Foundation Magazine November/December 2023

November/December 2023 | Vol. 4 | No. 22

VITAL SIGNS: Toronto Foundation Diagnoses A City

• Philanthropy & Sustainable Finance • 10 AI Terms You Need to Understand

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INSIDE:

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STEVE LLOYD

The World Around Us

Surely, we all not only love the ocean and all the marine life in it, but we are beginning to feel a sense of desperation about the spaces that cover most of our mother earth. The flow of waste, destructive fishing practices and plastic pollution destroy the marine environment and threaten marine species.

A sliver of hope remains, as we see a proliferation of nonprofit groups working on both a public and political level to save and protect the planet’s oceans. They include: Oceana is the largest organization in the world solely devoted to marine conservation. It was established in 2001 by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Oak Foundation, Marisla Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Since its founding, Oceana has achieved hundreds of concrete policy victories for marine life and habitats. As part of its campaigns, Oceana is involved in efforts to end major sources of ocean pollution such as oil, mercury, aquaculture and shipping emissions.

Ocean Conservancy is another leading advocacy group working for the protection of special marine habitats, the restoration of sustainable fisheries, and for reducing the human impact on ocean ecosystems. Founded in 1972, the organization was initially known as the Delta Conservancy and later the Center for Environmental Education and the Center for Marine Conservation before receiving its current name. In order to save our oceans, the group focuses on educating the public and advocating for policy changes for maintaining vibrant ocean wildlife.

Project AWARE Foundation is an organization working specifically with scuba divers across the globe to protect underwater environments.

Focused on the critical issues of Shark Conservation and Marine Debris, Project AWARE empowers thousands to work together for a clean, healthy and abundant ocean planet. If you want to take part in one of the organization’s campaigns, you can explore the current Action Map to find the upcoming events or even create your own event.

The nonprofit Monterey Bay Aquarium is a showcase for the habitats and sea life of one of the world’s richest marine regions. In addition to that, the organization coordinates marine conservation and research programs. The Aquarium’s Conservation and Science programs are tackling some of the most critical issues affecting ocean health. The Aquarium conducts research in the fields of population biology and ecology of sharks, bluefin tuna and sea otters. Finally, through their Seafood Watch program, they help consumers and businesses choose seafood that’s fished or farmed in ways that support a healthy ocean.

As the name suggests, the Marine Megafauna Foundation focuses specifically on research and conservation for threatened marinemegafauna species, such as sharks, rays, marine mammals and turtles. Founded in 2003, the organization initially was working with the large population of marine megafauna found along the Mozambican coastline. In recent years, however, MMF researchers have expanded their efforts worldwide.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, considered controversial by some, deserves attention. Founded by Paul Watson, a former member of Greenpeace, in 1977, under the name Earth Force Society, the organization is now best known for obstructing Japanese whaling activities in the Southern Ocean. Sea Shepherd aims to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.

The Coral Reef Alliance works with communities around the world, helping to solve coral reef conservation challenges. Through collaboration with fishermen, government leaders, divers, and scientists the organization leads holistic conservation programs that improve coral reef health and resilience and are replicated across the globe. The majority of the work is done in four critically important reef regions of the world - Fiji, Hawaii, Indonesia, and the Mesoamerican Region. Globally, CORAL is launching a new era of reef conservation.

The Nature Conservancy is one of the oldest and most respected conservation organizations in the world. Established in 1951, the organization has over 1 million members and works to protect ecologically important lands and waters at the largest scale. As for marine conservation, in particular, the Nature Conservancy operates more than 100 of such projects globally.

The World Wildlife Fund is another one of the world’s leading conservation organizations. It works in 100 countries and is supported by more than one million members in the United States and close to five million globally. WWF’s unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature. Among the WWF’s top priorities in the area of marine conservation are working with fishers, fishing companies and scientists.

Greenpeace is a global organization working to stop environmental crimes, using non-violent creative action. The main goals of the group are to protect biodiversity in all its forms, prevent pollution and abuse of the earth’s ocean, land, air, and fresh water, end all nuclear threats, promote peace, global disarmament, and non-violence The organization works towards several issues pertaining to the marine environment in particular.

Want to add to this list? Let us know by email to Editor in Chief at steve.lloyd@lloydmedia.ca foundationmag.ca

November/December 2023

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CONTENTS

November/December 2023 | Vol. 4 | No. 22 www.foundationmag.ca Twitter: @foundationmaga1 PRESIDENT / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Steve Lloyd - steve.lloyd@lloydmedia.ca DESIGN / PRODUCTION Jennifer O’Neill - jennifer@dmn.ca PHOTOGRAPHER Gary Tannyan CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Malcolm Burrows George Irish Mary Cahalane Mark Halpern Deb Fair Jean-Marc Mangin

Kathleen A. Provost Susanna Ray Donald Rider

LLOYDMEDIA INC. HEAD OFFICE / SUBSCRIPTIONS / PRODUCTION:

302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Phone: 905.201.6600 Fax: 905.201.6601 Toll-free: 800.668.1838 EDITORIAL CONTACT: Foundation Magazine is published bimonthly by Lloydmedia Inc. Foundation Magazine may be obtained through paid subscription. Rates: Canada 1 year (6 issues $48) 2 years (12 issues $70) U.S. 1 year (6 issues $60) 2 years (12 issues $100) Foundation Magazine is an independently-produced publication not affiliated in any way with any association or organized group nor with any publication produced either in Canada or the United States. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. However unused manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage. Occasionally Foundation Magazine provides its subscriber mailing list to other companies whose product or service may be of value to readers. If you do not want to receive information this way simply send your subscriber mailing label with this notice to: Lloydmedia Inc. 302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Canada.

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Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40050803

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FOUNDATION Magazine

November/December 2023

foundationmag.ca

CONTENTS

COURTESY STARS LOTTERY

ON THE COVER

48

30 Vital Signs Report Meets Campaign

Toronto: The Findings and The Future

VOLUNTEERISM

26 My Life as a Dedicated Volunteer: Why I Do What I Do

SECTOR INSIGHTS

38 Corporate Foundations: 43

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The Business of Giving

26

40 The Philanthropic Sector and Sustainable Finance

COLUMNIST

12 Scholarships and Other Educational Awards

Wealth Management - Malcolm Burrows

14 12 Ways of Giving ISTOCK/SHUOSHU

Leadership - Kathleen Provost

16 Are You Caught Up in “Yay Us” Fundraising?

The Hand’s on Fundraiser – Mary Cahalane

18 You Live Once but Die Twice: Don’t Be Forgotten

The Accidental Philanthropist® - Mark Halpern

22 Ai is Here: Is Your Nonprofit Ready?

Inside AI – George Irish

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COURTESY NIAGARA SPCA & HUMANE SOCIETY

38

ISTOCK/ CIENPIES

TECHNOLOGY

43 Learning and Looking Ahead 44 10 AI Terms Everyone Should Know CASE STUDY

46 Together Fur-ever: How PEDIGREE

Foundation is Helping Thousands of Dogs in Canada Find Loving Homes

48 STARS Lottery: Helping Save Lives

and Shaping the Future of Critical Care

HISTORIC PLAQUES

49 Lord Beaverbrook RECOGNITION

50 Five Lives: What We Do Coming in April: In Good Company The Guide To Corporate Foundations & Their Work.

November/December 2023

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PHOTO CREDIT: BY VIDIOMAN - OWN WORK, CC BY-SA 3.0.

SEEN, HEARD & NOTED

Greener days ahead for Thunder Bay’s iconic Fort William Gardens. Fort William Gardens is about to get a green makeover with an investment of over $2.3 million from the Government of Canada and the City of Thunder Bay. Announced

by Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay - Rainy River, and Dominic Pasqualino, Acting Mayor, City of Thunder Bay, retrofitting the iconic landmark will ensure it remains a fixture in the community for future generations to enjoy all while cutting green house emissions and reducing energy consumption. The Fort William Gardens was built in 1951 and has become a vital part of the South Core community of Thunder Bay. Modernizing the facility will make it a greener and more accessible focal point in Northern Ontario for hockey, figure skating, and curling championships as well as attracting performers for concerts and cultural events. In addition, the City will continue to use this facility for affordable city-sponsored programs that are accessible for all.

Through this investment, Fort William Gardens will undergo an extensive retrofit. These improvements are expected to reduce the facility’s energy consumption by an estimated 29.4 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 164 tonnes annually. The planned changes include: Replacing dressing 6

FOUNDATION Magazine

rooms and washroom fixtures; Swapping the roof, doors, and windows with energy efficient models; Redesigning the icemaking process to store the heat produced during so that it can be used to heat the building and melt excess snow from cleaning the ice rink; Upgrading the ventilation systems in the building offices to improve air quality; Replacing the cooling tower and condensing unit with one that is more reliable and energy efficient; Retrofitting the ticket window, entrance, concession area, and counter space so it is more accessible for patrons with diverse mobility needs.

The federal government’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program — that is helping fund this project — aims to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live, and gather by cutting pollution, making life more affordable, and supporting thousands of good jobs. Through upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB program is ensuring that facilities are inclusive, accessible, and have a long service life, while also helping Canada move towards its net-zero goals.

“The iconic Fort William Gardens has allowed generations of people to enjoy various sporting and non-sporting events over the years,” said Marcus Powlowski, Member

November/December 2023

of Parliament for Thunder Bay — Rainy River on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “Through various upgrades including the use of green technologies, this building will become more energy efficient and will continue to serve the needs of Thunder Bay residents and visitors to the city for years to come.”

The Government of Canada is investing over $2.35 million in this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program (GICB) and the City of Thunder Bay is contributing $644,895. At least 10 percent of funding under the GICB program is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres. The GICB program was created in support of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: a Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, supporting the Plan’s first pillar through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the increase of energy efficiency, and higher resilience to climate change. It is providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.

•••••••••••••••••••••••• Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has a new partnership with Farm Credit Canada’s Sustainability Incentive Program. This new incentive program will complement DUC’s Marginal Areas Program on the Prairies. Producers who participate in the Marginal Areas Program in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are incentivized to convert unproductive cropland into a more biodiverse state by planting perennial forage.

“Producers who are taking advantage of our Marginal Areas Program are already having success turning land that isn’t as productive as they would like into habitat that offers additional benefits,” said Kristine Tapley, national lead for sustainable agriculture at DUC. “We are proud to partner with FCC to offer even more of an incentive for producers to consider what works best for their operations and allow them to maximize the full potential of their land.”

The Marginal Areas Program targets areas that are unproductive due to poor drainage, soil conditions, periodic flooding, inaccessibility, or salinity.

DUC offers an incentive upfront for participating in the Marginal Areas Program through a 10-year agreement to assist producers with the cost of establishing perennials and alleviate the financial burden associated with land management.

In addition to the DUC payment, FCC customers who are participating in the Marginal Areas Program can now receive an incentive payment based on a percentage of their total owing with FCC capped at a maximum payment of $2,000 or $50/acre of enrolled acres.

“Canadian grasslands are some of the most endangered foundationmag.ca

SEEN, HEARD & NOTED ecosystems in the world.

This incentive program is an opportunity for producers to provide natural habitats for wildlife and enhance biodiversity responsibly,” said Curtis Grainger, FCC director of sustainability programs. “We hope to encourage seeding marginal areas that are unproductive to perennials, helping to improve profitability, pollinator habitat and act as buffer zones.”

By sustainably managing areas with unproductive cropland through this program, producers are financially incentivized to contribute to environmental enhancements, which positively impact biodiversity while offering a solution to local land management challenges.

DUC is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC uses sound science and partners with government, industry, nonprofit organizations, Indigenous Peoples and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment. FCC is Canada’s leading agriculture and food lender, dedicated to the industry that feeds the world.

•••••••••••••••••••••••• Montreal-based baby and sleepwear brand Petit Lem is working with the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation (CPBF) to donate newborn essentials to five major hospitals across Canada for World Prematurity Day in November. Petit Lem donated 500 custom gift packages with premature-sized sets from its Preemie Layette collection to major hospitals in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Winnipeg and Toronto. Petit Lem’s Layette collection includes smallersized preemie pieces that are designed with NICU babies in foundationmag.ca

mind. To ensure functionality and ease during those first few days for preemie babies, Petit Lem consulted with various NICU nurses to develop the pieces to fit their specific needs, like the front buttons used for easy adjustments with wires and diaper changes.

Approximately 30,000 babies are born prematurely every year in Canada, and the parents of these babies are at a higher risk of postpartum depression, anxiety, and PTSD. To let families know they are not alone, the CPBF offers peer and professional support to ensure parents gain confidence and feel prepared to care for their babies, both in the NICU and at home.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Petit Lem in creating gift packages for families in the NICUs across Canada. Having a baby in the NICU is a traumatic experience, and these gift packages offer a moment of comfort, assuring them they are not alone on this journey,” said Fabiana Bacchini, Executive Director at the CPBF. For families in the NICU, the first outfit is very important — as it shows that the baby is ready to leave the incubator to go to an open crib. Petit Lem’s Layette collection with preemie pieces is available at petitlem.com and in stores at The Hudson’s Bay and Clement.

As a parent-led charity, the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation (CPBF) supports and educates families of babies born prematurely. CPBF provides education, support, and advocacy for Canada’s preterm babies and their families. CPBF’s goal is to build momentum by continuing to develop peer support programs, distribute helpful materials and resources to families and health care

professionals, and investigate how it can better the lives and experiences of premature babies and their families.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

Coffee Association of Canada Announces Winners of the Inaugural Exemplifying Excellence in the Coffee Community Awards. The Coffee Association of Canada (CAC), a pivotal force in the nation’s thriving coffee industry, is thrilled to announce the winners of its first-ever “Exemplifying Excellence in the Coffee Community Awards.” This prestigious awards program, designed to recognize and celebrate outstanding contributions to the Canadian coffee landscape, culminated in an exhilarating ceremony at the CAC Conference in Toronto on November 9, 2023.

Innovative Achievement of the Year - The award for Innovative Achievement of the Year was presented to Muna Mohammed and Eight50 Coffee for their ground-breaking Cascara Hashara Coffee beverage. This innovative drink, renowned for its novel use of the coffee cherry, was lauded for its upcycled aspect, aligning perfectly with the sustainability and environmental values that the CAC upholds.

Small Chain - Big Impact Award - Christine Cruz-Clarke and Balzac’s Coffee received the Small Chain - Big Impact Award.

November/December 2023

This award shines a spotlight on a coffee business that, despite its size, is creating significant industry buzz. Balzac’s Coffee Roasters stood out for their exceptional support of women in the coffee industry and the wider community.

Volunteer of the Year - The Volunteer of the Year honor was awarded to two remarkable individuals - Michael ForianZytynsky from Keurig Dr Pepper and Caitlin McClung from Tim Hortons. Their tireless work organizing the Advocacy Day in Ottawa exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism that drives the CAC forward.

Coffee Industry Lifetime Achievement Award - The prestigious Coffee Industry Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Michael Higgins and Paul Higgins Jr. from Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee.

These two industry titans have made long-lasting and groundbreaking contributions to the Canadian coffee industry, with initiatives like WaterWise and OneTree serving as testaments to their commitment and impact.

“The Exemplifying Excellence in the Coffee Community Awards is not just about recognizing achievement; it’s about honoring the spirit and passion that each of these winners brings to the coffee industry,” said Robert Carter, president of the Coffee Association of Canada. “We are thrilled to celebrate with them today, and we are even more excited about working with them in the future to ensure that Canada’s coffee industry prospers.”

The Coffee Association of Canada extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and expresses gratitude to everyone who submitted nominations. The success of this FOUNDATION Magazine

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SEEN, HEARD & NOTED inaugural awards program sets a high standard for recognizing excellence in the Canadian coffee industry in the years to come. The Coffee Association of Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and enjoyment of coffee in Canada.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

Janice Ciavaglia, Chief Executive Officer.

A “2023 Top 100 Rated Charity” Under Dynamic New Leadership. The Canadian charity CODE announced the appointment of Janice Ciavaglia as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Named one of Canada’s “Top 40 under 40” in 2021, Janice led the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Employers in 2023.

Bruce Montador, CODE’s Chair said: “Janice is a dynamic young leader who brings a unique mix of skills, demonstrated leadership qualities and a deep knowledge of literacy issues. Janice joins CODE at an exciting time and we’re confident that she will take the organization from strength to strength in the years to come.”

Janice joins CODE with nearly two decades of experience in the education sector, having worked as a classroom teacher, literacy consultant, and sector leader within public and philanthropic organizations championing quality education.

Janice holds undergraduate foundationmag.ca

degrees from Queen’s University and Nipissing University, and a Master of Education from Mount St. Vincent University.

She previously spent six years at AFN, a national organization with more than 150 employees and 900,000 constituents.

As CEO from 2020-2023 she led several historic initiatives, including the transformation of the funding model for First Nations schools across Canada.

This yielded significant positive outcomes, including improved graduation rates and transition to post-secondary education for First Nations youth.

Janice Ciavaglia said: “It is an incredible honour for me to lead and serve CODE. CODE’s 5-star rating and inclusion in Charity Intelligence Canada’s recently released list of “Top 100 Charities of 2023” are a strong testament to the organization’s sustainable impact and commitment to financial transparency. As CODE’s new CEO, I couldn’t ask for a better foundation to build on as we continue to make a positive global impact together.”

Janice was selected following a thorough, national search process led by Odgers Berndtson and CODE’s Board of Directors.

CODE is Canada’s leading international development organization focused uniquely on children’s literacy in subSaharan Africa, where nearly 90 percent of 10-year-olds are unable to read a simple text with comprehension. CODE works to improve children’s literacy through teacher development, local book publishing and systems strengthening.

•••••••••••••••••••••••• Sun Life surpasses $50 million in the fight against diabetes. Sun Life surpassed more than $50 million committed since 2012 to the

fight against diabetes globally through strategic partnerships with organizations supporting the most vulnerable in our communities. This milestone was reached with two renewed diabetes partnerships with University Health Network (UHN) and SickKids Foundation, whose impact will help create healthier lives for years to come.

“With diabetes and prediabetes rates rising globally, supporting the evolving health needs of individuals and communities is more important than ever,” said Dave Jones, President, Sun Life Health. “Sun Life’s innovative partnerships are helping to bridge the gap between access and support to create positive health outcomes.

We’re thrilled to reach this exciting milestone which shows our commitment to helping people live healthier lives.”

In partnership with UHN’s Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (Toronto Rehab), Sun Life is committing $750,000 over three years to further invest in Sun Life Diabetes College resources and the myDiabetes program. Sun Life launched its partnership with Toronto Rehab in 2015 with a $1 million commitment over five years to create the Sun Life Diabetes College, and renewed its partnership in 2020 with an additional $600,000 commitment over three years.

This new investment will help develop culturally appropriate diabetes prevention resources for Indigenous and Black communities along with tailoring structured myDiabetes content to the unique needs of young adults living with diabetes and pre-diabetes. This support is expected to help 2,800 people over the course of the renewed partnership.

“We are so grateful for Sun November/December 2023

Life’s renewed partnership to help UHN expand critical diabetes resources,” says Dr. Paul Oh, Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Program at UHN. “Their support will enable us to bring tailored diabetes education and rehabilitation programming to some of our most at-risk populations, communicated in a way that is meaningful and accessible to them.”

To date, the Sun Life Diabetes College resources have been accessed by more than 220,000 users since 2015. And, in a recent study of the myDiabetes program, participants reported a 25 per cent increase in their daily physical activity levels and a 10 per cent average decrease in their blood sugar levels.

In partnership with the SickKids Foundation, Sun Life is committing $700,000 over three years to help create the BALANCE program, a type-2 diabetes prevention and pediatric weight management initiative using a 12-week group-based mental health framework to teach youth how to adopt and sustain healthy behaviour change.

This new investment will help support the cost of program development and implementation in year one, followed by scaling the BALANCE program to 10 partner organizations across Ontario in year two and three. Sun Life’s funding is expected to support the delivery of the BALANCE program to 1,000 youth from 10 communities across Ontario during the partnership.

“SickKids Foundation is proud to partner with Sun Life on bringing the innovative BALANCE program to life that aims to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in vulnerable youth and children through healthy habit building FOUNDATION Magazine

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The Healthy Nonprofit Filled with thought-provoking messages from some of the world’s greatest thinkers, activists, and visionaries, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares about motivation, success and purpose.

Inspirational thoughts on leadership, purpose and success.

Whether you are a nonprofit leader, volunteer, or simply someone who wants to make a difference, this book will inspire you. With each turn of the page, you will be reminded that hope, determination, and resilience can help you achieve your goals and dreams. And you’ll recognize that you too have the ability to make a meaningful impact in your community and beyond.

Over 40 years, Harvey McKinnon has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for non-profits in Canada, the US and globally. He is the author of five acclaimed books and co-authored the #1 international best-seller The Power of Giving: How Giving Back Enriches Us All, which won the Nautilus Gold Award for Books on Social Change.

Use The Healthy Nonprofit to help tell your stories and create opportunities for people to support your cause and drive your mission forward. A visual treat with full-colour throughout!

Harvey McKinnon has selected the best advice the world has to offer for staff and volunteers in the nonprofit sector.

Get your copy at the Civil Sector Press Bookroom https://tinyurl.com/2p88y37t The Hilborn Group Ltd • 416-267-1287 • https://hilborn-civilsectorpress.com/

SEEN, HEARD & NOTED and mental health resilience,” says Stefanie McPherson, Interim Vice President, Corporate and Community Partnerships at SickKids Foundation. “With Sun Life’s dedication and generous support of our programs and services, we can continue our fight to make every kid a healthy kid.”

Sun Life’s philanthropic investments reflects its commitment to helping people live healthier lives. In effort to make a real difference in the communities it serves, Sun Life is using its resources—including its people and expertise—to make a positive impact in its fight against diabetes globally. Learn more about Sun Life’s recent philanthropic partnerships focused on diabetes prevention and promoting youth physical activity. ❯ $1 million over three years with Spirit North ❯ $900,000 over three years with Promoting Life-skills in Aboriginal Youth (PLAY) Program ❯ $900,000 since the creation of the Sun Life Diabetes Prevention and Remission Clinic with the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation Supporting the needs and well-being of vulnerable populations is key to a healthy and sustainable future. See how Sun Life is creating impact in the community at sunlife.com/ sustainability/.

Sun Life is sustainabilitydriven, focusing on areas where it can have the greatest impact. By actively supporting the communities in which Sun Life lives and works, the organization can help build a positive environment for Clients, employees, advisors, and shareholders. Physical health and mental health are at the centre foundationmag.ca

of our philanthropic support, with a focus on supporting programs and organizations that strive to empower people to live their healthiest lives no matter where they are in their journey.

Sun Life employees and advisors take great pride in volunteering and giving back to make life brighter for individuals and families around the world.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

Tim Hortons Holiday Smile Cookie Campaign goes national. Tim Hortons celebrated the spirit of the holiday season with its first-ever national Holiday Smile Cookie campaign. For each Holiday Smile Cookie sold, 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to local charities and community groups across Canada, including Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.

“For over 25 years, our guests have enjoyed rallying with us during every Smile Cookie campaign to raise important funds for charities and community groups close to home,” says Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer at Tim Hortons.

“We decided there’s no better time than the holiday season to continue this tradition in a new way and we’re excited that Holiday Smile Cookies will also support Tim Hortons Foundation Camps, which since 1974 has supported over 315,000 youth at its seven Tims Camps. We know our guests across Canada will be thrilled to help us support the spirit of kindness this holiday season.”

The Tim Hortons Holiday

Smile Cookie is a delicious white chocolate chip sugar cookie that’s infused with red and green sprinkles and adorned with a hand-decorated smile.

Tims Holiday Smile Cookies are a great treat to share with family members, friends and colleagues who can join in on giving back to their communities, one cookie a time.

Guest can visit their local Tim Hortons to purchase Holiday Smile Cookies this week or place a mobile order for pickup or delivery on the Tims app.

•••••••••••••••••••••••• Children’s Day 2023 launched Monday, November 20.

One special day for children all over the world. On Monday, November 20th, 2023, parents, guardians and organizations from around the world are invited to give children “their all” with one surprising moment on Children’s Day by pledging one hour to surprise children and to give one hour of income to uplift all Children.

“We now have the opportunity to build a platform for children all year round where we can share their greatest ideas, innovation, dreams, stories as well as an awareness of Children’s Rights for Children at risk. This includes the ongoing crises of hunger and mental health challenges that children face all over the world,” said Daniel Germain, Leader of International Children’s Day. “November 20th is an annual day where we focus on one for all, all for one and we will continue to build into the annual celebration for all Children.”

As part of Children’s Day, they launched the Children’s Hour Campaign as a way for everyone November/December 2023

to help chip away at global problems by giving just one hour — Children’s Hour — of earned income. “Over the next three years, Children’s Day can become the greatest platform for children worldwide,” says Germain.

Help spread the mission of ‘One for All, All for One,’ with one generous moment to uplift all children, by giving just one hour of our earned incomes. In the leadup to and on November 20th, they were joined by celebrities, parents, guardians and organizations to plan and showcase their moment of surprise for the children in their lives via social media @childrensdayofficial and by tagging #childrensday2023.

Daniel Germain, CM CQ MSM, is a philanthropist and social entrepreneurship visionary who has dedicated his life to helping underprivileged children. With the goal of helping children who were deprived of a vital element for their academic and social success — a nutritious breakfastGermain founded the Quebec Breakfast Club — recognized by the United Nations as one of the best school meal programs in the world in 2005. He then founded Breakfast Clubs of Canada, a charity that promotes and assists the establishment and maintenance of school breakfast programs in Canada now feeding more than 600,000 Children per day.

Children’s Day was established by the United Nations in 1954 to be recognized on November 20th each year. Long served as a platform to advocate for the well-being of children worldwide, it is a day to celebrate children as they are, free from pressure and inhibition, full of dreams and potential. It’s a day to remember that children aren’t just our future — they are our present.

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COLUMNIST

WEALTH MANAGEMENT MALCOLM BURROWS

Scholarships and Other Educational Awards

BY MALCOLM BURROWS

Malcolm Burrows 12

FOUNDATION Magazine

November/December 2023

GARY TANNYAN

S

tudent awards are one of the most popular charitable purposes, especially in estates.

Donors often strongly identify with the life changing benefit of direct educational funding to students. Named scholarship funds are often named and constitute part of the donor’s legacy.

Educational awards are such a popular purpose that there are numerous providers. Of course, there are schools, colleges and universities that establish and administer awards. There are also independent charities, public foundations with donor advised funds, culturally-specific foundations, and even private foundations with specialized scholarship programs. foundationmag.ca

COLUMNIST This article focuses on post-secondary education and provides an overview of types of awards in this surprisingly diverse area.

Scholarship A scholarship is typically an undergraduate award based on academic merit (marks) for tuition and other direct educational expenses, such as books and supplies.

Some scholarships may also be applied to living expenses. Scholarships are named (typically by the donor) and may be limited to a particular field of study or faculty.

Most scholarships are awarded annually to a different student and may vary in value from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. More valuable scholarship may be recurring and offer the student a “full ride”. Scholarships are prestigious and motivating, providing both recognition and funds. In the last 30 years, scholarship dollars at Canadian universities — and to a less extent colleges — have grown significantly due to philanthropy and matching programs for endowments.

Bursary A bursary is an award based on financial need. A bursary is normally named (by the donor) and awarded throughout the year in response to students in financial need.

Funding may be used for tuition, supplies, or living expenses. An important source of emergency funding, bursaries do not have the prestige, profile, or motivational effect of scholarships. A bursary is awarded on a more discretionary basis by the institution and funding is often not recurring.

Bursaries are typically administered by institutions. They are an important way to help students in financial need, but they are “charity” not a recognition of student achievement or potential.

Prize A prize is an award for academic accomplishment in a particular field of study or course. A prize is typically named and provides a modest cash award to the student without strings attached.

Outside of educational institutions a prize may be award for achievement in a particular field of endeavour, for example, foundationmag.ca

medical research or poetry. Prizes are also increasingly used by philanthropists as incentives to achieve certain goals.

Fellowship A fellowship is a scholarship awarded to graduate students or for post-graduate research positions.

Institutional Scholarships Educational institutions offer the greatest number and value of scholarships. As mentioned, most are supported by a segregated endowment fund. The award focus on academic merit, the measure of which is typically marks and marks alone. This is partly due to the desire of universities to attract and retain the “best and brightest” students, but also a function of administrative pragmatism by busy awards offices.

There are several criticisms of the academic merit scholarship. The focus on marks alone downplays social factors and does not improve access by student who face barriers to access, such as family finances, being a child of a single parent, being a person of colour, new Canadian, or being first in family to attend university.

Or all of the above. Studies have shown that the focus on “merit” alone, often rewards students with existing financial, family, and social advantage. The student may have the top marks, but receiving a scholarship may not be essential to assess post-secondary education.

Community-based Scholarships A community-based scholarship is awarded directly to a student who is selected through a formal process using published criteria. A community-based scholarship is student centred. The selection process takes place in an identified community, through an established committee and/or focuses on a class of eligible beneficiaries.

The scholarship provides the student with direct support to attend a post-secondary institution of the student’s choice, although in payments are made to third parties such as an educational institution for student fees or even to a landlord.

Some charities and organizations that offer community-based scholarship

work with community partners to identify students and adjudicate awards.

Community partners include high schools, social service or child welfare organizations, or an indigenous community. Others run their own process, which can include detailed application processes.

The goal of most community-based awards is to enable capable students to pursue the education of their choice, regardless of type of post-secondary institution or location. They are designed to find strong individuals who might otherwise not have access to funding and provide consistent support to help them achieve success, both in their studies and life. Community-based awards are typically designed to assist students who may not otherwise be able to access postsecondary education due to financial need, distance, or life challenges. While academic achievement is an important criterion, financial need, leadership, and character are important considerations.

The use of the term scholarship is important, however, as they are designed to celebrate achievement and potential, not just fund need.

These student-based scholarships are typically more focused on access to education and equity. They also require more resources to administer and adjudicate than the basic institutional scholarship. As a result, the awards have greater value, and often cover full undergraduate tuition. They are also recurring, which helps the student complete their studies without major debt or financial worry.

Estate Planning The key to including a student award in your estate plan is to do some advanced planning. Read up on different models.

Understand the complex issues. Research different entities that offer scholarships.

And put the terms and conditions in place during life, not in your will.

MALCOLM BURROWS is a philanthropic advisor with 30 years of experience. He is head, philanthropic advisory services at Scotia Wealth Management and founder of Aqueduct Foundation.. Views are his own. malcolm.burrows@scotiawealth.com. He writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

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LEADERSHIP KATHLEEN PROVOST

12 Ways of Giving

BY KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE, MAdEd

A

s a professional fundraiser, I often wonder how we can understand the generosity of so many different people. I find myself not just wondering why people give, but why do they choose to give in a particular way. In my 30year career, I have come to realize that everyone is generous; everyone I have met cares. And I have come to understand that each one chooses to demonstrate their generosity differently. To remind us of the importance of our work as professional fundraisers in the philanthropic sector, I wanted to share with you 12 ways of giving that illustrate how much generosity we encounter every day.

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GENEROSITY A November survey by CanadaHelps reminds us that the needs are continuously growing; since 24 percent of Canadians (up from 22 percent last year) answered foundationmag.ca

COLUMNIST the survey saying they expect to need support from charitable services within the next six months to meet essential needs.

The demands made in Canada’s charitable sector continue to require the generosity of numerous stakeholders in our society. Hence, why our work is so important.

As we celebrate this holiday season, let’s keep in mind that whether people’s generosity is a direct result of our work, or not, we need to applaud and celebrate all types of “giving”. Generosity is very much needed.

A SENSE OF OBLIGATION There are individuals or corporations who express their generosity with a sense of obligation. At times assembling in groups to take part in a greater movement whilst creating a sense of belonging. ❯ For some, this sense of foundationmag.ca

A FISCAL MOTIVATION Unfortunately, as Tim Harper, columnist with the Toronto Star, Gordon Floyd, editorial director of The Philanthropist, and members of the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector (ACCS) deplore; there is still not one sectorial home where reforms and regulations can reside and represent all charitable regulations in an effort to facilitate charitable donations and to provide a valuable forum for the sector to have an ongoing discussion about charities’ policies and regulations.

For now, the Income Tax Act, or Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) are making rules and regulations in silos within the federal government which impact the fiscality of donations.

This means that individuals who give for fiscal reasons, need to understand all the fiscal intricacies of charitable giving and its impact on their choice of giving, which may change from year to year. ❯ Hence there are individuals who look at their taxation situation and elect to “add”, “top-up”, or plan a donation of assets, cash or other means to attain a taxation advantage that suits their purposes.

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AN APPEAL TO THE HEART There are people who are spontaneous donors. They react when an appeal or a request talks to their empathy. These donors want to show they care about specific individuals or causes. ❯ These people chose to give at the grocery store, to support the firefighter drive, or respond to a mail appeal for the local “fuel drive” in their community, others may give only on “Giving Tuesday”. ❯ Some respond to community-ofinterest causes or are motivated by the affinity they feel when they receive a call from their alma matter, because they recall their experience and hope their giving will allow someone else to experience the same feeling. ❯ And there are those friends and neighbours who donate in a “Go Fund Me”, campaign because they want to see their generosity help someone they may know, and don’t require a charitable tax receipt.

belonging is expressed through their religion which dictates a duty, or obligation to care for others, and recommends a way of sharing their own wealth. ❯ There are also individuals who feel obliged to give to make a statement on a specific cause that is important to them such as the environment or wildlife protection. ❯ Sometimes businesses or corporations develop guidelines such as CSRs (Corporate Social Responsibilities) or more recently, ESGs (Environment, Social and Governance) or rally on agreed upon causes to reflect their own culture, or their employees’ interest, like a “Run for the Cure” event.

As we celebrate this holiday season… we need to applaud and celebrate all types of giving.

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THE HAND’S ON FUNDRAISER MARY CAHALANE

Are You Caught Up in “Yay Us” Fundraising?

BY MARY CAHALANE

Mary Cahalane

Don’t be afraid to share bad news. This can be hard, I know.

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“Y

ay Us!” I’m not sure if it’s a response to the last few years, or if I’m just busier than usual.

But lately, I’ve just been finding myself wanting to crawl under the covers and hide for a while.

(With a good book, of course.)

Be honest… is that what your donor communications read like?

First, I want you to know that I’m pulling for you.

And if you’re lucky enough to work for a nonprofit whose work you absolutely love and believe in, I’m thrilled for you. Seriously. Not everyone is so fortunate.

But you know your organization in a way that your donors, and especially prospective donors, do not.

You have a front-row seat to the work. If you’ve been building good staff relationships, you see how people benefit right up close. You even get to know the people your organization works with. foundationmag.ca

COLUMNIST

Don’t confuse your organization’s good work with what your donors are giving to do.

Your work can make you feel just wonderful. But that’s not where most of your donors are. And in a way, that’s amazing. They trust you. They don’t need to know every last detail to give you money.

But don’t confuse your organization’s good work with what your donors are giving to do. It’s not your hard work that attracts and keeps them.

It’s your results. Your impact on the community or the world. Or really, their impact — through your organization.

And as a fundraiser, that’s what you should focus on.

If you have colleagues whose work is to “sell” your organization, support them.

But don’t follow their lead when writing to your donors. Organization-first language forces donors into a secondary role. It makes them feel like outsiders. And it makes them think they’re not needed.

You know they’re needed.

How can you tell you’re sliding into “Yay Us” fundraising?

Here are a few simple tests. The good news is that they can help you not only avoid a pitfall but raise more money.

Look for how often you use the word “you” or some variant.

Why? Because you want to focus on the person you’re talking to. And yes, you want to give them credit for your organization’s good work. (You don’t need credit as much as you need support, right?)

If you think about this as you write, you’re forced to change how you talk about your work. Less “we” and more “you”. (The inclusive “we”, that includes foundationmag.ca

the donor, is good. The “we” that means your organization only is not.)

If you review your communications and it’s all “we, we, we”… it’s time for a serious rewrite. You don’t have to brag. Your donors already believe in you. They want to know how THEY can help. Tell them.

Get the real stories from the people you help whenever possible.

You want to hear about their experiences, without the need to gloss over the situation. You should also assure them that you want the truth… and they don’t need to rave about their experience if that isn’t true.

(And of course, they have the last say on what you send out. Always.)

When you do this, you cut through the organizational shine. It’s the difference between a handwritten note and a brochure. More personal. More direct.

And what are your donors looking for?

A chance to help someone, as directly as possible. A real person always beats an organization. They’re not giving to your organization as much as to a person without a home, or someone whose child has a terrible illness. They want to help, to right a wrong. Let them feel that.

Don’t be afraid to share bad news.

This can be hard, I know. But no matter how amazing your nonprofit is, you are not perfect. If you were, you’d have solved the problem you’re there to solve and be done.

So, scary as it might be, share the problems with your donors. There might be some organizational ego involved here.

No one likes to feel that they haven’t done

everything just right.

But it’s OK. Some problems are just too darned big to be solved in a few years — or a few decades. And those problems are why your donors are your donors.

Honest rather than “Yay Us” This program is new, and we don’t have the funding to be sure it will succeed. That means 40 kids won’t be able to attend our after-school programs… unless you help.”

We really thought we could convince the city council to agree to share the costs of cleaning the parks. But they said no.

Can we turn to you to help keep our parks clean this year?”

“We’re planning the new season. And to be painfully honest with you, ticket sales weren’t all we’d hoped for this past season. We have some great ideas in the works — plays we think you’ll love! But we need your support today so we can include them.”

Be emotional, not “professional”.

If you’re a fundraiser — especially one who communicates directly with donors — then emotion is your friend. And, it’s definitely not the opposite of professional.

It’s what your profession demands.

So when you’re writing to your donors, put your heart on the page. Don’t be afraid of feelings. Fundraising is human. Emotions are what humans pay attention to.

Be human.

MARY CAHALANE is principal at Hands-On Fundraising where she focuses on improving fundraising results through great communication and a donor-centered mindset. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

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THE ACCIDENTAL PHILANTHROPIST® MARK HALPERN

You Live Once but Die Twice: Don’t Be Forgotten

BY MARK HALPERN, CFP, TEP, MFA-P

J Mark Halpern, CFP, TEP, MFA-P 18

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ames Bond fans will remember that he faked his own death in the 1967 film You Only Live Twice. Of course, we all know (until further notice) that everyone lives but once. However, few people realize that we do die twice. The first death happens when your body shuts down, hopefully after a long, healthy, happy and fulfilling life. The second death occurs when your name is mentioned for the very last time, as it’s only when people stop talking about you that you are truly gone.

Every living thing dies at some point. While we can’t alter the inevitable, we can extend and delay foundationmag.ca

COLUMNIST that certainty for many years. We can do so by creating a lasting charitable legacy that will endure for many years to come.

I spend a lot of time with generous and fortunate people who, unless they radically change how they spend or invest their money, will have more money when they die than they have today.

The financial challenge on their death (the first one) is the looming intervention of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the government’s collection agency, which is only more than happy to take a big chunk of your hard-earned money: 54 percent of funds accumulated in Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Registered Income Funds (RIFs) after the death of the second spouse; 47 to 70 percent of assets in personal holding companies, and 27 percent of capital gains from nonregistered investments and real estate investments that are not your principal residence (in Ontario).

The solution begins with defining your tax liabilities and determining how much of your money can be used to implement strategies to preserve your wealth in a manner that will enable you to pass it on to the people and causes you truly care about. In our experience, every client prefers to leave money to family and charity versus funding the CRA. You can do the same by using “your never spend” money — that’s the money you will never really need to pay your bills, that’s really earmarked for the next generation or causes you are passionate about.

Ensure That Your Name Lives On With proper planning, you can use several available strategies to ensure that your name lives on for generations, There are two common ways for you to leave a legacy: one is through a charitable donation where your name can be attached to a notable institution such as a hospital or educational facility, so people you have never met are touched foundationmag.ca

You can do the same by using “your never spend” money — that’s the money you will never really need to pay your bills.

in perpetuity by your generosity and selflessness. The second way, through a family legacy, is much more personal.

Your name will be on the lips of your descendants for generations to come, particularly when they receive a generous cheque from your trustees or financial institutions every year, both of which you arranged well in advance.

Here’s just one of example of how the second method can work. Joe, a grandfather, purchased a participating whole life insurance policy on each of his grandchildren many years ago at the best time to buy life insurance — when the kids were young and healthy.

Joe committed to paying the premiums for 10 years only. The policies normally have different dividend paying options used to increase insurance coverage, so they stay tax exempt, like all life insurance products.

There are several different dividendpaying strategies to choose from. In this case, a policy worth, say $100,000, can lead to a dividend of 5-6 percent annually, producing a dividend cheque annually for his grandchildren that will continue throughout their lifetimes.

The dividends generated can also be

used to buy additional insurance coverage or reduce future premiums. Using this strategy, you could elect to apply annual dividends to future premiums (offsetting the cost of the policy) or depositing the dividends paid into a savings account and earning interest on those funds.

Every year, the insurance company could send a cheque to your grandchildren and continue to do so in perpetuity as a gift to the policy owner.

It’s like receiving an annual birthday card in the mail from a late relative. If you received a cheque in the mail every Jan 1st from your great-grandfather, do you think you would remember his name? You can do that with this strategy.

The grandfather is not so much concerned about the return.

Instead, he is convinced that this is the best investment he has ever made for his grandchildren, one that allows them to stay connected to him for decades years after he is gone.

A Second Tax-Efficient Strategy Another strategy, known as “melt and cascade” allows taxpayers to “thaw out” the registered and unregistered investments they are not using in their retirement and stream those funds to children or other beneficiaries in the most tax-efficient method possible.

For example: Jack is 65, a divorced man with a thriving business and two grown children. He has almost $2 million in his RRSP and wants to leave half of it to his children and the other half to charity.

He starts withdrawing from his RRSP to provide the after-tax funding needed to buy a $2-million life insurance policy on his life.

When Jack dies, his children will receive $1 million of death benefit proceeds taxfree and probate-free. The remaining $1 million of insurance proceeds will go to the designated charity. On top of that, it will generate a charitable receipt of $1 million, saving the estate about $500,000 in taxes.

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The nonprofit acco you purse your mis

COLUMNIST In the end, his children get a $1.5 million benefit — that’s $500,000 more than the $1 million. His favourite charity recognizes him while he is alive as a $1 million donor, and he will be remembered for leaving a large charitable gift, instead of a large sum to the tax department, through this creative planning.

Use life insurance to leave a legacy and cash.

1. Buy the policy and name the charity as the owner and beneficiary. Once you are sure that the charity has a charitable registration number, the premiums you pay for the policy qualify as a charitable tax deduction on your annual income tax return.

2. Transfer ownership of an existing policy to a charity.

In this case, you can get an actuary to put a present value on the old policy, thus generating a charity receipt for the actuarial value, which could be quite large. This can be used to offset current taxes owing.

Going forward, you can claim the charitable donation credit for any premiums you pay after the transfer takes place.

3. Buy a new policy and name either the charity or your estate as the beneficiary and include the charity as part of your will. This is a good strategy if you want the flexibility to change the charitable beneficiary at any point in the future.

Unlike the first two methods, you will not be able to receive a charitable donation credit for premiums. However, the charity will issue a tax receipt for the death benefit proceeds it receives, potentially saving your estate a lot of taxes.

My Par Gift™ Canada Life approached me a few years ago to help advise them on the development of a new Life Insurance product created specifically to meet foundationmag.ca

Life expectancy continues to expand, and “old” has taken on new meaning.

the needs of charities, donors, and professional advisors. That product, My Par Gift™, became available for purchase in April 2023, and has the potential to help many more people take advantage of Strategic Philanthropy and Life Insurance opportunities. It’s a permanent Life Insurance policy purchased with a single premium. My Par Gift™ creates a legacy gift of 5-20 times the net value of the one time premium!

The charity receives something of much greater value than what’s written on that donation tax receipt: the promise of a significantly larger payment on the donor’s death and the ability to create a cash flow for the charity during their lifetime. (See my Foundation article Mar/ Apr. 2023) Other Considerations Rather than a one-time gift, you can also give to charity through an endowment, a sustainable legacy achieved by providing an irrevocable gift to either a private foundation or a donor-advised fund (DAF) within a public foundation.

There are specific tax rules for these endowments for how much must be granted every year. Private endowments

and DAFs can receive full tax benefits for contributing, without having to disburse the entire contribution amount immediately.

DAFs, which are typically created around the end of the year to take advantage of annual tax deadlines, require as little as one day to set up.

They are easier to operate than a private foundation, which can take about three months to establish, and is set up strictly for charitable purposes. Private foundations must maintain their own recordkeeping and reporting and pay for administrative and legal expenses as well as set-up costs.

Our CPP Philanthropy™ strategy (the subject of my July/August 2021 Foundation article) is a very simple way to use governmentsupplied pension benefits to reduce your taxes significantly, while creating charitable gifts of over $1 million for your family and charities.

We all know people are living longer than ever before. Life expectancy continues to expand, and “old” has taken on new meaning as people aged 100 years plus are a fast-growing population segment. Many Foundation® readers can’t name their great-grandparents. But readers do have a unique opportunity to create a charitable legacy for the benefit of their families and charities. It’s a legacy that will endure long after they are gone, ensuring their great-grandchildren will certainly remember their name.

Don’t do it alone. Get advice from experienced professionals to ensure that your hard-earned money ends up where you want it to go.

Be remembered for something other than paying a lot of taxes.

Call us for a consultation. We’d love to help.

MARK HALPERN is a well-known CFP, TEP, MFA-P (Certified Financial Planner, Trust & Estate Practitioner, Master Financial Advisor – Philanthropy). He was honoured to speak in the Disruptors Category at Moses Znaimer’s most recent ideacity conference. His talk generated high interest and comments. Watch “The New Philanthropy” at bit.ly/MarkHalpernTalk. Learn more at www.WEALTHinsurance.com.

He writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

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INSIDE AI GEORGE IRISH

AI is Here: Is Your Nonprofit Ready?

BY GEORGE IRISH

George Irish

AI will become increasingly embedded into our daily tasks.

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2023

was the year of the AI Revolution, but the benefits for nonprofits have been more promise than reality.

ChatGPT is the mascot for the new Age of AI, dubbed the most groundbreaking technology since the advent of the Internet and the iPhone. Its impressive — sometimes stunning — text-smithing abilities are predicted to transform our daily work-lives: ❯ supercharging the writing process, especially for content like fundraising appeals and email campaigns; ❯ streamlining creative workflows, from concept development to producing and customizing communication outputs like social media posts; ❯ taking on heavy knowledge-processing tasks like summarizing reports, producing data insights, and making information products more accessible.

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ChatGPT is joined by a host of other new AI-powered data intelligence and automation tools that may soon populate many aspects of our lives.

In the business world, AI is being embraced at a fever pitch. A recent study from market research firm Gartner reports that more than 80 percent of enterprises will have used Generative AI or AI-enabled apps by 2026 (this seems like a conservative estimate).

In the nonprofit sector the picture has been different. An October 2023 XLerateDay survey reveals the majority of nonprofit staff are at the early stages of AI adoption, and many haven’t started at all.

Two common scenarios seem to be playing out among nonprofit staff eager to incorporate AI into their work: ❯ they’ve started using it unofficially and quietly because of concerns about risk, bias, and lack of endorsement. (“I’m using it on the side, quietly”) ❯ they’re not using it yet because of concerns about risk, bias, and lack of endorsement. (“I don’t think we’re allowed to use it.”)

Neither of these is really a healthy way to approach AI adoption. And while there are examples of nonprofits making significant investments into AI-enabled tech and workflows, they’re not really representative of the broader trend toward AI hesitation. foundationmag.ca

AI hesitation: a risky approach?

A cautious approach to new technology is reasonable and often smart, but it can also bring risks. If a shifting tech landscape moves beyond the boundaries of established policies, then mistakes can and sometimes will be made.

As reported in The Guardian, the Amnesty International office in Norway was criticized for using an AI-generated image in social media posts to promote their reports on systemic brutality used

by Colombian police to quell protests in 2021. The decision to use the image prioritized protecting the identities and safety of protesters from further repercussions, but at the same time was branded as ‘fake news’ and raised questions about the creditability of Amnesty International’s reputation.

The lack of a formal AI policy, including the use of AI-generated images, leaves decision-making at the operational or personal level, not strategic.

AI Everywhere AI hesitation has been a possible (and reasonable) approach for many organizations already struggling to deliver their mandates with limited resources and overworked staff, but it may not be a feasible strategy for much longer. This oneyear anniversary of ChatGPT’s launch also marks the start of the next broad wave of AI expansion: AI Everywhere.

So far, the new AI tools like ChatGPT existed mostly in their own ecosystems, where they could be used or avoided with no impact on your existing systems.

Moving into 2024 this landscape is expected to shift with the integration of AI features into our familiar office systems, such as Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace, and other common tools like Canva, Photoshop, Zoom, and Mailchimp.

AI will become increasingly embedded into our daily tasks. Whether our organizational instinct is to avoid or adopt, we will soon have no choice: AI is here to stay.

Responsible AI: a call for deeper nonprofit involvement with AI Responsible AI has become the label for efforts across academia, the tech industry, government, and civil society to ensure that AI’s development does not represent a threat to society and that social harms are prevented. Responsible AI initiatives are informing new regulations and controls that will shape the development of future AI. US President Biden recently signed new government regulations on Safe, Secure and Trustworthy AI following consultations with top AI companies and researchers, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak convened the first international AI Safety Summit in London, bringing together global leaders and AI tech giants,

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COLUMNIST but with noticeably few participants from the nonprofit and civil society sectors.

Could the cautious approach to AI adoption by nonprofits leave our voice absent from important decision-making fora? Are we going to leave it up to the Googles, Microsofts, and Facebooks to decide what kind of AI we have in the future?

Assessing your organization’s AI Readiness AI is not yet a must-have technology for most organizations, and it would be generally wise to avoid making big AI investments or commitments right now.

However, this could be opportune time to begin exploring AI opportunities on a smaller scale.

Assessing your organization’s AI Readiness can be a helpful first step. Here are a few questions to help assess your organization’s AI Readiness: ❯ Does your organization have a learnwhile-doing culture that is accepting of occasional failure or disappointment?

Are there internal staff or external advisors with an innovation mindset who can lead AI experimentation? ❯ Is your leadership prepared to support investments of time and resources into AI innovation projects that may not have a clear ROI? ❯ Can your organization provide adequate training and reskilling to help staff adapt to new AI-based tools and workflows? ❯ Is your organization prepared to make increased investments in knowledge management systems and processes? (including databases and CRMs, document libraries, images, and communications histories) ❯

Setting guardrails In the world of AI language models, guardrails are built-in controls to make sure they don’t produce offensive or unacceptable outputs. For AI innovation projects, guardrails can help orient the compass and set the boundaries to keep on a safe track.

SAMPLE AI MANDATE TEMPLATE

Mission Statement: Our nonprofit organization is dedicated to harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for positive social and environmental impact while prioritizing careful risk assessment and mitigation. We will seek to use AI technologies to further our mission, promote ethical AI practices, and ensure that the benefits of AI are accessible to all while actively preventing potential negative consequences.

Core Values: 1. Innovation: We will continuously explore and promote innovative AI solutions, while rigorously evaluating potential risks and challenges and actively seeking to mitigate them.

2. Ethical and Responsible AI: We will adhere to the highest standards of ethical AI development and deployment, emphasizing the proactive identification and mitigation of biases, discrimination, and potential harm.

3. Collaboration: We emphasize the need for collaboration and sharing across our work teams, not only to amplify our impact but also to collectively assess and manage the risks associated with AI projects.

4. Transparency: We will maintain transparency in all our activities, including risk assessment and management, from project selection and funding allocation to AI development and data usage. We will be open and accountable to our stakeholders.

With this mandate, our nonprofit organization is committed to investigating the potential of AI and striving to further our mission through the responsible and impactful use of artificial intelligence, while taking a proactive approach to risk assessment and mitigation to prevent potential negative consequences.

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Build around your champions.

There are likely people in your organization who are already using/ exploring ChatGPT, and could form the core of a working group — formal or informal, preferably cross-team — to start sharing what works. Getting a few voices together to talk can help clarify the risk vs. opportunity balance. ❯ Be cautious, but don’t overthink it The landscape of best-practice AI policies and ethical red-lines is evolving rapidly, so avoid getting locked in a fixed position. Stay flexible, and lean on your existing policies for guidance. ❯ Humans stay in charge. This should go without saying, but always ensure there’s human oversight of AI products, whether it’s marketing content, data insights, or document summations. AI chatbots are unreliable right now, but they will get better. ❯ Keep focus on your mission. There’s a lot going on right now in the AI space and it’s easy to get distracted by the latest shiny announcements (“Now with 3D video!”). Try to stay focused on what will actually help deliver your programs now. ❯ Prepare for disappointment, then success. Innovation rarely follows a linear path forward. Expect to hit the ‘trough of disillusionment’ along the way, and avoid putting too many eggs in one basket. AI is still an emerging workplace technology, so manage your expectations — and risks. ❯

These ground rules can help create a predictable, supportive environment for staff to begin to push the envelope.

Do you need an AI policy?

A majority of XLerateDay survey responders indicated that they did not have any existing policies or frameworks in place for using AI. Only a handful indicated they were starting work to develop AI frameworks.

This is still a largely undeveloped space in nonprofit governance, and the quickly foundationmag.ca

COLUMNIST evolving AI landscape makes it even more challenging. Fortunately, there are sector-wide efforts emerging to provide resources and guidance for organizations on AI policy frameworks.

A leading AI framework for nonprofits is from Fundraising.ai, an independent collaborative promoting Responsible AI. The framework covers 10 key areas of Responsible AI for nonprofit fundraising.

Privacy & Security Data Ethics Inclusiveness Accountability Transparency and Explainability

Continuous Learning Collaboration Legal Compliance Social Impact Sustainability

This is a good starting point for any nonprofit’s own AI Policy document.

However, writing a complete and comprehensive AI Usage Policy would

be a big lift for many organizations, and beyond the means of smaller nonprofits.

Instead, maybe an AI mandate?

AI innovation may be supported in the short term with a simpler mandate statement that recognizes the opportunity presented by new AI technologies and provides assurances to kick-start innovation.

An AI Mandate could be a simple singleparagraph statement or a more complex document. Its stated goal would be to empower staff to move ahead with learning and experimentation, understanding that the organization is comfortable with the uncertainty and risks.

software that they manage. Technology transformation expert and podcaster Tim Lockie advises nonprofits to focus more on their ‘Human Stack’ — the web of interpersonal relationships that actually make organizations run.

As we move into the new year of AI, Tim reminds us of the critical importance of the Human Stack, and the understanding that technology change in the workplace is a highly disruptive experience. Building trust and understanding among team members, openly communicating challenges and setbacks, and managing expectations throughout the adoption journey are as critical to success as the technology itself.

Don’t neglect your Human Stack ‘Tech Stack’ is a common term used by digital technicians to describe the collection of interconnected systems and

GEORGE IRISH is a veteran of strategy, coaching and consulting for AI-powered charity fundraising. He works with Amnesty International Canada and Greenpeace among other organizations.uo. He writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

All Canadian nonprofits and charities with at least 10 employees are eligible to participate and the program is held annually to support a continuous improvement model for your organization.

“We highly recommend the NEOC program for the insights it can offer to nonprofits!”

— CMHA York Region and South Simcoe

“This included an anonymous online employee survey done

by NEOC, which gathered more and higher quality responses than the in-house surveys we did in the past.”

— UNICEF Canada

“NEOC allows small organizations like ours to participate.”

—Alberta Retired Teachers Association Learn more about the Canadian Nonprofit Employer of Choice Award neoc.ca/overview

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November/December 2023

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VOLUNTEERISM

My Life as a Dedicated Volunteer: Why I Do What I Do

BY DON RIDER

W

hen asked to discuss my involvement as a community volunteer, I was reluctant because I felt the attention should be going to the worthwhile community causes and not to shine the light too brightly on individuals like me. However, when Steve said that the purpose was to demonstrate how easy and fulfilling being a community volunteer is and that it might strike a chord with some of the readers to become more active in worthwhile community activities, I agreed to share my experiences. I hope my story of life as a volunteer will inspire you and others to get involved or more involved with causes, because they need you more than ever.

My personal story is really a lifelong journey of volunteerism through the sporting community.

As a young child I was encouraged by my parents to participate in a variety of youth sports such as hockey, baseball and soccer and it was there that I saw first hand the important role the volunteer convenors and coaches could have in a child’s life.

My favorite coaches tried to make it an enjoyable experience for all of the participants as they endeavoured to blend skill development, teamwork, and a positive competitive spirit mixed with fair play and good sportsmanship.

I can remember my very first coach, Max Free, who coached our Little League baseball team of ten-year-olds in the community of Omemee. I do not remember much about the games but what I do remember was his kindness and encouraging nature which he displayed and then the highlight of the evening was his taking the whole team of boys to the local convenience store and buying us all a soft drink of our choice and mine was always a bottle of Orange Crush.

Developing as a teenager into becoming a person filled with self confidence and self worth is not an easy task and often in our journey we may be fortunate enough to meet some amazing mentors that have made all the difference in our personal growth and development. I thank Ron Augustine my high school football and wrestling coach for his patience and encouragement in helping me to gain confidence in my abilities and to enjoy the effort of self improvement as an athlete and as a young man.

It was during my high school years that I participated in a few community walk-a-thons to held raise funds for humanitarian causes dealing with hunger in a variety of African countries dealing with famines. Why did I get involved?

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Two of the main reasons were that many of my teenaged peers were volunteering and I enjoyed doing things with my friends but it also resonated within my inner being that this was the right thing to do.

As a child I was taught in church about the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

It feels good to do good. It is that simple. It does not matter whether you are a small child or an elderly senior, when you do good you feel good.

If we look within our communities many of the most active groups involved with enriching our communities are our church groups and international clubs such as the Rotary, the Lions, and Optimist clubs just to mention a few. Each of these organizations’ goals are to improve and enrich the people within their communities.

For me, as I was fast approaching adulthood, I began a personal search for the meaning of life, and it was at this juncture that I began an earnest searching for a reality of God in my life and of His role in mine. This search led to my personal conversion as a Christian and after graduating from High School I volunteered through my Church congregation in Peterborough, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to become a missionary for two years in England. This provided me with countless opportunities for community service while serving the British people. It was there that I truly learned that a fulfilling life is a life of service to others.

My specific Christian faith does not have a paid clergy but uses a lay ministry as well as member volunteers to serve in all the positions of the Church for the betterment of the whole congregation and the local community.

It was while serving in my Church family that I came across the most influential mentor and friend that I could possibly want and it was as I interacted with him that I saw the man that I desired to emulate and try to become.

Wayne Ferguson was a successful businessman, a husband and father of a large family and a person that you wanted to be around. Wayne provided the encouragement, coaching and, if necessary, even the transportation for the athletes to participate in a variety of athletic tournaments throughout.

Wayne was instrumental in promoting the local Coats for Kids community outreach program in the Peterborough community.

Wayne sponsored a variety of sporting teams in multiple sports foundationmag.ca

within the Peterborough community including many of the hockey teams that I would head up.

Wayne taught religion classes to the young married couples as well as the college and university aged adults. I too would have this assignment 35 years later.

I was privileged to be assigned with Wayne to be ministering companions as together we would visit elderly shut-ins as well as widows and single mom families each month, offering assistance and encouragement.

This good man became my real-life everyday hero and what is truly amazing is that today Wayne is 92 years of age, and I am 72 and we are still serving as visiting companions. Our friendship has become one of deep admiration and love one for another.

Following his example, I have had the privilege of serving as the Athletic Director for Central East Ontario for our Christian churches from Kingston to Scarborough where we ran monthly sporting tournaments for youth 12 years and older as well as for the adult men and women in a variety of sports. While serving in this capacity I saw that regardless of age, the enjoyment for healthy participation in sports produced a feeling of accomplishment and was improving the quality of life that the participants were seeking.

Very few people have had the opportunity to live the life of a high-profile professional athlete. These athletes are in the public eye and, if so inclined, can use their platforms to promote worthwhile causes which they are drawn to. I experienced this firsthand when I had the opportunity to work with Christian members of the Toronto Blue Jays’ Garth Iorg, Luis Gomez and Jerry Garvin of the then newly formed professional club. When invited, these good men would come and be guest speakers at our annual athletic awards banquets.

They encouraged youth and adults alike to be proactive in living a healthy lifestyle and to pursue a life long interest in their favorite sports whether that was as a participant, a coach, a convenor or as a fan. I have taken their advice to heart and have participated in a wide variety of sports throughout my life but focused mainly on ice hockey and soccer which I continue to enjoy to this day.

For most of us our motto could read as Work Hard and Play Hard as we find careers and employment outside of the sports that we enjoy and allow them to be a fun and rewarding part of our lives.

My dear wife and I have been blessed to raise a family with three beautiful daughters and as parents we encouraged them to participate in whatever activities they were interested in pursuing. The girls played recreational and foundationmag.ca

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VOLUNTEERISM competitive soccer and I feel that they too have seen the value that sports can play in life as they have our six grandchildren involved in a variety of sports and activities, and as grandparents we have become their biggest cheerleaders.

The much-admired and welldocumented model for all challenged individuals, Helen Keller famously once said, “I cannot do everything, but I can do something.”

It is our somethings that best define volunteering. You and I may not be able to change the whole world but together we can make a positive change within our own communities and our personal worlds. When volunteering, I suggest you choose things that you enjoy because it doesn’t seem like work when it is something you are passionate about. Start small and become a part of the whole. You are not being asked to run these volunteer organizations but just to pitch in and be a part of the solution in making a positive difference within your community.

An example for me was our Church group identified assisting the Five Counties Children Centre as a worthwhile agency in our Peterborough community which assisted with the physical and communicative abilities for children.

Our church’s Women’s Auxiliary began a Christmas gift wrap service at Peterborough’s Lansdowne Place Mall for many years where the volunteers would gift wrap Christmas presents for a fee and the monies was donated to this worthwhile cause. My wife Liz and I started to volunteer to help and over a course of many years our efforts assisted in raising thousands of dollars for this wonderful community agency.

In 1998, I was called to become the lay minister of our Peterborough congregation and I began looking for ways to offer community service in the Peterborough community. One day I was reading our local newspaper which had an article highlighting the Kawartha Food Share food bank and of how the shelves were getting bare and their urgent need for donations.

I felt a strong impression that this is where we could assist and when I presented this proposal to our congregation to which they unanimously responded to participate. A committee was organized, and we began the North Peterborough Food Drive which was met with great enthusiasm by the residents of the North End and each year we successfully collected between 6 to 8 tons of food for Kawartha Food Share. Seeing volunteers from all ages working together in a happy and co-operative spirit to assist with those less fortunate in our community to acquire nutritional meals was rewarding and inspiring.

Today, amazing organizers and hundreds of volunteers — including students working to acquire their 40 hours of community service for graduation requirements — have enlarged the food drive to twice a year and it now covers the whole city of Peterborough as well as smaller communities throughout Peterborough County.

Pandemic-induced actions Issues created by the COVID pandemic and the drastic rise in the cost of food has created a greater need then ever before for food and financial donations for Kawartha Foodshare and food banks across Canada. Do not hesitate to call or email your local food bank to see how you can volunteer.

It is a large undertaking to spearhead a large group of volunteers to assist with a large community need.

However, it is easier than you might think to make a difference if you volunteer to do something on a smaller scale, in which many small contributors can and will add up to having a large impact upon our communities. If you are already having a fun activity for your family and friends, think about extending an invitation for members in your neighbourhood to become involved. Here’s an example.

About six years ago my wife and I sold our family home of 40+ years in Peterborough and purchased a new home on Rice Lake where we are spending our happily retired senior years. We began to invite our family and friends to the lake on Canada Day and, in the evening, we would stage an amazing fireworks display. About four years ago as I was ordering the fireworks, the idea came to me that I could invite all my neighbours to view the fireworks at our home and then to ask them to either make a financial donation to Kawartha Food Share or to donate non-perishable food items for the cause. I printed off invitations which I delivered to my neighbours’ mailboxes inviting them to participate. It has become a popular event and fundraising success, and we normally collect about 500 pounds of food as well as cash donations of about $1,000.00. That may not seem like a lot of money but Kawartha Food Share can purchase approximately $6.00 of food for every dollar donated due to their many contacts within the food industry. A thousand dollars can purchase $6000 worth of food. I keep a list of all donations made and send the contact information to Kawartha Food Share, which sends all the donors a receipt for their charitable donation which can be used on their tax return. A win-win for everyone.

Another example of how we can do something worthwhile by piggy backing on things we are already are doing.

I am presently serving as the president of the Peterborough Seniors Hockey Club (PSHC) a not-for-profit recreational hockey club for those aged 55 and older and includes several participants who are well over 80 years of age still playing the game of hockey. The club comprises 19 teams covering three age divisions and runs from mid September to the end of March each year. The emphasis is to encourage all participants to enjoy fitness, fun, and friendship.

This past year we have had the untimely death of four of our members due to a variety of health issues and accidents

We can each be a part of the solution to the problems or concerns within our respective communities.

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VOLUNTEERISM so as part of our grieving process we decided to institute an educational bursary on their behalf to remember and honour these good men. The PSHC has created an annual bursary for $500 to a deserving student seeking post secondary educational pursuits. The criterium for consideration is that they have combine academic and athletic excellence at their high school as well as a demonstrated need for assistance. This idea was taken to the league executive which approved this worthwhile endeavour.

As president of the PSHC, I can say it does take a lot of work and effort but recently a player thanked me for all that I was doing and asked me, “What do you get out of all of this?”. As we were walking the hallway of the arena past the dressing rooms, I responded, “Listen, what do you hear?”. It was the sound of players chattering, laughing, telling stories and socializing.

I responded, “That is my reward. The sound of everyone socializing, enjoying each other’s company, still playing the great game of hockey.”

I have recently been elected to my second term as a Board of Director member for the Ontario Senior Games Association (OSGA). This organization promotes an active lifestyle for all senior men and women 55+ years of age while promoting the social well being of all participants. The organization offers friendly competition at Ontario Provincial Summer and Winter games covering over 30 sporting activities which all seniors can enjoy. The top two teams from each event then qualify to represent Ontario at the Canada Senior Games (CSGA) which are held on even numbered years, with the next Canada Games being held in August of 2024 in Quebec City.

In August of 2022, our Peterborough Mens 70+ ice hockey team represented Ontario at the Canada Games held in Kamloops British Columbia and though we did not medal we did have an amazing time together with our teammates, our provincial team and interacting with fellow like minded Canadians.

On my office wall is a framed quote which emphasizes what I feel is the true value of sports. It reads as follows: The Real Value of Sport The duration of an athletic contest is only a few minutes. While the training for it may take many weeks, months or years of arduous work and continuous exercise of self-effort.

The real value of sport is not the actual game played in the limelight of applause, but the hours of dogged determination, and self discipline carried out alone, imposed and supervised by an exacting conscience.

The applause dies away, the prize left behind, but the character you build is yours forever.

When I examine my life and look at what sport and volunteering have done for me in my character development, I believe they have assisted in helping me to see the true merit of teamwork and the needs of others.

Sports are played within specific rules to ensure the safety and fairness for all participants. This has assisted in my willingness to follow the rules of civility and the rules of law within our society. foundationmag.ca

Sport has shown me that not all players have the same skill set but regardless all are striving for the same goal of winning the game. Sport has taught me that at times when I have done my very best and given all my effort that I may still lose the game.

Winning and losing are both part of life and being a gracious loser is as difficult as being a humble winner. Understanding that there can be no game without the opposition and that they are not the enemy but a necessary part of the sporting process. Setting goals and striving to reach them often with a variety of outcomes.

I have spent a lifetime enjoying a wide variety of sports which have introduced me to an amazing array of wonderful people, and it has led me to volunteering and helping in my community.

How do I see myself and what do I want my legacy of remembrance to be? We all want to feel we have succeeded in life but depending on who is doing the assessing many may feel less than successful. Today people are too often judged successful by the size of their home, the number of vehicles in the driveway, the size of their bank account, the number of degrees from academia etc. Using these criteria alone may leave people feeling less then adequate or successful.

However, I would use a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote a statement entitled Success, which I feel offers each of us the true recipe for feeling self-worth and of living a successful life.

SUCCESS To laugh often and much To win the respect of intelligent people To win the affection of children To earn the appreciation of honest critics To endure the betrayal of false friends To find the best in others To leave the world a bit better Whether by a health child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition, to know even one life has breathed easier, because you have lived and this is to have succeeded.

Using this as a model for success we each can meet these requirements. In conclusion I would like to share a quote that has motivated me in my development and in my journey of “my becoming” which is a call to action: If not you, who? If not now, when? If not here, where?

We can each be a part of the solution to the problems or concerns within our respective communities and it all starts with each person making the decision to wanting to become involved. I commend all that are making a positive difference by volunteering in your communities and invite those less engaged to come join the fun and remember: It Feels Good to Do Good!

DONALD RIDER is president of the Peterborough Men’s Senior Hockey League. Before retiring, he worked as a production and inventory control specialist at Canadian General Electric in Peterborough. He also worked in Quality Assurance at General Motors Canada in Oshawa, Ontario. He has a Diploma: Manufacturing Studies, General Electric Peterborough, Ontario; a Bachelor of Arts History/Psychology (Trent University, Peterborough Ontario); and, a Bachelor of Education (Queens University, Kingston Ontario) November/December 2023

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SECTOR INSIGHTS Vital Signs Report Meets Campaign

Toronto: The Findings and The Future FROM THE EDITORS OF FOUNDATION MAGAZINE. ADAPTED FROM THE 2023 TORONTO’S VITAL SIGNS REPORT: THE POWER OF US.

T

he conversation around Toronto’s Vital Signs Report has always served as a key monitor for the city’s heartbeat, but this year is different. What we learned from last year’s second-ever Social Capital Study is that strong social connections and trust go hand-in-hand with people’s wellbeing. So we narrowed our scope of data to focus on our shared predicament and put social connections, mental health and the state of our public realm at the core of every chapter.

It’s a departure from the norm, but we feel it’s an essential one for the times. We’re also doubling down on action. While we can’t change what the data reveals, we want to use this report to influence a better future through a collective campaign rooted in action. We know that a shared commitment to our collective wellbeing is the only way forward.

As with past reports, we continue to rely on disaggregated data to demonstrate the role of inequity in our understanding of the 10 issue areas we track. This is coupled with perspectives from a diversity of city leaders who helped inform our analysis and whose voices are featured throughout the report. However, by approaching this report through the lens of social capital, you’ll find some historical metrics that are quintessential to Vital Signs are absent. Rest assured, many of the traditional indicators will be reincorporated in future editions, ensuring that our portrayal of the state of Toronto remains holistic and nuanced over time.

“Giving up on this place we call home is also a non-starter. It’s time to get involved, take a stand, reignite your love for Toronto.”

Sharon Avery, President and CEO, Toronto Foundation and Fundholder, Avery Family Foundation.

By some estimates, more than 70,000 Indigenous people call Toronto home although there has long been systemic barriers to accurate data collection, including the “lack of culturally-based, Indigenous-led and specific measures and health information systems that prevent and exclude Indigenous people from governing, managing, and leading their own research and data processes,” as described in Well Living House’s Our Health Counts Toronto study. As a result, we acknowledge this report leaves crucial gaps in our understanding of that community and look 30

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to organizations like the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council and its research to further ground our findings.

In this distinct edition, we’ve delved into a vast data pool, while also relying heavily on the 2018 and the 2022 Toronto Social Capital Study. These data sets, conducted pre- and postpandemic, include some critical metrics on the most important facets of life in the city. Together, they illuminate the shifting experiences of Torontonians related to relationships, trust, wellbeing and more. As we offer insights into late 2023, we’ve taken great care to incorporate the most current data from dozens of partners, providing clarity on Toronto’s current state, while offering glimpses into its potential futures.

So, let’s take a look at the major findings of the 2023 Vital Signs Report. There are ten major categories by which we examine the city’s vital signs.

Civic Engagement Since the pandemic, Toronto residents interact and volunteer less, continuing at least a decade-long decline in donations and social ties, putting increasing strain on our social fabric and nonprofit sector. ❯ The percentage of people with six or more close friends declined by 20 percentage points from 2013 to 2018 and a further nine points from 2018 to 2022. ❯ Similarly, the percentage of Toronto residents with six or more close relatives dropped by 11 percentage points from 2013 to 2018 and another 10 points from 2018 to 2022. ❯ The volunteer rate fell from 37 percent to 25 percent between 2018 and 2022, while the donation rate slipped from 75 percent to 63 percent, leading to a loss of about 300,000 donors and 300,0000 volunteers. ❯ Confidence levels in most local institutions has remained mostly unchanged since before the pandemic, with neighbourhood centres becoming the most trusted institution, as trust in the police declined.

Nothing defines our city more than the collection of its 158 neighbourhoods. Each one has its own identity formed by the people who live there. The strength of our local relationships foundationmag.ca

SECTOR INSIGHTS

“Giving up on this place we call home is also a non-starter.

It’s time to get involved, take a stand, reignite your love for Toronto.” Sharon Avery, President and CEO, Toronto Foundation and Fundholder, Avery Family Foundation.

plays a big part in our sense of belonging. Let’s deepen the ties that connect us to our neighbours. ❯ Lend a hand to someone nearby who needs it. ❯ Join a neighbourhood group or start one up. ❯ Reconnect with a friend or neighbour. ❯ More than a city of neighbourhoods let’s become a city of neighbours.

Our goals are to increase donation rates to nonprofits, increase volunteering across neighboourhoods and increase the size of social networks.

Health The mental health of Toronto residents, many of whom feel socially isolated, has not improved over the past couple of years, after rapid deterioration during the pandemic, despite the lifting of pandemic restrictions. ❯ A full 23 percent of Toronto’s adult population, about 575,000 people, reported symptoms consistent with a major depressive disorder in the second quarter of 2023, showing next to no improvement versus earlier in the pandemic.

And this prevalence is especially pronounced among young women, those who are socially isolated and financially vulnerable groups. ❯ By mid-2023, about 19 percent of the adult population, roughly 475,000 people, showed symptoms consistent with generalized anxiety disorder. foundationmag.ca

❯

Toronto is one of the loneliest places in the country. About 925,000 adults in Toronto (37 percent) felt lonely on at least three or four days in the last week in 2023 — higher than the rest of the country (28 percent), other major regions and other major cities.

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as one of the most serious risk factors of many negative health outcomes. For many groups, loneliness is a daily reality and social isolation is a factor in the acute declines in mental health in the population at large too. Think about checking in on a work colleague who may be absent; send a meal to a friend going through a tough time; or support organizations serving the disability community, which forms a growing part of our society and faces some of the steepest challenges.

More than a third of the city’s population, around 36 percent, about 900,000 adults, have a mental or physical health condition that occasionally impacts their daily activities and those with a disability are twice as likely to score high on our discrimination index as the general population.

Our goals are to decrease the rates of loneliness and depression, increase disability supports and add to the resources for mental health.

Learning Despite the increased mental health challenges and social isolation among teenaged students, graduation rates have increased, and more students are attending post-secondary November/December 2023

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institutions, even as learning loss lingers as a major issue. ❯ In 2021, 38 percent of teenaged students in Ontario reported fair or poor mental health, up from 27 percent in 2019. ❯ Female students in grades 7 to 12 were significantly more likely than their male counterparts to report poor mental health, elevated stress and serious psychological distress.

The rate of psychiatric emergency department visits for young girls aged 13 to 17 in Ontario increased by 125 percent between 2009–2017. ❯ Loneliness among Toronto District School Board (TDSB) secondary students has doubled, with 44 percent feeling frequently lonely in 2021, mirroring a global trend of high school student loneliness that’s been escalating even prepandemic. ❯ The pandemic has resulted in learning loss, particularly in younger TDSB students and in mathematics. But graduation rates are higher, and more students are going on to postsecondary education, with the biggest improvements among Black and Indigenous students.

Schools are places of academic and vocational advancement, and they are also communities of young people under the guidance of caring adults. Young people need to know there is a larger support system out there that cares about them. That they are not alone. ❯ Donate to local nonprofts that offer peer-to-peer programs and those that bridge the divide between school and work. ❯ Advocate for greater access to free mental health supports for children and youth. ❯ If you’re a caregiver to a school-aged kid, befriend fellow caregivers you don’t yet know. Despite the increased mental health challenges and social isolation among teenaged students, graduation rates have increased, and more students are attending post-secondary institutions, even as learning loss lingers as a major issue.

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Our goals are to decrease psychiatric emergency department visits for teens, increase in-school mental health supports and increase investments in career mentorship programs.

Arts, Culture & Recreation Participation in arts, culture and recreation has dropped significantly since the pandemic, and data suggests that lower rates of participation have continued at critical institutions well into 2023. ❯ Participation in cultural, educational and hobby organizations was down 39 percent between 2018 and 2022, and sports and recreational organizations saw a 30 percent decline over the same time period, but several outdoor arts events showed better than pre-pandemic attendance during summer 2023. ❯ The reduction in participation has been particularly notable among residents aged 55 years and older, women (for sports and recreational activities) and those with high household incomes. Racial disparities have also been observed, with the greatest decline among white and Black Torontonians. ❯ Frequent usage of community assets and public spaces correlates strongly with better mental health, stronger social connections, a higher sense of belonging and increased rates of donations and volunteering. ❯ Parts of Toronto, particularly outlying areas, have significantly lower access to recreational facilities and community services.

Arts, culture and recreation are often the bridge to bring communities together. But participation remains down overall and inaccessible for many. This is how we share and celebrate our stories and experiences, and test and challenge the boundaries of what it means to be human. ❯ Support sports and cultural organizations that offer free or subsidized opportunities for low-income and otherwise foundationmag.ca

SECTOR INSIGHTS

marginalized communities.

Advocate for local and culturally relevant programming, especially in underserved areas. ❯ Check out a new local event or performance. ❯

Our goals are to increase youth participation in sports and recreation, increase audiences for indoor arts events and increase rates of life satisfaction.

Environment Access to Toronto parks and their related infrastructure remains unequal, meaning that not all residents benefit from the city’s natural air-filtering and cooling system and the relief that parks foundationmag.ca

provide on the increasing number of sweltering summer days. ❯ Toronto boasts more than 1,500 parks and a 28 percent tree canopy, but 43 percent of residents, primarily in lowerincome and racialized areas, grapple with scarce greenery. ❯ Most residents (92 percent) can walk to parks, but park usage varies across the city, due to the functionality, facilities and programming offered in these spaces. ❯ Residents of Emerging Neighbourhoods* were particularly less likely than other neighbourhoods to feel their neighbourhoods had safe places for children to play and were less likely to visit local parks. ❯ Cycling’s popularity surged due to enhanced infrastructure, but suburban areas are still lagging. Bike Share Toronto November/December 2023

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“The connective tissue across issues is all of us — the relationships we have with one another and our institutions.

When weak, it undermines progress on just about Avery, President and CEO, Toronto Foundation everything.” Sharon and Fundholder, Avery Family Foundation trips notably jumped from 2.5 million in 2019 to 4.5 million in 2022.

Toronto is rich in natural assets with a Great Lake, a rare urban tree canopy and a diverse ravine ecosystem that runs across the entire city. Yet how green your neighbourhood is, the safety of your park, or how much time you spend outside shouldn’t come down to where you can afford to live. Urban nature is part of the public realm; it is all of ours to enjoy and benefit from. ❯ Realize your citizen power and organize for nature. ❯ Join a park friends group or start up one. ❯ Advocate for more Bike Share stations.

Note: *”Emerging Neighbourhoods” is an official designation by the City of Toronto to identify neighbourhoods that previously had high levels of inequality but not listed as a “Neighbourhood Improvement Area.

Our goals are to increase investments in park facilities and tree coverage in low-income, racialized neighbourhoods, increase bike infrastructure projects beyond downtown to suburbs, and increase rates of mental health benefits.

We have the citizen power to organize for nature.

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Work Employment has rebounded post-pandemic but Torontonians are feeling burnt out and precarious in their work while increased hybrid arrangements have led to the hollowing out of downtown offices. ❯ In June 2023, Toronto’s unemployment rate had dropped to 5.7 percent, employment was up 16 percent and average hourly wages had risen by 19 percent, compared to February 2020. ❯ Despite near historically low unemployment, financial struggles persist, with 33 percent of city of Toronto residents stating their household income was insufficient in 2023 (up from 21 percent in 2018). At the same time, more than half of Toronto CMA* residents fear for their or their family member’s ability to keep or find a stable full-time job (15 points higher than the rest of country). Additionally, 33 percent worry their job may be automated in the future. ❯ Hybrid work arrangements doubled from 14 percent in 2021 to 28 percent in 2023 across the Toronto CMA, contributing to downtown Toronto offices having only 52 percent of pre-pandemic occupancy levels by July 2023. ❯ More than one in five (22 percent) of workers in the city of Toronto often feel exhausted or burnt out, with an additional 42 percent experiencing these feelings occasionally.

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SECTOR INSIGHTS The rise in remote work has led to the workplace being in a state of flux. The social implications of these shifts are huge with growing job precarity, loneliness and high stress. ❯ If you’re an employer consider what you can do to bring workers together for mutual support. ❯ If you’re a hybrid worker, consider showing up at the office more often. ❯ Advocate for better work conditions by supporting local organizing for fair salaries, job security and benefits.

Note: *Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is formed by adjacent municipalities connected to a population centre. Toronto’s CMA extends from Oakville to Ajax and up to Bradford West Gwillimbury to the north.

Our goals are to increase the number of employers offering a living wage, decrease the rates of burnout and increase inperson connections at work.

How we work is a demonstration of our shared values.

Getting Around Public transit, a critical link that connects Torontonians, faces dwindling ridership and service cuts while fewer people are returning to downtown than most other major North American cities. ❯ The pandemic has significantly reduced Toronto’s transit ridership, with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) weekday ridership at 72 percent and GO Transit at 69 percent of pre-pandemic levels by mid-2023. The shift to a hybrid work trend suggests this might persist. ❯ Financial challenges and insufficient government funding have prompted TTC cuts, especially affecting bus routes in lower-income areas that are vital for essential workers and marginalized groups. ❯ Offences against passengers on the TTC have soared, with rates rising from 1.3 offences per million rides in 2019 to consistently above 3.2 offences per million rides since the beginning of the pandemic. ❯ Downtown Toronto’s foot traffic in early 2023 is below half of its pre-pandemic level, and this recovery trails most other North American cities, possibly due in part to the city’s long work commutes.

Efficient, reliable public transit is essential. In a city of three million no one debates that. But getting there remains elusive.

As one of the most heavily user-supported systems in the world, when ridership drops as it has, the financial model completely breaks down. And community safety depends on all of us showing up too. ❯ Support downtown businesses by attending events and visiting shops. ❯ Advocate for shared, sustainable funding across all levels of government. ❯ Opt for transit a little more often than you do now.

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Our goals are to increase public transit ridership, increase the rates of transit safety and to increase downtown foot traffic.

High-quality public transportation is the best way to keep us connected.

Safety Despite a recent uptick in the crime rate, Toronto remains one of the safest cities in the country, and yet certain groups face regular discrimination and feel less safe. ❯ Major crime in Toronto rose 4 percent in 2022, compared to 2019, and an additional 20 percent in the first half of 2023, compared to the first half of 2022, with auto thefts driving the increase and assaults also increasing, even as homicide rates are lower. ❯ Despite this, Toronto CMA’s 2022 Crime Severity Index ranked second lowest among large CMAs and it has decreased by about half since 1998. ❯ 2SLGBTQ+, younger, racialized and economicallydisadvantaged residents often feel less safe due to experiences of discrimination. ❯ A full 27 percent of Toronto adults, roughly 675,000 people, experience high discrimination—roughly translating to experiencing multiple forms of discrimination per week.

People with mental health–related disabilities are most likely to experience at least moderate levels of discrimination (68 percent) and they are also the group who feels the least safe in the city.

We all deserve to feel safe. And yet no group in the city feels less safe than those with mental health disabilities. What’s more, an alarming number of residents experience multiple forms of discrimination every week. Community safety starts with empathy and shared accountability. ❯ Seek out moments to connect with strangers, especially those who are different than you. ❯ Learn how to support those experiencing a mental health crisis. ❯ Support drop-ins and other front-line organizations serving the most vulnerable.

Our goals are to decrease levels of everyday discrimination, increase feelings and experience of safety and decrease the rate of deaths from drug toxicity.

We all have a role to play in keeping Toronto safe.

Housing Toronto’s escalating housing crisis not only threatens individual health and wellbeing, but it also erodes the city’s social fabric. ❯ Houses in the Toronto CMA cost about 9.5 times the median income, far surpassing the threshold of severe unaffordability. The hourly minimum wage would need to rise to $33.60 — more than double its current level — for a single minimum wage worker to afford an average onebedroom apartment.

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Although Toronto’s population continues to grow, there has been a significant net increase in people leaving the city for other Canadian provinces or cities, especially among those aged 15 to 44 years of age. ❯ Overcrowding in Toronto is a growing concern, with 17 percent of people in the Toronto CMA living in overcrowded conditions, including almost a third of newcomers (32 percent). ❯ Toronto has more multi-generational households than anywhere else in the country, but the growth rate of these households lags the Canadian average and is well below nearby areas in Ontario such as Oshawa, Barrie, St. Catharines and the Waterloo Region. ❯ In 2018, there was one formal eviction application for every 20 renter households (5 percent) and in some neighbourhoods, there was one eviction fling for every five renter households. Areas with the highest number of Black home renters had twice the eviction rates as areas with the lowest number of Black home renters, even after controlling for poverty and other factors. ❯

Housing is a human right. All three levels of government say so. And yet we continue to tolerate people living amongst us without the dignity and security of a permanent home. ❯ Donate to organizations tackling this issue, driven by people with lived experience of homelessness. ❯ Advocate for a return to investment in new public housing. ❯ Support nonproft housing solutions near you so that decision-making and real estate wealth creation can be in community hands.

Our goals are to decrease the rate of evictions, increase development of non-market and nonproft housing units and to decrease rates of overcrowded households.

It’s time to be intolerant of inadequate housing.

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Income and Wealth The pandemic has intensified economic struggles, led to skyrocketed food bank usage and highlighted the link between financial stability and mental wellbeing. ❯ Amid the pandemic’s challenges, the city of Toronto saw a steep rise in income insufficiency: from 21 percent in 2018 to 26 percent in 2022 to 33 percent in 2023. ❯ Visits to the Daily Break Food Bank surged by 295 percent between June 2019 and June 2023, with 22 percent of Torontonians in a 2022 poll reporting eating less than they should due to a lack of funds.

Food bank users are particularly likely to report no social supports versus other Torontonians. ❯ Financial strain heavily affects mental wellbeing: 54 percent of those who say their income was not enough for them and they were having a hard time reported fair or poor mental health, in stark contrast to only 14 percent of those who say their income was enough that they can save from it. ❯ Financial health correlates with social trust, civic engagement and social connections; the growing financial distress risks eroding Toronto’s social fabric.

When one in five people report that they don’t have enough to feed themselves sufficiently we cannot turn away. Coupled with significant growth in wealth at the top we are left with a system that is clearly not working. The solutions are complex but that doesn’t mean we have no power to bring about change. ❯ Advocate for policies that encourage reliable, ongoing income supports for those living below the poverty line. ❯ Donate to organizations that advance worker rights, and programs for job access and training for those who are unemployed or underemployed. ❯ Support independent, local businesses. foundationmag.ca

SECTOR INSIGHTS Our goals are to decrease the rate of food bank visits, increase rate of income sufficiency to meet basic costs of living and increase support networks for food-insecure individuals.

Thoughts In creating this year’s Toronto’s Vital Signs Report, we knew we had to take a fresh approach. Continuing to simply raise the alarm bells on what ails us is no longer working. And, frankly, there’s not much new to say that hasn’t already been said. On the bright side, though, in some ways, progress has certainly been made. Our collective consciousness has never been more attuned to the realities of inequality and all its injustices and to the immediate and future perils of a society that has lost touch with its relationship to the natural world.

What’s missing is a clear way out of this mess. Where do we go next? We’ve been tracking the big picture on the state of the city for close to 20 years, monitoring quality of life across 10 different issue areas. But, we are increasingly interested in the commonalities and intersections across topics such as housing, health, the environment, the arts, and sports and recreation. The connective tissue across issues is all of us — the relationships we have with one another and our institutions. When weak, it undermines progress on just about everything.

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This is the stuff of social infrastructure. It’s the work of the thousands of community groups in the city, both formal and informal, that are in service to others.

What they do is sometimes hidden, most certainly undervalued, and yet, here, and only here, will we find the solutions to the challenges that vex us.

Your City Needs You Crisis is the new normal. Unaffordability, homelessness, hunger, climate change, safety. The list of pressing issues is long and overwhelming, giving rise to new terms such as “the polycrisis.”

What can possibly be done when there is so much in front of us that needs our attention?

Grassroots groups rose up at the height of the pandemic, nimbly organizing to meet basic needs for PPE, food and shelter.

Coordination across community organizations and city hall, too, was never stronger. This kind of mutual support has deep roots, particularly in communities we often consider in-need, rather than being part of the solution.

Their combined energy and expertise are a resource to be nurtured, not ignored.

FOUNDATION STAFF

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Corporate Foundations: The Business of Giving

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anada has over 10,000 public and private foundations which collectively steward over $120 billion in assets.

A core aspect of Canada’s charitable sector, foundations are independent legal entities operating solely for charitable purposes, working in partnership with the other 73,000 charities in Canada, and the many other non-profit and social-purpose organizations across society.

Their typical operating model is to endow assets, which are received as gifts, invest them in perpetuity, with earnings used to make grants or deliver their own charitable activities — or both. Foundation are an important aspect of civil society — an element vital to healthy democracies. Civil society informs, pushes, and compliments the important work of business and government, to keep communities dynamic and vital. The work is premised on the principles of agency and independence to ensure sole focus on the common good, free from private or partisan interests.

Donations from foundations totaling over $8 billion annually support a variety causes. From issues as distinct as childcare and the climate crisis, to decent work and diabetes, Canada’s foundations assist their partners on some of the most important issues of our time. They are increasingly also engaging in social finance and alternative investments, to intentionally put their 38

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assets to work for the betterment of society, in addition to their important granting and programming work.

Here’s a brief example of those foundations and what they do.

Air Canada: Focusing on organizations working to improve the lives of Canada’s youth as well as those conducting disease research, Air Canada consider requests for cash donations and sometimes will even donate promotional flight tickets.

Canadian Tire Jumpstart: This national charitable organization is dedicated to helping kids in financial need, aged four through 18, participate in organized sports and recreation such as hockey, dance, soccer and swimming with the aim to develop important life skills, self esteem and confidence. Canadian Tire’s charitable activities also extend into community initiatives including a community crisis program and regional disaster recovery program.

Cascades: The packaging and tissue company provides donations and sponsorships to community organizations and organizations working in the fields of education, the environment, health, culture, and sports.

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SECTOR INSIGHTS Corus Entertainment: This media and entertainment company’s primary philanthropy focus is on improving the lives of Canadian children by supporting programs that encourage play and development through arts and entertainment. Their funding is also directed to improving the lives of Canadian women and their families by supporting programs and initiatives that offer training, skills development, and tools that enhance the economic and personal independence of women.

Hewlett Packard (HP): Philanthropy and education programs focus on developing and supporting programs and partnerships that showcase HP technology while promoting educational opportunities and e-inclusion for people in underserved communities in Canada and around the world.

Indigo: The Indigo Love of Reading Fund provides new books and learning materials to high-needs elementary schools, enhancing the literacy and self-esteem of students. Indigo Books & Music Inc. commits more than $1.5 million annually to schools across the country.

Loblaw: Loblaw provides several forms of community investment, including administering the President’s Choice Children’s Charity Foundation. The company’s granting priorities include healthy kids, green communities, and the support of local food banks. Loblaw also offer local store donations and grants, an after-school program grant, and a colleague volunteer grant program.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE): The MLSE Foundation is a combination of local sports teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors. The foundation funds projects focusing on at-risk youth in Ontario, including projects that involve hockey, basketball, soccer, or other physical education initiatives, as well as community and social services programs.

Mountain Equipment Company (MEC): MEC focuses their

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community funding and support on wilderness conservation and environmental education. They also support people in achieving the benefits of self-propelled wilderness-oriented recreation in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

Montreal Canadiens: The Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation provides help and support to children in need. The foundation approves and supports projects that are aimed at underprivileged youth with a focus on physical activity, healthy eating habits, and personal development through educational recreational activities.

Oracle: Oracle Giving is an initiative that responds directly to the financial needs of medical research, endangered animal protection, environmental protection, and K-12 math, science and technology education.

Unilever: Unilever Canada has a community vitality initiative which focuses on helping the healthy development of children between the ages of 0-5 and protecting Canada’s rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

Whistler Blackcomb: The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation provides financial support to registered non-profit organizations whose activities provide benefit to residents of the Sea to Sky Corridor in the areas of health, human services, education, recreation, arts and culture, and the environment.

Winnipeg Jets: The Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation is the charitable arm of the Winnipeg Jets, and the charity of choice for the MTS Centre. The foundation allows players and their partners, coaches, board members, and True North staff to contribute to the community of Manitoba in a concerted and centralized manner.

Xerox: Xerox Canada supports registered charities that focus on information technology literacy through scholarships, matching gifts, and other donation programs.

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The Philanthropic Sector and Sustainable Finance

BY JEAN-MARC MANGIN

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hilanthropic Foundations Canada (PFC) is our nation’s largest philanthropic network. Together our members manage nearly half of all assets of public and private foundations in Canada.

Our mission is to strengthen philanthropy — in all its diversity — towards a more just, equitable and sustainable world.

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As an integral part of Canada’s non-profit and charitable sector, foundations are charities that invest assets, run programs, and make grants to other charities and non-profits.

As of 2021, Canada’s 10,000+ foundations collectively managed $135 billion in assets.

The most recent analysis demonstrates that foundations contribute nearly $10 billion per year in grants to support a foundationmag.ca

SECTOR INSIGHTS

wide range of societal endeavors, from education to healthcare, social services, international development, climate-action, housing, voluntarism, arts, and culture, and more. A true 360 of philanthropy. Just this morning, Queen’s University received a historic $100 million gift.

This generosity is fueled by an important tax policy that encourages donors to contribute to the common good. These tax incentives won’t be as generous starting in 2024 through changes to the Alternative Minimum Tax. Charities should not suffer collateral damage from legitimate efforts to ensure the richest among us pay their fair share of taxes.

Traditionally, foundations’ investment committees and advisors have managed their assets with the aim of maximizing returns, which are then used to fund their charitable activities and grants.

Increasingly, however, we have seen that foundations are keen to engage in activities that go beyond simply maximizing investment returns, and they are now devoting more attention and assets to sustainable finance.

Why is this the case?

Because a growing number of foundations understand that aligning their portfolios with their vision, mission and values is one of the most powerful, effective and responsible ways of using all their resources to achieve their goals.

In a 2021 PFC member investment survey carried out

by Millani, 38 percent of respondents reported having a responsible investment strategy. These strategies reflect endowment investment priorities and tools such as negative screens, positive screens, ESG considerations, and investing in funds that intentionally create positive social, environmental and health impacts.

Relating to impact investments specifically, there has been rapid growth in PFC members reporting their engagement, with a three-fold increase in foundations reporting this type of investing between 2012 and 2021.

I would like to share some examples with you.

The Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation, with assets of over $2 billion, helps to fight poverty, particularly among young Quebecers. It aims to invest its capital sustainably and responsibly, devoting 10 percent to mission-driven investments.

The Chagnon Foundation is involved in the development of housing mutual funds in partnership with the government, such as the Fonds d’investissement de Montréal (FIM), which finances the purchase and renovation of multi-unit residences by non-profit organizations and housing cooperatives. Earlier this week, the foundation announced a partnership with Investissement Quebec to build 1,500 units of affordable student housing.

One of the oldest foundations in Quebec and Canada, the McConnell Foundation recently announced that it would be changing its investment strategy over the next five years, investing the entirety of their endowment towards impact. foundationmag.ca

McConnell plans to deploy all $655-million dollars of their assets in the form of both charitable funding and investing toward generating measurable positive impact in our communities and for the environment, coupled with a commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions in their portfolio by 2050.

Its investment strategy is inspired, in part, by the work of the Inspirit Foundation, one of the first Canadian foundations to commit to 100 percent impact investing. Inspirit is a Torontobased public foundation that fights discrimination, particularly in the media.

And similarly, in British Columbia, the Houssian Foundation’s investment portfolio is 100 percent mission-aligned and deeply rooted in its climate and gender justice strategies, with an eye to contributing to and advancing the fields of sustainable and impact investing in Canada.

In Manitoba, the Lawson Foundation is leveraging their assets to advance meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. They were among the first funders in Canada to support an Indigenous-led community-driven outcomes contract with investment in Aki Energy, which is bringing clean energy solutions to First Nations communities in Manitoba.

They were also proud to support and enable the leadership of Raven Capital Partners, an Indigenous-led financial intermediary, that is helping build an Indigenous social finance market in Canada.

And Lawson has invested in technology to support a program called Restoring the Sacred Bond Initiative, which helps prevent infants from coming into institutional care and reducing time spent in care by early family reunification.

All this work has been undertaken in collaboration and under the guidance of Indigenous partners.

In Nova Scotia, the River Phillip Foundation is partnering with a developer and the United Way to build and sell affordable rural housing In and around Amherst, Nova Scotia.

Some housing will be sold, and some will be affordable rental units, with an aim to hit a $500 or less monthly mortgage.

The foundation has committed to a $25,000 per unit subsidy matched by the federal government and province.

There are numerous examples of philanthropic organizations all over the country partnering with non-profits, government, and corporate Canada, to use their capital to advance their mission and increase their social impact in major ways.

But while it’s a growing field, it’s still in its infancy. We are playing catch-up — with our competitors, in dealing with our multiple national challenges and to avoid our planet systems collapse.

In previous surveys and current PFC research, respondents cite that responsible investing remains constrained by fund managers, the risk-adverse culture of boards, market conditions, immature market conditions, and administrative burden.

To be sure, government investment in this area is noteworthy.

With investments in initiatives such as the Clean Energy Fund, the Investment Readiness Program, the Social Finance Fund, November/December 2023

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COLUMNIST

the Equality Fund, and the Foundation for Black Communities, it’s clear that this government is keen to fulfil its share of responsibility and leadership.

The reality is that partnership with government remains a critical success factor to help build a more normalized and thriving sustainable finance market in Canada.

Government needs to keep showingup, to help de-risk investments, to support innovative ideas and models, and to achieve scale. This is especially true for addressing our affordable housing crisis and the transition to a low carbon economy. Despite very real fiscal constraints, government partnership and imaginative deployment of its investment capacities remain the key catalyst for scaling up and attracting investors.

Philanthropy has billions in assets that can be invested in ways that can advance the common good. While maintaining responsible and balanced portfolios, foundations can be early adopters in developing the field of sustainable finance.

But time is not our friend: we need to combine a sense of urgency with a pragmatic and hard-nose approach in achieving sustainable results that matter to Canadians.

I remain hopeful that the Fall Economic Statement and Budget 2024 will table bold initiatives that will incentivize philanthropic capital to expand and deepen the field of sustainable finance.

JEAN-MARC MANGIN has been President & CEO of Philanthropic Foundations Canada since July 2019. He is passionate about philanthropy and working together to strengthen the common good.

Born in Manitoba, raised in Quebec, educated in BC and Ontario, he holds an MA in Political Sciences and Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto.

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12 Ways of Giving CONTINUED FROM page 15

There are also individuals who accumulate wealth or who inherited wealth and then create a vehicle, such as a foundation, by which they can give in a more structured and fiscally strategic manner. ❯ At times there are fiscal advantages for some individuals to plan a legacy gift using a variety of fiscal products for a gift to take place at a future date. ❯

AN ALTERNATIVE TO GIVING When we think of gifts, we often think of dollars, but generosity can be express in so many other forms. In her 2023 article entitled Era of Uncertainty, Sharon J. Riley a journalist based in Edmonton said this about the state of giving: “Relational fundraising practices rather than direct marketing practices are what will ensure charities will be able to maintain support. Charities will have to position themselves as more than a place to put money,” noting the emphasis needs to be more on a valuesaligned relationship between charities and donors.

Which is why, some donors demonstrate their generosity in a variety of ways: ❯ When they share their skills, talents, or expertise for a cause or event that is very important to them, some donors elect to express their generosity by volunteering their time. ❯ Others use their own consumption to support a cause they feel strongly about. They may choose to purchase only fair-trade coffee, or to buy locally in an effort to support their own personal ideologies. ❯ For some, it is a way of life. They live their “philanthropy” as a deeply engrained process. For Indigenous communities for example, it is a way of being and doing. Such an example is, the Nehiyaw (Cree) concepts of wîcihitowin (helping each other or sharing) and kanawayhitowin

November/December 2023

(taking care of each other’s spirit) which demonstrates how integral philanthropic ideas are to Nehiyawak (Cree People).

MY FINAL THOUGHTS How donors chose to give is as varied as to why they give, but if 15 percent of Canadians say they will give more (Canada Help 2023 survey), we need to applaud that. Interestingly, this survey also reported that giving has increased among younger age groups, with 31 percent of those aged 18-34 saying they will give more to charities this year, compared to 13 percent of those aged 3554 and only 6 percent of those aged 55+.

Whether a donation is made through participatory grantmaking, a practice of engaging community members in funding decisions that affect them, or whether you shake nickels in a tin can, generosity continues to play a key role in our society. Generosity is essentially part of our “raison d’être”, so let’s celebrate it and recognize it with appreciation.

Especially at this time of the year, when it is so needed.

KATHLEEN A. PROVOST is currently the Vice President, Philanthropy and Communications at United for Literacy (previously Frontier College), a national organization with 125 years of community partnerships in Canada, offering free tutoring and mentoring to adult, youth, and children who need literacy and numeracy support.

Kathleen has over 30 years of experience in the charitable sector. She has been a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2007 and a long-time member and volunteer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Kathleen holds a Masters degree in Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University as well as a Baccalaureate Arts in Political Science and a certificate in Public Relations from McGill University. As a recognized leader, Kathleen has tailored presentations for French and English audiences at various events including AFP-Nova Scotia, AFP-Ottawa, AFP-National Congress, Coady Institute and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education. She has received numerous recognitions during her career, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the charitable sector and was recognized as 2021 Fundraiser of the Year in Nova Scotia. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

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TECHNOLOGY

Learning Looking Ahead

&

BY KATE BEHNCKEN

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A

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s a company whose mission is to empower every person and every organization to achieve more, we recognize the potential of AI to serve as a catalyst for a new era of opportunity and economic growth.

But we must help democratize access to emerging technologies so everyone can benefit. Microsoft Philanthropies is focused on equipping nonprofits and communities with digital and AI capabilities to expand opportunities for everyone.

AI has the potential to transform nearly every aspect of the work that nonprofits and IGOs do on a day-to-day basis and to help them do more with less. Technology and solutions that can help nonprofits, IGOs, and humanitarian organizations build more capacity to address some of the world’s greatest societal challenges must be tailored to their needs, be affordable, and be accessible. We remain committed to our goal to empower every nonprofit and international development organization with Microsoft technology to accelerate social impact.

And while we help get technology into the hands of more nonprofits, we also need to help people learn how to use it.

Last year, we trained and certified 2.7 million people from underserved communities around the world with the digital skills needed to secure in-demand jobs, and we’re excited about launching a new AI Skills initiative to help people learn how to harness the power of these new capabilities.

With the recent breakthroughs in generative AI, we are now in a place where every worker can use these tools to be more productive. AI will displace some jobs, but if integrated into the workforce in an inclusive manner, it will also create new opportunities and fuel economic growth. We need to help build the capacity of organizations like nonprofits, IGOs and education systems that are key drivers of expanding opportunity.

The past 12 months have once again highlighted the role technology can play to help address societal problems around the world and the essential role of nonprofits. We recognize the importance of strong and durable partnerships between the private sector, government, and nonprofits to address these issues in sustainable and scalable ways. Whether it was building capacity for nonprofits and IGOs to further their missions, or skilling millions of people around the world, our best work is done when we partner with the organizations that are closest to the people and communities we want to serve.

I am hugely optimistic about the opportunities for AI to help nonprofits, people, and communities around the world. I am mindful that this opportunity is equally flanked by tremendous challenges, and we are committed to working alongside our partners, customers, and community to help address them.

KATE BEHNCKEN is Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Philanthropies.

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TECHNOLOGY

10 AI Terms Everyone Should Know

BY SUSANNA RAY

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he term “AI” has been used in computer science since the 1950s, but most people outside the industry didn’t start talking about it until the end of 2022. That’s because recent advances in machine learning led to big breakthroughs that are beginning to have a profound impact on nearly every aspect of our lives. We’re here to help break down some of the buzzwords so you can better understand AI terms and be part of the global conversation.

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Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence is basically a super-smart computer system that can imitate humans in some ways, like comprehending what people say, making decisions, translating between languages, analyzing if something is negative or positive, and even learning from experience. It’s artificial in that its intellect was created by humans using technology. Sometimes people say AI systems have digital brains, but they’re not physical machines or robots — they’re programs that run on computers. They work by putting a vast collection of data through algorithms, which are sets of instructions, to create models that can automate tasks that typically require human intelligence and time. Sometimes people specifically engage with an AI system — like asking Bing Chat for help with something — but more often the AI is happening in the background all around us, suggesting words as we type, recommending songs in playlists and providing more relevant information based on our preferences.

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Machine learning If artificial intelligence is the goal, machine learning is how we get there. It’s a field of computer science, under the umbrella of AI, where people teach a computer system how to do something by training it to identify patterns and make predictions based on them. Data is run through algorithms over and over, with different input and feedback each time to help the system learn and improve during the training process — like practicing piano scales 10 million times in order to sightread music going forward. It’s especially helpful with problems that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to solve using traditional programming techniques, such as recognizing images and translating languages. It takes a huge amount of data, and that’s something we’ve only been able to harness in recent years as more information has been digitized and as computer hardware has become faster, smaller, more powerful and better able to process all that information. That’s why large language models that use machine learning — such as Bing Chat and ChatGPT — have suddenly arrived on the scene.

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Large language models Large language models, or LLMs, use machine learning techniques to help them process language so they can mimic the way humans communicate. They’re based on neural networks, or NNs, which are computing systems inspired by the human brain — sort of like a bunch of nodes and connections that simulate neurons and synapses. They are trained

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on a massive amount of text to learn patterns and relationships in language that help them use human words. Their problem-solving capabilities can be used to translate languages, answer questions in the form of a chatbot, summarize text and even write stories, poems and computer code. They don’t have thoughts or feelings, but sometimes they sound like they do, because they’ve learned patterns that help them respond the way a human might. They’re often fine-tuned by developers using a process called reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) to help them sound more conversational.

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Generative AI Generative AI leverages the power of large language models to make new things, not just regurgitate or provide information about existing things. It learns patterns and structures and then generates something that’s similar but new. It can make things like pictures, music, text, videos and code. It can be used to create art, write stories, design products and even help doctors with administrative tasks.

But it can also be used by bad actors to create fake news or pictures that look like photographs but aren’t real, so tech companies are working on ways to clearly identify AI-generated content.

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Hallucinations Generative AI systems can create stories, poems and songs, but sometimes we want results to be based in truth. Since these systems can’t tell the difference between what’s real and fake, they can give inaccurate foundationmag.ca

TECHNOLOGY responses that developers refer to as hallucinations or confabulations — much like if someone saw what looked like the outlines of a face on the moon and began saying there was an actual man in the moon. Developers try to resolve these issues through “grounding,” which is when they provide an AI system with additional information from a trusted source to improve accuracy about a specific topic. Sometimes a system’s predictions are wrong, too, if a model doesn’t have current information after it’s trained.

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Responsible AI Responsible AI guides people as they try to design systems that are safe and fair — at every level, including the machine learning model, the software, the user interface and the rules and restrictions put in place to access an application. It’s a crucial element because these systems are often tasked with helping make important decisions about people, such as in education and healthcare, but since they’re created by humans and trained on data from an imperfect world, they can reflect any inherent biases. A big part of responsible AI involves understanding the data that was used to train the systems and finding ways to mitigate any shortcomings to help better reflect society at large, not just certain groups of people.

desired outcome from the large language models. It’s like placing your order at a deli counter: You don’t just ask for a sandwich, but you specify which bread you want and the type and amounts of condiments, vegetables, cheese and meat to get a lunch that you’ll find delicious and nutritious.

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Copilots A copilot is like a personal assistant that works alongside you in all sorts of digital applications, helping with things like writing, coding, summarizing and searching. It can also help you make decisions and understand lots of data.

The recent development of large language models made copilots possible, allowing them to comprehend natural human language and provide answers, create content or take action as you work within different computer programs. Copilots are built with Responsible AI guardrails

to make sure they’re safe and secure and are used in a good way. Just like a copilot in an airplane, it’s not in charge — you are — but it’s a tool that can help you be more productive and efficient.

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Plugins Plugins are a bit like when you add apps to your smart phone: They step in to fill specific needs that might pop up, enabling AI applications to do more things without having to modify the underlying model. They are what allow copilots to interact with other software and services, for example.

They can help AI systems access new information, do complicated math or talk to other programs. They make AI systems more powerful by connecting them to the rest of the digital world.

SUSANNA RAY is the principal of Prowess Consulting LLC and a features writer for Microsoft Source storytelling site.

FOUNDATIONAL HUMOUR

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Multimodal models A multimodal model can work with different types, or modes, of data simultaneously. It can look at pictures, listen to sounds and read words. It’s the ultimate multitasker! It can combine all of this information to do things like answer questions about images.

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©JONNY HAWKINS

Prompts A prompt is an instruction entered into a system in language, images or code that tells the AI what task to perform.

Engineers — and really all of us who interact with AI systems — must carefully design prompts to get the November/December 2023

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CASE STUDY

Together Fur-ever:

How PEDIGREE Foundation is Helping Thousands of Dogs in Canada Find Loving Homes

BY DEB FAIR

I

Helping transform the lives of Canadian dogs, one grant at a time In 2022, PEDIGREE Foundation began its mission of expanding its programs into Canada through the launch of PEDIGREE Foundation Canadian Grant Program. This was in response to a growing pet shelter crisis across North America — shelters were faced with rising surrender rates and resource constraints due to the pandemic.

With ongoing cost-of-living challenges causing hardships that can prevent pet owners from taking care of their beloved animals, PEDIGREE Foundation has focused its efforts on helping more dogs find forever homes through four types of support programs. Our behaviour programs help dogs overcome habits that might stop them from getting adopted, while our transport programs help organizations that move dogs from overpopulated areas to increase their chances of finding a new home. We also support programs in remote communities provide medical care to reduce the number of homeless dogs in these areas. Finally, our safety net programs provide money and resources to shelters, helping support their communities by keeping people and their pets together through hardships.

To help all the animals that end up homeless in Canada each year, we committed $100,000 CAD in grant awards to eight 46

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Alvin, a 2.5-year-old Akita mix currently up for adoption at Niagara SPCA & Humane Society

COURTESY NIAGARA SPCA & HUMANE SOCIETY

’ve always been passionate about animals, having a menagerie of pets from a guard goose named Harry to chickens, other birds, cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs. So, it was probably no surprise to my family and friends when my passion turned into my life’s work. As Director of PEDIGREE Foundation and owner of three Cavalier King Charles Spaniel rescue dogs, it’s fair to say this cause is incredibly close to my heart, my “why”, and it’s serendipitous that my job and I are perfectly matched!

PEDIGREE Foundation was established 15 years ago with the sole purpose of helping millions of beautiful, loyal dogs find loving homes. There was a real need back then — and that remains to this day — because more than 3 million dogs end up homeless every year in the U.S., and more than 80,000 are currently homeless across Canada. Since 2008, in pursuit of our mission, we’ve provided millions of dollars to shelters and rescues through thousands of annual, collaborative and disaster relief grants, helping us become an active part of the animal welfare system across North America.

Canadian shelters and rescue organizations in 2022. In our very first year, we were able to make a life-changing difference to over 5,000 dogs in need. This year, we continued our mission, giving an additional $100,000 CAD to 10 animal shelters across the country and expanding our efforts to include disaster relief, providing support for areas widely impacted by wildfires.

We are already seeing a positive impact for our furry friends in Canada: an additional 3,300+ dogs will be helped this year and over 1,500 dogs supported by disaster relief donations. In total, more than 10,000 dogs across Canada will now have benefited from PEDIGREE Foundation grants.

The numbers show the impact we’ve already had in Canada and give us a lot to be proud of, but they mean so much more when you consider that each one of those numbers represents a dog like Alvin, a 2.5-year-old Akita mix currently up for adoption foundationmag.ca

CASE STUDY at Niagara SPCA & Humane Society, one of our recipient shelters for 2023.

According to Tyler Greer, Supervisor of New Initiatives and Community Engagement, Niagara SPCA & Humane Society, funding from the program makes a big impact when it comes to helping dogs just like Alvin. As he explains, it helps them achieve their goals of improving things like behaviour and socialization, creating better experiences for both the dogs and their new families and helping Alvin and his friends at the SPCA find homes that last a lifetime.

Supporting innovative programs that help both dogs and their friends!

Each Canadian shelter that receives a PEDIGREE Foundation grant uses the funding to improve their unique range of programs making a real-world impact for animals based on where they need it most. I’m so inspired by what each of the shelters implement, including the Nova Scotia SPCA. This year, it will be using its grant to make its innovative Got 20 Minutes? program even better — for dogs and people!

This exciting program creates fun activities for adoptable dogs while helping folks in the area get involved as volunteers. Every dog gets a Got 20 Minutes? tag on its cage or kennel, letting everyone know they’re ready for their daily dose of fun — and these 20 minutes with a volunteer go a long way towards helping dogs become friendlier and improve their overall behaviour.

According to Alicia Avendano, the Shelter Liaison at the Nova Scotia SPCA, funding from PEDIGREE Foundation and its grant program provides crucial support for dogs in their adoption journey. As she explains, the funding helps dogs get increased socialization time that keeps them mentally and physically healthy, improving their chances of adoption.

Moreover, it provides training for the organization’s volunteers who spend oneon-one time with the dogs in its care.

of a PEDIGREE Foundation Canadian grant in 2023 doing incredible work.

An additional nine organizations were granted funds to help even more dogs like Alvin find a loving home: The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth in Ontario is expanding its safety net program through veterinary outreach services providing free veterinary care to dogs. It will also expand its pantry operations.

In Alberta, the Cochrane & Area Humane Society is improving its behaviour and support program, paying for additional staffing rehabilitation services for dogs and hosting behaviour discussion meetings with potential adopters. It will also allow the shelter to provide a free post-adoption support call or behaviour consultation for 35-50 dogs with a certified consultant on site.

The B.C.-based Victoria Humane Society is expanding its transport program, which provides rescue and transport efforts to dogs in need from remote communities, bringing them to the safety of their organization in Victoria.

Creating a better future for dogs Today, PEDIGREE Foundation grant funding truly goes where it’s needed most. We’re continuing to spend time with shelters and welfare organizations across North America to understand where the gaps are and where we can make the greatest difference.

Each of this year’s 10 PEDIGREE Foundation grant recipients is making a huge difference in its community, bringing adoptable dogs one step closer to their forever, loving homes. We can’t wait to continue our mission in Canada to create a future where all dogs are safe, secure, cared for, fed well and loved.

It’s so rewarding when our grants can connect beautiful dogs to their future families. For anyone in Canada looking to help, or get involved as a volunteer, we recommend contacting or donating directly to your local shelters and rescue organizations. And for organizations looking to apply for the grant next year, keep an eye out for more information on PedigreeFoundation.org.

DEB FAIR is Executive Director of the PEDIGREE Foundation.

Offering professional prospect research, training, and fundraising strategy.

Editor and contributor to “Prospect Research in Canada”, Canada’s first book on prospect research.

Spreading the love throughout Canada The Nova Scotia SPCA is just one example of ten Canadian recipients foundationmag.ca

November/December 2023

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CASE STUDY

STARS Lottery:

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Watch the full STARS success story at www.stridemgmt.com/stars/

COURTESY STARS LOTTERY

STARS is on a mission to ensure that no one goes without critical care that could save their life — no matter who they are or where they live. From a single helicopter to a network of highly skilled professionals providing care in the air, on the ground, or virtually, STARS has grown into a leading-edge innovator, harnessing their passion for saving lives to shape the future of critical care.

At the heart of their funding model stands the STARS Lottery, a vital source of fundraising income with an annual profit exceeding $15 million and a substantial player base of more than 180,000. Established in 2003 with longterm partner and lottery management provider, Stride, the lottery consistently ensures financial support that underpins the vital ongoing work of STARS. With a reputation for managing highly successful lotteries for charities and nonprofits, Stride boasts more than 570,000 active lottery players spanning various Canadian provinces and annual ticket sales exceeding $100 million. Beyond the numbers, they are committed to driving positive change within communities by helping organizations maximize proceeds by diversifying revenue streams to sustain their impactful work.

Terri Strunk, Chief Fundraising and Brand Officer at STARS, said, “Stride provides the lottery management services, technology, and insights we need to deliver a strong lottery program.

We couldn’t do it without them.” Stride, in its 20+ year partnership with STARS, has successfully provided comprehensive lottery management services and technology for two separate provincial lotteries.

COURTESY STARS LOTTERY

Helping Save Lives and Shaping the Future of Critical Care

Managing everything from online ticket sales to prize acquisition and draw fulfillment, Stride ensures the entire lottery program is delivered to an exceptionally high standard. Stride crafts a captivating experience for players, ensuring each component functions flawlessly to create an unparalleled lottery program for every client.

Never taking a one-lottery-fits-all approach, the Stride team applies their extensive knowledge of the charitable lottery sector, combined with data-driven insights from the STARS lotteries, to provide strategic guidance and drive ongoing success.

Andrea Robertson, President and CEO of STARS, said, “We’ve had a long and productive relationship with Stride. We rely on their knowledge and expertise to help us meet our goals today and for the past 20 years.” Through their lotteries with Stride, STARS has raised essential funds, contributing to critical care, medical crew, equipment, transport, education, research and a 24-hour emergency medical communication center.

The funds raised through these lotteries have not only supported the ongoing operations but also empowered STARS to spearhead innovative medical

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practices, including carrying blood onboard helicopters and providing mobile education in remote communities.

The player experience is a core consideration for STARS and every customer touchpoint has been carefully considered – from the highly-responsive support team to specially-selected prizes, ensuring customer data is protected.

Stride’s lottery management enables STARS to uphold their already exceptional brand reputation.

Since partnering with Stride 20+ years ago, their lotteries have been STARS’ largest fundraisers and remain a critical part of their funding model, with proceeds supporting their 24/7 operations. STARS propels innovation in medical care and have pioneered practices such as carrying blood onboard their helicopters and providing world-class mobile education in rural and remote communities.

The Stride team continues to bring insight and expertise to the table, ensuring the lottery program goes from strength to strength, encouraging more people to support STARS’ incredibly worthy cause.

Find out more about Stride and watch the full STARS success story video at www.stridemgmt.com/stars/ foundationmag.ca

HISTORIC PLAQUES Historic Plaques Which Honour Philanthropy

William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook PC, ONB (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), generally known as Lord Beaverbrook (“Max” to his close circle), was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics of the first half of the 20th century. His base of power was the largest circulation newspaper in the world, the Daily Express, which appealed to the conservative working class with intensely patriotic news and editorials. During the Second World War, he played a major role in mobilizing industrial resources as Winston Churchill’s Minister of Aircraft Production.

Aitken was born in Maple, Ontario, Canada, in 1879, one of the ten children of William Cuthbert Aitken, a Scottish-born Presbyterian minister, and Jane (Noble), the daughter of a prosperous local farmer and storekeeper. When he was a year old, the family moved to Newcastle, New Brunswick, which Aitken later considered to be his hometown. It was here, at the age of 13, that he set up a school newspaper, The Leader. Whilst at school, he delivered newspapers, sold newspaper subscriptions and was the local correspondent for the St John Daily Star.

It would require many books to detail the full impact and actions of his life, and there are differing views as to the very wealthy man’s ethics, moral decisions, and ambitions. There is little doubt about his business acumen. The young Max Aitken had a gift for making money and was a millionaire by the age of 30. His business ambitions quickly exceeded opportunities in Canada, and he moved to Britain. There he befriended Andrew Bonar Law and with his support won a seat in the House of Commons at the December 1910 United Kingdom general election. A knighthood followed shortly after. During the First World War he ran the Canadian Records office in London and played a role in the removal of H. H. Asquith as prime minister in 1916.

After the war, the now Lord Beaverbrook concentrated on his business interests. He built the Daily Express into the most successful mass-circulation newspaper in the world, with sales of 2.25 million copies a day across Britain. He used it to pursue personal campaigns, most notably for tariff reform and for the British Empire to become a free trade bloc. Beaverbrook supported the governments of Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain throughout the 1930s and was persuaded by another long-standing political friend, Winston Churchill, to serve as his Minister of Aircraft Production from May 1940. Churchill later praised his “vital and vibrant energy”.

He became the University of New Brunswick’s greatest benefactor, fulfilling the same role for the city of Fredericton and as he did for the province. He would provide additional buildings for the university, scholarship funds, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, the Beaverbrook Skating Rink, the Lord Beaverbrook Hotel, with profits donated to charity, the Playhouse, Louise Manny’s early folklore work, and numerous other projects. He bought the archive papers of both Bonar Law and David Lloyd George and placed them in the Beaverbrook Library within the Daily Express Building. Beaverbrook was always proud of his New Brunswick roots, and liked to claim in his last years that four of the most outstanding men of his generation were from New Brunswick.

We recommend reading more about Lord Beaverbrook if wish to understand his impact and full life story.

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FOUNDATION Magazine

COURTESY STEPHANIE SPENCER

Lord Beaverbrook

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RECOGNITION ISTOCK/ KATFLARE

Five Lives: What We Do

Each issue Foundation Magazine provides a mini-profile of five people whose work and commitment make Canada a more liveable country. We thank them for their service.

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Bernie Doepker is the Director Volunteer Services at Saskatchewan Health Authority. She is an experienced engagement director who has worked in the health and wellness industry for many years. “Prior to the pandemic, the SHA had a strong volunteer base,” said Doepker. “As with every sector, we are in the rebuilding phase for our volunteer team. We are asking people to consider volunteering with one of our programs across the SHA as we work together to improve health and well-being. Every day. For everyone.” A strong community and social services professional, Doepker has a Social Services Certificate focused on social work from Mount Royal University. For 13 years she was Home Services Coordinator in former Humboldt District and another 17 years she was the Volunteer Services lead and spiritual care management with Five Hills Health Region. Completed Saskatchewan Health Care Management Program and certified as a Lean Leader.

Eunice Doroni is the Manager of Youth Engagement at Alberta’s provincial volunteer centre. She is also one of the ACGC Top 30 Under 30 and works in community engagement and is an avid “relationshipper”. For nine years she has worked on her community building experience, primarily in outreach and communications roles. For the past four years, she has worked on various projects that support the growth and civic participation of young adults including the Alberta Civil Society Emerging Leaders Microgrant Program &Youth @ the Table (Volunteer Alberta), BOOST (The Africa Centre),Youth @ the Table (Volunteer Alberta), AMPLIFY Youth Voices, Louder: Amplifying Youth Voices in Activism (Oxfam Quebec), and RISE (Apathy is Boring). A champion for experiential learning, and work-integrated learning.

Chris Warner serves on the board of directors of Volunteer Victoria, in BC. He has worked in advisory-related financial positions since 2006 involving personal credit, commercial credit, investing, and insurance planning. Currently Chris works as a permanent insurance specialist and estate planner focused exclusively on high-net-worth financial planning. Chris regularly facilitates workshops and speaks at educational/professional events relating to financial planning and is a former member of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP). Chris studied Journalism in university, possesses strong communication skills, and worked professionally as a photographer, including official event photography at the 2010 Canadian National Gymnastics.

For Heather Vandenham, the Volunteer Coorindator at Life After Fifty, in Windsor, Ontario, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Life After Fifty is a member-based lifestyle and social club and she’s busy planning Christmas parties and gearing up for the last program schedule of 2024. She also going to be celebrating her one-year work anniversary in December. She notes that the saying “time flies when you are having fun” could not be more fitting for her. Life After Fifty is a very special place filled with the absolute best members, volunteers, and staff! Currently, we are doing well with many volunteer roles filled and new applicants coming in on a regular basis. Heather was in need of a couple of spare fitness spotters for LAF fitness classes on the East Side and a Computer training 1 on 1 volunteer on the West Side when we checked in on her.

Shelly Campbell was recognized with the Volunteer of the Year Award by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. The foundation is an integral part of the Prince Edward Island community and operates seven provincial museums and heritage sites across Prince Edward Island, providing Islanders and visitors alike with an opportunity to discover our province’s heritage and culture. Since moving to Prince Edward Island from the Caribbean Island of Nevis 30 years ago, Shelly Campbell of Tyne Valley has been a tireless community volunteer. In 2000, when the West Country Historical Society was restoring its museum to its 1894 appearance, Shelley volunteered to sew curtains and drapes for the living room, kitchen and pantry widows. She helped clean and restore the historic home and has continued to create and donate items to sell in the museum’s gift shop. Since that time, Shelly has volunteered to help with the decorations for all fundraising events and to clean and set up the museum each spring in preparation for the summer season. She then volunteers in the fall to place artifacts in storage for the winter months. Shelly has embraced the history and culture of Prince Edward Island, and in particular western PEI, and willingly shares her knowledge with enthusiasm. For 20 years she was a mentor to students and staff at the museum.

Outside of the museum, Shelly has volunteered her decorating skills and services for the local healthcare auxiliary, her church and for various community events.

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