Sherlyn Assam is a freelance writer and editor who studied journalism and political science at Carleton University. She worked for Informed Opinions, a non-profit with a database of women and gender-diverse experts that allows journalists to access people with a range of perspectives and reduce the gendered data gap in news. With an extensive volunteering background and a commitment to supporting marginalized communities, Sherlyn returned to Carleton to pursue an MA in philanthropy and non-profit leadership.
Sherlyn’s journalism covers the philanthropic sector and social impact, religion and spirituality, entertainment, lifestyle, and pop culture. She is also a copywriter who creates newsletters, blogs, and social media copy. Her work includes her editorial fellowship on women’s economic resilience with Future of Good, her assistant digital editor role at Broadview magazine, and her managing editor stint with the global Participatory Grantmaking Community. Sherlyn’s writing can also be found in The Walrus, Broadview, Future of Good, Xtra, among others.
A growing body of research demonstrates that women are often more effective leaders, yet there are many programs geared toward women upskilling and networking to get there because they are still underrepresented in leadership. Can these programs offer long-term solutions?
While the barriers to funding traditionally under-resourced organizations and communities can be systemic, these foundations share how their partnerships transform community organizations that are often left out of the conversation.
In the second iteration of its participatory grant fund, the Foundation for Black Communities aims to reach more communities and needs. Recipients of the first round of the Black Ideas Grant share what they’ve gained and what’s missing from foundation grants in Canada.
Funders and conference speakers say they’ll be highlighting non-qualified donees, participatory grantmaking, and youth-led organizing as fundamental to working in philanthropy today at Philanthropic Foundations Canada’s 25th-anniversary gathering.
À l’occasion du 25e anniversaire de Fondations Philanthropiques Canada, les bailleurs de fonds et les conférenciers affirment qu’ils mettront l’accent sur les donataires non reconnus, l’octroi de subventions participatives et l’organisation dirigée par des jeunes, qui constituent des éléments fondamentaux de la philanthropie moderne.
Research shows that women’s leadership can lead to more inclusive workplaces, but according to DEI experts, researchers, and women leading organizations, that is not enough for a feminist transformation.
The Foundation for Black Communities is encouraging philanthropy leaders to give more control to the communities they are trying to serve. Board co-chair Marlene Jennings says the sector needs to recognize the role it has played in underfunding Black communities, grant communities the money they need, and trust them to handle it.
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.
