories, including the RBC Best Immigrant Employer Award, the Canadian HR Reporter Individual Achievement Award, the CBC Toronto Business Leadership Award, and the Toronto Star Immigrant Champion Award. The deadline for entries is November 14, 2008. For more information, and to submit a nomination, visit: www.triec.ca.
September 29, 2008
Students and faculty in the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Pharmacy gathered to thank Apotex Inc., Canada’s largest pharmaceutical company, for their recent gift to the college. The $1.5 million donation, the largest single gift ever received by the college, will support three areas. A state-of-the-art pharmacy practice laboratory, which simulates a real-life pharmacy for undergraduate students, will be built, and additional research funding for faculty and graduate researchers, as well as increased graduate student support, will be available. For more information, visit: announcements.usask.ca.
September 29, 2008
The Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT) is a nonprofit, registered charitable organization founded to assist victims of torture. The organization developed the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture Awards to recognize the valuable contributions individuals make to build an equitable and just society and to recognize those who have made a sustained and innovative contribution in the community, demonstrating leadership, initiative, perseverance and originality. Three award categories are available, for individuals, women, and youth. Nominees must be residents of Canada and self-nomination will not be accepted. Completed nomination forms for any of the three awards will be accepted no later than October 23, 2008. For more information, visit: www.ohpe.ca.
September 29, 2008
The parents of three out of five children who had some form of activity limitation in 2006 reported that their employment was affected by their child's condition. Some 38.4% of parents reported that they worked fewer hours, while an additional 36.5% indicated they had adjusted their work hours to accommodate their child's activity limitation. Asked whose employment was most affected, parents reported it was the mother in 64% of cases, both parents in 25%, the father in 8%, and other family members in 3%. In 2006, about 200,000 Canadian families were coping with the challenges that arise from caring for a child with disabilities. -- Statistics Canada
September 29, 2008
The Sierra Club of BC is seeking donations for their climate change initiative after recently losing a federal grant. The $100,000 grant had been approved through the EcoAction Community Funding program, a federal initiative created by the Chrétien government in 1995, but was revoked by Environment Canada in late August. The money had been targeted for the Sierra Club's new House Cooling initiative, in which groups of workers, neighbours, or other interested individuals gather in one member's house to discuss climate change and how they, as individuals or as a group, can reduce their carbon footprint. For more information, visit: www.sierraclub.bc.ca.
September 29, 2008
A province-wide fundraising walk held by the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) raised more than $1 million for abused, abandoned, and neglected animals. The Paws for a Cause...Walk for the Animals event was held in 37 locations throughout the province and included a flagship event in Vancouver. The annual event kicked off in June with a VIP launch party, and participants fundraised throughout the summer in preparation for the walk that was held on September 14. For more information, visit: www.spca.bc.ca/walk.
September 22, 2008
Ted and Loretta Rogers gave a total of $12.5 million to two Ontario health charities last week. The Loretta Anne Rogers Critical Care Centre at the Toronto Western Hospital opened its doors after undergoing a complete renovation to its existing site, thanks to a gift of $5 million from the Rogers. The Globe & Mail also reported that the Rogers committed $7.5 million to the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to create an ophthalmology research chair and a new eye health centre. For more information on the Toronto Western Hospital gift, visit: www.uhn.ca. For more information on the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, visit: www.sunnybrook.ca.
September 22, 2008
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation has committed the largest single gift in support of art education in the Art Gallery of Ontario’s 108-year history. The foundation’s gift of $12 million will support the AGO’s $25 million campaign to enhance its art education program - $18 million for reconstruction and refurbishment of the gallery’s existing education and public programming facilities, and $7 million to create the AGO’s first-ever education program endowment fund. The W. Garfield Weston Foundation will commit $10 million to the reconstruction project, to be named the Weston Family Learning Centre. It will also commit $2 million toward the endowment, to be named the Weston Foundation Teacher Training Fund. For more information, visit: www.artmatters.ca.
September 22, 2008
The Canadian Institute of Child Health is calling for nominations for the 2008 Health Promotion and Innovation Award of Excellence. The winners will be selected based on their demonstrated and proven contribution to child and youth health and well-being in the community, through formal evaluation, leadership and innovation. Nominations are accepted under two categories, multidisciplinary and multisectoral, and should also consider one of the following themes: physical health and well-being, emotional and mental health, family health and security, or environmental health. The deadline for nominations is October 3, and the awards will be given out on November 20 to celebrate National Child Day. For more information, including full nomination guidelines, visit: www.cich.ca. (PDF)
September 22, 2008
The 2008 Canadian National Pro Bono Awards were presented to Edmonton lawyers Dennis Edney and Nathan Whitling, as well as to the Saskatoon community organization Community Legal Assistance Services for Saskatoon Inner City Inc. (CLASSIC), and the national law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. The four recipients were honoured for their provision of pro bono legal services to the poor. These awards are a national celebration of the dedication and commitment of the many lawyers who give their time freely to represent those who need but cannot afford legal assistance or qualify for legal aid. For more information about the awards, visit: www.probonoconference.ca.
September 22, 2008
A new poll reveals that 46% of Canadian farmers have donated a portion of their farm production to local or international food banks in the past. Of those farmers whose production can be directly given to food banks, 59% have donated in the past and 20% donate annually. Another 21% responded that their products were not suitable for donation, among these 60% were non-mainstream livestock producers. Those in the horticulture/viticulture and hog production are most likely to donate, at 81% each, and poultry producers are second at 79%. -- Ipsos Reid
September 22, 2008
Victorian Order of Nurses Canada (VON Canada) launched a groundbreaking new tool for Canada's nearly three million caregivers called Caregiver Connect. This bilingual web portal provides access to information and resources that caregivers need to care for themselves, to provide better quality care to their family members and/or friends, and to connect and share with other caregivers through a virtual discussion forum. The project is funded, in part, by a $1 million investment from Canada Health Infoway. VON Canada has also partnered with the Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research (WIHIR) for multi-disciplinary expertise and guidance, as well as assistance with health informatics. For more information, visit: www.caregiver-connect.ca.
September 22, 2008
McGill University announced new support for agricultural research from Canadian businessman Seymour Schulich. The Schulich gift of $5 million will create fellowships for graduate students in a wide variety of areas of study within the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, as well as supporting graduate fellowships in the Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the Departments of Physics, and Mathematics and Statistics. The new Schulich Fellows will receive funding of $25,000 to $100,000 a year. For more information, visit: www.mcgill.ca.
September 22, 2008
Luminato, the Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity, announced a new artistic funding partnership initiative with the Toronto Arts Council (TAC). The pilot development program, entitled Incubate, will assist Toronto artists in developing the earliest phase of a new work and promoting it to international markets. Incubate provides seed money to facilitate the early planning stages of a project that will allow the development of a proposal geared toward festivals and organizations at the international level. This $100,000 pilot program will assist Toronto music organizations and collectives in its first year, with expansion plans to include all TAC funded artistic disciplines in the years to come. For more information, visit: www.luminato.com. (PDF)
September 22, 2008
A sizable percentage of high-net-worth givers do not see themselves as philanthropists even though each gives away about a million dollars or more annually. That is among the findings of a study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy. The study involved interviews with 33 anonymous high-net-worth individuals, each capable of giving $1 million annually. I’m Not Rockefeller: 33 High Net Worth Philanthropists Discuss Their Approach to Giving examines how these people approach their charitable giving. Researchers found a set of diverse and evolving practices, a strong reliance on peers for information, a narrow and negative view of evaluation, and difficulty exiting established relationships with nonprofits, even when the philanthropist felt it was the right thing to do. And about a third of the study participants did not view themselves as “philanthropists,” despite their considerable generosity. For more information, and to download the full report, visit: www.impact.upenn.edu. (PDF)
September 22, 2008
Canadians listened to an average of 18.3 hours of radio a week in 2007, down from 18.6 hours in 2006 and 20.5 hours in 1999. Teenagers were the least likely to use the radio, listening to only 7.2 hours a week, while seniors continue to be the biggest listeners, at 22.4 hours a week. Adult contemporary music had the most listeners at 22.7%, while oldies and rock music both scored 14.3% of listeners. CBC radio and talk radio had 12.4% of listeners, with CBC radio being the top choice among seniors, university graduates, professionals, and skilled salespeople. Prince Edward Island and Manitoba residents used the radio the most, at 20.9 and 18.8 hours a week respectively, while BC residents were the least likely, listening only 16.6 hours a week. -- Statistics Canada
September 22, 2008
Thanks to an estate gift made by the late Egon Baumann, classical music received its largest ever single gift in the Victoria area, as reported by the Victoria Times Colonist. The $3.1 million donation will be used to fund a musical arts foundation that will support groups such as the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Baumann also made an immediate gift of $325,000 to be split between the Pacific Opera and the Victoria Symphony. Baumann passed away in February at age 95. For more information, visit: www.canada.com.
September 22, 2008
New research by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Sherbourne Health Centre sheds light on the mental health of bisexual people in Ontario by looking at the context of mental health issues in this group. The Bisexuality, Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being Research Project found that existing mental health services do not adequately meet the needs of bisexual people. The Ontario-wide project evaluated the experiences of bisexual people based on three main determinants of health: social factors, including biphobia and stigma; interpersonal relationships, including those with the LGBT community, the workplace and partners; and internal factors, including self-acceptance and identity struggles. The results demonstrated that social biphobia and stereotypes about bisexuals have far-reaching negative effects on the mental health and well-being of bisexual people. For more information, visit: www.camh.net.
September 22, 2008
As reported by the Toronto Star, the Toronto Zoo Foundation, the arms-length foundation supporting the city's zoo, has disbanded following a dispute with the zoo's board of directors. The foundation wants the courts to decide on how the zoo should use the $10 million in assets still sitting in limbo. The 34-year-old park had been planning a $250 million fundraising drive for revitilization and a new education centre, but it is unclear now who will be spearheading the project. One of the zoo's board members has already resigned over the decision. For more information about the Toronto Zoo, visit: www.torontozoo.com.
September 22, 2008
Maytree is accepting nominations for their Diversity in Governance Awards, which honour organizations with a clear commitment to diversity and who provide exemplary leadership in diversity strategies. These awards are an extension of DiverseCity onBoard, an initiative of Maytree that works to ensure that the governance bodies of public agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs), as well as voluntary organizations, reflect the diversity of people who live and work in the GTA. The submission deadline is October 17, 2008. For more information, visit: www.maytree.com.
September 15, 2008
The Montreal Heart Institute Foundation announced that BMO Financial Group donated $2 million to the Heart Beat for the Future Capital Campaign. More specifically, this gift will go toward funding the activities of the Montreal Heart Institute's (MHI) Prevention Division. It is estimated that 80% to 90% of cardiovascular accidents could be avoided through significant lifestyle changes (exercise, nutrition, smoking cessation). It is also believed that second-line prevention (preventive treatments after a cardiovascular event) could reduce the risk of relapse by 30% to 40%. For that reason, prevention is one of the cornerstones of the MHI's mission. For more information about the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation, visit: www.fondationicm.org.
September 15, 2008
Thanks in part to a donation of $1.5 million from Canwest, the Canadian Film Centre is set to open Canada's first professional-level training program for on-screen acting talent. The CFC Actor's Conservatory, presented by Canwest and supported by the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, will launch in the fall of 2009. The conservatory will offer up to eight experienced Canadian actors advanced on-screen performance training, exposing actors to real project development along with advanced scene study. It will also engage actors in the creative process and business considerations of film/TV, and provide them with a significant body of produced on-screen work in a variety of formats to showcase their talent. For more information, visit: www.cfccreates.com.
September 15, 2008
The first of its kind in Canada, Vancouver's new community court opened last week, bringing a new approach to justice in the city. A high number of offenders in downtown Vancouver have health and social problems, including alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, homelessness, and poverty. The court takes a problem-solving approach to address offenders' needs and circumstances and the underlying causes of their criminal behaviour. In this new system, a triage team is formed from mental health and social workers, as well as housing and probation officials, in order to fully address the defendant's needs. In some cases, a full case management team may be assigned to the defendant. A judge issues the final sentence, which can range from community service to jail time. For more information, visit: www.criminaljusticereform.gov.bc.ca.
September 15, 2008
According to a recent report, 46% of Canadians think people use the term mental illness as an excuse for bad behaviour. Also, 27% of Canadians are fearful of being around people who suffer from serious mental illness. Just half of Canadians would tell friends or coworkers that they have a family member suffering from a mental illness, compared to 72% who would discuss diagnoses of cancer, and 68% a diagnosis of diabetes in the family. Most Canadians (60%) agree that the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness is underfunded, and 72% agree funding should be on par with funding for physical health issues such as cancer and diabetes. -- Canadian Medical Association
September 15, 2008
The Toronto Grace Health Centre Foundation received its largest donation in the 100-year-plus history of The Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre site. The $1.9 million donation will support both the immediate revitalization of the facility through physical upgrades and new equipment, as well as the long term needs of the Grace through the creation of the John and Norah Irwin Endowment Fund. The late John Irwin left the gift to the foundation as part of his estate. For more information about the Toronto Grace Health Centre Foundation, visit: www.torontograce.org.
September 15, 2008
The Ontario Heritage Trust is seeking nominations of youth aged 18 and under for its 2008 Young Heritage Leaders program. The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 31, 2008. Through this annual program, municipal councils, regional councils, First Nation band councils, Métis community councils, and schools can recognize local youth for significant voluntary contributions to preserving, protecting and promoting local heritage. Individuals and project groups are eligible for nomination in the categories of built, cultural and natural heritage conservation. For more information, including full application guidelines, visit: www.heritagefdn.on.ca.
September 15, 2008
Rich countries must start basing their climate change policies on existing human rights principles and stop using economic excuses to wriggle out of their responsibilities, says international agency Oxfam in a new report released last week. Oxfam is submitting its report, Climate Wrongs and Human Rights, to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which is now reviewing the relationship between international human rights and climate change. Oxfam says that rich countries’ excessive carbon emissions are violating the rights of millions of the world’s poorest people to life, security, food, health and shelter. Oxfam’s report also identifies major “hot spots” where current climate change policies are well off-track with existing international human rights principles. For more information, visit: www.oxfam.org.
September 15, 2008
Nearly half of Canadians (49%) believe plastic bags are the number one pollutant on our shorelines, according to a new survey, despite the fact cigarette butts are consistently the number one item recovered during annual cleanup events. The survey found only 18% of Canadians believe cigarette butts are the top culprit affecting our shorelines. -- Angus Reid Strategies
September 15, 2008
Entertainer Jerry Seinfeld recently headlined a one-night-only sellout fundraiser at the Cunard Centre, and in the process helped the QEII Foundation raise more than $200,000 toward the ongoing construction of a new emergency and trauma centre at the region's busiest health sciences centre. The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation's Comedy Cures, which featured a New York City-styled pre-reception complete with Coney Island barkers and all the sights and sounds of the Big Apple, treated attendees to the comedian's standup act. For more information, visit: www.qe2foundation.com.
September 8, 2008
As reported by the Globe and Mail, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has revoked the charitable status of the Canadian Amateur Football Association (Football Canada). The official reason outlined by the CRA for the decision was that the organization failed to file an income tax return and that it issued tax receipts with false amounts. Football Canada was involved in a tax shelter run by ParkLane Financial Group, and it is likely that this was an important aspect of the investigation. Several other charities who also had dealings with ParkLane are currently under investigation, however Football Canada is the first to have a decision rendered against them. Football Canada is optimistic that this ruling will not affect their programs, since most of their $1.5 million budget is raised through membership dues and fees. For more information about Football Canada, visit: www.footballcanada.com.
September 8, 2008
At a recent fundraising event in Saskatoon, rock fans dressed in boxer shorts and tuxedo coats and raised just under $1.6 million for the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation. The Rock 102 event raised the funds for the Les and Irene Dube Urology Centre of Health at St. Paul's Hospital, which will provide state of the art treatment for prostate cancer and other urological diseases. Rawlco Radio made a donation of $1 million - made up of $250,000 cash, $250,000 of in-kind support, and a pledge from Rock 102 to raise an additional $500,000 over the next five years. The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan also made a large donation of $250,000. Canadian rocker Randy Bachman headlined the event. For more information about the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation, visit: www.sphfoundation.org.
September 8, 2008
Twenty-seven nonprofit agencies from across Canada have been identified as being the best run in the country and are in the running for $70,000 in prize money as finalists for the 11th annual Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services. This year, 600 nonprofit agencies from across Canada applied for the awards. Participating organizations are ranked on their performance in 10 key areas, including management and governance, the use of staff and volunteers, innovation, program costs, and outcome monitoring. The top organization in each of nine categories of social service delivery will receive a $5,000 award, while the $20,000 William H. Donner Award for Excellence will be presented to the highest performer overall. For more information, and a full list of finalists, visit: www.donnerawards.org. (PDF)
September 8, 2008
According to new US research, Americans last year spent 302 billion minutes online. What were they doing during this time? The results of a new survey indicate that 82% of Americans check e-mail at least once a week, nearly half shop online, 42% read online news every week, 55% bank online, 24% buy airline tickets, and 20% reserve hotel rooms. The top five websites for American web surfers are Google, Yahoo!, MSN, Microsoft's home page, and AOL Media Network. -- Nielsen Online
September 8, 2008
eBay launched a new site this past week that is dedicated to selling merchandise that promotes social awareness. The site was developed in partnership with World of Good Inc., and various third-party organizations will independently screen the products being sold on the site. Users will be able to search for items in a number of social and environmental categories, and view details such as area of origin, information about the person producing the item, and whether any proceeds go to charity. For more information, visit: worldofgood.ebay.com.
September 8, 2008
The AFP Congress is a three-day fundraising conference taking place this November. To foster the professional development of individuals who work in agencies raising $1,000,000 or less per year (excluding government/United Way funding), the AFP Greater Toronto Chapter offers bursaries to attend the event. Some bursaries will include airfare and hotel accommodations. Bursaries and scholarships are made possible through the support of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy - Canada and the contribution of RBC Foundation. Applications must be received by September 22, 2008. For more information, including full application guidelines, visit: afptoronto.org.
September 8, 2008
A new report suggests that, compared to other countries around the world, Canada has a way to go to bring worker benefits up to par. Almost 90 countries worldwide guarantee workers three weeks of annual vacation, while Canada guarantees two weeks. At least 156 countries offer full sick leave, with 81 offering a full wage during the leave. Canada typically guarantees 55% wage replacement, and in most provinces and territories, jobs are not protected if a sick leave lasts longer than 12 days. New mothers are given full wage replacement on maternity leaves in more than 100 countries, while most Canadian women receive 55% of their wage. Canadian women also do not have the right to a break to breastfeed at work, unlike the more than 100 countries worldwide who guarantee this right to their citizens. -- McGill University
September 8, 2008
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada (RMHC) and WestJet announced a new initiative whereby WestJet will donate flights to the charity, which is dedicated to helping children with serious illnesses or disabilities and their families lead happier and healthier lives. Through the airline's community investment program, WestJet Cares for Kids, WestJet will donate more than 500 single flights to support RMHC families, fundraising and administration. In addition to the gift of flight, WestJet also gave RMHC a cash donation of $20,000 in January 2008 to be allocated to providing comfort and necessity items to families using a Ronald McDonald House. For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada, visit: www.rmhc.ca.
September 8, 2008
As reported by the Calgary Herald, school fundraisers run by PTAs are increasingly at risk for theft and fraud. In June, a former treasurer for one such organization in Calgary was sentenced to a two-year conditional sentence and ordered to repay the $29,000 that she stole from the school's PTA. The Calgary Association of Parent and School Councils is concerned that many PTAs are at risk for fraud since, under Alberta's provincial legislation, PTAs are created to advise the school, not fundraise. To get around this, many PTAs simply form their own nonprofit organization. However, with the same people involved, and with business for the two separate organizations often ocurring at the same meetings, there is a great danger of the funds raised being at risk for theft. For more information on the Calgary Association of Parent and School Councils, please visit: www.capsc.ca.
September 8, 2008
The Wild Rose Foundation honours individuals nominated by community organizations and fellow community members for their extraordinary volunteer contributions through the 9th annual Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards. These awards recognize Albertans whose volunteer contributions and achievements have contributed to the well-being of their community and fellow community members. Six awards, two for each category of youth, adult and senior, will be presented on International Volunteer Day - December 5, 2008. The deadline for nominations is Friday, September 26, 2008. For more information, and to download the nomination form, visit: www.wildrosefoundation.ca. (PDF)
September 8, 2008
A new US study suggests that women who are more adept at using their social network to find jobs are earning more than those who find their jobs through more traditional methods. Of the women studied, those who found their job through a close relative had an average salary of $32,691, while those who found their job through a close friend earned, on average, $28,546. Those without any connections had an average salary of just $19,415. -- University of Oregon
September 2, 2008
As reported by the Brantford Expositor, the Woodstock Hospital Foundation received a $1 million donation from philanthropist Ted Rogers, made in memory of his mother, Velma Melissa Taylor, who was born in the area. The foundation is currently fundraising to build a new hospital, and a 39,000 square foot wing of the building will be named after Rogers' mother. The wing will house the hospital's pharmacy department, chemotherapy suite, diabetes education centre, and will also hold beds for acute and palliative care. For more information about the Woodstock Hospital Foundation, visit: www.wghfoundation.ca.
September 2, 2008
Canada’s cultural sector directly contributed about $46 billion - or 3.8% - to overall Canadian gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007, according to a new Conference Board of Canada report. Moreover, this analysis, Valuing Culture: Measuring and Understanding Canada’s Creative Economy, determined that the culture sector’s impact on the economy is much broader - $84.6 billion in 2007, or 7.4% of total real GDP. While there is a large and growing body of research that documents the economic value of the culture sector, this report takes into account the substantial direct, indirect, and induced contributions of the culture sector, which together resulted in more than a million jobs in the Canadian economy. For more information, visit: www.conferenceboard.ca.
September 2, 2008
The World Health Organization (WHO) released a new report, Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of Health, which identifies how health inequities are impacting countries throughout the world. The report shows how, in general, the poor are worse off than those less deprived, but they also found that the less deprived are in turn worse than those with average incomes, and so on. This slope linking income and health is the social gradient, and is seen everywhere - not just in developing countries, but all countries, including the richest. The slope may be more or less steep in different countries, but the phenomenon is universal. For more information, and to download the full report, visit: www.who.int.
September 2, 2008
According to new research, the federal government invested $3.764 billion in science and technology research in 2006, of which $212.3 million went to cancer research. This translates into approximately five cents out of every dollar spent by the federal government on research being directed to cancer research. The study also indicated that the US spends about $10 per capita on cancer research, with the Canadian rate being about half that amount. Since a total of $390 million is invested annually in cancer research in Canada, charitable groups are funding almost at the same level as the federal government. -- Cancer Research Investment in Canada 2006
September 2, 2008
CIBC announced that it is committing $1 million to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection to help reduce the victimization and exploitation of children across Canada. CIBC's investment will be directed to raise awareness of the centre and its Kids in the Know safety education program to better educate children and parents about keeping their children safer from sexual abuse and exploitation. Safety education kits will be developed and made available for parents and for teachers to use in the classroom. CIBC also committed to work with the centre to fight commercial child pornography by applying transaction-monitoring technology through its retail banking operations to close down payment accounts used by illegal enterprises trading in child pornography, one of the largest and fastest growing commercial activities on the Internet. For more information, visit: www.protectchildren.ca.
September 2, 2008
Altruvest Charitable Services has undertaken a project for the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration’s Strategic Partnership Initiatives, and is conducting research on the governance capacity and training needs of Ontario-based small to medium-sized charities. If your organization has annual revenues of less than $500,000 and/or staff of zero to five, Altruvest is looking for your input. Executive directors or CEOs with board chairs or a designated representative from the board are invited to participate in one of several focus groups occurring throughout September. If you are interested in participating in this research, please contact Seanna Clipperton at bwed@altruvest.org for more information. Those attending focus group sessions will receive a “Fundraising Readiness” inventory by Cynthia Armour, CFRE and board expert, Mel Gill’s “Board Effectiveness Quick Check”.
September 2, 2008
Examining the Impact of Political Fundraising on Nonprofit Direct Mail Performance, a new report released in the US, addresses the concerns of US charities that the 2008 presidential election is negatively impacting their own revenue goals. Findings indicated that little or no adverse relationship exists between presidential campaign fundraising and charitable fundraising giving. In other words, during periods of heavy political fundraising, revenue for charitable fundraising was not noticeably affected. Even as political contributions have skyrocketed in presidential elections, charitable giving has continued to grow, albeit at an apparently uncorrelated rate. For more information, and to view the full report, visit: www.merkleinc.com. (PDF)
September 2, 2008
In a joint effort to recognize young people making a positive impact on society, Ashoka and Staples announced the launch of the Ashoka’s Changemakers “Youth Social Entrepreneur” online competition. The Changemakers website provides a place for young people within the Ashoka global network to explain how they are leading positive change and planning on making an impact within their communities. Youth leaders who enter the competition on Changemakers.net have an opportunity to win a global prize or be considered for a $1,000 Youth Venture grant to advance their projects. For more information, visit: www.changemakers.net.
September 2, 2008
Scotiabank announced that a total of $194,000 was raised by more than 4,600 participants at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k, held on June 22, 2008. A new fundraising record of $91,577.58 was set by the Arthritis Society, BC & Yukon Division. Winners of the Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge were also announced. The BC Children's Hospital Foundation had the most runners each raising $10 or more, with 50 runners. The Alzheimer's Society of BC had the most money raised per participant, with an average of $786.34 per runner. For more information, visit: micro.newswire.ca.
September 2, 2008
According to a new survey, 37% of Canadians say that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is their top environmental concern. One in four say improving air quality is their most pressing environmental issue, while in Ontario 31% say it is a crucial issue. Twenty percent of Canadians feel that conserving our forest, protecting our wildlife and creating more parks and green spaces is a priority. Sixteen percent of Canadians say that our shorelines are an environmental priority, with Alberta and the Atlantic region (23% each) placing the most emphasis on our shores. -- Angus Reid Strategies
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