Foundation Magazine March/April 2023

The Research Issue: A Sector Under Stress

INSIDE:

• 2023 Giving Report

• BLM Progress in Canada & USA

• Donor Patterns Changing

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The World Around Us

Protecting Migratory Birds with Video Technology

A DEDICATED TEAM of conservation specialists is at work to protect migratory birds in Shanghai, China. They monitor the site and bird populations with advanced video perception equipment which now assists in bird watching and providing a scientific basis for ecological protection been adapted to the task.

The Beibayao Wetland in the Dongtan Reserve in Shanghai, located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, provides food, shelter, and breeding grounds for nearly one million migratory birds each year. To ensure that Beibayao Wetland continues to meet the needs of its feathered visitors, a team of rangers, engineers and other specialists continually monitor the site and the bird populations. In recent years, the company Hikvision joined with the One Planet Foundation to protect the birds in Beibayao Wetland, which is a work area of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Among this dedicated team at the Reserve is Liu Jieyun, a WWF project specialist. According to Jieyun, managing the site and optimizing the habitat for the birds is a unique and complex task. It is critical to check, for example, that the water level at the site, the available exposed land, the vegetation, and other environmental factors, are conducive to the wellbeing of the visiting migratory birds. What’s more, Jieyun constantly monitors the behavior of the birds, counting the number of species present to understand and report on trends in their populations and diversity.

“The ultimate goal is to manage this wetland as well as possible and to ensure that it continues to function as a place where birds can stop, rest, spend the winter, and breed,” Jieyun says. “However, constantly monitoring the reserve and getting a close-up view of their behaviours, particularly their reproductive cycle, can be very difficult.”

PTZ (pan tilt zoom) cameras are being used to capture close-up images of birds and their behavior to support and enhance conservation efforts. At night or in low-light conditions, thermal dome cameras play a critical role in the continuous monitoring. Jieyun and the conservation team have captured incredible images of birds at the reserve, underlining the value of the site for multiple species. For example, the team has seen Kentish plovers wet their abdomens with muddy water to cool down hatchlings in their nests, and recorded images of birds fishing to feed their young.

The conversation team works tirelessly to ensure that the Dongtan Reserve meets the needs of visiting bird populations. Jieyun and other specialists say bird species recorded in Beibayao Wetland has increased from 150 to more than 200.

There are some star species, including the spoon-billed sandpiper, a species with fewer than 500 individuals remaining in the world. They’ve also seen laughing gulls, curly-feathered pelicans, Chinese crested terns, and other rare birds.

CONTENTS

March/April 2023 | Vol. 4 | No. 19

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SEEN, HEARD & NOTED

Revised settlement agreement of $23B reached to compensate First Nations children and families.

A revised final settlement agreement now totalling more than $23 billion was reached by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Moushoom and Trout class actions plaintiffs, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, and Canada to compensate those harmed by discriminatory underfunding of the First Nations Child and Family Services program and those impacted by the federal government’s narrow definition of Jordan’s Principle. We honour all the victims and survivors of Canada’s discrimination in child and family services and Jordan’s Principle.

The First Nations-led and designed agreement was collaboratively reached by all Parties. It is designed to fully meet the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT)’s compensation orders and the Moushoom and Trout Class Actions. The agreement is a meaningful step towards resolution and compensation. Comprehensive wellness supports for claimants are also included in the agreement.

Following the original settlement agreement, the revised final settlement agreement now includes a total of just over $23.34 billion — an increase of $3.3439 billion — to compensate First Nations children and families. In addition to those who were previously included, the agreement also includes: First Nations children who were placed in care that was not funded by Indigenous Services Canada; caregivers of children who were impacted by the government’s narrow definition of Jordan’s Principle; the estates of parents who

would have been eligible as one of the classes for compensation. This is a major milestone in advancing compensation; however, a few key steps remain. Canada, the AFN and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society will now return to the Tribunal to seek confirmation that the proposed revised settlement fully satisfies the Tribunal’s compensation orders. Once that is confirmed, the agreement will be brought to the Federal Court for approval. If approved, the process to implement the settlement will begin. To find out more about next steps in the compensation process and eligibility, visit www.fnchildcompensation.ca

Work continues in parallel with the ongoing negotiations to reform the First Nations Child and Family Services program and a long-term approach for Jordan’s Principle, to ensure this discrimination never happens again.

Primary care for everyone: Health-care leaders urge policymakers to urgently make fixes that would serve 6.5 million Canadians without primary care. The Public Policy Forum released a new report entitled Primary Care for

health-care reform. It was written by a panel of experts in the healthcare and academic fields.

Everyone in Canada should have timely access to a publicly funded primary care team within 30-minutes of where they live or work, the report authors argue. Primary care should be available to every person, just as public school in a local neighbourhood is available to every child in Canada. It should aim to improve the health of every population just as schools aim to effectively educate every child.

It is imperative that reform involve patients’ input, that implementation of primary care teams be accelerated, and that primary care data governance and infrastructure be improved.

In an attempt to “supercharge” reform, particularly for the 6.5 million people living in Canada who do not have access to a primary care team, the authors created a list of must-dos for policymakers. The list includes making national licensure of health professionals happen, tracking progress toward everyone in Canada having access to primary care, reforming compensation models and implementing the concept of ‘one patient, one chart.’

Primary Care for Everyone is

federal governments with upto-the-minute policy advice as the current health-care crisis unfolds. Other subject areas will be examined in coming months, including: data and digital technology, care and wellness of older people, and mental health services.

Voting now open for the 2023 Arthritis Ideator Awards People’s Choice. Voting opened for Canadians to choose their favourite innovation from one of the seven finalists selected to compete at Arthritis Society Canada’s second Arthritis Ideator Awards™, a pitch-style competition at Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District on April 20, 2023. Each finalist will be vying for one of four $50,000 grants to help them grow their venture. Three winning innovations will be selected by an expert panel of judges while the People’s Choice Award will be determined by popular vote. Canadians are encouraged to cast their vote online at arthritis. ca/peopleschoice. Voting closes on April 19. All winners of the 2023 Arthritis Ideator Awards™ will be announced at the live competition event on April 20.

“We must think differently as we work to solve the challenges of arthritis, a debilitating disease that impacts 1 in 5 Canadians and has no cure,” says Trish Barbato, President & CEO of Arthritis Society Canada. “The Arthritis Ideator Awards encourages and rewards bold, fearless thinking and will help get these innovations to the people who need them most –as quickly as possible.”

Everyone:

the second report in a yearlong project, coordinated by PPF, to provide provincial and

The seven finalists in alphabetical order include: Cadence Health Analytics, Windsor, Ont.: Inspired by his own experience with arthritis,

An urgent to-do list for reform, written by some of the country’s leading voices in

Stefan Gertz and his team have developed an app that helps you to optimize the limited time you have with your rheumatologist. The app gathers health insights before your appointment, so patients and doctors have everything at their fingertips.

eNable Analytics, Fredericton, N.B.: Alex Roberts, Sarah Diaz and Dr. Erik Scheme created eNable Analytics, sensor technology that augments walking aids such as canes and walkers and integrates with an app to monitor the gait of people with arthritis, to predict falls and motivate them to meet activity goals.

FirstHx, Toronto, Ont.: As a webbased medical intake platform, FirstHX is designed to reduce the time to get an arthritis diagnosis. By gathering a precise medical history before you see your doctor, FirstHx asks the questions that ensure the right diagnostic tests are ordered.

Heal Mary, Vancouver, B.C.:

Launched by Cassandra Hui, Heal Mary leverages machine learning language processing to match arthritis patients with the most appropriate clinical research trial.

Imaging Reality, Vancouver, B.C.: Imaging Reality is an immersive 3D medical imaging and virtual reality experience designed to enhance patients’ understanding of the arthritis in their joints, improving joint replacement surgery outcomes.

Joints on Point, Ottawa, Ont.:

Developed by physiotherapists, Joints on Point is a mobile app and web platform that will help people in rural and remote areas manage their osteoarthritis through a virtual online

community of physiotherapists, video programs, support tools and resources.

Pillcheck, Toronto, Ont.: Pillcheck optimizes arthritis medications based on your DNA with the help of an expert pharmacist. Pillcheck’s easy-touse, at-home test kit provides a lifetime of insights to avoid medication side effects.

Vote for the Arthritis Ideator Awards People’s Choice Award at arthritis.ca/peopleschoice

Learn more about the 2023 Arthritis Ideator awards at arthritis.ca/ideators

Fueled by the trust and support of our donors and volunteers, Arthritis Society Canada represents six million Canadians living with arthritis and the millions more who are impacted or at risk. Without action now, the number of Canadians living with arthritis will grow to nine million by 2040. Arthritis Society Canada is accredited under Imagine Canada’s Standards Program.

CWB Welding Foundation celebrates a decade of breaking barriers and addressing skill gaps in welding and welding-related industries. The CWB Welding Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a national not-for-profit charity focused on breaking barriers and bridging skill gaps in welding and welding-related industries. Since its inception in 2013, the CWB Foundation www. cwbweldingfoundation.org has been committed to raising awareness, advocating for the welding industry, delivering hands-on educational programs and investing in educational infrastructure to address the

shortage of skilled professionals in Canada.

“I am thrilled to say that over the past ten years, the CWB Welding Foundation has established partnerships and programs that are now positively impacting workforce development and skills-based recruitment and retention objectives within welding and welding-related industries. We are proud of our collective efforts to drive awareness and change perceptions to promote, develop and future proof skilled trades and technology employment opportunities. Our mission has always been to empower the next generation of skilled workers and we will continue to find new and innovative ways to achieve that goal,” says Susan Crowley, Executive Director for the CWB Welding Foundation.

Over the past ten years, the CWB Foundation has worked tirelessly to promote welding, welding-related and skilled trades, opening viable career

paths for Canadians of all ages.

Alongside the generous and committed support of partners, sponsors, and industry leaders, the CWB Foundation has achieved their goals by:

Supporting welding education and training: The CWB Foundation provides financial support, such as grants to schools and programs across Canada to enhance the quality of education and training available. They also offer resources and support to educators to help them better prepare students for the welding industry.

Addressing the skilled worker shortage in Canada: The CWB Foundation has launched several initiatives to encourage people of all ages to explore welding or welding related careers, including Mind Over Metal™ welding youth camps and adult workshops, Women of Steel™ pre-employment programs to encourage women to enter the

COURTESY NEWSWIRE/CWB WELDING FOUNDATION

welding profession, and the Educator Training programs.

Removing barriers: The CWB Foundation is a driving force behind providing access to welding education and certification for underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous peoples, and newcomers to Canada. By reducing financial, social, and cultural barriers to education, the CWB Foundation has helped thousands of Canadians enter the welding industry, further addressing the skilled worker shortage.

Promoting Safety and Innovation: The CWB Foundation promotes safety and innovation in the welding industry to improve welding safety through initiatives

FOUNDATIONAL HUMOUR

such as the CWB WeldSAFE™ program in partnership with the International Brother of Boilermakers, AltaGas, and industry leaders 3M Canada, Lincoln Electric and Weldready.

Encouraging industry collaboration: The CWB Foundation brings together industry leaders, educators, and other stakeholders to collaborate and share best practices in the welding industry. Together, they host conferences, workshops, and other events to promote knowledge-sharing and collaboration within welding and welding-related industries.

“I’ve had the privilege of being directly involved with the CWB Welding Foundation and watching it grow from a small

initiative to a dynamic national organization making a real difference in the lives of aspiring welders across Canada,” says Doug Luciani, President and CEO of CWB Group. “It’s remarkable to see how far we’ve come in only a decade, and I’m excited to see how the organization continues to grow its impact for years to come.”

As the CWB Foundation reflects on the progress made over the last 10 years, they look to the future and will continue to engage community, government and industry partners to tackle current and future labour, workforce and skills gaps challenges. Through their direct engagement and support with the next generation of skilled workers and their relentless focus on safe learning and working environments, the CWB Foundation will forge ahead and address existing and new opportunities while continuing to inspire individuals to explore welding and welding-related careers in safe and collaborative environments.

The CWB Welding Foundation is a registered charity that works with partners to support and sustain the need for skilled welding and technology professionals and contribute to Canada’s economic prosperity.

iWave Named the Top-Rated Fundraising Intelligence Solution for Twelfth Consecutive Quarter. iWave, a leading fundraising intelligence platform, has once again topped the list of G2’s Spring 2023 Grid Report for Donor Prospect Research. They have remained the highest-rated solution by their clients for their level of customer satisfaction, ease of use, and likeliness to recommend ratings on G2, the world’s leading

business solutions review website for three years running.

With 343 reviews iWave outperformed all other fundraising intelligence and donor research solutions. With a score of 90 in overall satisfaction, iWave outperformed DonorSearch at 68 and WealthEngine at 54, ranking it as the top choice and most userfriendly fundraising intelligence solution available to nonprofit organizations.

“We’re thrilled to receive continued positive feedback from our clients. I’m incredibly proud of our team for earning our leader standing on G2 for twelve consecutive quarters. This achievement is a testament to our commitment to excellence and dedication to our clients,” said iWave President and CEO Ross Beattie.

“We’re honored to receive this accolade once again on G2”, said iWave VP of Client Success, Penny Rennie. “Seeing our efforts to support our clients’ missions being recognized is rewarding and keeps everyone motivated to work towards common goals.”

Headquartered in Chicago, G2 is revolutionizing the way businesses discover, buy and manage software and services. More than three million users per month rely on G2 to help them find and buy the best software for their businesses. iWave, the industry’s top-rated fundraising intelligence solution, enables nonprofit organizations to fundraise with confidence. In a new era of nonprofit fundraising, iWave solves critical challenges facing fundraising professionals today: how to identify, qualify, and retain donors to raise more gifts. iWave’s intuitive and easy-to-use solutions give access to the industry’s highest quality wealth and

JONNY HAWKINS

philanthropic information so you can determine who to ask, how much to ask for, and when to ask.

Honda Canada Foundation donates $200,000 to Habitat for Humanity Canada to support homeownership dreams. Designed to provide Black families more opportunities to build equity through homeownership, Honda Canada Foundation, Honda’s charitable arm in Canada, is donating $200,000 over the next two years to Habitat for Humanity Canada. Honda Canada Foundation’s donation to Habitat Canada will help address the racial homeownership gap and provide Black families with more opportunities to build equity through homeownership.

The first $100,000 installment will fund a project led by Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area while the second installment will support a project led by Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta.

Last November, 14 volunteers from Honda Canada took part in a Habitat Build Day with more days planned in 2023 in the Greater Toronto Area.

“Access to affordable homeownership is a dream for many hard-working families and today’s housing market makes such dreams difficult to reach,” says Tony Facciolo, Chair of the Honda Canada Foundation.

“Honda Canada Foundation and Honda associates feel strongly about supporting families in the community and helping them turn homeownership dreams into reality. From moving building materials to putting up drywall, our associates were full of energy in volunteering their time and hard work during our initial Habitat Build Day.”

“At Habitat Canada, we know

that homeownership transforms lives,” said Julia Deans, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada. “Our new partnership with the Honda Canada Foundation will help remove the barriers that have contributed to the disproportionate lack of homeownership opportunities for Black people in Canada. Through our Black Families Funding Initiative, we can provide more Black families with an opportunity to build financial stability and equity through affordable homeownership. We’re proud to partner with an organization that shares our belief that everyone benefits when we all have a decent place to call home.”

Established in 2005, Honda Canada Foundation (HCF) aims to enable the realization of dreams through various annual philanthropic activities and funding to non-profit registered charities across Canada where Honda customers and associates live, work and play. Founded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national, charitable organization working toward a world where everyone has a decent and affordable place to call home. Habitat for Humanity brings communities together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership.

With the help of volunteers, Habitat homeowners and 48

local Habitats working in every province and territory, we provide a solid foundation for better, healthier lives in Canada and around the world.

Top Takeaways from FII Institute’s Global PRIORITY Summit. The Global Priority Summit, which brings together world leaders and international changemakers, hosted panels discussing top global concerns and exchanging ideas in order to formulate actionable solutions for the future. A total of 86 worldrenowned speakers were joined by more than 700 delegates. The forum was aligned with the city’s initiative to become a tech and innovation hub and is being hosted at the Faena Forum in Miami Beach in partnership with the Mayor of the City of Miami, Francis X. Suarez.

FII Institute’s CEO, Richard Attias, announced the forthcoming release of the 2023 PRIORITY Report and Tracker, an interactive dashboard designed for leaders and policymakers to visualize and interpret the global priorities of citizens around the world. Attias highlighted, “the FII Institute’s mission is simple: humanity. Our PRIORITY is people. Giving decision makers access to these resources will create a tangible, positive impact on humanity.”

Many of the summit’s panels focused on humanity’s most pressing concerns and global

issues such as inflation, rising cost of living, and the state of the global economy as well as other topics like cryptocurrency, e-sports, and many more. The inperson and virtual attendees also heard from world leaders from business, government, academia, civil society, technology, media and even TIME Magazine’s first-ever “Kid of the Year,” who highlighted the learning poverty experienced by children all over the world.

The influence of data was a key thought consideration across the panels, as the speakers emphasized the importance of using data to drive decisions that will then have an Impact on Humanity. These impactful insights will then be utilized in achieving the Global PRIORITY Summit’s goal of creating a roadmap for the future with tangible calls to action. FII Institute announced that it will be hosting another annual summit here in 2024.

THE FUTURE INVESTMENT INITIATIVE (FII) INSTITUTE is a new global nonprofit foundation with an investment arm and one agenda: Impact on Humanity. Global, inclusive and committed to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, we foster great minds from around the world and turn ideas into real-world solutions in five critical areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, Education, Healthcare and Sustainability.

WEALTH MANAGEMENT MALCOLM BURROWS

Complaining About a Charity

BY MALCOLM BURROWS

Charity regulators all have processes for members of the public to make complaints about the charities. These processes reveal as much about the regulator and the underlying laws as they do about charity malfeasance. Charities are generally good actors, but they do sometimes have lapses or get caught in internal, community, or national politics. In a few cases, you have “wolf in sheep’s clothing” charities, which whistle blowing mechanisms are designed to catch. Here’s a sampling of complaint processes in Canada and the UK.

Canada Revenue Agency

Canada’s primary charity regulator is the Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). CRA has a process to report “suspected non-compliance by registered charities”. The short section on the website is bureaucratic. The language may be a bit confusing to the average citizen. CRA’s authority over charities arises from the Income Tax Act, which is the basis for charity registration. The focus is on tax abuse and charitable activities.

GARY TANNYAN

Malcolm Burrows

The CRA solicits information about the following topics from the public:

❯ conducting improper fundraising

❯ undertaking non-charitable activities

❯ providing false receipts

❯ providing private benefits to directors of the charity or third parties

❯ misappropriating funds

❯ lacking direction and control on activities carried out outside Canada

❯ operating an unrelated business

Complaints may be made anonymously, and the identity of all whistleblowers, even if disclosed, is confidential. At the CRA the complaints go into a black box. There is no reporting about the process unless a charity is revoked, annulled, suspended, or penalized. CRA outlines the complaint process but essentially buries it on its website. This low-key approach may reflect the Charities Directorates generally supportive approach to charities in its regulatory activities. (Muslim charities and some charity lawyers will disagree with this characterization.)

Charity Commission of England and Wales

By contrast, the primary charity regulator for the UK, the Charity Commission in England and Wales spotlights its comprehensive complaint process. In Google search results on my phone, I was shocked to see a tab entitled “Complain about a charity” listed first over all other topics. (The search results are ranked differently on a desktop computer, which may be a clue about the intersection on social media and complaints.) The Commission regulates charities through the lens of trust law.

The complaint section of the website encourages members of the public to file complaints to the Commission on several grounds. They focus on protection of charitable property, purposes, and people. The goal is to “make sure that charities are accountable, well-run and meet their legal obligations”. Complaints can be made if:

❯ a charity not doing what it claims to do

❯ losing lots of money

❯ harming people

❯ being used for personal profit or gain

❯ involved in illegal activity

Note the plain language. And, there is a rigorous, clear complaint process, not just an email box. There are also sections for Trustees, Auditors and charity employees. The Commission also provides links to other regulators that focus on fundraising and advertising — both forms of consumer protection.

Charity complaints have become a political issue in the UK. There is extensive collateral on the topic and MP briefing notes. The Commission publishes annual reports on the number of complaints received and investigated annually, which are typically under 25 each year. My UK charity colleagues tell me that the Commission was especially activist pre-pandemic and focused on international charities and incidents of sexual and behavioral abuse. While the abuse concerns are serious, my colleagues wondered out loud at what point regulatory accountability turns into political retribution.

Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee Ontario, through the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT), has the most robust Canadian charity complaint process. Like the UK, they regulate trust law. Ontario also has its unique Charities Accounting Act. The focus is on protecting charitable property, purposes, payment of directors, and businesses controlled by the charity. There is a formal complaint process, but, to the best of my knowledge, no public reporting on complaint outcomes. Ontario is also the only province with separate charity legislation that enables complaints.

Frankly, the Ontario PGT charities group is small — very knowledgeable but understaffed. They lack the investigative resources to follow though on most complaints. The website outlines a robust process that may not be backed up with enforcement capacity.

Fundraising Acts

There are other regulators that oversee the activities of charities in Canada, particularly related to provincial consumer protection and fundraising legislation. Alberta, for example, has its Charitable Fundraising Act, that applies to all charities operating in Alberta. Imagine Canada has a helpful round up of other Canadian legislation that affects charities.

In Conclusion

I am certainly not suggesting that charities are rife with problems and abuses that need investigation. I do, however, believe that social media and increased political polarization will drive interest in complaint processes in the future. All good regulatory systems have checks and balances. Mechanisms for public reporting are important, even if the complaints are not always grounded or balanced.

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.

Charity complaints have become a political issue in the U.K.

An Appetite for Evolution: The Paradox

BY KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE, MAdEd

As a professional fundraiser, I sometimes wonder what does it take to evolve and remain responsive in our sector? Can we grow as professionals by working together in partnership with other individuals, groups or organizations? And can we be inspired by partnerships to help inform our own evolution, to shape and transform the way we raise funds?

Julian Baggini says of the Appetite Paradox: “Appetite needed to evolve to tell us how much to eat reliably, but we cannot rely on appetite to tell us what we need to eat today.” If we follow this reasoning, the partnership paradox could mean that philanthropy needs to evolve to inform how we partner, yet we cannot solely rely on these partnerships to shape our philanthropy.

If we have learnt anything from a global pandemic is that no one in the profession of fundraising can work in isolation in order to survive, more so if we want to evolve. The second decade of this century has brought to light deeply rooted social and economic issues that now inform how we practice fundraising. So maybe, we need to be inspired to challenge traditional philanthropic practices in order to evolve.

Inspired by learning

Is it possible that we may be inspired by experiential learning? One such example of this learning is the Trust Collective, a gender-based philanthropy established in 2018 to respond to issues such as the

Kathleen A. Provost

MeToo movement and a push for gender equality. In her March 6, 2023 article in The Philanthropist Journal, Nicola Hives, Director of Growth Strategy at Toronto Foundation and program lead of the Trust Collective reflected on the learning in this first donor journey rooted in equity and diversity.

The objective of the Trust Collective was to foster a community of informed and engaged philanthropists who could accelerate meaningful change not just by alleviating people’s needs, but also in an effort to address the root causes of those inequities. However in Hives words: “We made a lot of mistakes.”

Hives cites some of the key learning from this experience:

“We rushed to execute what we believed was a solution to a timely problem without consulting community. We also struggled with the historic tendency to serve donors and thought our intentions were good; however, when we tried to adapt, we could not please everyone. Additionally, we realized we could not let our ambition to make a difference get the better of us. Thoughtfulness and partnering with community are everything. Just because we think we’re doing good didn’t mean we were.”

It takes a lot of maturity to assess our own mistakes and to learn from them, but if we can be humble enough to take stock and learn from a donor journey, as is the case here, it is possible for philanthropic partnerships to deepen our relationships with communities. It may even be possible that these partnerships make us evolve as professional fundraisers within our charitable work.

Inspired by listening

There are times when we get all caught up in our own charities’ needs and don’t quite listen to our donors’ needs. Our donors, those directly involve in philanthropy, are our best teachers. Actively listening to donors needs can help inform and even shape the charitable sector as we know it. We are all impacted by the current economic situation. Charities face a delicate balance between rising costs and increased demand for their services. However, are we sensitive towards the

financial difficulties of our donor base?

In the February 2023 edition of Charity Digital, Laura Stanley attempted to predict some donor behaviours whilst they responded to the economic and social challenges. She said that according to the International Monetary Fund, the UK economy will shrink over the next 12 months, while the cost-of-living crisis will continue to affect households with little sign of abating soon. The same could be said about the economic outlook in the United States and here in Canada.

According to Stanley, it is essential that charities do what they can to make donating easier, by better understanding donors’ preferences and motivations.

Quoting a recent Blackbaud report, Stanley highlighted certain donors’ trends as follows: Donors prefer to make cash donations, additionally, because donors want flexibility one-time donations are more popular than multi-year commitments, and lastly donors remain generous and will find ways to continue to support their charities of choice.

The following donor behaviour is unusual and illustrates why we must actively listen to a donor’s intent. In 2022, American Airbnb co-founder and billionaire Brian Chesky chose to make the biggest single gift of his fledgling philanthropic career: a $100 million contribution to the

Obama Foundation. Chesky said “He enjoys meeting scholarship recipients and experiencing an immediate feedback and he hoped his commitment would inspire others his age.”

Inspired by action

South of the Canadian border, it was Eileen R. Heisman, President and CEO: National Philanthropic Trust who drew our attention to the manner in which the nonprofit sector is discussing racial equity and power dynamics. She points to our charitable work as the new possible “public discourse” in solving deeply rooted issues. She states that charities must support key actions by providing more accountability and transparency.

With her 2023 prediction, Heisman introduce two terms for donor behaviour:

First, Heisman refers to the term “rage giving” which follows moments of social or political upheaval. Charitable giving is one tool donors can utilize to take action. However, she cautions us to this shortterm philanthropic strategy and states that loyal donors can help charities be more sustainable with actions that may have a greater impact.

Heisman also references a donor behaviour as “effective altruism”, which she defines as a distinction between donors’ philanthropy guided by emotions on key issues, versus those who place a premium on exclusively giving by metrics.” However, Heisman cautions us not to rely exclusively on data to inform our charitable giving.

Hence, as fundraisers, we may find ourselves needing to build trust and transparency with stakeholders in an effort to change philanthropy. The very act of giving may evolve from an action of generosity to an action for change.

Maureen Bell, a Canadian philanthropist in the Trust Collection said this about her experience. “I’ll be honest, I spent most of my career in banking, where measures of impact are in direct conflict with trust-based philanthropy. I’ve learned to let go of my personal conditioning with

CONTINUED ON page 21

We need to be inspired to challenge practices to evolve.

THINKING OUT LOUD MARYANN

KERR

A Radical Act of Democracy

BY MARYANN KERR

When I was young and marching in the streets of Toronto at anti-war, pro-choice, ‘save our education” and grape boycott demonstrations, the song we sang was We Shall Not Be Moved. 1 Though I did not know it at the time, the song has deep roots as a spiritual hymn sung by enslaved African Americans in the early 19th century. I thought it was a Pete Seeger and the Weavers song. Of course, I did.

In my mid twenties reading authors like Zora Neale Thurston2 and Alice Walker3, I didn’t think of them as Black authors. I thought of them as women authors. Of course, I did.

“Of course, I did” because in spite of my activism, I lived in a white-washed and segregated world. I still do. I swim in the ocean that is white supremacy culture. I swim in a sea of patriarchy and capitalism.

Maryann Kerr

I am not the person I was then. Neither am I the person I was last week or month and definitely not last year. As author Jim Kwik writes, “If you know me based on who I was a year ago, then you don’t know me at all. My growth game is strong. Allow me to reintroduce myself.”

Imagine how different our social movements might be if every person engaged in social activism could remember this simple truth. Remember that many people work hard to be better, to do better. Sometimes we make mistakes. We center ourselves — or as we’ve come to call this — we are fragile. We turn the focus on ourselves by being defensive and sad.

I want to tell you not to do this--and that I understand. I’ve done it. As hard as I will try, I might do it again. I’m human and therefore fallible. You are too.

When I’ve worked with or for women from the global majority, I’ve paid special attention to the idea that in me they might see every White woman who tried to steal their job. They might see every White woman who has diminished and disrespected them. I may represent every White woman who has stolen a Black woman’s ideas and represented them as her own. I remind myself that my colleagues from the global majority worked twice as hard as I did to make it to where they are today. Then, I look for ways to be less threatening. Because my very existence is a threat.

It doesn’t always work. Sometimes the folks you work with have developed their own deep-seated and internalized racism, misogyny, and insecurity. Some so-called leaders have learned to bully, diminish, disrespect and divide and conquer because that’s what happened to them from folks they believed were leaders. That’s what they learned from the dominant culture.

I’ve seen this happen with folks from many parts of the non-dominant culture — gay men, Black women, a disability advocate. In each case they were terrible leaders and bullies — and how they got there was by being treated this way themselves. For generations

they’ve watched and experienced lousy leadership from society-defined “successstories” in the dominant culture. From this we’ve created a workplace version of intergenerational trauma.

Bruce was the first man I knew who called himself a feminist. He was 6’4” tall and had a booming, deep voice. He told me that when he walks at night and sees a woman ahead coming towards him or coming up from behind, or sees he is ‘following’ — he criss-crosses to the other side of the street. He knew he represented danger even though he wasn’t dangerous.

In meetings and at social events, he worked hard to quiet his voice and to make space for women to speak even if it meant he did not contribute. At times, when he heard a man repeat what had just been said by a woman and ignored — he would point out that this was exactly what the woman had said and ensured she was credited with her own voice.

Bruce made lots of mistakes. However, he was actively trying to make a difference. This was the early ‘80s and his actions were radical for the time. Perhaps they still are. When Bruce messed up, his feminist sisters called him in. We were not always nice, but we were always kind. And he was grateful. Humble. Gracious.

This is what I was thinking about when I watched the film Women Talking. I’d asked three people to watch with me and each, in turn, suggested it seemed too dark. It wasn’t their thing. So, I nestled into my comfy chair and watched.

Sarah Polley won an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay for the film. In her acceptance speech she said, “Miriam Toews wrote an essential novel about a radical act of democracy in which people who don’t agree on every single issue manage to sit together in a room and carve out a way forward together, free of violence.”

A radical act of democracy. This is what we need in the social impact space. A radical act of democracy.

From the moment the words “What follows is an act of female imagination” flash across the screen to the final line, “Your story will be different from ours”

the film is an expression of our complex and yet simple humanity. It is hopeful. It speaks to the power of silence and the burden of an untold story. It asks us to clarify what we are fighting for not just what we seek to destroy. It elevates the beauty and necessity of dreams and vision and anger. It succinctly illustrates systems thinking, internalized misogyny and the exquisite depth of believing in each other’s lived experience. It elegantly demonstrates how to give and receive an apology.

When one of the ‘women talking’ suggests we must “process pain into fuel” we are reminded that trauma does not always beget trauma. Generations of trauma have created a traumatized workplace. Many take that trauma, whether from their family of origin or the workplace, or elsewhere and bravely create something new. I think of organizations like jack.org and Gilda’s Club and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Others cannot work through it and may create new trauma as a result. It is the reason that my colleague Hugh Drouin, author of The Inspired Workplace says that leaders don’t need to be heroes, they need to be healers. So much of our work in organizations is about healing and that healing starts with each of us. We need to do the inside work to identify our traumas — and work through them. From adverse childhood experiences to sexual assault in the workplace — the trauma we carry can help us be and do better, or not. What will you choose?

MARYANN KERR is Chief Happiness Officer, CEO and principal consultant with the Medalist Group. Maryann is a governance, leadership and culture specialist, has worked in the social profit sector for 34 years and helped raise over $110M. She is an associate consultant with Global Philanthropic Canada. Maryann is a sector leader with a passion for her social justice, feminism, and continuous learning. Maryann’s first book was published by Civil Sector Press in 2021: Tarnished: Let’s rethink, reimagine and co-create a new social impact sector. Maryann earned her CFRE in 1997 and her master’s in organizational leadership in 2016. She is currently exploring opportunities for a Ph.D. or perhaps a second book. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Shall_Not_Be_Moved

2 https://www.zoranealehurston.com/

3 https://alicewalkersgarden.com/

Chamberlin

MARKETING & FUNDRAISING SARAH

CHAMBERLIN

BY SARAH CHAMBERLIN

As we start to shake off the last few signs of winter and welcome the sunshine back into our lives, I’m thrilled to share that the annual CAMH Sunrise Challenge is back for its third consecutive year!

From May 29th to June 2nd, 2023, The Sunrise Challenge invites Canadians to wake up with the sun for five days while raising money to support the groundbreaking mental health research happening at CAMH. Every dollar raised accelerates the pace of discovery, transforms patient care, and supports the most urgent hospital needs. It’s a fun and simple way to support the work we’re doing to find new solutions to the most complex issues in mental health.

CAMH Invites You to Rise with the Sun for Mental Health Research

Sarah

Anyone can participate in the challenge individually, or as a team, and by rising together and inspiring our friends, family and co-workers to get behind the cause, we can change mental health forever.

This challenge is unique in that while it has the power to unite a community, much like other fun challenges, it goes so much farther than just five days of waking up early for yourself and your community. The funds raised through this challenge have a long-lasting impact on countless of lives that look to CAMH for support and life-saving treatment year-round. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the summer every year than with reminding yourself and those around you of the importance of being mindful of your mental health, all while making a difference in the lives of those that need it the most.

Canadians from coast-to-coast will take the time to do one thing that benefits their mental health each morning. My favourite part of the challenge is seeing the ways that different people take care of their mental health, as it is the most personal aspect of the challenge and not necessarily something we share with one another regularly. For me, this involves making sure I get outside for a walk and finding a morning moment to practice mindfulness. At its core, the Sunrise Challenge reminds us of the importance of taking a few moments every day to allow ourselves to give our mental health the attention it needs, while normalizing the ritual in our day-to-day lives. It has slowly built up a community of individuals that are rallying every year for each other and mental health as a whole.

To keep the community connected, we encourage all of our participants to share their Sunrise Moment using the hashtag #CAMHSunriseChallenge. Your Sunrise Moment can be a picture of the sunrise, an inspiring quote or mantra, a healthy breakfast, or anything else that shows you completed the challenge that day by waking up early and taking care of your mental health.

If you want to get involved but you’re not sure where to start, here are some tips to get you motivated:

1

Register and customize your page | After you register yourself or your team, it’s time to customize the page you’ll direct your donations to. Add some personal flair with a photo and your reason for getting involved. We all have a reason to join this community. We all know someone that is affected—a friend, a colleague or a family member, perhaps even ourselves now or at some point in our lives. Use that motivation to inspire others to support you. (Register here: https://give. camh.ca/site/TRR/Events/SunriseChallenge/1576026438?pg=tfind&fr_id=1220 )

2

Invite friends to join you on the journey | Whether they join your team or register as individuals, getting other people involved makes the challenge that much more fun! Kick the excitement off with a team party – whether virtual or in person – and come up with a catchy team name to stand by together!

3

Hot fundraising tip: Be genuine | When you’re asking your friends and family for their support, be sure to express why this cause is so important to you and why they should support you in your fundraising efforts. You can check out our templates and resources to get started—but be sure to add your own personality, your supporters want to hear from you! 4

Save the dates! | Registered participants will receive emails with key dates to look forward to and reminders about Sunrise Challenge week. On Wednesday, May 3rd, you can join us for the We Rise Together Rally to virtually to kick off Sunrise Challenge week and on Thursday, May 4th, it’s Match Day! All donations to the Sunrise Challenge will be matched to help you be even more successful on your fundraising journey.

Since its inauguration, the Sunrise Challenge has rallied over 7,000 participants and raised more than $3.7 million in support of CAMH. This year, we hope to see even more Canadians rise together for mental health to show everyone living with mental illness that they have the support of an incredible community. I urge you to join me in rising with the sun for mental health research and building a world where no one is left behind.

SARAH CHAMBERLIN is Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Community Giving and Engagement at CAMH Foundation. The Foundation supports the philanthropic efforts of CAMH, Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and a world leader in mental health research, treatment, and advocacy. Please visit CAMH.ca to read more about the important work CAMH is doing with the help of our communities or email Sarah at sarah.chamberlin@camh.ca. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine

COURTESY CAMH FOUNDATION

THE ACCIDENTAL PHILANTHROPIST MARK HALPERN

Strategic Philanthropy: Using Life Insurance Just Got Easier

BY MARK HALPERN, CFP, TEP, MFA-P

Strategic Philanthropy and the

use

of Life Insurance

has been spoken about for a very long time, but it remains a narrow niche within the financial planning community. Accountants, lawyers, insurance advisors and estate planning professionals have set a brilliant standard doing amazing tax planning for clients up to a certain point — but there’s a whole shelf above that planning using Strategic Philanthropy that is not understood and is largely ignored as it seen as too complex.

Mark Halpern, CFP, TEP, MFA-P

We’ve been addressing that for many years with our strong focus on educating professionals, affluent families, and business owners about how to incorporate Strategic Philanthropy into clients and donors’ estate planning. So that’s why I was excited when Canada Life approached me to help advise them on the development of a new Life Insurance product created specifically to meet the needs of charities, donors, and professional advisors.

That product by Canada Life — called My Par Gift™ — became available for purchase on April 3, 2023, and it 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, with the donor as the insured person and the charity as the owner and beneficiary.

The charity immediately issues a donation tax receipt for the entire premium amount, which the donor can use to offset up 75 percent of their annual net taxable income. It also provides with the ability to create a legacy gift of 5-20 times the net value of their 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.

Meeting charities’ needs

In addition to speaking with advisors like me who are specialists in the Philanthropy and Life Insurance space, Canada Life consulted extensively with charities to find out what they were looking for from a Life Insurance gift.

What they heard was that insurance policies donated to charities often have ongoing premium commitments. If the donor stops paying those premiums, what was meant to be a gift can become a liability with the charity forced to step in to pay the premiums and prevent the policy from lapsing. That’s not an issue

with Canada Life My Par Gift™ because the donor pays the full cost of the insurance upfront with a single premium.

Charities also told Canada Life they need flexibility to meet pressing immediate needs, as well as long-term needs. The way Canada Life My Par Gift™ is structured means the charity can choose whether to use potential dividends to grow the policy value and cash value or to take that money out as cash to use if for any purpose. In addition, the charity enjoys flexibility to access the cash surrender value (CSV) — though this will decrease the death benefit.

As Vikram Malik, Canada’s Life’s Vice President, Par Pricing & Special Initiatives puts it, “When donors are looking to make a planned gift, they’re looking for an opportunity to have an impact and to leave a legacy — and insurance can grow that impact and maximize that legacy. But the issue is that, for charities, it can create some complexities and challenges, and that’s been a barrier in the past. A product like this simplifies the experience for charities and professional advisors.”

Overcoming barriers and pain points Canada Life took a lot of time to understand barriers for charities, donors and professionals, and I shared my thoughts on specific pain points from onboarding through to delivering the death benefit. All of this helped them define the value proposition for the new product and, through an iterative process, streamline every aspect of its design.

“This was not something that was developed inside the four walls of an insurance company,” Vikram explains. “It was a very interesting journey to identify that there was a problem, and then to start to learn more about the problem and the challenges, and then to put forth solutions in conjunction with the advisors, specialists and charities in this space.”

This consultative approach was critical because only a small number of advisors regularly apply Life Insurance in service of Strategic Philanthropy and Estate Planning or made it a core part of their business. Many don’t. For them, I’m hopeful that Canada Life My Par Gift™ breaks down barriers like complexity, enabling them to offer an elegant, simple solution to clients with philanthropic objectives.

“We want advisors to engage with clients on philanthropy discussions, and traditionally that hasn’t happened in an insurance conversation because of the complexity” Vikram adds. “Canada Life My Par Gift™ really opens up new conversations and new opportunities, especially because we’ve set the minimum premium amount (or minimum donation amount) at $10,000 so it’s really accessible for the mass affluent.”

Doing well, doing good What excites me about Canada Life

My Par Gift™ first and foremost, is the opportunity for the insurance industry to do more to have a positive social impact. It’s promoting awareness of charitable giving, of planned giving, and the product itself is a vehicle to facilitate the transfer of wealth for social purposes.

I discovered years ago that Strategic Philanthropy and Life Insurance is a

Charity receives something of much greater value.

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wonderful opportunity to combine doing well with doing good. We’ve set an ambitious objective within our practice to create $1 billion per year for charities by creating a national community of 100 other allied professionals and charities who want to strive to create $10 million a year in new legacy gifts to charity. It’s like crowdfunding and makes $1 billion and more a year very much within reach. Imagine the social impact we can all have on an already stressed charitable industry.

Canada Life My Par Gift™ will play a role in helping us attain that ambitious objective. It’s a game-changer for the insurance and philanthropy market because most people in Canada still don’t realize that you can use Life Insurance for philanthropy — that, in fact, Life Insurance is one of the most cost-effective and tax-effective ways to support a charity you care about. Now, with a one-and-done payment of as little as $10,000 for donors aged 18 to 75, it’s easy to leverage this powerful tool in a way that makes sense for charities, donors, and professional advisors.

Of course, many other strategies are available as well, including solutions that combine different products to create customized solutions for affluent families and business owners with specific needs and goals.

It’s important to know that charitable donations on death can be used to mitigate up to 100 percent of estate tax owing, and the receipt can even be used for the year prior to death. That means for every $2 donated to charity at death, $1 of tax is saved. So imagine an estate with a tax bill of $1 million. By donating

a $2 million Life Insurance policy payable on death to a charity, donor advised fund or private foundation, that $1 million of tax now becomes $1 million of charity, created in a very cost and tax-efficient way using Life Insurance and other planning strategies. There’s also the option of donating an existing permanent Life Insurance policy that is no longer needed or converting a soon-to-expire term Life Insurance policy into permanent Life Insurance, with no medical evidence required, and donating that. Actuarial values (the amount of the charitable tax receipt) are typically in the range of 30 percent to 60 percent of the policy face amount based on health and life expectancy of the insured, so these no-longerneeded policies can be transformed into very meaningful charitable donations.

We enjoy developing just the right approach for each situation, so please reach out and let’s collaborate. We are working with over 60 charities already to help them with their planned legacy giving. It’s a specialized field that hopefully with Canada Life’s My Par Gift™, will get more charities and professionals to become engaged in this very meaningful area of client and donor planning.

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.

An Appetite for Evolution: The Paradox

CONTINUED FROM page 13

reporting and instead embraced giving with no strings attached.”

My final thoughts

In my pursuit to better understand how I can evolve as a professional and how best respond to the ever-changing needs of our sector, I looked for inspirations that can help us profoundly shape our philanthropy today. In my opinion, the previously mentioned author’ examples illustrate how we must remain responsive to key contributors as we develop partnerships because each contributor has the potential to influence fundamentally the work we do in the charitable sector. If the profession of fundraising is to evolve, we need to seek inspiration through various partnerships to succeed.

Three different women, reviewing donor behaviours in different countries each illustrated current challenges as well as ways these challenges can inspire us. E.R. Heisman (USA), N. Hives (Canada) and L. Stanley (UK) all provide great insight for us to use partnerships to help challenge traditional philanthropic practices and evolve.

I must agree with Jean-Marc Mangin president and CEO of Philanthropic Foundations Canada who said: “In the midst of every crisis, there are opportunities.”

KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE is currently the Director, Campaign Initiatives at St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, NS. She brings over 25 years of fundraising experience within 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). As a recognized leader, Kathleen has tailored presentations and workshops for French and English audiences at various events including AFP-Nova Scotia, AFP-Ottawa, AFP-National Congress, Coady International Institute and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education. Kathleen is a McGill University graduate and holds a Master, Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University. She has received numerous recognitions during her career, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the charitable sector and 2021 Fundraiser of the Year in Nova Scotia. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

Charitable donations on death can be used to mitigate up to 100% of estate tax.

How You Can Find a Good Story

BY MARY CAHALANE

How do you find a good story?

If your organization wants to communicate well with donors — in a way that moves them to feel connected to your mission — you’ll need stories.

Stories are how we relate… and have been forever. It’s a human thing. Consider Neanderthal cave art. Even before we were Homo sapiens, we were sharing stories through art.

It’s also thought that stories trigger hormones, especially oxytocin. This hormone can make us feel closer to other people. It’s the bonding hormone. And that bonding is what makes stories such a powerful tool for us when trying to connect with donors.

But where are those stories hiding?

Look in your own backyard. People your nonprofit has

helped? Your program staff? Current donors? Someone in your community your nonprofit works with?

Any and all of these paths can bring you to a hidden treasure. But first, you need to unearth that treasure with an interview — or several. And how you do that can be the difference between a compelling story and a trite advertisement for your organization.

Interview tips to get a great story

1Have a sense of where you’re going

What kind of story do you need? Will it be used for an appeal or a newsletter? What’s your message? What do you know about your interview subject? How might they lead you to a good story? You should have a sense before you begin about what you need. But you should also be ready to discard

ISTOCK/ MAKHBUBAKHON ISMATOVA

that sense. Because the most interesting stories pop up when you least expect them. So have a destination in mind, but be ready to step off the path.

2 Begin the interview with assurances

Your subject may feel nervous about sharing a story – especially if it’s a difficult one to think about. So your first job is to put them at ease. Introduce yourself. Have a little chit-chat. Let them start to feel comfortable. Then assure them that they’re in control. They can share whatever they like now. And they will have a chance to see what you write before it’s public. (This can derail a great story later, but your subject’s control and dignity are most important.)

3 Record the conversation

Even if you’re a master of the ageold art of shorthand, there’s no good way to take enough notes and also focus entirely on your subject. So record the conversation. (I use Fathom, a free Zoom app. It records and transcribes the conversation. Use the link and you can skip the waiting list.) Of course, you will tell the subject that you plan to record your chat. And again, if they object, you’ll have to be ready to try to scribble and think at the same time. So do all you can to put them at ease. I tell everyone I interview that the recording is only for my records. And that I want to be sure I get accurate information from them… not distorted by my notes.

4

Start with basic biographical information

This is usually an easy place to begin. Ask them to tell you about themselves. Once people feel comfortable with you and know you’re listening, they’re happy to tell you about themselves.

5 Listen with complete focus

Go ahead and jot down some things you want to ask. But once the conversation starts, your job is total concentration. Yes, you’ll be directing the conversation, but gently. And when

your subject is talking, they need to have your complete attention. This also makes them feel comfortable sharing more. And be comfortable yourself with quiet. Don’t jump in because there’s a pause. Judge if the person you’re talking with is thinking, or finished talking for the moment. Give them time. This is often when good nuggets present themselves. Quiet is your friend!

6

Ask good — and open-ended — questions

If you’ve been listening well, you’ll have some good questions. Try to avoid questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no”. Instead, ask questions that invite your subject to think… and, again, give them space to do that. Follow up on anything interesting. “Tell me a little more about that” can be helpful. “How did you feel?” is another good question. You’re not Joe Friday, and you don’t just want the facts. You do want the feelings, so make space for them. This is the key part of the interview. Don’t rush, follow any leads, clarify any questions you have, and let them feel free to go wherever they want. It’s their story, after all.

7 Magic interview questions to end with

Ask your subject if there’s anything they’d like to add. Then be quiet. Let the quiet sit for a bit if necessary. Then ask what they’d want to say to your organization’s donors if they had the chance. Again, leave room for them to think and answer.

8 Ending the chat

Thank them for sharing their personal story. Reassure them you’ll treat it with the care it deserves. Ask them if they have any questions for you. And tell them where to reach you if they think of anything else.

You can find the best stories. Stories are how we humans communicate. So finding the best stories is an important part of good donor relations. Whether you’re creating an appeal or reporting back to donors about what their generosity has done, a good story says so much more than any list of stats or facts.

O ering professional prospect research, training, and fundraising strategy.

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

MARY CAHALANE is a fundraising specialist.

Inside the 2023 Giving Report: A Time for Change

BY DUKE CHANG

This is our sixth iteration of The Giving Report, a raw and honest look at the state of the charitable sector in Canada. Historically, we balance the narrative by sharing important impact stories about the vital work charities do to create societal change — but not this year.

The issues CanadaHelps uncovered are simply too concerning and our focus is to ensure the gravity of the situation is understood and acted upon by Canadians and charities.

As the newly appointed President and CEO of CanadaHelps, this is the first time I have worked with the team to develop The Giving Report, and it is arguably our most hardest-hitting one yet. We dig into the painful issues and obstacles we often want to ignore, surfacing the most critical insights that Canadians need to know as we navigate a difficult period ahead. These are issues that we must ensure are understood and acted upon, otherwise jeopardising the effectiveness of the sector. This year’s edition is separated into three key areas:

1. A focus on the needs of Canadians and how they give reveals net-new insights, alongside updates on long-standing threats. Our top findings include:

❯ 22 percent of Canadians expect to rely on charities for basic needs (+8 percent in nine months)

❯ 18.4 percent of Canadians that give per tax filings (down five percentage points in 10 years)

2. A deep dive into the largest and most urgent struggles, as uncovered in our survey of nearly 3,000 charities. These alarming insights include:

❯ 40.3 percent of charities have experienced a lasting increase in demand since the pandemic

❯ 50.8 percent of charities are highly concerned about staff burnout (2nd highest concern of 24 issues surveyed)

❯ 57.3 percent of charities cannot meet current levels of demand

❯ 31.5 percent of charities raised few funds in 2022

❯ 55.2 percent of charities have fewer volunteers than before the pandemic

3. The final section is a call for change. We discuss how the infinite optimism of those who work in the sector must be checked. Now, more than ever, we need to take an objective look at the issues that threaten our sector. There is urgent need to engage in hard conversations and develop course correction plans. In the wise words from Lao Tzu, “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”

We open the discussion outlining the five most impactful steps charities can take action on in these uncertain times. But, before diving in, it’s important to remind ourselves of our purpose, which includes the work we do.

The health of charities doesn’t just mean the health of the charitable sector, it means the health of our country.

A healthy charitable sector means that the 22 percent of Canadians who expect to rely on charitable services for their basic needs will continue to be sheltered and fed. It means that Indigenous communities will have continued access health care in remote areas. It means that people living with mental illnesses will have the resources and safe spaces so they can heal. The gaps that charities fill are diverse and invaluable, but charities can’t protect our sector alone. It involves all Canadians actively supporting the causes we all care about to create the change we want to see in the world.

It’s been a difficult few years, and even still, we’re headed towards more turbulent waters. It’s time for a conversation. It’s time for a change. And for the sake of society, I hope you’ll join us.

DUKE CHANG is the President and CEO of CanadaHelps.

Trouble in the Sector: 10 Concerning Charity Issues You Need to Know

In November 2022 we surveyed 2,948 charity professionals representing 2,860 unique charities. With participation of 3.3 percent of Canada’s charities, and representation across charities of all type and sizes, to assess the state of the charitable sector.

Our research identified 24 potential issues and asked respondents to rate their level today and then looking forward into the next five years. Ten key concerns rose to the top. More concerning, our research found the top 10 concerns for charities today will still be their top 10 concerns in five years. This sends a strong signal that while we know what our biggest problems are today, we are not confident that we’re on the right path to correcting them.

Charities indicated a wide range of issues and challenges, spanning from financial support to pandemic resurgences, but the most prominent areas of strain had four key recurring themes:

Throughout this section, we’ll look at Canadian charities’ top 10 issues, who they’re affecting the most, and what is at risk if change doesn’t come.

1. Increased Demand Has Created Unprecedented Strain on Charities

Overnight, the pandemic created unprecedented challenges for charities. Now, three years into the pandemic, charities are still adapting to the changed demand for their services. Three of every four charities faced changes in demand early in the pandemic. For 51.5 percent of charities, demand has not

returned to pre-pandemic levels (see Figure 7). Of those, eight out of every 10 charities (40.3 percent of all charities) continue to experience demand above pre-pandemic levels, with over half reporting that demand continues to increase. While the other two of 10 of these charities report demand is below pre-pandemic levels, it is important to note that a decline in demand is not always good.

Three years into the pandemic, many individuals, and in particular seniors or individuals with conditions that put them at higher risk, continue to take precautions. A drop in demand for seniors’ services that promote community, connection and well-being would be an example of an area where a decline in demand may come at a cost.

When asked about their charity’s ability to meet current service demand, just 29.6 percent of respondents say that demand is met with their organization’s current resources. 57.3 percent of respondents report that demand exceeds the capacity of their organization, with 22.5 percent reporting that demand significantly exceeds capacity.

The number of charities that experience higher levels of demand today than prior to the pandemic (40.3 percent) is less than the number of charities unable to meet current demand (57.3 percent). This highlights that while there are now more charities unable to meet demand, many Canadian charities were already under tremendous stress.

While later in this report we highlight the added pressure

small charities face, when it comes to their current ability to meet demand, even very large charities are struggling.

The pandemic triggered a demand crisis for more than 57 percent of charities. Inflation in Canada has reached its highest levels in 30 years, peaking at 7.7 percent in May 2022. Canadians are not strangers to the effects — according to Statistics Canada, three in four expect rising prices to negatively impact their financial situation. But what donors may not be aware of is just how hard the rising cost of goods and services have hit charities.

A staggering eight in 10 charities report that inflation has impacted their service delivery costs while funding has not increased to match (see Figure 9). In addition to the costs of program delivery, staff costs are part of the inflationary challenges facing charities.

44.5 percent of charities say that staff salaries increased due to inflation. But without an increase in funding, the only option for many organizations is to reduce staff. A study of CanadaHelps charity clients conducted in August 2022 revealed that 17 percent of small charities believed inflation will be a contributing factor in their need to reduce staffing. This is further compounded by the fact that 55 percent of charities have seen a decline in volunteers.

From staffing to program delivery, charities are being negatively affected by inflation across nearly all areas of their operations.

2. Inflation is Intensifying Demand for Services, Increasing Service Delivery and Staffing Costs

Inflation in Canada has reached its highest levels in 30 years, peaking at 7.7 percent in May 2022. Canadians are not strangers to the effects — according to Statistics Canada, three in four expect rising prices to negatively impact their financial situation. But what donors may not be aware of is just how hard the rising cost of goods and services have hit charities.

A staggering eight in 10 charities report that inflation has impacted their service delivery costs while funding has not increased to match (see Figure 9). In addition to the costs of program delivery, staff costs are part of the inflationary challenges facing charities.

44.5 percent of charities say that staff salaries increased due to inflation. But without an increase in funding, the only option for many organizations is to reduce staff. A study of CanadaHelps charity clients conducted in August 2022 revealed that 17 percent of small charities believed inflation will be a contributing factor in their need to reduce staffing. This is further compounded by the fact that 55 percent of charities have seen a decline in volunteers. From staffing to program delivery, charities are being negatively affected by inflation across nearly all areas of their operations.

3. While Demand is Up for Most Charities, Funds Raised are Down

The startling increases in demand and inability of the majority of charities to meet current levels of demand has not been proportionally rightsized financially. 45.5 percent of respondents report that fundraising levels are equal to pre-pandemic levels, and for 31.3 percent, funding is below. Just 12.7 percent of respondents report that their current fundraising results are higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The gap between demand and funds raised exists across charities of all sizes, but it is more significant for smaller charities. Figure 10 shows that funds raised today are lower than before the pandemic for 35.7 percent of charities with less than $100,000 in annual revenue, while the same is true for only 22.7 percent of charities with over $2,500,000 in annual revenue. Moreover, funds raised today are higher than pre-pandemic for only 10.2 percent of charities with less than $100,000 in annual

revenue, while the same is true for 21.3 percent of charities with over $2,500,000 in annual revenue. This is one of the many challenges disproportionately impacting small charities. Others are discussed as part of issue numbers four and five.

4. Gifts from Individuals, Corporations and Government are all Down.

Across all key funding sources, significantly more charities reported declines in donations than those reporting increases. The net score (charities reporting a decrease less those reporting an increase) is a sizable concern at -30.7 percent, -19.3 percent, 4.3 percent, and -11.6 percent for donations from individuals, corporations, government, and charities, respectively. Smaller charities are roughly twice as likely to report a decline in donations from government, individuals, and corporations. Moreover, nearly half of small charities say they did not receive donations from the government or gifts from other charities at all. This reliance on fewer types of donors leaves smaller charities more vulnerable to economic events affecting one or more donor types.

5. Smaller Charities are at Risk

Overall, more charities increased their investment in fundraising to help weather challenging times. This is true across all types of fundraising programs, with 12 percent of charities increasing spending on major donor program, 24 percent of charities increasing spending on events, and 30 percent increasing spending on digital storytelling (see Figure 12). However, those same levels of increased investment were not

seen for the 78 percent of charities smaller charities (defined as charities with less than $500,000 in annual revenue). In fact, incredibly high numbers of small charities report having no investment at all in key fundraising areas, including:

Limited diversification of their fundraising programs is likely a contributing factor to why small charities did not adapt as well as large charities to the financial strains of year one of the pandemic. In 2020 (the most recent year data is available), small charities with less than $500,000 in annual revenue experienced a 8 percent decline in margin (the difference between total revenue and expenses) compared to 2019. In contrast, medium and large charities with annual revenue above $500,000 were able to better adapt to year one of the pandemic, experiencing a decline of only 4 percent.

6. Staff Burnout and Salaries are Top Concern

While many Canadians experienced burnout to varying degrees throughout the sustained pandemic, charitable sector employees have been it particularly hard. Out of 24 issues, after inflation, staff burnout was ranked the second highest concern for charities today. Looking ahead to 2028, charities rank staff burnout their third highest concern.

Burnout is a key indicator for staff turnover. Adding to the risk of staff turnover is the issue charities ranked as their sixth highest concern both today and in 2028: their ability to offer competitive salaries to retain staff and attract new staff.

While some organizations are trying to address the problem by providing wellness solutions, tools, and programs for staff, the sector as a whole doesn’t seem to be doing enough to address

the problem. When asked about staff health and wellness, only three in 10 charities say they have increased their investment, and another three in 10 have kept their investment the same. Moreover, 5.4 percent, have actually decreased investments.

In a survey CanadaHelps conducted in August 2022, small charities said that staff burnout was in part a result of the increased demand for services, but it doesn’t look like charities of any size are in a position to provide relief to their staff with additional support. As noted previously in this report, 57 percent are unable to meet their current demand levels, yet staffing isn’t keeping pace. Close to 60 percent of charities have the same number of paid staff working with heightened service demands, and 15 percent have decreased staff since the pandemic started. Only 24 percent report more paid staff.

With an increased demand for services and charities having either the same or fewer staff members available to do that work, the sector remains vulnerable to high attrition rates as staff seek a more balanced workload.

7. Charities are Struggling to Rebuild their Volunteer Programs

Volunteer programs play a critical role in meeting demand for service for most charities. In fact, 58 percent of charities are solely run by volunteers in Canada. Our data also shows that 92 percent of respondents represent a charity with a volunteer program that has been in operation since before the pandemic. That said, many charities continue to struggle to rebuild their volunteer programs post-pandemic.

55.2 percent of respondents with volunteer programs that existed prior to 2020 report that the total number of active volunteers in the last year is below pre-pandemic levels, with

22.4 percent reporting total active volunteers are significantly below pre-pandemic levels (see Figure 13).

Unfortunately, the sector isn’t expecting a rebound any time soon. On a 0-10 scale, where 10 is very concerned, 41.8 percent scored “Attracting Volunteers” as an eight or higher today. That number slightly increases in five years’ time.

The struggles that charities are experiencing with rebuilding their volunteer programs, combined with the declining giving participation rates discussed earlier, are two very concerning issues. To thrive, a charitable sector needs a caring and engaged society.

8. The Majority of Charities Who Relied on COVID Relief Funding Are at Risk Without it

Fifty-six percent of survey respondents work for a charity that received government COVID relief funding. That number increases to 70 percent for charities with paid staff (See Figure 14). Of survey respondents at charities who received the funding, the large majority, 93 percent, say the funding was important or somewhat important to their organization. 48.3 percent categorise the risk posed to their organization from the loss of COVID relief funding from the government as moderate to high risk to their organization’s continuity.

The Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF) is scheduled to end on March 31, 2023. Based on this study, it is clear this poses a serious threat to many Canadian charities struggling post pandemic, and in the thick of inflationary times.

9. Charities Have Lost Fundraising Momentum With Younger Supporters

Each year we seek to bring awareness to the approaching Giving Gap, a term we use to describe the gap in fundraising

between younger and older demographics. To avoid the Giving Gap, charities need to attract younger supporters but the data shows we are failing to make progress with younger supporters.

49.5 percent of respondents say they’re either dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied with the engagement their charity has seen with Canadians aged 18 to 30 years old.

As concerning as this is, potentially even more so may be the fact that this is in large part to do with our own efforts as a sector. Only 21.9 percent of respondents say they have implemented a strategy intended to engage with younger Canadians.

Social media was the one area with an upturn in youth engagement. One in three charities saw an increase in following, sharing content, commenting and liking their organization’s posts. This remains to be a considerable opportunity to build awareness and connections with a demographic known for using social media platforms as research sources.

With a majority of Gen Z and Millenials using social media on a daily basis, this provides charities direct access to reach this critical segment. 13 percent of respondents said donations from young people decreased compared to only 5 percent who saw an increase. 13 percent saw youth fundraising on behalf of their charity decrease while only 7 percent saw an increase. 19 percent saw volunteering decrease while only 14 percent saw an increase Charities who report a decrease with the Youth audience in areas regarding engagement on volunteering, fundraising and donating are more than double that of charities who report an increase.

10. Working Structures are in Flux

Much like the rest of the Canadian workforce, the location of “work” evolved over the pandemic as offices adapted to work-

from-home. 45 percent of charities have changed their working structure since the pandemic. Of those, before the pandemic 85 percent of charities were fully in person, 14 percent hybrid, and 1 percent fully remote. Today, 39 percent are fully in person, 49 percent hybrid, and 12 percent fully remote.

The divided composition of today’s workforce largely reflects the essential need for in-person to provide many charitable services, like community health, shelter and animal care. The good news? For charities that have changed their working structure, 40 percent see the change as positive while (a score of eight or higher out of one) 48 percent are neutral (a score of four to seven) and the remainder split between unsure or seeing the change as negative.

According to a report by Own + Global Workplace Analytics, 86 percent of people said remote work would make them happier and 62 percent said it makes them feel more productive. So although charities may feel they’ve settled into a new normal, continued evolutions of working structures could be necessary to avoid retention rates from declining.

To download the full report, go to the CanadaHelps website via this link. The Full 58-page Giving Report looks at what donating looks like in Canada for 2023, answering questions such as When Does Optimism Become an Issue?...What Canadian Charities Need to do in this Time of Uncertainty…and why It’s Time for a Change.

www.canadahelps.org/en/the-giving-report/download-the-report/

Where We Stand and Where We’ll Go: The Black Lives Matter Family

BY CICLEY GAY

In 2020/2021 we asked ourselves “what does it mean to build Black power”? We recognize that we are in a moment; a moment full of promise and peril. This is not new for Black people. What is new is the unprecedented resources under Black control that can be used to build Black Power for Black Liberation. This is an opportunity and a blessing, wrought by the work of those who came before us, by the organizing and leadership of BLM’s founders and leaders, and the amazing work of the Black Liberation Ecosystem at large.

As chair of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLM GNF), I step into this role with keen awareness of our responsibility to “get this right” — for our people, for our movements, and for the legacy we leave for future generations.

For over 20 years, my work has consisted of supporting nonprofits and philanthropic organizations supporting our Black communities (this is the 4th time I’ve served on a nonprofit Board!) — all while as a single mother raising my three amazing sons.

They are a BIG part of the reason why I am passionate about this movement—I’m committed to help unearth the genius in our children while building a brighter future for them and all generations to come.

It seems that everything we do at the Foundation comes down to this:

Are we investing in ways that build Black Power for Black Liberation? Are we holding, building, and moving these resources in integrity; in ways that are accountable to future generations?

The period of July 1st, 2020, through June 30th, 2021, our fiscal year, is a reflection of our updated mission: to work inside and outside the system to heal the past, reimagine the present, and invest in the future of Black lives through policy change, investment in our communities, and a commitment to arts and culture. Over this fiscal year, we poured millions into organizations fighting for Black liberation. We amplified and invested in Black artistic work that helped us imagine what thriving could look like. We sparked dialogue and inspired action around policies harming Black people and planted even more seeds for the cultural change that will propel us into an abolitionist future. We are continuing our evolution from an organization focused solely on the work of responding to Black death to also uplifting and affirming Black life and the pursuit of Black joy.

We organized our pursuit of Black life and Black joy into six main pillars:

Policy. We are intervening on existing and new policies that re-imagine a world without punitive measures and create a world where Black people have all that we need: food, education, housing, health care, clean water, breathable air, and everything that is foundational to personal and community safety.

Arts. We are concentrating on the nexus of art and activism in pursuit of Black liberation and the preservation and protection of Black creativity.

Healing Justice. We are building healing spaces and nurturing ecosystems that support Black communities impacted by oppressive structures and injustice.

Frontline Organizing. We are partnering with on-the-ground leaders and organizations at the local level that center abolitionist principals and are building radical Black organizing models rooted in Black power, self-determination and support of system impacted families.

Research & Education. We are investing in modern-day research and education focusing on abolitionist frameworks and curriculum around Black history, identity, and Black futures.

Culture. We are uplifting Black culture that propels us to dream big and create the community we want and need to flourish, grow, and thrive.

What you will see in this report is just the start of what this organization is building. And with this, we must emphasize the relationship between BLMGNF’s status as the largest Black abolitionist philanthropic organization and the many attacks our organization receives on its work, its partners, and its leadership.

In more ways than one, people who are opposed to the idea of a well-resourced Black abolitionist foundation are reusing the same Jim Crow-era playbook to try and slow us down. Our work aims to eradicate white supremacy from our systems. It is already public information that the FBI is monitoring Black Lives Matter as a Black identity extremist group with the intent to neutralize us to maintain this country’s current power status quo. We encourage the public to observe the world around them and the stories coming out of our media sources with a critical eye. White supremacy is insidious, and it’s all around us.

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is serious about making an impact and serious about how we work. We are paving the way for a new world order. One that respects and honors Black life. One where Black lives not only matter, but where all Black people have everything they want and need in order to thrive.

CICLEY GAY is Board Chair of the BLACK LIVES MATTER GLOBAL NETWORK FOUNDATION

Digital Activism

There’s no doubt that we built a community of digital activists in the summer of 2020. After all, social media and digital advocacy is at the core of our movement’s origin story — a Facebook status update in 2013 followed by a hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter. At a time where a global pandemic shook our communities, we looked to a digital community to bring us together — which it did, in more ways than one, at a time connectivity was desperately needed. Almost 40 million people visited the BLM website between July 2020 and June 2021.

The organization has reached millions across the globe, with online visitors from countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, India, France, Netherlands, Brazil, and Sweden visiting our website in greater numbers.

During this 2020-2021 fiscal year, our Instagram following @blklivesmatter averaged at over 4 million followers, and our Twitter Account @blklivesmatter reached 1 million followers.

Most notably, our email list peaked at 2,103,674 — a significant increase from 2020. BLMGNF sent thousands of emails, which resulted in 1,213,992 actions taken by digital activists! From petitions to fundraisers, all the way to letters to elected officials, we were able to come together digitally to take action.

Here are some of the ways we did that:

PETITIONS:

❯ Coronavirus: Demand Transparency from the Government

❯ Demand Racial Data on COVID-19 Infection Rates

❯ Defund The Police Demands

❯ Indigenous Peoples Day Petition

❯ BREATHE Act: divest from the systems that are killing us and invest in our communities

❯ Call on The Christian Broadcasting Network to publicly apologize for Pat

❯ Robertson’s comments

❯ Juneteenth

❯ No Nomination until Inauguration [Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination]

❯ Pledge to Oppose Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court Nomination

❯ Letter to Biden-Harris Administration to Meet with BLMGNF

❯ Pass HR-1 and Protect the Right to Vote

❯ Petition for Ted Cruz to Resign

❯ Demand the Senate: We Need More COVID Relief

❯ Pass Medicare For All Justice for #MikaylaMiller

❯ Letters to your Senator: DC Statehood

❯ End the Filibuster

❯ Demand President Biden #End1033

FUNDRAISERS:**

❯ The People’s Advocacy Institute - $55k+

❯ Cure Violence Global - $15k+

❯ The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network - $15k+

❯ CoFED - $15k+

❯ KC Tenants - $15k+

❯ Lead to Life - $15k+

❯ The Urban Youth Harp Ensemble - $15k+

❯ Black Aids Institute - $10k+

❯ Houston Food Bank - $9k+

❯ Central Texas Food Bank - $8.5k+

❯ Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley – $8.5k+

❯ Genesis Women’s Shelter - $8k+

❯ Feeding Texas - $8k+

❯ Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County - $8k+

❯ North Texas Food Bank - $8k+

❯ Texas Jail Project - $8k+

❯ Galveston County Food Bank - $7.5k+

❯ Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy

❯ Services - $7.5k+

❯ Housing Crisis Center - $7.5k+

❯ Family Eldercare - $7.5k+

❯ Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance - $7.5k+

❯ Caritas of Austin - $7.5k+

❯ ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition) - $7.5k+

❯ Haven for Hope - $7.5k+

❯ Austin Street Center - $7.5k+

❯ Corazon Ministries - $7.5k+

❯ The Other Ones Foundation - $7.5k+

❯ Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center - $7.5k+

❯ Austin Area Urban League - $7.5k+

❯ The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center - $7.5k+

❯ Front Steps - $7.5k+

❯ OurCalling - $7.5k+

❯ Dallas Hope Center - $7k+

❯ Hope’s Door New Beginning Center - $7k+

❯ Arlington Life Shelter - $7k+

❯ Street Forum - $7k+

**Approximate dollars raised per organization

As activists in this together, we know that WE are the ones who keep US safe. Thank you to our digital community for standing with us. We can’t wait to continue this revolution with you.

Inside The Report IMPACT BY PILLAR

Our mission is to work inside and outside the system to heal the past, re-imagine the present, and invest in the future of Black lives through policy change, investment in our communities, and a commitment to arts and culture. Our vision is to imagine a world where Black people across the diaspora thrive, experience joy, and are not defined by their struggles. White supremacy is everywhere and is intertwined with every aspect of our lives. It is for this reason that we are dedicated to pursuing our mission across our six pillars of policy, arts, culture, frontline organizing, research and education, and healing justice.

IN ADDITION to our disruptive capacity, we need to ensure we also have a concrete political and policy influence. We are reclaiming our power and intervening on existing and new policies that re-imagine a world without punitive measures and create a world where Black people have all that we need: food, education, housing, health care, clean water, breathable air, and everything that is foundational to personal and community safety.

Breathe Act

BLM GNF, in coalition with the Movement for Black Lives, created and supported the launch of the BREATHE Act, our modern day civil rights bill, marking the first time abolitionist organizations proposed comprehensive federal legislation that addresses the root causes of the violence we’ve seen and felt acutely as the visibility of police and white supremacist killings has spurred global outrage.

The BREATHE Act is a federal omnibus bill and love letter to Black people. It calls for divestment from the carceral system, and investment of those funds into new forms of public safety. Our nation’s current approach to policing does immense harm to Black communities than good, and it does not keep Black people safe. Reform has failed time and again, and it is not the answer. The BREATHE Act presented a new vision of public safety that invests in our community, via education, housing, mental health resources, food safety, and the environment instead of utilizing the punishment paradigm.

Three months after the unveiling of the bill, we collectively organized BREATHE Day on September 29, 2020, the day of the first Presidential Debate of the 2020 general election. This was a full day of Black-centered programming, with the goal of introducing the basic vision of the BREATHE Act to the wider public. At its capstone event, Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Patrisse Cullors was joined by singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe to talk about the importance of Black voices in the election cycle and tackled some common critiques about the concept of Defund The Police. Since its unveiling in 2020 there have been three pieces of legislation have been introduced in congress that advance the BREATHE agenda: the People’s Response Act, the Drug Policy Reform Act, and the Fix Clemency Act.

No on Prop 25

BLM GNF supported the “No on Proposition 25” campaign in California for a variety of reasons. Proposition 25 was a ballot measure that would have made SB10 the law. SB10 was a backroom deal among judges, politicians, and probation department unions to remake the pretrial system in California. It ended money bail as a way for people accused of crimes to get out of jail, but gave judges unprecedented power to incarcerate them with little due process of law. It required courts to use racially biased algorithms to help decide who is jailed and who goes free. It gave probation departments massive funding increases and power to monitor and supervise innocent people who have only been accused of crimes. Ultimately, Proposition 25 would have resulted in more Black, Brown, and poor people in jail.

Winning this measure has allowed Movement organizations on the ground to work towards preserving the presumption of innocence through developing a new model for pretrial reform.

HR1 For The People Act

BLM GNF is proud to have endorsed H.R.1, a massive package of prodemocracy reforms that includes a large section on voting rights based on the late Representative John Lewis’s Voter Empowerment Act.

It has been over 150 years since the ratification of the 15th Amendment recognizing the Black man’s right to vote; but still, discrimination thrives and lives on through voter suppression practices across this entire country. H.R. 1 was designed to investigate and overcome the many roadblocks that make up voter suppression. Until this work is complete, the fundamental promise of the 15th Amendment will never be met.

BLM GNF organized a successful petition of over 4,500 signatures urging representatives to co-sponsor and pass this critical legislation. It was through collective action that the legislation passed in the House of Representatives. Although we have yet to pass this into law, we are all one step closer to our vision of eradicating white supremacy in order to create the necessary space for Black liberation and Black life to thrive.

Pass the Coup Act: Joint Action

On Jan 6th, we saw America’s ugly truth of hate and white supremacy charging through our United States Capitol, attacking the essence of our democracy, a fair election. Although we knew exactly who incited the violence, and why they did it, the question was how white supremacists were able to violently penetrate the Capitol, work with Capital police and the military and get past them? The harrowing incident further proved that a police state does not equate to a safer state.

BLMGNF supported and brought attention to Representative Jamaal Bowman’s (D-NY) Congressional Oversight of Unjust Policing Act (COUP Act), inviting thousands to call their representatives directly. The COUP Act was proposed to establish a national commission to investigate the attack on the Capitol on

CONTINUED ON page 34

Black Lives Matter Canada The Impact

BLM-YYC supports a community memorial and rally to remember the life of Latjor Tuel

On February 19th, 2023 there was a memorial and rally to remember the life of Latjor Tuel. Tuel was shot and murdered by police on February 19th 2022 as he was walking on the 4500 block of 17 Avenue S.E. He was beloved in his community, and his friends, family and community gathered at this location to share stories and memories of Latjor at 11:00am. Following this gathering, there was a peaceful rally/protest at City Hall focussed on police brutality.

“Calgary Herald reports 3 shooting deaths since February 8th 2023 by the Calgary Police (CPS). The family is asking for the community to come together in holding CPS to account for the continuing rise in violence inflicted on communities, not being held accountable to the family, the Black community at large, and the demand for change.” - Adora Nwofor, BLM YYC President.

The Family and friends of Latjor Tuel stood together with support from Lich-Bentiu Community Association in Canada, The Sudanese Nuer Community Association of Alberta, South Sudanese Community Association in Calgary (SSCAC), Calgary African Community Collective (CACC), BLMYYC, BLMCanada, Walls Down Collective and Inclusive Canada.

BLM-Sudbury launched Culture Matrix: Black Arts Festival, bringing in internationally acclaimed talent and more.

On Saturday, August 13th, 2022, Black Lives - Matter Sudbury hosted Culture Matrix: Black Arts Festival in Downtown Sudbury. The all-ages programming was split into three dynamic sections: healing, kinship, and celebration. Community members participated in healing and kinship activities for free. Programming included NorthernOntario talent followed by acclaimed

performers including Haviah Mighty, Naya Ali, and Prince Manny Dingo.

The organization’s board put out a statement which read, in part, “It’s important for us to engage with our communities in many ways. We want to celebrate and thrive together. This event will uplift and center Black, Indigenous, and racialized artists and facilitators, in a way Northern Ontario has never seen before.”

Black Lives Matter – Sudbury (BLMS) is a non-profit organization that is committed to fighting systemic racism in all of its forms, demanding that society and all levels of government address and fix the root causes of racism in all social institutions. In addition to fighting against anti-Blackness, we create spaces to build our community.

The Michaëlle Jean Foundation live streamed the National Black Canadians Summit

In Ottawa during July 2022 The Fondation Michaëlle Jean Foundation offered live streaming of the National Black Canadians Summit (#NBCS2022) through the generous partnership of Enbridge, making the Summit more accessible to more Canadians.

“Enbridge is proud to sponsor the NBCS Summit, which is bringing together Black Canadians from all ages, sectors and walks of life to raise awareness about the

actions that can be taken to eliminate racial discrimination,” said Pete Sheffield, Enbridge’s Chief Sustainability Officer.

The live stream was an opportunity for the public to take part in a suite of sessions, to hear the presenters and interact with panelists at the Summit. The three-day stream showcased the opening ceremony, youth-focused workshops, keynote addresses, roundtable discussions and the Halifax Declaration.

Day 2 at the Summit was entitled Blacks in Science and Tech, a much-anticipated panel highlighted the interests and successes of Black professionals and students. Many industry professionals reflected on how to dismantle barriers, through reflections on their lived experience.

Access to the entire live stream summit costs $45 with complementary modules to enhance the online experience. Be a part of the Summit movement - register at: https:// www.blackcanadiansummit.ca/

“The Summit provides a valuable opportunity to share even sensitive issues,” said The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean. “This brave and safe space where Black communities came to share their stories and with a concern for truth is a powerful circle of speech, pride, awareness and mobilization. We have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.”

With the Halifax Declaration, at the birthplace of Black presence in Canada, all delegates were able to bear witness to the perspectives and expectations of Black communities, challenging the status quo, a legacy of colonial and racist policies which have been harmful to historically excluded and marginalized peoples.

The Summit took place under the auspices the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) – Recognition, Justice and Development proclaimed by the United Nations, Dr Natalia Kanem, the United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN Population Fund, The UN delegation attested to the major mobilization in Canada for the eradication of systemic racial discrimination.

The National Black Canadians Summit would not have existed without the support of many partners. The Foundation is deeply

grateful to its presenting sponsor, TD Bank Group through its TD Ready Commitment. We also thank our valued partners: Enbridge, Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation, African Nova Scotian Affairs and the province of Nova Scotia, Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Export Development Canada, Majda International, Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Sobeys, Dream Legacy Foundation. The Foundation is also thanking its precious allies, the Federation of Black Canadians, the Canadian Race Relations Council, the City of Halifax, Canada Council for the Arts, Definity, Black Business Initiative and the Delmore “Buddy” Day Learning Institute. We would also like to acknowledge the generous personal contributions of Robert and Maria Peck, as well as that of John Beck, our “Youth Champion Delegate”, who is sponsoring the participation of 400 youth at the Summit. The Foundation thanks CBC/ Radio-Canada, the national public broadcaster, as the 2022 Summit media partner.

The Michaëlle Jean Foundation was born out of the actions taken to focus specifically on youth-led civic initiatives across Canada by the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean throughout her mandate as the 27th Governor-General of Canada in collaboration with the unwavering commitment of her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, philosopherfilmmaker and writer. The Foundation, created in 2011, is a national charitable organization that uses a unique model of intervention, based on social change, dialogue, innovation, education, creative and social entrepreneurship, to empower young Canadians across the country who are experiencing exclusion.

Black

Created in collaboration with the Black

Inmates and Friends Association, Toronto Black Farmers and Growers Collective, and Keep6ix, Black Lives Matter - Canada has established a re-entry support program at Wildseed Centre for Art and Activism. Launched in March 2022, Earthseed Community Garden Program builds on established programming led by Toronto Black Farmers and Keep6ix. An abolitionist experiment, the program is grounded in commitments to Black food justice, equitable employment, community support, political education, and self-expression through art.

“Through a combination of paid and volunteer opportunities, we are excited to extend our support, creating a space for land-based community engagement alongside formerly incarcerated Black people,” said Jessica Kirk, Black Lives Matter Canada’s Executive Director.

Formerly incarcerated Black people face numerous barriers resulting from racism, stigma, violence, and trauma upon reentry. Through programming and access to traumainformed support networks, Earthseed is working with formerly incarcerated Black people to build community for those returning from incarceration. Additionally, Earthseed’s harvest will feed its neighbours, offering free access to a community fridge. Creating a space for formerly incarcerated Black people to find support and reconnect is a necessary step towards healing and building networks of collective care.

Jacqueline from Toronto Black Farmers and Growers Collective said, “The earth grows everything we need. Here, it provides empowerment through therapy, healing and nourishment to those tending to it with love and kindness. This supports us giving back to others in a humane, caring and humble way.

Richard Miller from Keep6ix stated that, “Providing support to formerly incarcerated Black people that is based in an ethic of love, mutual aid, and collective care, can help create systems that empower individuals to not only thrive professionally but to also work towards personal healing.”

Lives MatterCanada, Black Inmates and Friends Association, Keep6ix and the Toronto Black Farmers and Growers Collective launch ‘Earthseed,’ a new garden program for formerly incarcerated Black people

BLACK LIVES MATTER - Canada is a national network that resources and supports grassroots Black liberation efforts from coast to coast to coast.

Jan. 6, 2021, address the systemic failures in the United States Capitol security apparatus, and investigate ties between members of U.S. Capitol Police and white supremacist movements. Alongside this legislative push, we launched our campaign demanding the impeachment and conviction of President Trump for his hand in leading this attack on our democracy.

It remains blatantly obvious that white supremacy is the biggest threat to Black people and to our democracy, especially as members of law enforcement were among the mob. We recognized the COUP act as a critical step in the fight for defunding and abolition.

Medicare for All COVID-19 exacerbated and exposed the systemic inequities in this country. It is most evident in health care inequity and the conditions that make Black people one of the most vulnerable populations. As part of our ongoing campaign to help Black people thrive, we joined U.S. Representatives and numerous organizations to introduce and endorse legislation that would expand access to healthcare for tens of millions of Americans.

The Medicare for All Act of 2021 expands Medicare to provide comprehensive health benefits to every person in the United States without co-pays, premiums, deductibles, or other cost sharing. The legislation includes primary care, vision, dental, prescription drugs, mental health, substance abuse, longterm services and maternal healthcare. This effort embodies our values of people before bottom lines, and it’s a start to unravelling some of the evils of capitalism.

U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) introduced the legislation, and were joined during a virtual press briefing by our former Executive Director Patrisse Cullors, other members of Congress, and leaders from healthcare, labour unions, and advocacy groups.

Demilitarize Our Neighbourhoods Program

Reimagining public safety means investing in the well-being of Black people instead of investing into the police state. In 2021, BLMGNF launched a campaign to urge President Biden to stop the militarization of police departments and ban the transfer of vehicles and equipment made for war zones. After the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, President Obama issued an executive order that prohibited the transfer of certain items, including bayonets and grenade launchers, to law enforcement agencies. The order was rescinded in August 2017 by the Trump administration. President Biden was hesitant to even reinstall the mild reforms of President Obama.

Military equipment has no place on U.S. streets and does not keep communities safe. Research has shown there is a direct correlation between the 1033 Program transfers and murders at

the hands of law enforcement. BLMGNF demanded Biden to recall military equipment currently in the hands of law enforcement agencies as well. The impact of this campaign has been:

❯ Over 25,000 signatures on our petition to the White House.

❯ Nearly 4,000 tweets to President Biden and his team to #End1033 — getting the hashtag trending the day after President Biden’s speech to Congress.

❯ 29 lawmakers signed a letter to President Biden calling on him to #End1033.

❯ The LA Times reported renewed momentum in Congress to negotiate and pass a bill on policing that could include an end to 1033.

Because of our people-power, President Biden took action to reform some aspects of the 1033 program. Because every time we raised our voices on Twitter or through the petition, we also spread the word on the 1033 Program and brought more folks into the fight. White supremacy thrives in all spaces across the country, and the 1033 Program is just one of the many. As we keep exposing it, we can end it once and for all.

Lobbying Against Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court Nomination

Historically, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has upheld white supremacist doctrine by denying the fullness of Black lives. The status quo of our nation is set by the values and beliefs of nine individuals that have no responsibility to listen to us. After the passing away of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Trump announced his nominee, Amy Coney Barrett — a failed jurist and nominee that had no interest or history in maintaining equal justice under the law. In fact, her history has only been to target and harm Black folks.

Immediately after the news, we organized a petition that received over 18,000 signatures and organized to get a letter submitted and recited into the United States Congressional record on our behalf by Senator Cory Booker, sharing the people’s opposition to the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett.

DC Statehood is a Racial Justice Issue

Transforming our democracy and Black liberation require Black voices to be heard and centered, plain and simple. Most folks don’t realize that the argument against statehood is rooted in anti-Black racism but it dates all the way back to the Reconstruction Era (right after the Civil War) when Black residents in D.C. were granted significant political influence. Once Black voters started to raise their voices at the ballot box, Congress replaced D.C.’s territorial government with three commissioners appointed by the president, all to silence Black voices and to block Black political power.

Fast forward to today, D.C. has no voting representation in Congress but every major decision like the city budget still has to be approved by Congress. Yes, you read that right: Elected officials from the 50 states have more of a say in D.C. affairs than the 700,000 mostly Black and Brown residents in D.C., do.

BLMGNF led a call to action asking our BLM family who belong to states that do have voting members of Congress, to speak up and demand our people in D.C. get the representation they deserve as taxpayers and residents of our nation

Beware of the Filibuster

What is a democracy if our elected officials and representatives aren’t allowed to execute on our demands and needs through legislation? Our system has many holes and the filibuster is a major one. The filibuster is a racist, anti-democratic, Jim Crowera tool that upholds white supremacy and prevents legislation that moves us toward Black liberation. It is dangerous and damaging because it allows any of the 100 U.S. senators to block bills for any reason unless 60 senators vote for it (instead of a simple 51 majority). This gives a minority of (white) senators the power to completely stop the continuance of legislation. In the last decade, the filibuster has blocked the progress of progressive legislation.

In response, BLMGNF mobilized our email list to write 4,271 emails to senators to end the filibuster once and for all. The filibuster is still here and we will continue to advocate an end to the filibuster.

People’s Response Act

The United States spends more on its carceral state than any peer nation, while simultaneously spending less on basic preventative solutions for its people. America has chosen a model that invests heavily in jails and police, rather than holistic support for communities.

We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe. But our current approach to public safety isn’t working — for children, for families, and particularly for the Black communities that have been devastated by police violence, mass incarceration, and the harms of the criminal incarceration system. Time and again, research has shown that the system isn’t effectively preventing harm or bolstering community safety.

In early May of 2021 BLMGNF was proud to participate in a coalition of several Movement organizations that supported the drafting and launching of the People’s Response Act alongside Congresswoman Cori Bush’s Office. Movement partners we partnered with include Civil Rights Corps, Color of Change, Essie Justice Group, and Movement for Black Lives.

Ted Cruz Must Resign

Climate justice is a racial justice issue. Systemic issues in this country make us one of the most vulnerable communities in this country and it is a complete shame when our leaders and elected officials leave us to fend for ourselves. In the midst of the historic Texas winter storm, where Texas’ independent power grid froze, leaving hundreds of thousands without power or heat; Senator Ted Cruz fled to Mexico with his family to enjoy a vacation.

Leadership means ensuring a standard of quality of life for your people. Senator Cruz has failed his constituents time and time again. In response, we organized a petition, which received

almost 19,000 signatures, demanding for the resignation of United States Senator Ted Cruz.

Changing the system means holding our representatives accountable. Our political system is dependent on Black folks not paying attention and when we do, taking away our freedom to vote. We must make sure our leaders do their job and stand for us in service.

WE ARE PARTNERING with on-the-ground leaders and organizations at the local level that center abolitionist principals and are building radical Black organizing models rooted in Black power, self-determination and support of system impacted families.

BLMGNF distributed over $13 million to BLM chapters. This initiative was part of BLM GNF’s program to build local capacity for frontline organizational work. In addition, BLM GNF supported grantees in developing its media presence, including its civic engagement campaign, BLM’s What MATTERS 2020, and its viral video, Rest in Power, Beautiful, viewed nearly 10 million times.

Survival Fund

In February 2021, BLMGNF launched a $3 million “Survival Fund” to assist Black people who were struggling financially during the pandemic. The Survival Fund provided individuals and families with $1,000 in direct support to help lessen financial burdens during the economic crisis. Funds were used for a wide variety of needs, including but not limited to: housing, prescription medications, childcare, and food. Our organization received nearly 9,000 applications and distributed $3 million in aid to 3,000 families within 12 hours of launching the fund. We partnered with LACAN, who facilitated the application intake process and selection, and Family Independence Initiative, who executed the fund distribution.

“We Keep Us Safe”

To be Black in this country means to work, worry, plan, and strategize harder than our white counterparts. Our public safety is not a real concern of the state because we are the threat not the people they serve. This is why we launched the “We Keep Us Safe” community call. We gathered movement elders

and BLM leaders to share critical safety tips and resources to utilize for the 2021 inauguration and after. We urged all to prepare a plan, stay safe, and look out for one another, always.

Amazon Union Workers Movement (March 19, 2021)

Amazon slapped a Black Lives Matter banner on their website summer 2020. But if Amazon truly believed that Black Lives Matter, Amazon would have no problems with unionization, livable wages, fair working conditions, and the utmost respect for its majority Black workers — like those in Bessemer, Alabama.

Thanks to the grassroots, people-power of Black Lives Matter, we were able to raise over $50,000 toward combating anti-union propaganda put out by Amazon, as well as our successful caravan event in Bessemer with BLM Birmingham. About 75 folks and their families came to the event, lining up their cars, blowing horns, and blasting music as we enjoyed speakers and uplifted our workers and their demands for dignity in the workplace.

Over 80 percent of the workers at Bessemer Amazon are Black — and the fight for unionization led by Black organizers in Alabama successfully led to the first-ever Amazon warehouse union.

Justice for Daunte Wright

To be Black in this country means to work, worry, plan, and strategize harder than our There are no accidents in police terror and white supremacy. Like we’ve seen time and again, peaceful protesters have been met with tear gas and riot gear from police. The police have done nothing but meet a hurting community with violence.

In response, BLM GNF used our platform to spread awareness and direct people to directly support the family of Daunte Wright as well as several organizations in the greater Brooklyn Center Minnesota community. The organizations include:

Brooklyn Center Mutual Aid Facebook Page: A community-led Facebook page was established in response to the murder of Daunte Wright. It included updated information about needed supplies and sign up for volunteer shifts at mutual aid sites here.

Brooklyn Center Mutual Aid:

Support Our Community: GoFundMe page for PPE, medical supplies, food, and household items for the community.

612 M*A*S*H:

12 612 MASH medics directly supported protestors in Brooklyn Center. CashApp: $612MASH; Venmo: @MedicalBus; or at GiveMN.

African Career, Education, and Resources, Inc. (ACER):

A nonprofit organization that engages African immigrants living in the north and northwest suburbs of Minneapolis. They supported small businesses in Brooklyn Center affected by closures and disruption with microgrants.

Black Table Arts:

A community-driven arts cooperative located in Minneapolis, Minnesota gathering Black communities through the arts toward better Black futures. They fundraised to buy gas masks for Black organizers on the ground.

WE ARE CONCENTRATING on the nexus of art and activism in pursuit of Black liberation and the preservation and protection of Black creativity. This arm of the organization was designed with two powerful intentions in mind; one, empowering and amplifying Black creatives and; two, giving control and power of our own narratives and depictions on mainstream media back to Black people and artists. We support emerging and established individual Black artists and Black people.

Black Women Are Devine

In the midst of the unlawful deaths of Black women at the hands of police violence, BLM GNF facilitated Black women all over the country to reclaim their Divinity. As we mourned and felt our pain, hopelessness and vulnerability, we wanted to create opportunities for Black women to feel joy and freedom too.

In collaboration with BLM Grassroots, we organized gatherings in cities all over the country to celebrate Black women, girls, and femmes. It was a day where all women could come to enjoy a day of healing, good food, art, and sisterhood.

In addition to this, we utilized our socials to uplift and celebrate Divine Black women for all that they do for this world.

Imagining Abolition

One of the seminal pieces of content we released was the Imagining Abolition series. In this three-part series we share our vision, our humanity, our stories, and our “why” behind our advocacy. It is critical that we own our own stories and share them in the most personal ways with you all. We wanted to share with the world the reality of what this work is, why we do it and so much more.

Black Love Letter Up

Guided by the curatorial vision of artist-curator Noni Limar,

and the commissions of a talented group of Black artists,”Write Black Love Letters” was a creative intervention encouraging us all to fund the USPS by buying stamps and sending Black love letters and postcards. BLMGNF centered love, connection and beauty in a time of isolation, tension, and change. Recognizing that the USPS has historically employed countless Black folks, we also celebrated our collective historic contributions to the USPS and demanded that our legacy be protected. This campaign positioned BLMGNF for further economic justice work. Under our What Matters 2020 campaign and USPS campaign, we produced a video: Black Love Letters. This was sent to our email list of over 2 million people and garnered thousands of views. Our social media assets earned 5,444,451 impressions across platforms. Engagement was particularly strong with our flagship video, the final Jessi Jumanji stamp, and our recorded Black love letters. Engagement across the campaign averaged 6.5 percent, well above the industry standard. The campaign successfully earned press coverage including a full feature piece highlighting the stamps in Essence Magazine. Influencers and activists like Yara Shahidi, Richie Reseda, and Adrienne Maree Brown also championed this effort by contributing videos of their own Black love letters.

and employment, and those incarcerated often lack the resources and income to support themselves post-release. 43 percent of formerly incarcerated people return to prison within three years, and 76 percent return within five years, costing taxpayers over $150,000 per individual each time.

Chicago Future Fund’s research study presented an innovative solution to economic inequality and recidivism by providing a guaranteed income of 500 USD per month for 18 months for 30 previously incarcerated individuals in West Garfield Park. There were no work requirements or restrictions on how the money could be spent. From a research standpoint, every month, participants were required to participate in data collection surveys.

WE ARE INVESTING in modern-day research and education focusing on abolitionist frameworks and curriculum around Black history, identity, and Black futures.

Chicago Future Fund

We were proud to invest in the research and education of the Chicago Future Fund. The city of Chicago experienced 775 homicides in the year 2020. Over 90 percent of the homicides were caused by gunshots, and roughly 75 percent of all victims are Black. It’s no coincidence that the majority of violent crimes take place in Chicago’s most economically disadvantaged and most segregated Black neighbourhoods, such as West Garfield Park. West Garfield Park has a per capita income of $11,739, approximately 70 percent less than Chicago’s average per capita income of $38,105. Our justice system should always be centered around rehabilitation. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Prisons are not designed to reintegrate through education

WE ARE BUILDING healing spaces and nurturing ecosystems that support Black communities impacted by oppressive structures and injustice. Healing Justice has become a central concept and practice within our movement over the last several years. The recognition that Black people deserve healing and wholeness transforms our culture. We hosted a series of events aimed at leaders and communities with access and proximity to free support and resources centered on healing. For example, BLM GNF hosted a series of free webinars where we gathered experts across the field to talk about key issues/learning impacting Black people in their process to create healing in their work.

Some of those sessions included: Healing Justice, Embodiment, Praxis, and Building Black Futures, a conversation grounded in sacred practice, Black traditions, and radical freedom. The Body: Grief, Lament, and Joy in COVID Times, a conversation centered on healing practices that can support Black people’s grieving processes over time while holding space for joy.

Also, in response to the growing calls from our leaders for resources to center healing for their communities, we evolved our Healing Action Toolkit while engaging in frontline work. We created this toolkit to share the lessons we have learned in ensuring that our direct actions are centered on healing justice.

This toolkit is a live resource that is updated in real-time as we continue to uncover the implications for healing justice in our organizing work.

Most Black Canadians think their employers are making genuine efforts to address systemic racism, but much work remains to be done according to KPMG in Canada.

New research by KPMG in Canada found that nearly seven out of 10 (68 percent) Black Canadians say their employers have made progress on following through on their promises to be more equitable and inclusive for Black employees, and their managers and senior leaders have a better understanding of the systemic barriers Black Canadians face.

But barely half have seen these efforts translate into better job opportunities. Roughly one-third (35 percent) believe their prospects for advancement have improved with a breaking down of systemic barriers and 19 percent feel they were offered a job they wouldn’t have a year and a half ago. However, nearly four in 10 say nothing much has changed, and systemic barriers continue to hold back progress. Nearly one in 10 say things have become worse.

The findings come from a survey KPMG conducted in early January 2022 of more

than 1,000 Black Canadians. The survey sought to find out whether the promises made by Canadian employers to address systemic racism in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement were making a difference.

Poll Highlights:

❯ 68 percent say their employer has made good (36 percent) or some (32 percent) progress on following through on its promises to be more inclusive and equitable for Black employees;

❯ 12 percent say their company’s promises to be more inclusive are simply lip service and 20 percent say their companies have taken no action;

❯ 67 percent believe their employers are making genuine efforts to hire more Black Canadians;

❯ 58 percent say they are making genuine efforts to promote more Black Canadians into leadership roles;

❯ 19 percent say they got a job they

previously would have been overlooked for; and

❯ 35 percent say their prospects for promotion and advancement have improved.

“These results show that many Canadian organizations have made real and sustained efforts to tackle racial bias in their organizations,” said Rob Davis, Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors of KPMG in Canada. “Black Canadians told us they are seeing progress in the hiring and promotion of employees, in the opportunities for Blackowned business and in the treatment of Black customers.

“I believe that most leaders recognize that today’s challenges require new ways of thinking and they genuinely want to break down barriers so that everyone is heard. Our society and our economy demand it. But there is still much work to do to. While more than two-thirds told us that their employer has made progress to become more inclusive

Poll finds most Black Canadians feel as respected at work as their non-Black colleagues — but have to work harder to earn it

and equitable for Black employees, only a third characterized the progress as good.”

Safer and more respectful work environment

Nearly three quarters (74 percent) of Black Canadians say they feel valued and respected in the same way as their non-Black colleagues, but nearly an equal proportion of respondents (70 percent) feel they have to work harder than their non-Black peers in order to earn that same respect.

More than four in 10 (44 percent) Black Canadians say they have not experienced any microaggressions or acts of racism at work over the last 18 months with nearly one-quarter (24 percent) saying they have experienced fewer of these over the same period. However, nearly a third continued to experience microaggressions and racism at work, including 14 percent who say it has actually increased.

“While overall, Black Canadians are facing less racism at work, it is still an ugly reality for many,” adds Davis. “Many are concerned that the downturn was driven less by changing perceptions and understanding and more by the fact that many Canadians have been working virtually during the last 18 months. They are worried about what will happen when they return to the office.”

While many Black Canadians have noticed improvements in their professional lives over the last 18 months, they have also seen proof that their employers are making efforts to better engage their Black customers and increase the work they do with Black-owned businesses.

Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) say their employers treat and value their Black and non-Black customers equally. Two-thirds say their employers have improved their customer services practices and 64 percent say their employer has improved its goods and services offerings for Black customers. Two-thirds also say their employer has made efforts to engage more Black-owned businesses and vendors over the last year and a half.

“It is significant to see that Canadian organizations have made efforts to improve their overall relationship with Black Canadians,” says Alison Rose, Partner, Life & Pensions Actuarial Practice, KPMG in

Canada. “What’s interesting is that while approximately two-thirds of respondents noted that their employers have improved their product offerings and customer service for Black customers, the same proportion of respondents indicate that their employer’s products and services do not always capture or reflect the Black consumer market. The takeaway is that while companies are making efforts to improve the Black customer experience, there is still much work to do.” When asked about potential solutions to further reduce anti-Black racism in the workplace, 84 percent of respondents said they wanted their employers to make stronger commitments and establish targets for hiring and promoting more Black Canadians, with clear and measurable outcomes and accountability mechanisms. Other actions include:

❯ Appoint more Black Canadians to the board of directors and/or senior management ranks (84 percent);

❯ More anti-racism education and training for employees and management (83 percent);

❯ Senior leadership teams need to “walk the walk” (82 percent);

❯ Make reducing anti-Black racism a bigger human resources priority (81 percent);

❯ A major culture change (74 percent); and

❯ Replace senior leadership teams (54 percent).

“The clear desire for more visible representation at the leadership level isn’t surprising,” says Rose. “Black Canadians typically face a startling lack of senior leaders in their organization that look like them, a situation that can be very demotivating. As a result, it’s particularly important that any strategy to combat anti-Black racism has complete buy-in from the top of the house, and that actions and behaviours are consistent with messaging throughout the organization. More Black leaders means addressing the race-related barriers faced by Black employees at all stages in their career journey.”

WE ARE UPLIFTING Black culture that propels us to dream big and create the community we want and need to flourish, grow, and thrive.

Juneteenth 2021

For generations, we’ve celebrated Juneteenth with family gatherings, cookouts, dominos games and cardplaying, music, laughter, and an overall feeling of Black freedom and joy. For the first time ever, Juneteeth was celebrated as a nationally recognized holiday where offices, banks, postal services, and other services were closed to allow space for celebration. Juneteenth celebrates our Blackness by honouring our Ancestors, affirming ourselves and our people, creating space for Black joy, and leading unceasingly for freedom and justice.

In honour of our history and traditions of Black art, imagination, and culture being linked to resistance and freedom, BLM GNF collaborated with Club House Global and Nifty Gateway to celebrate Blackness and create pathways for Black entrepreneurship. Our collaboration with Nifty Gateway, included a digital marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs). With Club House Global, an organization fighting to keep DJs and BIPOC artists paid during the pandemic, we hosted an eight- hour virtual dance party connecting viewers and dancers from around the world in celebration of Black joy and freedom.

BLM Canada is a platform upon which Black communities across Canada can actively dismantle all forms of anti-Black racism, liberate Blackness, support Black healing, affirm Black existence, and create freedom to love and self-determine. They work to forge critical connections and to work in solidarity with Black communities, Black-centric networks, solidarity movements, and allies.

KPMG SURVEYED 1,006 Canadians aged 18-99 from December 22, 2021 to January 7, 2022 using Delvinia’s and its extended community’s AskingCanadians panel through its Methodify online research platform.

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The State of Charitable Giving

BY MARK BONHAM

How has Canadian’s charitable giving changed over time?

Are we to remain optimistic about our embedded culture of giving? Are there opportunities for the Charitable Sector going forward to make a bigger impact in our community?

The Veritas Foundation has been charting and measuring the Canadian landscape to identify trends and track the progress of charitable giving in our country. We’ve created a range of reports and studies to help shed insights on those areas.

Our mission is to be an authoritative source for participating in the charitable sector and to evaluate its effectiveness and spirit.

Our new report, which came out in March, looks at charitable giving by Canadians over time using several measures:

❯ The total value of charitable giving by individuals and the total number of individual donors on a yearly basis between 2016 and 2019.

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Can you help our readers:

• Create a strong financial structure and healthy economic ecosystem to ensure capital and cash flow keep their engines running?

• Determine who their customers should be, how they can reach them most effectively, and how they can turn data-driven marketing into profitable sales?

• Build efficient and effective financial systems to enhance payments and billings between their companies and their customers and vendors?

• Convert all the data and information they collect from every contact point into tangible benefits that increase revenue and reduce costs?

• Equip their companies with the tools, technology, systems and hardware needed to manage their operations, to create new services or products, and deliver them to their market?

• Manage their customers with smoothly functioning support departments that are properly staffed and equipped to solve problems, foster loyalty and retain customers?

• Make any or every step in that chain better, faster, cheaper, and more profitable?

❯ The aggregate analysis is presented as a percentage of the population, of Gross Domestic Production, of Gross National Income, and of reported taxable income of donors.

❯ The above analysis is broken down by gender.

❯ The analysis is also presented for different age groups.

❯ The analysis is presented for different levels of taxable income of individuals.

❯ An analysis of individual charitable giving by province and territory.

❯ An analysis of business entity giving is presented between 2016 and 2019.

❯ Business entity giving as a percentage of business taxable income.

❯ A comparison of individual charitable giving with business charitable giving for 2019.

What we know is that Canadians generally consider themselves charitable and are willing to support other individuals and projects in need, whether locally, nationally, or globally. It is believed that a core value embedded in the Canadian culture is that living generously adds economic stability and enriches our nation’s lives.

Research has shown that giving financially to others makes us happier and healthier. It decreases stress and builds trust and satisfaction. Feelings of gratitude associated with financial giving is integral to happiness, optimism, health, and social bonds. There are many other reasons why Individuals and Business will give to charity.

In this report we present how Canadian’s charitable giving has changed in the period 2016 to 2019 (the most recent available published data).

We present financial data on individual and business charitable giving to assess the number of donors, value donated, average donation amount, percentage of the population who are donors, gender of donors, age of donors, the taxable income of donors, and the regional differences in the country. We interpret changes in these factors over the study period and identify the causes for the change.

Principle Conclusions of the Report

❯ The total value of Individual donations increased consistently over the study period of 2016 to 2019, representing a 15 percent growth rate.

❯ The number of Individual donors and the percentage of the population making donations, however, has consistently declined over the same period.

❯ A smaller number of Individual are making an increasing dollar amount of donations.

❯ Individual charitable donations as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product has ranged between 0.64 percent and 0.69 percent over the study period.

❯ Individual charitable donations as a percentage of Gross National Income has been remarkably consistent at 0.48 percent over the study period.

❯ Similarly, Individual charitable donations has consistently been 0.81 percent of taxable income.

❯ The average Individual donation increased by 19 percent over the study period, but increased only 11 percent on a per capita basis. We present the reasons for this discrepancy.

❯ Men represented 52 percent of donors and 65 percent of the value of donations in 2019. We present

several explanations for the differences between men and women donors.

❯ The average donation from male donors increased 23 percent over our study period whereas the average donation from female donors increased 14 percent. We present several explanations for this difference.

❯ Donations as a percentage of taxable income was 0.82 percent for men and 0.63 percent for women.

❯ Individuals under the age of 30 represent the smallest group of donors (8 percent in 2019), whereas those greater than the age of 30 are evenly split in the number of donors at different age groups with approximately 31 percent each.

❯ The value of donations increases steadily as the population ages. Older members of society have increased the value of their donations to a greater degree than have younger members.

❯ The most active donors in terms of the value of donations is shared equally by those earning between $50,000 and $150,000 and those earning more than $250,000. The average donation amount increases markedly with the growth in taxable income.

❯ There is a wide disparity of charitable giving behaviour between provinces and territories in terms of average donation and percentage of tax filers making donations.

❯ The value of charitable donations from business has increased by 54 percent between 2016 and 2019. However, such donations represent a negligible 0.08 percent of their taxable income in 2019.

❯ Individual donations represent 74 percent of total charitable donations and business is 26 percent.

Our next report, in May 2023, looks at Small Charities in Canada.

MARK S. BONHAM, Executive Director of The Veritas Foundation and a veteran of the Canadian financial industry, is very excited to lead the team at Veritas Charity Services Inc. (VCSI). Prior to joining VCSI, Mr. Bonham operated his consulting company Bonham & Co. Inc., prior to which he was a founder and Chief Executive Officer of two successive mutual fund entities, BPI Financial Corporation and Strategic Value Corporation.

Research has shown that giving financially to others makes us happier and healthier.

Why Volunteers Deserve Their Own Annual Report (And How to Write One)

BY VERONICA DEALLY

What if I told you that my organization, the University Health Network, began a corporate engagement program to help our cardiac patients in their healing journey by making heart shaped pillows for patients?

In its first year, we welcomed 10 corporate teams, a total of 161 corporate volunteers who donated 587 hours of their time and made 451 pillows? You would probably think that was interesting.

But what if you read about it and saw the photos in our Volunteer Resources Annual Report (it was on page 14). Now I bet I’ve got your attention. By combining the numbers with some great visuals in this report, we were able to demonstrate the

success of our corporate engagement program and in return, receive further funding to keep running it.

Never considered creating an annual or impact report specific to your volunteer program? What better way to tell the story of what your volunteers do for your organization. Creating an annual report allows you to show impact on the community, on the services we provide, on the clients or patient’s experience, along with key data points that matter to senior leaders. And, finally, through this process you can show why your role is important.

But first, let’s talk about the difference between an annual report and an impact report.

An annual report is an opportunity to highlight your

accomplishments, build trust in your organization, and show your stakeholders your success. But to really make an impression and help your viewer emotionally invest in your brand, you need to highlight the impact of these accomplishments. If we want to stay away from valuing a volunteer’s work by expressing how much they saved us, we need to show their impact instead.

The biggest difference between traditional annual reports and impact reports is the presence of financial information. Annual reports offer a high level overview of revenue and expenses for the year. An impact report has a different scope, and does not require financial information at such a level.

What kind of report should you create? It depends on the audience you are targeting. If you want to showcase the program and work to donors or sponsors, include financials so that they see where their money is being spent and the great initiatives they are helping to fund. But if part of your audience are senior leaders, you might consider staying away from relating volunteer impact to dollars and instead showcase the work your volunteers are doing.

Let’s look at what to include in your annual or impact report and how to pull it together.

Theme

While not entirely necessary, themes help make a bold statement, a focused interest point and can deliver significant impact. When choosing a theme, select something that will resonate with your audience and align with your organization’s values, mission, or objectives.

Themes help to tell a story and paint a picture. They strengthen the tone of your report and bring a human element to your brand through those stories you tell. Through the theme you can also communicate future goals and objectives. While coming up with the theme may require some creativity, once you have one, it will make the rest of the report a lot easier to pull together.

For example, if your organization has five published values, you could create a theme around those. Perhaps find a story to match each value and highlight an event or volunteer’s contribution.

Opening remarks

In most cases, annual/impact reports open with a signed letter from a senior leader and/or board chair, highlighting the year and the goals achieved. The letter should set a positive tone for the report and speak to the theme, if there is one. Consider including a photo of the author(s) and make this a page on its own or include a table of contents on the bottom or at a corner. A table of contents is helpful if the reader is searching for a particular section (or a story that features them.)

Mission and values

Missions and values act as a roadmap, helping organizations stay on track and work toward achieving their ultimate goals. They help guide management and business decisions, inspire employees and establish client and volunteer loyalty. But how

do you show this in an annual report?

Take this example from Toronto General Hospital. A group of volunteers collected and gathered medical equipment that is normally thrown out, such as the ends of lab tubes, or one-time use needles to test blood glucose and created an amazing piece of art. It was a great example of stewardship and one of our values. This story was featured in our annual report and the artwork now adorns one of the busiest hallways on the main floor.

Have fun with it. The organization, Good360, features the vision and mission word for word, but lightens the mood with a playful infographic that showcases their values.

Why?

Audiences want to know what areas you work in, what the need is and how your organization intends to help the problem. World Vision Canada does a great job of explaining their why in great detail: who they help and why this population requires it. It explains their goal and mission in a very clear way. It then covers long term goals and their What’s Next to be covered later in this article.

What?

The ‘what we do’ is important to include for those readers who may not actually know what the organization does. Help readers to understand the problem and how the organization offers a solution. Highlighting the work up front makes it easy to determine what should be included in the report.

Keep in mind that annual reports cover the previous year. So consider what you want your audience to know about the work of your organization and how you can show that through your data collection and stats.

Beautiful images that tell a story are one of the most important aspects of an annual/impact report. Visuals help guide your audience and really connect your reader to the stories you are telling. Pictures show examples of real-life work in action, something numbers or words on a page can’t do.

Think about some of the events your organization has put together this year. Or a volunteer who has done tremendous work. Now ask yourself if you captured this moment? Is there a photo to go with this story? If not, keep in mind that for next year’s report you need to catch impact in action. Think of yourself as a journalist for your movement or cause. You never know when an image could inspire a story.

Design

When it comes to design, remember that less is more. Pick a few colours (2 to 4) and use them throughout the whole report. Do the same with the font: use one type for headlines and one for the body. Consider spacing: sometimes a single quote on a page can be more impactful than an essay. Don’t be afraid of white space. Your text should be concise: express it in the least amount of words possible. These design choices can help accentuate the key points you want to make.

Showcase impact through bold photos or in-your-face

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT

infographics with large bolded numbers. You want to show data and analytics that speak to all the programs, events, and locations in which your volunteers do their work. You can use a combination of design elements like charts of various types, using icons to represent an important detail, and numbers to back what you are saying.

A really great way to show this is through your page layout. Showcase your numbers through photos, bright bold colours, and spread it across two pages. Show diversity through graphics or photos that represent your client base and real facts about how your outreach has helped.

If you’re an organization that serves a state, country, or the world, show where your work touches and get creative with it. It doesn’t have to be a map design. For example, at my hospital, volunteers help in over 150+ departments — listing them out really shows the scope of volunteer work.

One tip to keep in mind: how will your report be distributed? Will it be emailed or printed? Doing one doesn’t always translate into the other, but deciding ahead of time will allow for the proper layout to be created so that if featured online, it looks well put together. If printing is an option, the online version can easily transform into a print.

Features

Features should answer the why questions: why volunteers donate their time, why they dedicate their work and commitment to your organization and how it reaches the intended project/ people. Plan Canada’s 2021 Annual Review features a story about Kristine, who is a sponsored child and someone who has received the services of the organization. Because of the support she received, she found inspiration to continue her education and eventually became a journalist through the aid and support of the organization.

Awards, galas, and ceremonies/achievements

If your organization has events throughout the year, such as galas, awards ceremonies, or fundraising events, be sure to spotlight them. Shoot some fun photos of participants. People will always pose at an event for a good cause. Include some big stats to show the success of the event, and don’t be shy about how well it did.

Volunteer Awards serve as a reminder that our organization cannot run without our volunteers. Recognizing their value often doesn’t necessarily require a plaque or even their name in a report, but it is certainly a great way to say thanks. Lifetime Achievement or Long-Standing Service awards are definitely worth showcasing. A great example comes from the Red Cross who featured volunteer Tom Pardee receiving his Lifetime Service award celebrating his 17,000 hours with them.

What’s Next?

Your ‘What’s next’ helps the audience to understand that not only are you working in the here and now, but that you are looking well into the future of your organization and setting new

goals to grow your organization and the impact your volunteers have on the community they serve.

Celebrating your people

As much as readers love to read stories and see impact, they also care about the people behind the work. Create a page or spread that features your staff team. It could be a simple group shot with introductions. Include text that highlights a team event or highlights the team has completed that year, or any departmental news and changes.

Financials

If you are creating an annual report, you should include financials. While larger annual reports might have 3-5 pages of financial information, smaller organizations might not require as much lengthy detail. Focus on the information the reader needs to know about how you spend their funding. Consider displaying the financials in an infographic style which shows the numbers in a more visually graphic way.

Thanking key stakeholders

Remember to thank your Board of Directors, Sponsors and Donors. Put this at the end and make it simple with names and sponsor logos, or go into more detail and include donor names and amounts. Whatever design you choose, always keep your target audience in mind and the purpose of your annual report.

Call to action

End your report with a call to action page. A call to action invites your readers to get involved by making a donation, volunteering with you, or sponsoring future events. Provide a QR code that links to the relevant page on your website. List your social media pages so they can become followers and engage with you. Feature all of the ways the reader can get involved and reiterate the need for their critical involvement with your organization.

Over to you

Annual/impact reports are a great way to show your community along with your senior leaders, managers and staff, why your work is so important and why communities need the programs we offer through volunteer engagement.

Creating an annual/impact report doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Do some research on your favourite organizations and see how they presented their information. You can find many free resources available online to help you with designs and templates. Worried about the work involved? Tap into your volunteers. Recruit volunteers who are both tech and graphic savvy and more than happy to help by going out and taking the photos, videos or creating designs and layouts.

Convinced yet? Great. Start creating your annual report right now.

VERONICA DEALLY, is a Sourcing Specialist, Talent Acquisition with the University Health Network in Toronto, Ontario.

Historic Plaques Which Honour Philanthropy

A Lifetime of Leadership and Service: Métis Businessman and Philanthropist Herb Belcourt

On May 10, 2017 Herb Belcourt Park was unveiled in Sherwood Park, Alberta. The park is named in honour of local businessman, community leader, and philanthropist Herb Belcourt, who died later that year.

Belcourt was a founder of Belcourt Construction, Canative Housing Corporation and the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Award Fund, which supports Métis students furthering their education. To honour Belcourt’s years of service and contributions to the community, Sherwood Park and Strathcona County commissioned a plaque to adorn the newly renamed park.

In 1971, Belcourt cofounded the Canative Housing Corporation with his cousin Orval Belcourt and Métis lawyer George Brosseau. The nonprofit organization provided affordable housing to Métis people in Alberta. Between 1971 and 2005, the company purchased 179 homes in Edmonton and 49 homes in Calgary and rented them to Métis people at affordable rates. In addition to providing homes, Canative created a food co-op and an urban life skills course and opened a daycare in Edmonton.

In 2003, Belcourt and the other directors of Canative decided to invest in education. They gave the tenants of the Canative homes six months’ notice and worked with many of the families to buy their homes from the company.

In 2001, Belcourt and his business partners Orval Belcourt and George Brosseau created the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Award, a $13-million endowment for Métis students of Alberta to continue their education. Since its inception, the award has disbursed more than $6.7 million through over 1,500 awards to more than 1,000 Métis students studying at institutions across the province. The foundation continues to provide awards to Métis students.

In 2006, he published his memoir, Walking In the Woods: A Métis Journey, which chronicles his life in business and philanthropy. In 2011, Belcourt became a chair of the Native Counselling Homelessness Project. According to Belcourt’s autobiography, in 1974 he ran for the presidency of the Métis Association of Alberta out of frustration at how his company, Canative Housing, became the target of candidates in previous elections, who accused Canative of profiteering.

He lost the 1974 election to Stan Daniels. In 1977, Belcourt ran for the federal Conservative nomination in the Edmonton-Strathcona riding but lost to David Kilgour, who went on to win the riding in the 1979 election. In his autobiography, Belcourt said he ran for the nomination to see better housing made available across the country. He also wanted to set a good example for the Métis people of Canada, writing, “I wanted the Métis, all of us, to feel proud of ourselves, to get over negativity and defensiveness.”

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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Jane Hawkes is a co-founder, with Cliff Lonsdale, of the Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma and also serves as its executive producer and secretary-treasurer. She is an independent television documentary producer whose work has explored a wide variety of topics including criminal forensics, artificial intelligence, medical innovation, consumer health and safety, and the politics of climate change. Jane spent five years as Assistant to the Secretary-General of NANBA (the North American National Broadcasters Association). She joined Black Inc. Productions in 1994, based first in Hong Kong and later in Toronto. She has edited abroad for CBC TV News and others, filmed on her own documentaries in Asia, Europe and Africa and reported on Asian arts and culture for CBC Radio. She has produced six one-hour television documentaries and two four-hour series seen on The Discovery Channel and sold to broadcasters in over 90 countries and territories around the world. Jane served on the executive board of the UK-based International News Safety Institute from 2010-2013 and as its global treasurer from 2012-2013

Hers is a story of food equity with dignity. Local Chef, Yasi Zorlutuna of Guelph, Ontario, is creating a mobile solution addressing food insecurity and food waste, and bringing affordable food to your neighbourhood with the Community FEWD Truck In partnership with GNSC and with support from Our Food Future, Zorlutuna is bringing her long-held dream of a Community Food Truck that takes pre-consumer food waste — high-quality fresh produce and food items that are destined for landfill for a variety of reasons, including aesthetic, lack of space to properly store and process, etc. — and uses it as the resource it is with Community FEWD. When she recently won a Food Waste Innovator Award from Second Harvest, the SH CEO Lori Nikkel said. “Each of this year’s nominees and winners has made sizeable contributions to a vision of No Waste No Hunger and deserve celebration and recognition.”

Carla Toews, who started as a teller when she was 18, is now a project manager with Access Credit Union Ltd. in Stanley, Manitoba. She’s working with a technical team administering a merger with several credit unions. She attributes much of her success to the exemplary leadership training she’s received at the credit union. Part of Access’s culture is to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Another key value at Access is community involvement. “We support communities financially with up to three percent of our gross profits being reinvested in various charities or community clubs, for example,” Davey says. Two fundraising golf days on behalf of Manitoba’s Health Sciences Centre Foundation raised $112,000, he adds. However, Jeans Day proves especially popular with staff. Employees pay $3 a week to wear jeans once that week. With 97 percent participation, staff raised $150,000 for various charities.”

Dean Clark was hired as the Recycling Manager for the Gabriola Island Recycling Organization 2004 (BC). In 2014 a significant debate occurred within the community about GIRO pricing and its future direction. Also in 2014, thanks to a federal grant administered through the RDN, work began for a large new addition to house the Re-Store and provide a meeting room and office upstairs. The new addition was open for business in 2016 after three years of massive community support and donated labour. In 2019, the Board upgraded its website to support climate change education and action. The Board also purchased a significant solar panel project from Empower Gabriola to electrify GIRO and sell excess power back to BC Hydro. GIRO is a non-profit run organization and anyone can become a member for only $10 a year. A yearly membership with GIRO gives members in-depth access to the workings of this important community service, as well as voting rights for important decisions guiding GIRO’s future. GIRO is a self-funded nonprofit organization. The majority of funding comes from the Re-Store, revenue generated from the recycling department and through donations.

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault is Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada. Recently, he announced the designation of Seacow Head Lighthouse in Prince Edward Island as a heritage lighthouse under Canada’s Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. Located at the entrance to Bedeque Bay and the Summerside Harbour, Seacow Head Lighthouse is one of the oldest standing lighthouses in the Maritimes. The tapered, octagonal lighthouse measures 18.3 metres (60 feet) in height and was named after the walruses that were once abundant in the region. The lighthouse serves as both a harbour light and a secondary coastal light to guide mariners through the narrowest passage of the Northumberland Strait. The Seacow Head Lighthouse was under the administration of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, who awarded the new owners a grant of $222,500 towards repairs of the site, which came from a Grants and Contributions Program for the Disposal of Surplus Lighthouses, which is to facilitate sales or transfers of heritage lighthouses for public benefit.