March 20 was the day the team at MakeWay (then called Tides Canada) mobilized. The Vancouver-headquartered public foundation had been reaching out to its community partners, many of which are in remote and northern communities. “People were just terrified,” says executive director Joanna Kerr. “[They said] they needed core funding. They needed it to be…
In this week’s News Digest: calls for more diversity, WE controversy, the international response to COVID-19, and more. Addressing the lack of diversity in the sector In an open letter released June 20, Senator Ratna Omidvar urged government, charitable, and non-profit leaders to take action to increase diversity in the philanthropic sector. The first step:…
Dear colleagues, First, let me thank you for the work that you, your staff, and volunteers have done to keep Canadians safe during the pandemic. Your heroic efforts have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. I also know that Canadians will rely on you to help them stride slowly, yet confidently, into the recovery stage of…
Chers collègues, Tout d’abord, je veux vous remercier pour le travail que vous accomplissez, avec votre personnel et vos bénévoles, pour assurer la sécurité des Canadiens durant la pandémie. Vos efforts héroïques ne sont pas passés inaperçus et méritent notre reconnaissance. Je sais aussi que les Canadiens compteront sur vous lorsqu’ils aborderont lentement, mais avec…
For more than a decade, the owners of Canadian news organizations have seen a steady stream of the advertising revenues they need to keep their heads above water disappear, with most of it flowing instead to Google, Facebook, and other social media platforms. The depth of the economic shutdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic is…
The recently released Report of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector, “Catalyst for Change: A Roadmap to a Stronger Charitable Sector,” puts broad charity law reform in sight. The Report – which is available online – provides a series of thoughtful recommendations touching on almost all the major difficulties with the existing federal…
As Canada’s charities continue to respond to a severe pandemic-related financial beating, they are also confronting serious questions about their business models, their lack of crisis preparation, and their need for an effective collective voice. Sector leaders, as well as those delivering front line services, see the need for big changes ahead, especially in the…
En 2022, la revue The Philanthropist célébrera son 50e anniversaire. Au moment du lancement, en 1972, l’équipe de rédaction a exprimé l’espoir que cette publication « servirait de forum pour une critique éclairée et constructive de la sphère caritative et philanthropique au Canada ». L’an dernier, dans le cadre de notre planification pour l’avenir de The Philanthropist, le…
In 2022, The Philanthropist journal will mark its 50th anniversary. When we launched in 1972, the editorial team expressed its hope that, through this publication, they would “offer a forum for an informed and constructive critique of the charitable and philanthropic scene in Canada.” As part of our planning for the future of The Philanthropist,…
Alors que les organismes de bienfaisance canadiens continuent de faire face à de graves problèmes financiers liés à la pandémie, ils sont aussi confrontés à de sérieuses questions au sujet de leurs modèles d’affaires, de leur manque de préparation à la crise, et de leur besoin de s’unir pour lancer des messages efficaces. Des leaders…