This week: infectious diseases, trust, and the place of philanthropy in both. Philanthropy and the pandemic COVID-19 has spread to at least 100 countries, with more than 60 cases across Canada, according to tracking provided by the World Health Organization’s daily situation report. In the face of a pandemic threat, Inside Philanthropy recently asked its…
Both inside and outside of elections we are bombarded with social media posts, television and radio ads, and articles telling us what to believe about the leading policy issues of the day. Perhaps now, more than ever, we are aware that the information we see may be intentionally false and manipulative. Yet the issues we…
Philanthropic groups weigh in on Wet’suwet’en. A new type of “green philanthropy.” And rapid pitching for charities. Charities/foundations back pipeline protests With Canada-wide protests in support of the Wet’suwet’en Nation growing, members of the philanthropic community have been adding their voices, highlighting the role such organizations can potentially play in Indigenous rights and reconciliation. LEVEL,…
This is the first of two articles about artificial intelligence. Although we recognize it is a loaded question, we asked Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant, “how can we solve homelessness?” The boilerplate answer, not surprisingly: “Sorry, I don’t know that one.” It is easy to conclude that machine intelligence is a long way from helping…
#MeToo in the philanthropic sector. Big trends for 2020. And new data on the continued decline in individual giving. Sexual harassment of fundraisers is hidden in non-profit sector The power imbalance between those who fundraise for non-profits and those who donate to them is well known and documented, but a recent survey about sexual harassment…
This article is the third in a renewed collaboration between The Philanthropist and The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. The goal is to highlight Indigenous philanthropy and share Indigenous perspective and wisdom on reciprocity as well as Indigenous-focused work happening in the philanthropic community. There is no workbook on how to decolonize philanthropy. There is…
At the beginning of a new term of Parliament and almost a dozen years after former Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a historic apology for Canada’s residential schools policy, Marie Wilson has a simple but critical question: what’s happened to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action? As one of the TRC commissioners,…
Delays persist with Ontario non-profit reform. Revelations about the release of federal funding for social finance. And the growing importance of employee-driven philanthropy. Continued delays on Ontario non-profit reforms The Ontario Nonprofit Network reports that the provincial government has once again delayed the proclamation of the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA). The reason? Technical issues….
When Jason Kenney strode to the podium to announce his inquiry into “anti-Alberta” activities by environmental advocates who receive foreign funding, he had the inquiry’s answer in his prepared remarks. “For over a decade, a well-funded foreign campaign has defamed Alberta’s energy industry and sought to land-lock our oil,’’ the Alberta premier said. “The reputational…
There are few Canadian policy areas with a wider gulf between perception and reality than foreign aid. Canadians routinely and dramatically overestimate the generosity of a government that is perceived as being deeply altruistic, when, in fact, it is increasingly miserly. A Nanos poll done for the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH)…