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The World Around Us
Fundraising in Norway is Something Very Special
One detail makes Norway stand out when it comes to fundraising for charity: One Sunday every year, almost every Norwegian donates to the same organisation.
Linda Haltbrekken (pictured) is Director of Fundraising and Communications in Plan International Norway and knows more than most about what makes Norwegians willing to share. She also knows that Norway is quite a different story when it comes to fundraising:
“More than 82 percent of our donors are private citizens, says Haltbrekken. “More than 130 000 Norwegians have sponsored children through Plan, out of a population of just 5.3 million people. Compared to the other countries we work in this is quite unique”.
Plan International Norway strives to advance children’s rights of children and equality for girls around the globe and is part of Plan International – a humanitarian organization working in more than 50 countries. In most other countries, most contributions come through big donors or corporations, but here in Norway, the money comes from each and every Norwegian.
One Sunday every October, you can see around 100 000 young and old Norwegians out in the streets, going from door to door to raise money. They do it for the annual telethon for charity, hosted by the state-owned television house, NRK, since 1974.
Each year, a charity is selected to be granted the donations – averaging about 20 million dollars each year. In 2021, Plan International Norway was the chosen one. NRK goes live on air all day with artists and entertainment – as well as stories about the people and causes that will benefit from this year’s donations. Plan International Norway was granted this year’s telethon with their project, who aims to reach three million people to end child marriage in countries where girls face the highest risk. They broke all previous records, with 243 million kroners raised by the end of the day.
The organisations applying for the annual telethon need to have solid action plans at the ready, Linda says. The whole organization has worked diligently to shape both the project and the message to engage Norwegians. It means this year’s national fundraising event will benefit the children we work with. This means that we can increase our activities significantly, and that we will be able to fund our efforts to help girls out of child marriages in five different countries: Mali, Niger, Malawi, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Haltbrekken’s regular workdays are all about shaping Plan’s core messages, tailoring them to reach a set of defined target groups across a variety of digital channels. The methods and approaches share a lot with other forms of marketing work, except for the fact that Plan’s goal is opposite of the usual: They want us to spend money on others, not just ourselves. She got her master’s degree in International Business at BI I 2007, and is now in charge of the Fundraising and Communications department. Her team is responsible for engaging with the private donors.
“Our main goal has always been taking on the role of the challenger when it comes to content, says Haltbrekken. “We want to create content that gets well-deserved attention and hits a nerve with the audience. This means we need to convey complex and complicated issues in a way that is simple to understand. Our stories have to be real, told with compassion, in order to be relevant, and makes people want to contribute.”
Plan International Norway is working systematically with several key groups to reach their goals. That is why they are working closely with corporations and political decision makers to secure support, as well as being active in the political debate on aid and development.
November/December 2024 | Vol. 5 | No. 28
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ON THE COVER
The Unexpected Power of AI in Our Sector
The First Peoples’ Centre at Canadore College is helping to preserve the language of the Maleku, a small Indigenous community in Costa Rica, with the help of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
“More than 650 people of the Maleku communities will have the opportunity to learn and teach their language, Maleku Jaika, to the next generations,” said Jessenia Vásquez Quesada, Maleku College Partner, Cost Rica. “They have Maleku Jaika without technology, but it is difficult because they do not have enough books, documents, teachers, or budget. With an application and technology, it will be easier to learn the language.”
“Language is the foundation of our cultures and revitalizing it, both locally and globally, is essential to reclaiming our identities,” said Sarah Julian, Director, Canadore College’s First Peoples’ Centre and Indigenous Engagement. “While much work remains within our own Indigenous communities, supporting global language revitalization fosters a shared movement, strengthening our collective resilience and amplifying our voice. By collaborating across borders we gain valuable knowledge, resources, and solidarity which, in turn, can inspire and inform our efforts with our own communities.”
The project highlights Camb.ai’s AI-powered speech and translation tool which enables content dubbing into over 140 languages using their proprietary AI models. The innovative technology is widely used in many applications including the film industry for dialogue translation. Canadore College students will apply this cutting-edge technology to produce realtime translations into the Maleku language, supporting efforts to preserve and share the community’s linguistic heritage.
The groundwork for this initiative began nearly two years ago with a small group of Canadore students traveling to Costa Rica. A second group visited in March 2024 with financial support from the Global Skills Opportunity Fund, a program supported by Colleges and Institutes Canada. During their time in Costa Rica, the students immersed themselves in the Maleku cultural practices, fostering relationships and an understanding of the community’s goals. “Canadore College is proud to collaborate with the Maleku community on a significant initiative to preserve their language,” said George Burton, President and CEO. “The College is committed to supporting the project respectfully, in partnership with Camb.ai and the Maleku people.”
Canadore College trains people through applied learning, leadership, and innovation. It provides access to over 80 fulltime quality programs and has outstanding faculty and provides success services to students from nearly 400 Canadian communities and 25 international countries
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak is deeply disappointed with the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, which unjustly attributes the federal deficit to Indigenous legal claims. The 2024 Fall Economic Statement (FEC) asserts that the federal deficit of $61.9 billion was largely driven by the cost of Indigenous legal claims, suggesting that without this factor, the deficit would have been just over $40 billion. However, this overlooks the federal government’s unfulfilled obligations to Indigenous peoples, as outlined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA).
The 2021 “Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People” committed to addressing the systemic factors that drive the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and GenderDiverse People (MMIWG2S+).
However, the 2023-2024 Federal Pathway Annual Progress Report reveals little to no meaningful progress in addressing this crisis. Furthermore, key promises — such as the establishment of an Indigenous and Human Rights Ombudsperson — remains unfulfilled. Further, the establishment of a “Red Dress Alert System” has not been funded beyond a regional pilot project.
More than six in ten Indigenous women have experienced physical or sexual assault in their lifetime. Additionally, Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately
represented in long-term, unresolved missing persons cases. The ongoing racism, colonialism, and discrimination faced by Indigenous peoples continue to contribute to violence against our women, exacerbated by a troubling lack of sufficient political action.
“As grassroots Métis women who are directly impacted by the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, we have yet to see meaningful progress on the promises made by the federal government to address this crisis,” said LFMO President Melanie Omeniho. “The lack of urgency in ensuring the safety of our women is deeply disturbing and fails to reflect the responsibilities and obligations that Canada has acknowledged in its pledge to uphold the rights of Indigenous peoples.”
LFMO speaks as the national and international voice for the Women of the Métis Nation across the Métis Motherland, spanning Ontario westward to British Columbia. Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak aims to consult, promote, and represent the personal, spiritual, social, cultural, political, and economic interests and aspirations of women and gender diverse people.
The Government of Québec and the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke Sign a Statement of Understanding and Mutual Respect. To lay the foundations for a constructive political relationship based on dialogue, the Premier of Québec François Legault and Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke signed a statement of understanding and mutual respect.
The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke and the
Government of Québec are committed to working together, respecting each other’s unique perspectives and striving for improved mutual understanding. Both parties acknowledge that they bring distinct histories, views and interests to the table. Respect of these differences fosters a climate that encourages effective conflict resolution and contributes to mutually beneficial outcomes.
Building a productive, enduring relationship demands time and honest commitment. By creating a climate conducive to addressing priorities, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke and the Government of Québec set the stage for meaningful, forward-looking discussions. This new foundation is intended as a way to foster trust and open up pathways that will benefit current and future generations.
“I am very proud to sign this statement of understanding and mutual respect, which will enable our two nations to move forward together and resolve differences more harmoniously,” said François Legault, premier ministre du Québec. ”The mutual consideration we have pledged to show will undoubtedly foster beneficial projects for the citizens of Kahnawà:ke and the surrounding area. I would like to thank Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Diabo for his open-mindedness, and I look forward to many wonderful joint achievements in the years to come.”
“While it has taken an extensive period of time and much effort to renew this statement, this agreement affirms the unique relationship between the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke and the Gouvernement du Québec,” added Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo,
Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke. “It sets the stage for a respectful, collaborative approach that fosters peaceful coexistence. Through dialogue and understanding, we will build a foundation of trust that allows us to navigate our differences while working toward solutions for the benefit of all.”
40th CIBC Miracle Day: over $6.2 million to support children’s charities around the world. CIBC announced $6.2 million to support charities that provide education and enrichment for kids, thanks to the generosity of the bank’s team members and clients following the 40th annual CIBC Miracle Day, this year held on December 4. This year’s CIBC Miracle Day brought together celebrities, athletes, charities and CIBC team members – all with the goal of raising funds to remove barriers to kids achieving their dreams. Longstanding supporters Pinball Clemons, Rod Black, and Tessa Virtue were among the special guests who brought their energy and enthusiasm to highlight the incredible and inspiring work of children’s charities.
“At CIBC, our team members are committed to making a difference in the communities where we live and work. These results demonstrate our longstanding dedication to helping make children’s ambitions a reality for the past forty years,” said Harry Culham, Group Head, CIBC Capital Markets, Global Asset Management, and Enterprise Strategy, and Co-Chair of the CIBC Foundation. “We are grateful to our clients, team members, charity partners and special guests for contributing to this proud giving tradition that helps to remove barriers to allow
kids to achieve their dreams.”
To mark the milestone 40th annual CIBC Miracle Day, the bank made a historic onetime $1 million donation to Breakfast Club of Canada to support breakfast programs across Canada. In addition, there was a Miracle Day ‘storybook’ installation at CIBC Square on Bay Street in Toronto, which featured anecdotes from some of the children who have been helped by children’s charities.
Celebrations also took place in Vancouver, Calgary, London, ON, Victoria, Edmonton, Ottawa, Kanata, Montreal, New York, Chicago, London, Luxembourg and Hong Kong.
“We are so grateful to everyone for their generosity. While it only takes one person to make a difference, these results illustrate that great things happen when our team rallies around this purpose, together with our clients and charitable partners, which is the spirit of CIBC Miracle Day,” said Bob Cancelli, Executive Vice-President & Head, CIBC Wood Gundy, Investment Counsel and Investors Edge. “The $6.2 million will go to children’s charities across the globe to help create a world without limits to ambition by creating economically inclusive communities that support equitable opportunities for all.”
CIBC Miracle Day is an annual
event that takes place on the first Wednesday in December. CIBC Foundation, which aims to create a world without limits to ambition and a more equitable society, administers the funds raised on CIBC Miracle Day. Funds are distributed throughout the year and play a key role in helping children access vital support services and programs.
Toronto Pearson has been recognized with three recent awards for its dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and its programs that support surrounding communities. In 2023, 27 per cent of Toronto Pearson’s workforce identified as a visible minority. The airport is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace that prioritizes DEI values and supports members of each employment equity group, as well as those who are equitydeserving, in achieving their career goals. They state the organization understands the importance of investing in the community, through programs like the Propeller Project, that help connect with people and create a positive impact on the communities around us. This is reflected in Pearson’s most recent distinctions:
Community Impact Award (from the Urban Pilots and Professionals Network – Nov. 30, 2024) - Toronto Pearson’s social impact team and the Propeller Project, a community investment program that support organizations and projects working in local neighbourhoods, has been recognized by the Urban Pilots and Professionals Network. This award highlights the importance of fostering DEI within the community. It underscores Toronto Pearson’s commitment to promoting inclusion among our partners, building diverse and equitable solutions that create stronger opportunities for underrepresented groups in the aviation industry.
Airport Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award (from International Airport Review Nov. 13, 2024) - A global recognition, this award celebrates Toronto Pearson’s efforts to attract and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce that leverages the very best skill sets and knowledge to ensure we remain resilient for the future.
Best Individual Contribution to DEI in the Workplace (from Charity Village, awarded to Toronto Pearson’s Director DEI Molara Awosedo – Nov. 20, 2024) - This honour highlights the contributions of a DEI leader who continues to advance and embed DEI principles in all the airport does. Since joining Toronto Pearson in 2021, Molara has worked to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded into the fabric of the wider airport, with diverse representation at all levels, all while fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment.
“We are honoured to be recognized for our dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion both
in the workplace and our broader community,” said Mark Carbonelli, Chief Human Resources Officer, Toronto Pearson. “While Toronto Pearson humbly accepts these awards, we also understand that work to promote an inclusive culture of DEI is ongoing and we are committed to continuing that work by investing in our people and the communities that we serve.”
As part of Toronto Pearson’s 10-year strategic plan, the organization has set ambitious and achievable DEI goals and will continue to support future talent and technology by embracing DEI principles throughout the airport and the greater community so that everyone can grow and thrive. Pearson is creating a workplace where everyone belongs.
The Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security announced that Neil Hetherington, Chief Executive Officer of Daily Bread Food Bank, has joined its Board of Directors.
“Neil brings to our board decades of front-line experience in addressing social justice issues and is a leading advocate in advancing public policies to reduce food insecurity,” said Lynda Kuhn, Chair of the Centre.
“As we seek to accelerate our impact on the growing crisis of food insecurity, Neil’s experience will both inform and strengthen our work.”
Hetherington joined Daily Bread Food Bank as CEO in January 2018. Daily Bread Food Bank supplies fresh and shelfstable food to 129 member agencies across Toronto and is a national leader in research that examines the causes and impacts of food insecurity. After beginning his career in project management at Tridel
Construction, he joined Habitat for Humanity. Mr. Hetherington’s non-profit experience, prior to Daily Bread, includes 16 years as CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Toronto and New York City, and two years as CEO of Dixon Hall, a multi-service agency serving thousands of people in Toronto.
The Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security is a registered charity committed to working collaboratively to reduce food insecurity in Canada by 50 percent by 2030. The Centre advocates for critical public policies and invests in knowledge building and programs that advance the capacity of people and communities to achieve sustainable food security. The Centre was created in 2016 and is governed by a board of directors, including five independent experts.
An Ontario MPP has taken a groundbreaking step towards improving animal welfare and public safety with the introduction of the Captive Wildlife Protection Act, 2024. World Animal Protection, a global leader in animal welfare, joined Lucille Collard, MPP for Ottawa-Vanier, and Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo to announce the bill.
The Act aims to address the lack of provincial oversight for captive wildlife, which currently allows anyone to collect wild animals like lions and tigers and operate as a zoo, resulting in the proliferation of dangerous and cruel “roadside zoos”. These attractions often keep wild animals in substandard conditions, risking public safety and causing animal suffering. Ontario is the weakest jurisdiction when it comes to regulating the keeping of wild animals, and so
it’s no surprise then that Ontario is home to the highest number of these dangerous facilities across Canada. No licence is needed to keep non-native wild animals in a zoo and there are no required consistent standards, leaving municipalities to manage with ineffective and patchwork bylaws.
The proposed bill introduces mandatory licensing for zoos, along with annual inspections to enforce high standards of care and safety. It also prohibits the use of wild animals for entertainment purposes, such as petting sessions, photo opportunities and performances that compromise their welfare.
Facilities will be required to meet clear licensing requirements, including proof of financial resources and emergency preparedness plans.
The bill covers well-known locations and tourist attractions, all the way down to backyard operations. Under this bill, attractions like Marineland, an organization with a deeply concerning record of animal welfare practices and a string of animal deaths, would never have been able to continue operating. It represents a major shift towards protecting vulnerable animals and creating safer communities across Ontario.
“Ontario has a troubling history of unregulated facilities
keeping wild animals in unsafe and inhumane conditions,” said Colin Saravanamuttoo, Executive Director, World Animal Protection. “The Captive Wildlife Protection Act is a critical step to protect animals and safeguard our communities.”
Added Lucille Collard, MPP for Ottawa-Vanier, “Keeping exotic wild animals in inadequate conditions is not only harmful to the animals but also dangerous for the public. Owning and caring for wild animals should be restricted to qualified individuals and organizations who are subject to proper government oversight. It is long past time for Ontario to implement a regulatory framework for the keeping of wild animals in order to ensure the well-being of the animals and keep the public safe.”
“The safety and well-being of both animals and people depend on these regulations, said Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo. “This act sends a clear message: substandard conditions and neglect have no place in Ontario. As a leader in wildlife conservation and education, the Toronto Zoo strongly supports these first steps to protect animals and communities alike.”
Ontario has approximately 30 roadside zoos — more than
any other province in Canada — operating without provincial regulation. Eighty-eight percent of Ontarians support provincial licensing and oversight of zoos. Nearly half of Ontario’s municipalities have no bylaws governing the keeping of wild animals, leaving communities vulnerable to safety risks. Roadside zoos often house wild animals in substandard conditions, leading to physical and psychological distress for animals and safety risks for visitors.
There is no centralized registry in Ontario tracking where exotic animals are kept or how many exist in captivity, leaving communities vulnerable to unreported escapes and safety incidents. The Captive Wildlife Protection Act, 2024, brings Ontario in line with regulations in other provinces for the treatment of captive animals, setting a precedent for better welfare protections. This legislation is supported by leading animal welfare organizations, municipalities and cross-party members of the Ontario Legislature.
World Animal Protection is an international animal welfare charity with more than 70 years of experience advocating for the humane treatment of animals worldwide. In Canada, the organization works to protect wildlife and farm animals through evidence-based solutions that benefit both animals and people.
TD Bank is joining Mastercard’s global Priceless Planet Coalition initiative to support a local Canadian project, helping restore trees in British Columbia. For each eligible MBNA (a division of TD Bank) credit cardholder who switches from paper
to e-statements starting on October 24, 2024 until January 15, 2025, TD Bank will make a donation in support of the Priceless Planet Coalition to help restore trees in the Thompson Watershed of British Columbia, an area deeply impacted by recent wildfires, up to a total of 30,000 trees.
“We are so proud to partner with Mastercard on this initiative and it feels like a natural fit as TD believes sustainability is important’, says Jennifer Bishop, Vice President and Executive Journey Product Owner, TD Bank. “As an organization, we aim to enrich and support the communities in which we live and work. We believe Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition can help connect customers across the country to such an important program.”
“We’re grateful to have the support of TD, MBNA and its customers in helping to support our work with the Priceless Planet Coalition initiative in Canada,” said Diane Miquelon, Senior Vice President, Financial Institutions, Mastercard, Canada. “Our goal is to create solutions that allow people to be inspired by the positive impact they can have, and now we can help bring that home to our own Canadian communities.”
The Mastercard-led Priceless Planet Coalition engages over 150 corporate partners in supporting over 19 tree restoration projects across six continents. This is done together with climate science and forest restoration experts, Conservation International, and World Resources Institute.
More than simply planting trees, the initiative aims to reinforce a restoration model that’s focused on re-growing forests in places with significant
need. In total, the Priceless Planet Coalition aims to restore 100 million trees globally.
To help plan and execute this project, Conservation International and World Resources Institute will work with Tree Canada, the local treeplanting partner for Priceless Planet Coalition in Canada.
The Priceless Planet Coalition is part of Mastercard’s commitment to leverage the scale and scope of its business, technology and partnerships to help act on climate change. It unites the efforts of individuals, businesses and corporate partners, giving consumers and brands alike a way to support shared long-term, sustainable and inclusive growth.
The Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) has begun a new fundraising challenge that will support the securement of the Bruce Trail and protect thousands of acres across the Niagara Escarpment. An anonymous couple who are Lifetime Members of the BTC have given the organization a challenge to raise $15 million annually over the next three years to help protect the remaining vulnerable lands that the Bruce Trail crosses. Once the BTC has raised $15 million designated for land securement during the year ending June 30, 2025, the anonymous couple will invest $5 million, bringing the total raised to $20 million. If successful, this challenge could continue annually until 2027, raising a total of $60 million, which is 55 percent of the $109 million forecasted to complete the Trail. The $60 million will accelerate the BTC’s ability to secure and protect the Bruce Trail and its surrounding habitats sooner than anticipated. All gifts
designated for land securement — including applicable land donations — will support this goal.
“We are grateful to our anonymous donors for this pace-setting challenge and their commitment to protecting our conservation corridor. We are excited to engage our community of donors and others that will consider joining the challenge to help us maximize this opportunity and to realize a secured Bruce Trail sooner than we could have imagined,” said Marsha Russell, Vice President of Fund Development at the Bruce Trail Conservancy.
“We are pleased to have the opportunity to invest alongside other supporters of the Bruce Trail Conservancy in the Phase One program to raise $60 million over the three-year period ending June 30, 2027. Let’s do this together and lay a solid foundation to complete the land securement of the Bruce Trail Conservancy’s conservation corridor,” said the anonymous donors.
Currently, 71.9 percent of the Bruce Trail is on permanently protected land, which means that approximately 30 percent of the Trail is still vulnerable. While progress to secure these lands continues, the BTC is sincerely grateful to the hundreds of landowners and conservation partners from Queenston to Tobermory who graciously host the Bruce Trail and allow hikers
to cross their lands. Without agreements with generous landowners, the continuity of the Bruce Trail would be in jeopardy.
The Bruce Trail is a 900-kilometre world-class footpath that provides free public access to the Niagara Escarpment, one of the most significant biodiverse ecoregions in Canada. The BTC has been helping people responsibly connect with nature by way of the Bruce Trail for over 60 years, while preserving and restoring sensitive Niagara Escarpment lands. The BTC currently stewards over 15,000 acres with the support of dedicated volunteers and expert ecologists.
The Bruce Trail Conservancy is one of Ontario’s largest land trusts that secures, protects, and restores the vulnerable habitat and biodiversity of the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment Biosphere. For more than 60 years, we have responsibly connected people to nature through the Bruce Trail. We are a member-driven, volunteerbased, charitable organization governed by a 19-member Board of Directors. Working with each of the nine Bruce Trail Clubs, we are committed to caring for the Bruce Trail and to preserving land along its route. The Bruce Trail Conservancy is a leading Canadian environmental charity and has been named one of the 2024 Top 100 Charities in Canada by Charity Intelligence.
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
LEANNE KAUFMAN
Embracing Family Philanthropy and Estate Planning Conversations
BY LEANNE KAUFMAN
Estate planning conversations are difficult. We don’t want to think about our loved ones passing, and we don’t like to speak of our own potential incapacity or demise. Money, too, can be a taboo topic. It’s no wonder many families avoid these kinds of conversations altogether. (This won’t be an issue with my kids. They already hear more about all of this than they will ever care to know!)
When wishes are left unexpressed, all sorts of issues can arise. Without an estate plan, including basic documents like a Will and powers of attorney, there’s no way of ensuring that wishes will be carried out — particularly philanthropic intent. And without a conversation about what is in those documents, beneficiaries (or those who thought they would be beneficiaries) can find themselves disappointed, aggrieved, and possibly acrimonious, leading to ill feelings and poor relations at an already emotional time when their loved one dies and they understand the estate plan for the first time.
Canadians shy away from preparing their estate plans and wills
According to an RBC Royal Trust survey in 2022, 66 percent of Canadians between ages 35 and 54 do not have a will — and it’s not because people aren’t aware they need one. Indeed, more than half of those surveyed indicated that not having a will may result in their wishes being unknown, and 56 percent acknowledged that it can lead to family disharmony about inheritances.
So how do we encourage our clients to both discuss and document their wishes? It requires open dialogue with both trusted advisors, and the family or friends who are impacted.
Estate planning conversations with trusted networks
It goes without saying that a fulsome estate plan requires consultations with professionals like wealth advisors, lawyers and accountants. These are all trusted sources who can educate and offer advice to ensure estate plans are actionable and achieve the goals the clients express.
It is also imperative that clients be encouraged to make itemized lists of assets and liabilities. In addition to property, cars and investments, we recommend they also think about
heirlooms, art and items that hold sentimental value, and the ever-increasing digital assets. With a visual representation, it can often be easier to imagine how to bequeath an inheritance.
Above all else, we talk about the importance of creating a Will and powers of attorney (or their provincial equivalent)—one for personal care and one for property. We know having these in place can bring peace of mind, and without them, final wishes may not be carried out as planned, particularly philanthropic goals.
Making hard conversations easier
As challenging as making an estate plan can be, speaking with friends and family about those plans can be even more difficult. We work to empower our clients to have these challenging conversations and often we say a good time to talk is when all the family is gathered together. While the holidays may feel too festive to talk about estate planning, when philanthropic intent is part of one’s estate plan, the generous spirit of the season may actually offer a natural opportunity to share these intentions with loved ones.
When someone decides to speak with their family about their estate plan, they may feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to include and what to keep private. It’s a deeply personal choice, but if there will be any surprises or anyone may be disappointed with the contents of the documents, it may ease their emotions when they have time to understand the planning well in advance. This is particularly true if a significant portion of the estate is going to philanthropic intent rather than to loved ones.
Many families may be involved in philanthropy together. When this is the case, the discussion about charitable donations will often be an extension of conversations that they’ve already had. In any case, the donor should seek to bring their family and friends into their reasoning, so they understand the significance of the gift.
For many, the holidays are a time for togetherness, good will, and sharing our abundance with others. What better time for families to share their plans for long term legacies of giving with those they love.
LEANNE KAUFMAN is the President and CEO of the Royal Trust Corporation of Canada and The Royal Trust Company. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine
BY KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE, MAdEd
AsLEADERSHIP KATHLEEN PROVOST
Welcoming 2025 and Looking Ahead
a professional fundraiser people often ask me how can you stay so optimistic? The field of philanthropy is full of challenges and there are so many factors that can impact our profession as fundraisers. I do believe there are always challenges, yet we still fundraise! In my opinion, there are more positive outcomes and opportunities to consider then negatives ones — which is why we continue to persevere.
To know me you would know that I am that person “whose glass is always half full”. I was recently interviewed for an article with the Canadian Family Offices entitled “Outlook 2025”. I shared some of the concerns other interviewees highlighted, but I also stated that we are faced with great opportunities.
“Donors are becoming more educated and sophisticated, wanting to be more actively involved and have direct impact, rather than just donating. There’s less interest in just feeling good about giving, and more focus on working together to achieve measurable results.”
In this same article, John Bromley, founder and CEO, Charitable Impact, talked about the lack of formal education and resources available as a significant barrier for Canadians to learn about effective and impactful giving. And I agree with him. Yet, Imagine Canada’s recent polling shows that 75 percent of Canadians know that millions of Canadians rely on the services of charities and non-profits every day, with 81 percent believing these services are essential to Canadians’ well-being.
We need philanthropy
Our discretionary dollars are sought after in a very competitive way. Struggling to feed the hungry, improving the quality of life of the homeless, or addressing climate change; these are all issues we want to do something about. The question then becomes: is it necessary for fundraising to be a “big machine”? Do organizations need to invest heavily to find solutions and have a lasting impact in their communities?
In the article, The Quiet Heroes of Philanthropy, Lois Graveline, Founder and CEO of Harmonia Philanthropy, talked about philanthropic “hidden hearts”. A reminder of the importance of all types of giving, including the often-unseen efforts of donors who support the efforts of small, grassroots charities providing essential services and programs in local communities.
According to Graveline a “small” charity fits that model and 77 percent of Canada’s charities and nonprofits and raises less than $500,000 annually. Ninety percent of these charities have ten or fewer employees, and 59 percent are entirely volunteer run. “Hidden heart” donors don’t seek attention for their contribution. These “hidden hearts,” believe in the labour of love and their
impact is undeniable. They serve as lifelines for their beneficiaries and the stakes are incredibly high. Even small disruptions in funding for these “small shops” can have serious implications for those who rely on their benevolent services.
When it comes to philanthropy, the challenges most donors face with Canada’s regulatory is the complexity to navigate strict rules around charitable donations and tax receipts. At times, a lack of simplicity can make it more difficult to engage potential donors. These complex rules and extra layers of bureaucracy should potentially deter us to fundraise. However, some funders and some foundations are challenging these rules and pushing the limits of “risk”.
In her article entitled: Why some foundations are not letting ‘risk’ stop them from partnering with non-qualified donees, Sherlyn Assam, freelancer, demonstrated how some foundations chose their partnerships specifically to transform community organizations that are often left out of the conversation. Thus, disregarding the “rules”.
Even though Canada Revenue Agency’s guidance on how to make grants to non-qualified donees mentions “risk” 31 times, the philanthropic sector is moving more towards communitycentred philanthropy and trust-based giving.
My final thoughts
The benefits outweigh the challenges. We will experience economic recessions and depressions; we will witness hurricanes and flooding; but it is what we do about these challenges that makes a difference. By focusing on the positive factors that influence the field of philanthropy we can deepen donor engagement and foster a better understanding of issues to create meaningful connections between donors and the communities they aim to support.
I am not saying we must avoid challenges, but challenges can be a powerful tool for building a more connected, compassionate, and resilient society. By using our generosity, and fundraising efforts we can channel goodwill into meaningful action. Whether through donations of time, money, or resources, fundraising encourages individuals and businesses to become active participants in shaping the future of their communities. This collective effort not only supports charitable initiatives but also encourages social responsibility and strengthens the fabric of our society.
With this in mind, I am ready to welcome 2025 with all the challenges it brings. Are you ready too?
KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE, MAdEd, is Vice President, Philanthropy and Communications at United for Literacy (previously Frontier College), a national organization with 125 years of community partnerships in Canada, offering free tutoring and mentoring to adult, youth, and children who need literacy and numeracy support. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.
BY MARY CAHALANE
DTHE HAND’S ON FUNDRAISER MARY CAHALANE Five Donor Relations Tips for Shy People
oes wading into a room full of strangers terrify you? Are you sure you’ll have nothing to say? Afraid you’ll embarrass yourself with your tied-up tongue? Never fear.
I’m an introvert who likes people, but I find the idea of gladhanding, networking or otherwise behaving like my extroverted colleagues intimidating. And I’ve been doing this for decades.
So here are a few donor relations tips to help you navigate the crowded ballroom.
Tip 1: People is not a collective noun (in this case)
Thinking of “many” is more intimidating than thinking of individuals. One-on-one, we’re all just people. Take a moment and consider the person you should meet. She may also be wondering whether the babysitter got there on time, or how much that car repair will cost.
In other words, they’re only people. Just like you.
Tip 2: Use your data as your shield
If you’re psyching yourself up for an event, you may be able to do some studying beforehand. Think about a few of the people who will be at the event. Consider what you know about them already and prepare a conversation opener.
People are amazed when someone remembers something about them. It makes them feel special. And when you make someone feel special, they’ll think you’re pretty special, too.
(Don’t go all creeper here, of course. If your database has private information — a pending divorce, for example – you’re not going to start there.)
Tip 3: Seek out the people on the margins
You’re not the only one feeling a little awkward. Don’t rush to be the life of the party — chances are, they’re busy flitting from person to person anyway. Look for the quiet people, standing on the edges of conversations.
When you come over to talk to them, they won’t be looking over your shoulder for someone more interesting. They’ll be looking at you like you’re a hero.
Tip 4: You have two ears and one mouth
Attention — real attention — is a gift today. Ask open-ended questions: “What’s your connection with Org Z?” “What brought you here tonight?”
Then really listen. Look them in the eye, nod, and ask
questions to learn more. If you treat your conversation partner as if she’s fascinating, she’ll think you’re fascinating!
Tip 5: When all else fails, be useful
I always loved being the person assigned to the registration table. What a great opportunity to put names and faces together! A little chit-chat — about the weather even — and you’ve already broken some ice. It will be easier to return to that person once you’re mingling.
Even when I haven’t been staffing an event, I’ve jumped in to help those who are. Those connections can be valuable as well. And when they talk to guests, they’ll introduce you. Connection made, painlessly.
Shyness doesn’t have to be a problem. Be empathetic, listen well, and think of the other person. Forget about yourself, and you’ll be charming.
The other key factor that helps
You can also spread a little gratitude and feel happier. If you’re a fundraiser, part of your calling is spreading gratitude. Does this sound like a familiar exchange?
“Thank you!”
“No, thank YOU!”
Saying thank you is an expected part of our social discourse. It smooths the way for simple — and more complex — conversations. Someone holds the door for you, and you say “Thanks.”
It’s civilization at work.
And while some thanks can seem rote, what happens when you begin paying attention to them? Offering them with intention, with heart?
Last week, I was reading Lisa Sargent’s wonderful book, Thankology. And after reading it, I’m still thinking about gratitude and how we show and share it. Think back to that simple exchange. When that’s happened, how did you feel? When someone thanks you or returns your — perhaps habitual — thanks, suddenly the whole conversation is a little different, isn’t it?
Spreading gratitude is good for us
You’ve surely seen a study or two, encouraging you to take time to feel grateful for the people you care about, or all that makes your life full. A quick search will turn up pages and pages. I’ll admit it can start sounding a bit much. (I write all day, do I
BY MARK HALPERN, CFP, TEP, MFA-P
IMARK HALPERN
“Give & Get” - Start Spreading the News
magine if you knew something that others didn’t know that could help them, their families and the causes they care about. How much you would want to share that information — but how hard would it be? Where would you start? Which people would you reach out to? What would you tell them to cut through the noise and make sure they understood how important your ideas were?
I feel like that most of the time because I have access to information that every professional advisor, charity and Canadian needs to know. I want to let everyone in on the many strategies available to save taxes while making a philanthropic difference. And, while it can be a challenge to keep making the effort to get the message out, I’m motivated to try my best to ensure as many people as possible understand the planning opportunities in this area.
But I can’t to it alone. I need help from Charities, Foundations and Non-Profits (and professional advisors) to help spread the news to benefit the organizations and their donors today.
The first step for charities is they need to identify major donors who are still donating with cheques or credit cards through a Corporation, Holding Company or Investment Company. It would also help to identify those who COULD give through a corporate entity but are instead still giving personally. Next step is to provide education to those donors on the tremendous cost-effective and tax-effective benefits of donating more strategically through our “Give & Get” strategy that will encourage even more generous donors once they learn how to maximize their generosity to family and charity, all by converting taxes into donations.
Here are a few recent examples of the work we’re doing that you can use as inspiration when talking to people with philanthropic aspirations.
Not long ago, we started working with a husband and wife whose ancestors began building the family’s wealth through a business founded six generations ago, back in the 1800s. They heard one of my webinars and reached out to explore what we could do to help them with legacy and estate planning. We explained the many ways individuals and corporations can turn taxes into charity, and this couple gravitated towards one particular area of opportunity.
The family had implemented an estate freeze, but they were missing three key bits of knowledge with the potential to elevate their legacy planning. First, they weren’t aware that they could donate private company shares (aka preferred shares). Second,
they didn’t realize that, on death, charitable donations can be used to mitigate 100 percent of estate taxes in the year of death and the year prior to death. Third, they hadn’t considered how cost-effective it can be to incorporate life insurance strategically into an estate plan to turn taxes into an enduring legacy.
Putting these pieces together allowed the couple to take advantage of a new approach that fulfills their estate planning and philanthropic objectives — and it’s an approach even their family office wasn’t aware of. Now, they can share what they know with their other professional advisors and the three dozen family members in their generation. Satisfyingly, my team has succeeded in spreading the word a little bit more.
Another chance to share our philanthropic planning expertise came about after I participated in Dr. Yatin Chadha’s podcast, beyond MD, in August. In this podcast, Yatin, a local radiologist, provides financial literacy to medical professionals and their advisors. Following our episode, I was approached by a retired professional who had crystallized some of his corporation-held capital gains to take advantage of the one-half capital gains inclusion rate before it changed to two-thirds on June 25, 2024. The downside was that he now had a huge tax bill that would come due in April 2025.
When we met, he acknowledged he had never done any legacy planning — historically, he simply responded to specific requests from charities. However, he was interested in incorporating strategic philanthropy into his estate planning, especially when I pointed out that we could turn 100 percent of his capital gains tax into charity by moving some pieces around.
The strategy we implemented takes advantage of the fact that his corporation still has a large investment portfolio, with a lot of appreciated value — what we call being “pregnant” with capital gains. We recommended with his CPA that if we approximately double the tax bill with a donation of “in-kind” securities, he will not incur any capital gains taxes, and the full donation amount (including capital gains) can be deducted against other taxable income in the corporation. The icing on the cake is that the amount of the capital gains will be credited fully to the Capital Dividend Account (CDA) and can be withdrawn tax-free now or at some later date! So, beyond saving taxes now, we’ve created a tax-free pipeline to turn corporate dollars into personal dollars.
With the capital gains tax bill covered, we’re turning our attention to working with this client’s other professional advisors on additional ways to manage an estate tax bill
INSIDE AI GEORGE IRISH Your AI To-do List for 2025, plus 8 Practical AI Pilot Projects
BY GEORGE IRISH
2024was another landmark year for artificial intelligence, capped off in just the past few weeks with big advancements in real-time AI voice conversations, Hollywood-quality video generators, and AI Agent-automated work processes. As we enter 2025, AI’s rapid evolution shows no signs of slowing down — and nonprofits and charities face a daunting task trying to keep up.
Recent research from the Charity Insights Canada Project (https://carleton.ca/cicp-pcpob/) paints a concerning picture: in their Oct 2024 survey of 143 Canadian nonprofits and charities, only 18 percent of respondents feel fully confident in their readiness to use AI. Another 17 percent report being “somewhat” confident, leaving the majority of organizations uncertain about how to move forward in this rapidly changing landscape.
2025: Your Year of AI Action
The post-holiday period is an ideal time to kick-off your organization’s AI adoption strategy.
AI’s evolution is happening at a rapid pace compared with earlier tech waves like the internet or social media. It brings many of the same issues of privacy, security, and job adaptation, but it also adds unique concerns like copyright grey zones, the ethical implications of automated decision-making, and new oversight requirements.
These challenges are significant but manageable with the right approach, and the potential benefits are already clear. According to the Charity Insights Canada Project, forward-thinking nonprofits already recognize AI’s transformative potential:
❯ 58 percent believe AI can dramatically improve their data analysis capabilities,
❯ 55 percent see opportunities in AI-powered content creation, and
❯ 50 percent recognize AI’s potential to enhance program targeting.
Three trends from 2024 that will shape AI in 2025
AI Hesitation continues to hold organizations back. This hesitation has real consequences: reduced operational efficiency, missed fundraising opportunities, and diminishing competitiveness in the battle for donor attention. Organizations that delay action may find themselves unable to meet rising
stakeholder expectations for personalized engagement and data-driven decision making — expectations being shaped by their supporters’ experiences with AI-savvy commercial brands.
Secret Cyborgs are growing in many organizations — staff members quietly using personal AI accounts for work tasks without official approval. This “Bring Your Own AI” trend creates security and reputational risks while preventing organizations from sharing valuable learnings. Rather than ignoring this trend, organizations need to acknowledge and address it through clear policies and supported adoption strategies.
AI Integration is becoming ubiquitous. AI-powered features are now embedded in virtually every digital tool, from donor CRMs to video conferencing platforms. While ChatGPT is still the ‘go-to’ AI app, we’re also seeing new specialized AI apps designed specifically for nonprofit workflows with seamless integration into existing systems. Organizations that understand and embrace these integrations will be better positioned to leverage AI’s benefits.
Your
2025 AI To-do List
With these trends in mind, here’s a practical roadmap to help your organization move from AI hesitation to meaningful adoption in 2025.
1. Start the AI Conversation now
Success with AI begins with getting people talking across your organization about what’s possible. Your fundraising team might be wondering if AI could help identify donors at risk of lapsing. Your communications team is probably already experimenting with AI writing tools. Each department sees different possibilities and faces different challenges.
The key is bringing these perspectives together naturally. Start with informal discussions during team meetings or lunch-and-learns where people can share their experiences and ideas. These organic conversations often reveal unexpected connections — like how donor engagement patterns might inform program delivery, or how program impact stories could enhance fundraising appeals.
Let these discussions flow naturally into collaboration. Some organizations find that informal cross-department AI sharing sessions help everyone learn together. Others create channels
where staff can share AI tools and techniques they’re discovering, or an AI Task Force or Safety Committee.
What matters isn’t the structure, but creating spaces where people feel comfortable exploring possibilities together.
2. Identify your Focus Areas
Rather than attempting to transform everything at once, your AI journey should begin where it can provide the most valuable learnings. Look first to departments that have demonstrated enthusiasm for innovation and where you already have strong data foundations. Consider areas facing pressing operational challenges that AI could help address.
The key is finding innovation-ready opportunities that align with your strategic priorities. For instance, if donor retention is currently a focus area, explore AI projects that could enhance personalization and engagement in your donor communications.
3. Get Help
The AI landscape is complex and fastmoving, and you shouldn’t try to navigate it alone. Start by asking your current technology vendors and agencies about their own AI roadmaps and available features. Many are already developing AI capabilities that could benefit your organization.
Professional associations and nonprofit technology groups are also increasingly offering AI-focused workshops, webinars, and communities of practice. These collaborative learning opportunities can provide both practical insights and strategic grounding as your team navigates the AI landscape.
For more structured guidance, consider bringing in specialized nonprofit AI consultants who understand both the technology and the unique challenges of the sector. As well, investing in AI literacy training for staff can help build internal capacity and understanding.
4. Start Piloting
The key to AI success may not be in
extensive research, but rather learning through doing. Start with small, contained experiments where the stakes are low and the potential for learning is high. Think of each pilot as a chance to explore and understand, not a makeor-break initiative. Some of your most valuable insights might come from projects that don’t work out as planned.
Keep your initial experiments focused and manageable. Choose areas where you can test AI solutions without disrupting critical operations. For example, try using AI to analyze historical data before applying it to current decisions, or test new AI-powered content tools on internal communications before using them for donor outreach.
Remember that “failure” in a pilot project isn’t really failure — it’s valuable information about what works, what doesn’t, and why. Each experiment, regardless of outcome, builds your organization’s understanding of AI’s potential and limitations.
Eight Practical Pilots to Kick-off
Your AI Journey:
Here are eight practical pilots that organizations can implement with minimal disruption to existing operations.
Core Fundraising Pilots
Let’s start with four fundraising pilots that leverage AI to enhance traditional development work, building on your existing donor data and relationships:
The Donor Reactivation Predictor offers a low-risk entry point into AI-powered fundraising. This pilot uses AI to analyze your lapsed donor data from the past 2-3 years, identifying patterns among those who have successfully reactivated. The goal isn’t to completely automate reactivation, but to help your team work smarter by focusing their efforts on the most promising opportunities. Even a small improvement in reactivation rates can justify the experiment.
The Event ROI Optimizer addresses a common challenge: maximizing the return on fundraising events. This pilot analyzes historical event data — costs, attendance, giving outcomes, and follow-up success — to identify what drives success. Start with data from just one type of event, looking for patterns that could inform future planning. The insights gained can immediately improve your next event’s planning process.
The Mid-Level Donor Pipeline Identifier offers a strategic approach to strengthen mid-level giving programs. This pilot uses AI to analyze giving histories and engagement patterns, identifying regular donors showing similar characteristics to those who successfully transitioned to mid-level giving. Begin with a small test group, allowing your relationship managers to validate and refine the AI’s recommendations.
The Donor Segmentation Enhancer amplifies the precision of creating targetable donor segments. Use AI to analyze your entire donor data, uncovering nuanced patterns and refining traditional segments like age, income, and giving history with behavioural and engagement insights. Fundraisers review and validate these AI-driven segments, ensuring they are actionable and aligned with campaign goals. Their feedback will help improve segmentation strategies for future campaigns.
Digital Fundraising Pilots
Digital fundraising is an area of constant innovation, and it is highly likely that your digital fundraisers (or your agency partners) have already been educating themselves and experimenting with AIpowered fundraising tools and tactics
The Email Appeal Optimizer provides a structured way to improve email campaign performance. Rather than
making wholesale changes to your email strategy, start by using AI to analyze and optimize one specific type of appeal — like monthly giving requests. Generate multiple versions for testing, always keeping your brand voice and donor engagement principles in mind.
The Social Donor Journey Mapper analyzes how supporters move from social media engagement into the giving funnel and convert to financial supporters. Begin with just one platform, using AI to identify patterns in supporter behaviour that lead to donations. This insight can help your team better time and target their social media appeals.
The Landing Page Personalizer experiments with adapting donation page content based on how visitors arrive at your site. Start small by testing personalization on one or two key landing pages, measuring the impact on conversion rates. This pilot can demonstrate the potential of AI-driven personalization while containing any risks.
The Supporter Services ChatBot explores AI’s potential to enhance donor service. Begin with a clearly defined scope — perhaps handling common donation process questions during off-hours. Human oversight remains essential, ensuring responses align with your organization’s voice and values. You can find additional descriptions of AI pilot projects on my website at: www. FundraisingwithAI.com.
Learning from Your Pilots
Remember that these pilots are as much about organizational learning as they are about immediate results. Document both successes and setbacks, share insights across teams, and use what you learn to inform your next steps. The goal is to build your organization’s AI capabilities while managing risks and resources effectively. Successful pilots often lead to unexpected insights. For example,
an email optimization pilot may reveal broader insights about donor communication preferences for your entire digital strategy. A grant matching pilot could highlight data quality issues that, once addressed, improve multiple aspects of your operations.
The key is to start somewhere, learn actively, and build on your successes. Choose the pilot that best aligns with your current priorities and capabilities, and don’t wait for perfect conditions to begin. The magic word is: Pilot
become a task… even a chore?
So…we know feeling grateful is good – for the person being thanked, for the person thanking and for society. But has thanking your donors become just another step in getting work done?
this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.
Five Donor Relations Tops for Shy People
CONTINUED FROM page 12
really want to journal?)
But that good feeling you get when you feel grateful and thank someone… that’s backed up by science. And it makes sense that we’re built to feel good when we do something that strengthens relationships or even society. We make it together as a species, or we wouldn’t have survived this long.
This week, we in the US will celebrate Thanksgiving. Has it become about a meal? Yes. But it’s also a time when families and friends try to be together. (My kids will be home, and I can’t wait to get my arms around them.)
But it’s a more meaningful day if we take the time… even a few moments… to reflect on our thanks. Some families have made that part of the day. My family is usually too busy enjoying each other’s company and laughing. But that works, too.
And while I realize that not all family gatherings are happy… or possible… just making some time to think about what makes your life happier is good. But has saying thank you to your supporters
Let me suggest you reflect on that, too. Giving it just a little more thought and allowing yourself to feel just a little more connected to the kind people who support the cause you care about, can change both how you feel and how they feel. Can you see a person in your mind as you put together that thank you letter? Can you imagine their reaction? When I get an acknowledgment, whether in my mail or email, there are two reactions: File it for the taxes.
Oh… wow. That’s really nice. (heart swells just a bit)
Which organization is going to feel closer to my heart?
Spend 5 minutes to put yourself in your donors’ shoes. Show some real gratitude and genuine feelings.
And you’ll both feel better.
MARY CAHALANE is principal at Hands-On Fundraising where she focuses on improving fundraising results through great communication and a donor-centered mindset. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.
“Give & Get” - Start Spreading the News
CONTINUED FROM page 13
estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars. This will likely involve more taxfriendly donations to charity and the use of permanent life insurance to replace all those donations at a cost of pennies on the dollar or likely by using a financing strategy to create a cash-flow effective way of funding the insurance needed. It’s all about planning and moving the shells around to preserve family wealth and create a legacy that will hopefully endure for generations and make the world better by supporting important charitable cause they care about.
GEORGE IRISH is a veteran of strategy, coaching and consulting for AI-powered charity fundraising. He works with Amnesty International Canada and Greenpeace among other organizations.uo He writes
As a nonprofit or charity leader, if this is news to you, chances are your donors and supporters don't know either. This matters because:
This could mean:
• Millions in potential charitable gifts never reach their intended causes
• An opportunity to transform end-of-life giving into lasting impact is lost 50% of Canadians haven't made a will, missing the chance to leave a lasting legacy.
Help your donors make their values last forever.
Did you know? November* was Make a Will Month? JUST WILL
* It pays to read the fine print. According to Maclean’s Magazine, between now and 2026, an estimated $1 trillion will move from Canadian baby boomers to their heirs, mostly millennials. If you didn’t know it was Make A Will Month, please email us at mbrooke3118@gmail.com for more astounding insights.
Here’s one last example of our work in the past few months. I was introduced to a family that made a fortune investing in real estate. Adult siblings are destined to inherit property valued at $500 million with a $20 million adjusted cost base — so, very pregnant with capital gains. Overall, the challenges include no wills, no shareholders agreements and no estate planning (including planning for U.S. estate tax) and a very large projected estate tax bill.
Interestingly, the siblings understand there’s a lot to get in order but, first and foremost, they want to focus exclusively on philanthropic planning. Those conversations will lead into the other areas, but they’re the starting point — the thin edge of the wedge around legacy and Strategic Philanthropy will create an opportunity to take care of other essential pieces of a comprehensive estate plan.
As we continue to spread the news about the tremendous benefits of strategic philanthropy, we’re making progress towards our three-part mission: to educate and inspire professional advisors and charities to incorporate Strategic Philanthropy Using Life Insurance into estate planning, to help people understand how insurance works in the HNW and charitable space and to create a national community of 100 professional advisors and charities that are each creating $10 million a year in donations — for a total of $1 billion a year. This is replicable each year and realistic. We already have around two dozen members with space for many more. I’m driven to share information about how to make the most cost-effective and tax-effective gifts to charitable causes because it’s the right thing to do. It’s also too big a risk to ignore it. I encourage charitable foundations and professional
advisors to reach out to my team to learn more about how our specialized expertise can support your efforts so that we all do good and do well together!
To advertise: contact chris@hilborn.com
To subscribe: contact mary@hilborn.com
To contribute an article: contact editor@hilborn.com
Get Money Moving
BY NICHOLAS PALAHNUK
Nick Palahnuk, Founder of PhilanthPro, talks with experts about strategic philanthropy as part of a series with Foundation Magazine
PhilanthPro is an innovative software that helps advisors bring the power of financial planning to philanthropy so that charitable account holders can be more intentional about their giving.
In this series, Nick Palahnuk talks with other philanthropic leaders who help to get money moving by addressing systemic barriers to giving. This edition features community-builder, global philanthropist, and writer Karen Keating Ansara, who has mobilized international giving by bringing people together and creating community. Ansara is the founder of the Network of Engaged International Donors and the cofounder of the Ansara Family Fund. For more about Karen Keating Ansara, see the end of this interview.
Nick: The theme of this series is Get Money Moving because we are excited about helping people meet their charitable goals, get inspired, and be intentional and bold in their giving. That’s something you’ve done a lot of in your work by addressing people’s need for community.
You founded the Network of Engaged International Donors (NEID) in 2008 and have served as Board Chair ever since. It’s an incredible network of hundreds of internationally focused donors. When did you first realize that building a community for like-minded donors would help so many people get their money moving internationally?
Karen: Fifteen years ago, when I first heard that only 2 percent of all philanthropic dollars in the US went to solve global problems, I realized we needed to change social norms about global giving. We needed more than annual conferences and white papers. We needed to be inspired to invest in common
Karen Keating Ansara
humanity beyond our psychological and geographical borders.
Social norms are formed in communities where people value each other and build trust through shared pursuits — and so I wanted to build an intentional community where global giving is the norm.
By early 2020, we had about 280 participants — including individual philanthropists, family foundations, multi-staffed institutional grantmakers and philanthropic advisors. When the pandemic hit, we put our programming on Zoom and donors and foundations started tuning in from all over the country and even some foreign countries. Now, our goal is to grow our community to 500 participating members.
Nick: One of the things we think about a lot at PhilanthPro is how to help advisors meet clients’ needs, especially as wealth holders are increasingly interested in philanthropy. Based on your work with NEID members, is there one piece of advice you would give to financial and philanthropic advisors?
Karen: I hate to say it, but too often, advisors don’t know where to start in the global philanthropy space. That’s why our community welcomes philanthropy and wealth advisors — so they can learn and introduce their clients to opportunities and people who can serve as role models for their global philanthropic work.
Advisors should probe what may be holding their clients back. I recommend a study that the National Center for Family Philanthropy just released called “Psychological Barriers to Giving.” Feeling disconnected from issues far away or overwhelmed by the complexity of problems can inhibit giving, according to the study. These findings are of magnified importance for those of us involved in international giving.
Nick: Speaking of different ways to be involved in the international space, let’s talk about your philanthropy. The Ansara Family Fund partners to eradicate poverty, lay the foundation for global health equity and promote community-driven development. How do you balance between emergency work and systemic approaches?
Karen: Funding emergency relief is an act of compassion and is often a gateway to international philanthropy. But emergencies expose social cancers that cannot be cured with band-aids. Finding the right remedy requires listening to people define their own needs and as they take charge of their own recovery. There simply are no quick fixes, especially if you are an outsider.
The 2010 earthquake in Port au Prince, like the 2021 earthquake in Southern Haiti, revealed tremendous social and economic inequality in Haiti. The investment of billions of post-earthquake aid too often ignored this underlying problem. NEID’s mission is to help address deeper problems, like systemic inequality, by listening to local leaders, communities, and development practitioners.
Nick: How do you think about impact – and what has been some of the most important impact of your funding and grantee partners?
Karen: Honestly, I have never liked the term “impact.” It’s a jargony, rather arrogant word that implies something forceful that we do unto others to achieve an objective we want. But I do know that my family’s philanthropy has made a difference. Through my husband’s organization, Build Health International, we have helped fund a new maternal health hospital built by women construction workers in a rural community of Sierra Leone. Through our donor-advised fund, we have supported Protestant and Catholic parishioners in Northern Haiti as they build irrigation canals and peanut coops together. Helping to strengthen communities — both very local communities and larger communities — is where we try to make a difference. Making a difference on the other side of the world requires falling in love with the people and places where you wish to invest. I have learned to have that kind of devotion from my Haitian colleagues at the Haiti Development Institute, and I will be committed to Haiti for the rest of my life.
Nick: Karen – one thing that we have in common is that we are both studying at Harvard University. Being at Harvard has opened the door to so many experts and resources that have helped me build PhilanthPro. How about you? What made you decide to take this time to study, reflect and write as a 2024 Senior Fellow of the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative?
Karen: After fifteen years as Board Chair of NEID, I felt desperate to reach a wider audience to share the amazing work of global philanthropists I have met. I am writing a book with Maggi Alexander from The Philanthropic Initiative on why donors choose to give globally and how they have overcome common barriers. I can’t wait to tell the stories of people changing the world and themselves with their incredible acts of generosity.
More About Karen Keating Ansara:
Currently a Senior Fellow in the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, Karen makes grants with her husband to address global health systems, women’s empowerment, and deep poverty, especially in Haiti. To inspire more international philanthropy, in 2008 Karen launched what is now the Network of Engaged International Donors (NEID Global), a network of 350 philanthropists, foundations, advisors and impact investors investing to solve global problems. After the 2010 earthquake, Karen cofounded the Haiti Fund at the Boston Foundation, now the Haiti Development Institute (HDI). In addition to serving as Chair of NEID Global, Karen serves on the boards of MCE Social Capital, Women Moving Millions, Groundswell International, and Build Health International (founded by her husband, Jim), and as Board Chair Emeritus for HDI. Karen is a 20-year member of the Leadership Council of Oxfam America, and a graduate of Wellesley College (Pol. Sci.) and Andover Newton Theological School (MDiv). Karen and Jim live in Essex, MA and have 4 adult children.
Investigative Journalism Bureau:
“This Canadian cancer charity tells the public it spends most of its donations on charitable works.
Financial
records tell a different story.”
BY MARK BLUMBERG
An interesting story appeared in the Toronto Star on December 15, 2024 by Max Binks-Collier of the Investigative Journalism Bureau. The article is entitled “This Canadian cancer charity tells the public it spends most of its donations on charitable works. Financial records tell a different story”. It is definitely worth reading. It shows that perhaps, unfortunately, today, the main oversight of charities is provided by journalism and not regulators.
When our main charity regulator is only going to audit 200 charities per year, the public is never going to have much confidence that problematic behaviour does not frequently occur behind the scenes.
It will be interesting to see if CRA does anything about this particular charity. Who knows, they could have been auditing the charity for years or decades, but unfortunately, as I have written about for a long time, CRA cannot say anything about non-compliant behaviour of any registered charity until there is
either a penalty, suspension or revocation under the ITA.
By the way, if the Charities Directorate has also audited a charity and found the charity has done nothing wrong — it is also precluded from putting out a statement about that.
In an age when we want more donations from the public and people are increasingly stressed with bill payments, we leave it to the average donor to do extensive and time-consuming due diligence on charities. Makes no sense to me. Many donors will choose to simply not give and that is unfortunate on a number of levels — not just financial but also in terms of engagement with organizations and their issues.
Here is a submission that we recently made to the Finance Committee of the House of Commons on improving transparency in the non-profit and charitable sector: Blumbergs’ Pre-Budget Submission for the 2025 Canadian Federal Budget (see link below). We have been making similar submissions for about a decade with only minor impact.
I am going to comment on an aspect of the story not touched
upon in the article.
This appears to be a large charity — taking in about $15-20 million per year in the last couple of years. See our CharityData information on it from their T3010s filings. These are the T3010s that this charity filed with CRA, and it may not be accurate.
The group is a federal Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (“CNCA”) corporation. You can see them listed on the Federal database of corporations. They identify themselves as being “non-soliciting”. It is not clear how an organization that gets so much by way of donations can be “non-soliciting.” The threshold to be a soliciting corporation under the CNCA is only receiving $10,000 of public funds in a year, which is very low. This group is, therefore, probably soliciting. They have never filed their financial statements with Corporations Canada.
They probably should have filed about 9 or 10 financial statements beginning around 2013. While Corporations Canada has started warning CNCA corporations that they could be dissolved if they don’t do their filings, because they identify as “non-soliciting” Corporations Canada would probably not be aware that the group is supposed to be filing their financial statements.
I have cautioned donors when it comes to largely national charities under the CNCA that are soliciting — if they have not filed their financial statements with Corporations Canada, DO NOT DONATE TO THEM.
When a charity does not file financial statements with Corporations Canada, is it just a mistake/oversight, or is it deliberate? I have no idea. If you really care about the group, perhaps let them know they need to do the filing. It only takes about 5 minutes to file the financial statements with Corporations Canada, and it does not cost anything. But if they don’t file the forms, better to avoid donating to them. That a soliciting corporation under the CNCA does file their financial statements does not make them a great group — but at least you have easy access to the financial statements if you want to review them.
There are so many recent examples of massive problems that could have been avoided if donors would not donate to registered charities or RCAAAs that don’t do their mandatory filings with Corporations Canada. The same applies to government agencies. How can the Federal government have given money to Hockey Canada and the Canadian Soccer Association if they did not do their mandatory Federal filings?? Sounds like absolute negligence to me.
MARK BLUMBERG is a lawyer at the law firm of Blumbergs Professional Corporation in Toronto and works almost exclusively in the areas of non-profit and charity law. He has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Toronto, an LLB from the University of British Columbia and an LLM from Osgoode Hall Law School in Tax Law. Mark is also the editor of www.CanadianCharityLaw.ca — a Canadian charity law blog. He also manages www.CharityData.ca which is the largest portal in Canada with data on Canadian registered charities and www.SmartGiving.ca, a website encouraging Canadians to donate to legitimate charities.
You can fine the Blumbergs’ Pre-Budget Submission for the 2025 Canadian Federal Budget at the bottom of this article. For those who have been following our law firm’s submissions over the last ten or more years, they have focused on transparency and accountability in the non-profit and charity sector.
Unfortunately, we have less transparency today than we had 15 years ago. Both the Conservative and Liberal Federal governments have whittled away at transparency in the nonprofit and charity sector. We are finally seeing a small start at a reversal. CRA has incorporated some more questions on the T3010 about restricted gifts and disbursement quota. But these are very minor in the big picture. Also, the Finance Department may be looking at the transparency of non-profit organizations.
We have not learned enough from the multitude of scandals in the non-profit and charity sector that those who abuse the system are adept at taking advantage of weaknesses in the rules and enforcement as well as blind spots in transparency. If you are a normal person, you probably don’t pay much attention to non-profit and charity regulations or what exactly is available publicly or not and when information will become publicly available and how.
But I promise you that there are some people who are very well aware of our system and how to game it. As we have noted elsewhere, even if CRA, which regulates registered charities, finds out that a charity is abusing the system, it typically takes 10-15 years for the public to know that. Think of all the money donated over that 10-15 year period to the organization that perhaps would not have been donated if the public knew. Think of all the government agencies, who typically have very little skills and training in due diligence on grantees, and how much funding was provided to that organization that would not have been provided. Think of the poor governance that is allowed to continue. Think of the beneficiaries who, in some cases, were abused or just did not receive the assistance they were supposed to receive.
Interest in transparency ebbs and flows. If we only knew how much lack of transparency costs our country, we would be more interested. The Australian government last year proposed changes to ‘lift the veil of secrecy’ on Australian charities. We are already far behind the Australians and with these changes we will be even further behind. We are even further behind the US and England. It’s not a great place to be, and it’s not surprising that public confidence in the charity sector in Canada is very low. We need more transparency in the non-profit and charity sector, and we need it now.
NHow Nonprofits Can Benefit from the Sports Team Effect
For nonprofits, a strong team culture can be just as transformative. Often, staff are driven by passion, but stretched thin by limited budgets, overwhelming workloads, pressure to perform, and the performance of the teams they have put in place. Creating a culture where individuals feel valued and connected to a shared mission fosters engagement and mitigates burnout. The Sports Team Effect builds brotherhood/ sisterhood bonds and that us against them bond can penetrate a nonprofit’s obstacles in a way that more sterile colleague connections cannot accomplish.
Key Takeaway for Nonprofits:
onprofit organizations and sports teams might seem worlds apart at first glance, but beneath the surface lies a shared set of challenges: resource constraints, the need to foster teamwork, the money they make is in direct correlation with outward success, and the relentless pursuit of ambitious goals under intense scrutiny. As a lifelong fan of college basketball, I’ve often marveled at how teams operate under these conditions, turning obstacles into opportunities. Nonprofits, like sports teams, can apply similar strategies to navigate their unique challenges; building resilience, receiving more funding, and achieving success.
Here are five ways nonprofits can adopt the winning sports team blueprint, using insights from college basketball as a lens.
Build a Cohesive Team Culture
One of the defining traits of great sports teams is their culture. In college basketball, programs like Duke, Kansas, and UConn don’t just recruit talent; they build a culture of shared values, trust, and commitment to the team’s mission. Every player, coach, and staff member understands their role and contributes to the collective goal: winning championships.
Clearly define your organization’s purpose, mission, vision, and values, ensuring everyone—staff, volunteers, and board members—understands and aligns with them.
Regularly celebrate wins, big and small, to reinforce a sense of accomplishment and team unity. Incorporating a “wins sharing” segment into meetings fosters mutual appreciation, builds team morale, and reinforces each person’s value to the mission. Also consider pairing these moments with occasional celebrations for major milestones, like hitting fundraising goals or launching new initiatives, to further strengthen team cohesion and positivity.
Adapt and Innovate Under Pressure
In sports, teams must constantly adapt, whether it’s creating new plays, adjusting strategies mid-game, or responding to injuries. Legendary college basketball coaches like John Wooden and Geno Auriemma thrived by staying nimble, innovating their playbooks, and finding creative ways to outmaneuver the competition. Nonprofits, too, face unpredictable environments, from fluctuating funding streams to shifting community needs. Those who succeed are often the ones who embrace innovation, experimenting with new strategies while staying true to their mission.
Key Takeaway for Nonprofits:
Approach challenges with a growth mindset, viewing setbacks as opportunities to pivot and improve. Foster a culture of innovation by encouraging staff to suggest creative solutions without fear of failure.
Everyone must know the team playbook inside and out, so when unexpected curveballs are thrown, you can cohesively break the rules together.
Leverage Your “Bench Strength”
One of the most underrated aspects of championship teams is their depth — the players who may not start, but step up when it matters most. A strong bench allows teams to weather injuries, foul trouble, or fatigue. Coaches who develop every player, not just their stars, create a resilient team that can endure adversity, while preparing developing players for a bigger role on the team.
Nonprofits often focus heavily on their core leaders or key donors, but the broader “bench” of volunteers, junior staff, and smaller contributors can be just as critical. Investing in the growth and development of every team member strengthens the organization’s ability to achieve its goals.
Key Takeaway for Nonprofits:
Provide training and development opportunities to all staff and volunteers. Empower them to take ownership of projects and grow in their roles. Recognize the contributions of everyone, not just high-profile donors or senior leaders. By nurturing and enhancing the talent of every individual, nonprofits can unlock hidden potential, ensuring the entire team is prepared to rise to challenges and seize opportunities when they present themselves.
Measure Success Beyond the Scoreboard
In college basketball, winning games is important, but the most respected programs define success in broader terms: player development, academic achievement, community impact, and overall standing of the school’s reputation. These programs understand that their legacy extends far beyond the court. For nonprofits, success is often measured by metrics like dollars raised and services delivered. While these are critical, organizations must also evaluate the deeper impact of their work; how they are transforming lives and strengthening communities.
Key Takeaway for Nonprofits:
Develop metrics that reflect your mission’s impact, not just output. For example, instead of focusing solely on the number of meals served, measure improvements in community wellbeing. Share stories of individual impact to illustrate your successes and inspire stakeholders. By embracing a holistic approach to success while striving to be the most effective in their field, nonprofits can not only fulfill their mission but also position themselves as leaders in their sector, setting the standard for impact and excellence.
And, like sports teams, don’t shy away from hyping up your community impact with your stakeholders. A healthy dose of self-promotion doesn’t make your mission any less noble.
Foster Healthy Competition to Drive Excellence
Competition is the heartbeat of sports. Players are constantly challenging one another to improve, whether it’s during practice, scrimmages, or game-day performances. This competitive drive fuels growth and ensures everyone is operating at their peak potential. College basketball teams are prime examples of this dynamic: teammates push each other to refine their skills, elevate their game, and ultimately contribute to the team’s success.
Nonprofits can harness this same spirit of healthy competition to inspire excellence. Encouraging friendly rivalry among teams or individuals can energize the workplace, sparking creativity and innovation. Whether it is through challenges like meeting fundraising targets, improving service delivery, or creating impactful marketing campaigns, a sense of competition motivates everyone to bring their best to the table.
It is essential, however, to maintain a collaborative environment. In sports, while players compete for starting spots, they are united by the team’s goals. Similarly, nonprofits must balance competition with collaboration, ensuring that the drive to succeed doesn’t overshadow the shared mission.
Key Takeaway for Nonprofits:
Create opportunities for friendly competition, such as team challenges or performance-based recognition programs. Emphasize collaboration alongside competition by setting shared goals that require teamwork to achieve them. Encourage individuals to celebrate each other’s successes and recognize that their collective efforts contribute to the organization’s impact. Use competitive energy as a tool for continuous improvement, fostering an environment where everyone is inspired to grow and contribute at their highest level.
A Shared Playbook for Success
Nonprofits and sports teams share a relentless commitment to achieving a higher purpose, despite daunting challenges. From building strong team cultures to measuring success in meaningful ways, nonprofits can draw inspiration from the strategies that make sports teams thrive.
In my years of watching college basketball, I’ve seen that the most successful teams are the ones that embrace collaboration, adaptability, and resilience. Nonprofits that adopt this same playbook can position themselves to overcome obstacles, inspire their communities, and create lasting impact, just like championship teams.
Whether on the court or in the community, success comes down to the same fundamentals: teamwork, innovation, and a shared commitment to a greater purpose.
BRIAN WILLIAMSON Ph.D., is professor of management studies at Oxford University and vice president of PMO Advisory.
The Art, Maths, and Science of Staff Appreciation
BY TSVETELINA HINOVA
We all know instinctively when we are happy at work and employers value continuity and stability so having a contented workforce is a win-win for any business or organisation.
In today’s economy, with historically low levels of unemployment, remote working and disparate workforces often spread across borders and time zones, employers must work harder to keep hold of the most talented and engaged workers.
As well as ensuring that they are productive, profitable, diverse and progressive, one of the most important metrics for modern businesses is employee appreciation.
What is Staff Appreciation?
Employee appreciation is about more than simply paying a competitive salary, offering a Christmas bonus, or organising occasional Friday afternoon drinks.
It transcends mere engagement strategies or career development pathways. It’s about creating a welcoming, inclusive, and genuinely appreciative organisational culture. It is about treating employees as human beings, recognising their individual value and contributions beyond their job descriptions.
Remembering personal details — birthdays, anniversaries, the birth of a child, or even a favourite coffee order — demonstrates a genuine interest in their lives outside of work.
It involves recognising and celebrating achievements, both big and small, acknowledging landmark occasions such as long service awards, and providing a memorable send-off for departing employees, making them feel valued and missed.
Creating a culture of appreciation fosters loyalty, boosts morale, and ultimately contributes to a more productive and successful organisation.
Staff appreciation as a strategic investment
With many western economies in the midst of, or facing, recession, employee appreciation emerges as a powerful and cost-effective solution for businesses to remain productive and profitable, particularly if they have remote or hybrid working employees.
Offline workers, who receive a single gesture of appreciation weekly, are 56 percent more likely to be engaged than average, and more than twice as likely as those who are never recognised. Similarly, remote workers receiving at least monthly monetary recognition are 42 percent more likely to report being productive.
A 2023 State of Recognition research study showed that feeling appreciated significantly mitigates the impact of layoffs, understaffing, salary concerns, and even a heavy workload. Another study found that about two in three people would quit their job if they didn’t feel appreciated.
More than half of employees believe recognition would inspire greater productivity, reduce job-hunting desires, maintain morale during layoffs, and lessen the negative effects of an underpaid or stressful role.
Implementing effective appreciation programmes
Creating a culture of appreciation doesn’t require a massive overhaul. Simple actions can make a significant difference.
A good starting point is budgeting 1 percent of payroll for
recognition programmes and scaling up based on results. Importantly, frequent recognition proves more effective than salary increases alone in boosting engagement and retention.
By prioritising appreciation, businesses can improve employee morale, boost productivity, and reduce turnover costs, ultimately enhancing their bottom line and securing their future.
This requires a company-wide commitment, spearheaded by leadership and supported by a strategic budget allocation.
The art of staff appreciation
The “art” of employee appreciation lies in the creative and personalised approaches used to show gratitude and build strong relationships. It is about the thoughtful gestures that resonate deeply with individuals.
This requires an understanding of individual personalities, communication styles, and cultural backgrounds
Thankbox is an online card and gifting platform, and we’re on a mission to support cultures of appreciation everywhere.
We recognise that appreciation does not come easy for everyone, so we’ve set up an AI message generator that allows you to create a personalised message using different tones including formal, funny and supportive.
We also have a simple framework to help people to share appreciation confidently in the workplace.
❯ Be specific: Call out specific actions, behaviours, or contributions. Example: “I appreciate how you took the lead in that meeting. Your presentation was clear, I can see you had prepared well.”
❯ Highlight the impact: Explain the impact their actions had on you, the team, or the project. Example: “Your presentation made it simple for everyone to agree the next steps, which will keep the project on track.”
❯ Express genuine gratitude: Make it clear that their efforts are appreciated. Example: “I’m grateful for the extra effort you put in. It means a lot to have someone like you on the team.”
❯ Encourage future contributions: Encourage them to keep it up and express confidence in their abilities. Example: “I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ll bring to the next project. Keep up the great work!”
The maths of staff appreciation
The “maths” of employee appreciation involves quantifying its impact on the bottom line.
The cost of replacing an employee can be substantial, encompassing recruitment fees, training expenses, and the loss of productivity during the transition period.
Studies consistently demonstrate that organisations with strong cultures of appreciation experience significantly lower turnover rates. This translates directly into cost savings, improved efficiency, and enhanced profitability.
Furthermore, employees who feel appreciated are more productive and produce higher quality of work.
The science of staff appreciation
The “science” of employee appreciation revolves around understanding the psychological and behavioural factors that drive employee motivation, satisfaction, and retention.
Positive psychology informs us about the power of positive reinforcement, recognition, and appreciation in boosting morale and fostering a sense of belonging. Behavioural economics highlights the impact of both intrinsic (internal motivation) and extrinsic (external rewards) motivators on employee performance. Understanding the different generational values and preferences is also crucial.
For example, younger generations might value flexible work arrangements and opportunities for professional development more than older generations, who may prioritise stability and recognition of experience.
Applying these scientific principles leads to the creation of targeted and effective strategies, carefully designed to resonate with the specific workforce demographics. Regular surveys, feedback mechanisms, and data analysis can provide valuable insights to continually refine and improve the effectiveness of appreciation programmes.
10 “small but meaningful” things employers can do to make workers feel valued:
❯ Regular “thank you’s”: a simple verbal expression of gratitude can go a long way.
❯ Personalised birthday/anniversary cards: A thoughtful gesture that shows you care.
❯ Team lunches or coffee breaks: Encourage informal social interaction.
❯ Use online appreciation platforms: Streamline the organisation of celebrations and gift collections.
❯ Public acknowledgment of achievements: Celebrate successes in team meetings or company newsletters.
❯ Opportunities for professional development: Invest in employee growth and advancement.
❯ Flexible work arrangements: Show consideration for work-life balance.
❯ Employee assistance programmes: Provide resources for mental and physical well-being.
❯ Regular feedback sessions: Encourage open communication and constructive criticism.
❯ Memorable send-offs for departing employees: Make them feel appreciated for their contributions.
By integrating the arts, maths, and science of employee appreciation, organisations can create a workplace culture that not only attracts and retains top talent but also fosters a highly engaged, motivated, and ultimately, successful workforce.
The investment in employee appreciation is not merely an expense; it is a strategic investment with a significant and measurable return.
TSVETELINA HINOVA is co-founder of Thankbox, an online card and cash collection service whose main goal is to foster appreciation and connectivity within teams.
The Real-Time Rail: Where Are We Now?
BY JUDE PINTO
Since announcing renewed momentum with a stronger path forward earlier this year, Payments Canada and our delivery partners, CGI, IBM and Interac, have made significant progress on the Real-Time Rail (RTR). In late summer, we successfully commenced the build of the real-time clearing and settlement component of the RTR. Combined with the real-time exchange component, which was built in 2023, the exchange and clearing and settlement systems together will form a new piece of national infrastructure that is set to complement the country’s existing payment systems.
The RTR will also provide an uplift to Interac e-Transfer, which will use the RTR for the real-time clearing and settlement of its transactions. Enabling payments to be sent, received, cleared and settled in real-time, 24/7 and 365 days a year, will give Canadians unprecedented control over their finance: this immediate movement of money will reduce the time lag associated with traditional payment methods, allowing for faster access to funds and greater confidence in the finality of transactions.
The RTR is a complex, large-scale infrastructure program that encompasses both the installation of advanced hardware in data centers and the development of sophisticated software. The infrastructure for the RTR involves the setup and integration of hardware within data centers, including the installation of servers, storage systems and advanced networking equipment. These data centers will be equipped with cutting-edge IT infrastructure to ensure high throughput, reliability and security. The hardware installations are complemented by significant software development, which includes coding for the real-time clearing and settlement system. Together, the team has developed a robust infrastructure design and is well underway in ordering and installing the hardware, in addition to coding.
We will conduct comprehensive testing throughout the development process, beginning with internal system integrated testing, followed by performance testing and then industry testing. The RTR will only be launched once it has successfully completed all testing at full capacity. Testing is set to occur through 2025 and 2026, paving the way for a robust
and reliable system that meets the needs of Canadians.
A standout feature of the RTR is its emphasis on fraud mitigation. Unlike other jurisdictions that have launched real-time payment systems without centralized fraud capabilities, Canada’s RTR will be the first to include a centralized fraud utility service from day one. Centralized fraud services are essential to delivering a safe and secure real-time payment system and our proactive approach is designed to significantly minimize the risk of fraud ensuring a safer ecosystem for all participants.
The benefits of the RTR extend beyond just speed and security; it also promises to provide greater choice and a better experience for Canadians. The system will support the introduction of new payment products and services, which in turn will foster greater competition in the financial sector. This is especially important for smaller financial institutions and credit unions, as it may allow them to strengthen their position in the market and better engage in the competitive financial landscape. The Canadian Payments Act’s
expansion of membership eligibility will further level the playing field, allowing a broader range of potential participants to
directly access and benefit from the RTR if they meet system access requirements. Additionally, the Retail Payment Activities Act, which is led by the Bank of Canada, provides supplemental safeguards to the financial system and allows Payments Canada to safely broaden access to our systems, including the RTR, if system access requirements are met.
Our team, along with our delivery partners, is dedicated to making the final stages of the project as efficient and transparent as possible. I’ll be sharing quarterly updates on the program’s progress and highlighting key upcoming milestones. Don’t miss the first video in this new series.
The RTR is a transformative initiative that will modernize Canada’s payment infrastructure, drive economic growth, enhance security and foster innovation. This new “made for Canada” real-time payment system will offer faster, safer and more convenient payment options that will have a significant impact on the financial lives of Canadians, for generations to come.
JUDE PINTO is Chief Delivery Officer, Payments Canada.
O ering professional prospect research, training, and fundraising strategy. Editor and contributor to “Prospect Research in Canada”, Canada’s first book on prospect research.
ISTOCK/ IPOPBA
An AI Roadmap for Philanthropy in 2025
BY JEAN WESTRICK
Asgrantmaking organizations increasingly explore how AI tools can transform the way we work in civil society, the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) recently released results from a global survey of grantmakers in our 2024 State of Philanthropy Tech report. Reflecting the technology and operational reality for more than 350 foundations globally, the report offers data to reflect upon our current state and chart a responsible course for AI in 2025 and beyond.
It is clear from the findings that while AI experimentation is high, both guardrails for usage and enterprise-wide integration are still nascent. Here are a few highlights:
81 percent of foundations report some degree of AI usage; however, enterprise-wide adoption remains emergent, with just 4 percent of respondents indicating AI usage across the entire organization.
Only 30 percent have an AI policy in place while just 9 percent have both an AI policy and an AI advisory committee.
For those grantmakers leveraging AI, most report a rudimentary usage of generative AI for tasks such as meeting notes/video transcription (71 percent) or drafting report, emails and memos (67 percent).
Reflecting upon these findings, I find myself concerned. As society grapples with AI, I believe in the vital role of our leadership as grantmakers. Yet the lack of formalized structures to guide AI usage — including policies and advisory committees — raises questions about our readiness to leverage AI responsibly.
HOW GRANTMAKERS ARE USING AI
Currently, grantmakers are exploring, evaluating, and in some cases, already implementing AI in three key usage areas: 1. 1. Individual 2. 2. Organizational 3. 3. Mission-Related
Very few philanthropic organizations are yet exploring nonprofit enablement via AI; however, we believe that the mission of philanthropy calls for this investment. Individual Use of AI refers to staff/stakeholder use of publicly available AI tools that are not provisioned by the organization and may not be easily controlled. These tools are broadly available to the public and available for individual use by staff, contractors, the Board, nonprofit partners, and grantees.
Examples include:
❯ Inviting Otter.ai or other transcription services to a meeting to take notes
❯ Using ChatGPT or other public large language models to craft emails, memos, and external reports or to summarize grant proposals
AI for Organizational Efficiency refers to tools provisioned by the organization to save time, predict accurately, and improve operational efficiency. Often, these take the form of AI upgrades to your existing technology stack.
Examples include:
❯ Turning on transcription and summary services in a Zoom Enterprise account
❯ Using AI features in grants management software to aid in coding, classifying and summarizing grants
❯ Deploying Microsoft Co-pilot to analyze and synthesize grantee data
AI for Mission Attainment refers to tools provisioned by the organization for discovery, insight, fundraising, impact assessment, predictive analysis. These are less likely to “appear” in a tech stack and will more likely be upgrades or custom-built tools. However, more off-the-shelf tools are coming…
Examples include:
❯ Support grantmaking decisions or surface hidden grantmaking bias
❯ Enable measurement, evaluation and learning across program areas
❯ Analyze a theory of change for gaps and errors
❯ Landscape analysis of issue areas, geographies, and demographics
❯ Universal internal search on prior grants and grantee reports
AI for Nonprofit Enablement refers to the investment in or provisioning of AI tools and solutions for nonprofit partners and grantees.
Examples include:
Figure 1: Areas where grantmakers are exploring the use of artificial intelligence tools and platforms
❯ Using AI to support fundraising from creating custom outreach, prospecting new donors, and analyzing giving data.
❯ Deploying chatbots or virtual agents to provide immediate access for clients to routine information or support.
❯ Using precision analytics to customize program offerings for clients and enhance outcomes
❯ Support front line staff with recommendation engines to simplify decision-making
While most grantmakers are not yet investing in or exploring the use of AI for nonprofit enablement, we strongly encourage program officers and IT staff to work together in envisioning and investing in this future. As a starting point, grantmakers should prioritize listening and exploration with nonprofits regarding the highest value usage areas for AI in their organizations. Once grounded in this awareness, grantmakers may then choose to invest in AI capacity leveraging strategies such as the following:
❯ Make grants to support AI professional development and AI use to gain efficiencies and enhance equitable outcomes.
❯ Fund systematically rather than investing in one-off systems. Fund learning and technology in cohorts with overlapping needs. Share policies, use cases, and knowledge about vendors.
Learn more about emerging best practices in funding nonprofit tech at www.tagtech.org/fundingtech. In all four usage areas, the Responsible AI Adoption Framework in Philanthropy described on the following pages offers a starting point for ensuring that your explorations mitigate risk and maximize benefit.
--An Initial Framework for Grantmakers, Version 1 Published on December 6, 2023 ( Tagtech.org)
Barriers to Broader Adoption
In addition to AI usage and governance, the State of Philanthropy Tech report identifies several barriers to more meaningful and strategic adoption of AI. Chief among them are privacy and security concerns (55 percent), followed by a lack of necessary skills (43 percent) and uncertainty about relevant use cases within philanthropy (40 percent).
Foundations are, understandably, approaching AI with caution. As grantmakers, trust is our currency; building and maintaining that trust is critical to our work. While we steward financial resources, we also steward sensitive data on behalf of our nonprofit partners and must maintain the highest ethical standards. Concerns around bias, fairness, transparency, and accountability must be central to any responsible adoption strategy.
Fundamentally, these concerns are about data — and unfortunately, as a sector, we have largely underinvested in our data frameworks. Responses to the State of Philanthropy Tech report underscore this as well: only 45 percent of grantmakers reported having a data privacy policy, and only 46 percent had a data retention and destruction policy. Data is a valuable and essential asset. Good AI requires good data — shoring up how organizations collect, manage, and maintain data will be key.
Furthermore, while many philanthropy professionals are experimenting with AI, grantmaking organizations have clearly
identified a need for more knowledge and skills when it comes to leveraging AI. To address this need, TAG is launching a learning exchange in 2025 for member foundations seeking to build a strategic approach to AI, to share how they are leveraging sector-specific applications of AI, and to learn from peers.
From AI Experimentation to Strategy: 3 Things to Do in 2025
As a sector, we have a growth opportunity to transition intentionally from experimenting with AI to developing a strategy for operational effectiveness, impact innovation, and nonprofit support. For philanthropy, this means investing not just in AI technology but also in the infrastructure — both human and technical — needed to support its responsible use.
Here are three ways to get started in 2025:
1. Set guardrails for responsible AI use as well as crossfunctional ownership.
2. Invest in cross-organizational change management efforts, building awareness, skills, and feedback loops.
3. Commit to building a strong data culture; invest time and resources into managing and maintaining your data assets.
Establishing AI policies and cross-functional advisory committees should be a priority for every foundation. As a baseline, this will allow us to ensure privacy and safety while navigating the ethical dilemmas inherent in AI adoption. If you’re part of the 9 percent of philanthropy with both policies and oversight in place, 2025 should be a year for training and awareness as well as culture-building to innovate safely with the more strategic uses of AI.
A Call for Leadership in AI
Over the last two years, the emergence of generative AI applications, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, or Anthropic’s Claude, has been so rapid paced, it is hard to remember another technology having such widespread adoption in such a short period of time. It is still early days. But AI is already shaping the ways we work and bringing with it opportunities and new anxieties. The path to realize the full promise of AI mustn’t be marked with peril, however. Philanthropy is uniquely positioned to lead, but we must do so with intentionality. The challenge ahead is not purely technical; rather, it is a uniquely human one.
We have entered an era when technology is no longer just a set of tools but a potentially disruptive force — one that calls for informed leadership to reduce harm and amplify positive impact. We have an opportunity to reimagine our internal organizational culture, to fortify a greater commitment to learning and impact in service of our communities, and to live deeper into our shared values of generosity, commitment and more common good.
JEAN WESTRICK is the Executive Director, Technology Association of Grantmakers.
Historic Plaques Which Honour Philanthropy
Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbot, 1847-1913
Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbott (1847-1913) Commemorative plaque. Dr. Abbott was among the first Black Canadians licensed as a medical doctor. Anderson Abbott was born in Toronto to Wilson and Ellen Abbott, both free from enslavement and business owners who fled racial violence in Alabama in 1834. When the city passed a law that required all free Black persons to provide bonds signed by two white men as proof of the free person’s good behaviour, Wilson Abbott refused to comply. After learning that his store would be ransacked, he left Mobile with his wife and children. The family settled briefly in New Orleans and New York, before moving to Toronto in 1835. The Abbotts gained wealth and standing in their new home, purchasing nearly 50 properties in the Toronto area. Wilson fought in the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion and supported Black political causes and ran for Toronto city council.
Dr. Abbott attended University College and the Toronto School of Medicine. During the US Civil War, Dr. Abbott became a surgeon in the Union army and was Surgeon-inChief at the Freedmen’s Hospital. He returned to Toronto in 1866 and became the acting resident surgeon at Toronto General Hospital. With his wife, Mary Ann Casey, he later moved to Chatham, where he was appointed Kent County Coroner. As president of the Wilberforce Educational Institute from 1873 to 1880, he fought against racially segregated schools. He continued to move around Southwestern Ontario, practising medicine and holding important community roles. Dr. Abbott increasingly dedicated himself to writing newspaper articles about Black history, the Civil War, medicine, and poetry. He died in Toronto in 1913, having advocated for racial equality in education and broken barriers in the medical field.
Anderson Abbott was educated at the Buxton Mission School, a racially integrated school near Chatham, Canada West, that was noted for its superior education. The school was part of the Elgin Settlement, a safe haven for refugees from enslavement established in 1849. Later, he studied at the Toronto Academy, where he was an honours student, followed by Oberlin College in Ohio.
During the American Civil War, Anderson Abbott applied for a position as assistant surgeon in the Union Army but was unsuccessful. In June 1863, however, he signed a contract as a civilian surgeon and began working at the Contraband Hospital (later Freedmen’s Hospital) at Camp Barker in Washington, DC. The hospital cared for Black soldiers and freedmen and was staffed by Black doctors and nurses under the direction of Alexander Augusta, by then a commissioned officer in the Union Army. Abbott later served in other Washington hospitals and became well-known in the capital. Both he and Augusta attended a function at the White House, where they met President Abraham Lincoln and his wife. Abbott was among the group that stood vigil for the dying president after he was shot in April 1865.
In 1866, Anderson Abbott returned to Canada. He married Mary Ann Casey in 1871 and moved to Chatham. There he was appointed coroner for Kent County. He was also a public advocate for integrated schools. (See also Racial Segregation of Black Students in Canadian Schools.) Abbott moved his practice to Dundas, Ontario, in 1881, and later moved to Oakville and then Toronto. In 1894, he accepted an appointment in Chicago, Illinois, as surgeon-in-chief of Provident Hospital, a training hospital for Black nurses; he became medical superintendent of the hospital in 1896. After returning to Toronto in 1897, he spent his later years writing on Black history and other topics.
In 2008, a provincial plaque commemorating Anderson Abbott was unveiled by the Ontario Heritage Trust and the ChathamKent Black Historical Society. In 2023, the Toronto Public Library and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO announced that the Anderson Ruffin Abbott archive was added to the Canada Memory of the World Register. The Register preserves and promotes access to documentary heritage.
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.
1
Kelsey Barker is the Program Manager and Volunteer & Community Engagement for the Vancouver Food Runners. Kelsey brings her years of experience in food business and food systems research to this position. She is passionate about sustainability and connecting with the wonderful volunteers that make VFR’s mission possible. Kelsey holds a BA in Geography from UBC, a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Food Systems & Security from KPU and is currently working on completing her MA in Environmental Practice at Royal Roads University. Kelsey is the Garden Coordinator at her local community garden and enjoys championing the importance of access to green space and connection to growing your own food. In 2023, Vancouver Food Runners (VFR) scaled by 51 percent in terms of pounds of food delivered by volunteers to support Metro Vancouver nonprofits operating essential food programs. Through rain, snow, weekends, and holidays, dedicated VFR volunteers completed 6,959 food rescues and delivered 1.26 million pounds of food (the equivalent of 1 million meals) - a truly remarkable community achievement.
2
Don Romano, President and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada was honoured by Canadian Black Book with the Icon Award during this year’s TalkAuto conference. The award recognizes leaders for their exceptional leadership in the automotive industry and for paving the way for future generations by demonstrating a track record of innovation, transformation, and resilience. Romano was selected for his transformation of Hyundai Canada’s corporate culture and the successful introduction of a unique Genesis business model to the Canadian automotive industry. The award was presented by mentee and Accelerate Auto founder Christopher Nabeta, who applauded Don for his time mentoring underrepresented groups, supporting numerous CSR initiatives towards disadvantaged youth, and implementing hiring practices and routine training with the aim of providing equal opportunities for everyone in or considering entering the automotive industry.
3
Lee Pauzé is Executive Director of The Friends of Algonquin Park. Since 1983, The Friends of Algonquin Park have been actively involved in supporting Algonquin Park’s interpretive trails. Whether coordinating Adopt-A-Trail volunteers to report problems, focusing maintenance efforts, publishing millions of copies of educational trail guides, or funding the creation of new trails, Algonquin Park’s hiking experiences would not be the same without the recreational, educational, and financial contributions of The Friends of Algonquin Park. The Canadian registered charity and non-profit, non-governmental organization established in 1983 for people passionate about Algonquin Park. They operate retail locations, recruit members, and fundraise to support the natural and cultural education goals of Algonquin Park.
4
Sandra Lunder is the Philanthropy Specialist with The Resilience Institute. Sandra brings a holistic perspective to TRI’s philanthropic goals by developing sponsor and donor partnerships to create positive, impactful change. She leads our fund development initiatives with a wealth of experience in annual giving, major gifts, capital campaigns and donor relations. Sandra has a background in business and social work with over 20 years of experience in fund development and team management. She has worked with organizations such as Youth Central, Alberta Health Services, and the Calgary Stampede Foundation. The Resilience Institute was born from the passion of a number of social and natural scientists who felt there were huge disconnects between climate science, communication, and action on climate change. The registered charity is focused on minimizing suffering caused by climate impacts.
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John Heim is the Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications, for Harvest Manitoba. He’s also a professional cartoonist. Harvest is a not-for-profit, community-based organization, dedicated to nourishing the community, and the sense of community in Winnipeg. As Manitoba’s food bank, the need for its work has never been greater. Harvest Manitoba hit record-high numbers this past year, with over 50,000 people accessing their food banks each month somewhere in our province. Heim’s work is to ensure the awareness and support continues by communicating the organization’s work. They share food through 380+ agency food partners, a total of 13 million pounds of food this year. Nationally, food bank use has skyrocketed to over 2 million visits this past March. Food Bank capacity is being reached, and more and more people are worried about where their next meal will come from.
