Personal shifts and re-entrenchments – post-pandemic
Contributor Yvonne Rodney considers what has shifted in her own life and reflects on the impact of the pandemic on our values, motivations, attitudes, and priorities.
How philanthropy went wrong and how to fix it
Amy Schiller’s criticism of philanthropy is not that it is fundamentally wrong but that it needs to focus less on utility and more on beauty, writes reviewer Hilary Pearson.
Generations may collide in the non-profit sector, but many challenges remain eternal
The latest conversations on the future of the philanthropic sector – and of this journal – bring to light “widening” generational differences, writes Tim Harper.
The Mass Casualty Commission and the possibility of transformation
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make significant systemic change toward eradicating gender-based violence for good, writes Be the Peace Institute’s Sue Bookchin, on the first anniversary of the release of the Turning the Tide Together report.
Featured
Analysis
Why we need the CRA to publish advancement of religion guidance
With almost 40% of the registered charities in Canada religious charities, failure to release the guidance has tangible implications for many organizations trying to comply with federal income tax and common law requirements.
Reinventing and rebuilding community journalism
The revival of Canada’s local news and information landscape requires an ecosystem approach, and philanthropy can play a critical role through strategic funding.
Philanthropy and Funding
We asked leaders in the charitable and non-profit sector what’s top of mind for them in 2024
The climate crisis, polarization, wellness – for staff and leaders, digital acceleration, the affordability crisis, trust and collaboration. In a time of “polycrisis,” we asked sector leaders what shifts and challenges they’re focused on.
How foundations avoid accidentally funding the ‘anti-gender’ movement
Groups that aim to restrict transgender, sex worker, and reproductive rights, among others, are “professionalizing” and wielding increasing influence over humanitarian and social justice spaces.
Case Studies & Guides
Bridging the gap: Information equity for newcomer communities
What happens when we neglect to disseminate timely, factual information in the languages newcomers speak and in the digital spaces they use?
How an ecology fellowship leverages philanthropy to allow early-career change-makers to flourish
The Liber Ero Fellowship program gives highly trained conservation and biodiversity scientists, not yet bogged down by teaching, the tools and resources to make a difference at the beginning of their careers.
Decolonization and Reconciliation
After the apologies: Churches give time and money to redress residential-school wrongs
“The schools were government-designed but church-operated,” notes one of the developers of a project called Bring Back the Buffalo. “It’s part of the church history, and today churches and their people are learning and trying to respond appropriately.”
Facing a moral conundrum head on: Funding in the time of climate crisis
Suncor Energy Foundation, which celebrated 25 years in 2023 – the hottest year on record – doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations about where its money comes from.
Series on Work in Progress
The future of non-profit work and workers post-pandemic
In the face of unprecedented demand for services, financial vulnerabilities, and a human resources crisis, the sector is at a crossroads. In this introduction to our Work in Progress series, which will examine the key issues relevant to the future of non-profit work and workers, contributor Yvonne Rodney outlines some of the fixes that are needed now.
The decision to step down: Reflections from four foundation leaders
When long-serving leaders leave their roles, what can we learn from them that will help our sector traverse the challenging times ahead?
Building a sense of belonging and connection at work in the hybrid era
With remote and hybrid work the new norm post-pandemic, non-profits are tailoring strategies to ensure that employees feel heard, seen, and valued – and have discovered that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
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Most Popular
Analysis
Diversity beyond HR: Applying a DEI lens to procurement
While there is increasing attention to DEI in the charitable and non-profit sector, there are unexplored opportunities for creating positive change, from everyday operations to supply chain practices – a phenomenon dubbed “supplier diversity.”
Criticism is good for philanthropy – if done well
Philanthropy is the target of much criticism, and good critique is part of a conversation. Sector leaders talk about what to do in response to the criticism that philanthropy has failed to provide support “where it’s needed most.”
Intervention time: What non-profits want funders and government to know about their data problem
The sector’s data problem needs a unified approach, but organizations are struggling to get on the same page. From developing new data-sharing tools to convincing funders that data is crucial to their charitable missions, here’s how non-profits and charities are coordinating a data renaissance.
Funding journalism – for the sake of philanthropy and democracy
A group of foundation leaders is making the case that healthy news ecosystems are critical to the well-being of our communities, planet, democracy – and funders’ missions.
More articles From the Archives
A short history of voluntary sector–government relations in Canada (revisited)
The original version of this story, published in 2007, is one of The Philanthropist Journal’s most popular pieces of all time. In this updated version, Peter Elson and Peyton Carmichael expand on that detailed (and not so short) history.
Charities and the rule against perpetuities
Charitable status is a legally privileged status. The law in numerous ways, ranging from the trivial to the noteworthy, confers legal advantages upon charities. These legal advantages are often misunderstood.
‘We don’t have a word for philanthropy’
What do Indigenous Peoples mean when they talk about Indigenous philanthropy? Miles Morrisseau put this question and others to Indigenous people who are leaders in the philanthropic sector.
Strategies for a caring society
This article was developed from a paper presented at Investigating in the Whole Community: Strategies for a Caring Society, a conference organized by the Trillium
Featured Contributors
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Yvonne Rodney
Yvonne Rodney is a Toronto author, career consultant, speaker, and non-profit worker with extensive experience in career development. She is the author of Moving On: A Quick Guide for Non-Profit Workers and Military to Civilian Employment: A Career Practitioner’s Guide.
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Christina Palassio
Christina Palassio is a non-profit communications professional and freelance writer. When she tweets, she does so at @mcpalassio.
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Angela Long
Angela Long is a freelance writer currently working on a book about rural journalism in Canada.
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Miles Morrisseau
Miles Morrisseau is a Métis writer, journalist, and multimedia producer from the Métis homeland in Manitoba.
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