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MESSAGE FROM THE CEO The Foundation lost three long-time friends and supporters with the passing of Sheila Edwards, Shirley Stollery and Margaret Andrekson. They will be remembered for their generousity and commitment not only to Edmonton Community Foundation, but to many other institutions and organizations in the city. We share their families’ grief and we celebrate their lives. In the first quarter of 2011 I’m happy to report that ROI, new fund creation and estate promises are all above average. Although year-end results are not predictable from only one quarter, it is certainly good news to start the year so strong, e.g., 15 estate planning promises and nearly $2 million in new contributions.
HOLD THE DATE FOR THE AGM The ECF Annual General Meeting luncheon will be held June 9th, 2011 at the Westin Edmonton starting 11:45 a.m.
Earlier this year Bob Ward, executive director of the Social Enterprise Fund, announced his retirement after three exciting years building the SEF. We thank Bob for all the work he has done to grow the SEF and we wish him well in his retirement. After a lengthy recruitment process, we have appointed his successor, Jane Bisbee, who brings valuable experience in the creation and delivery of nontraditional financing. Her recent career has focused on the delivery of innovative solutions for companies working in the content creation industries with the Alberta provincial government. We look forward to working with her. We are proceeding to roll out the new Endow Edmonton initiative to connect donors with opportunities to address the ever changing needs of our communities. There are options for donors interested in any of the major areas in which ECF is active. The purpose of the program is to “marshal the energy and resources of Edmontonians to create the most healthy, vibrant, resilient and vital city anywhere.” We will continue to seek your response to this initiative. But you don’t need to wait for us to call you. Contact us (Kathy Hawkesworth and I are leading this initiative) if you want to know more! Just a reminder that the Foundation’s annual general meeting is scheduled for June 9th at the Westin Hotel and we hope many of you will be able to join us for the luncheon, stimulating speaker and our report to the community. – Martin Garber-Conrad, CEO
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Our keynote speaker this year is Mark Kingwell, a philosophy professor at the University of Toronto whose focus is on questions of social obligation and the role of citizenship in sustaining a just and democratic society. He has written widely in the popular press and regularly engages with citizens outside the academic community.
We hope to see you there.
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FLORENCE MACKENZIE FUND In early 1998 Florence MacKenzie did an unusual and wonderful thing. She and her advisors set aside some of her savings in a trust fund with terms that ensured that she received the income from the trust during her lifetime and that an endowment fund would be set up with the remainder of the trust money at the end of her life. In charity gift jargon, this is called a “charitable remainder trust” or “CRT” because the charity receives the remainder of a formal trust fund. This is unusual because, in our experience, very few people in Canada formally set aside an amount in a trust during their
lifetimes for this purpose. It is more common for Canadian donors to set up such a CRT in their wills. For example, they may want to set an amount aside to amply provide for the needs of a child, spouse or parent during their lifetimes, but wish to themselves define what is to happen with what is left after those loved ones are no longer living. It is wonderful for a number of reasons. First because of the permanent ongoing support this trust ultimately provides to her chosen health related charities, and also because it so clearly defined during her lifetime what she wished to accomplish with a particular defined amount of her savings. Most importantly, it allows a community enriched by the life of this gracious and patient kindergarten teacher to be part of and continue her story, even after her lifetime - which ended in September 2010.
ECF REMEMBERS THREE LONG-TIME FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS In every organization there are individuals whose contributions help chart its course and so it is with the Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF). We were saddened to lose three long-time friends and supporters over the last several months with the passing of Sheila Edwards in December 2010, Shirley Stollery in February and Margaret Andrekson in March. Sheila Edwards was one of the original members of ECF’s board of directors and was instrumental in activating the present day ECF in 1989. In 1991, Sheila and her husband Jim started the Jim & Sheila Edwards Family Fund. Sheila was a great supporter and lover of the arts and over the years was involved with the Citadel Theatre, U of A’s Studio Theatre and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.
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Shirley Stollery and her late husband Bob were one of the three founding families in the activation of ECF in 1989. Their foresight led to the formation of the Community Fund which allows our board to react to priority community needs. The Stollery Family name is certainly one that is familiar to many Edmontonians. Their private foundation has been an important partner in many community initiatives and thanks to their generousity, Edmonton is home to the state of the art Stollery Children’s Hospital. Margaret Andrekson served on ECF’s board for several years and was instrumental in bringing the Winspear Fund to ECF. In 1997, she and her husband Andy created the Andrekson Family Fund. Along with her work with ECF, Margaret volunteered for several other boards and organizations including the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, U of A Senate and the Junior League of Edmonton.
These three generous women were important contributors, not just to ECF, but to many other charities, activities and institutions in our City. They believed strongly in the value of philanthropy and gave generously of both time and financial resources. We will miss them.
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COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP Edmonton Community Foundation launched the Community Investment Partnership in the fall of 2010 with its inaugural project guide. CIP is a program to share ECF’s knowledge of emerging community needs and projects with holders of donor advised funds. The guide listed several innovative projects seeking support and offered donors the opportunity to partner in funding any projects that were of interest. We were pleased with the response to the program. A second guide will be distributed this spring.
The CIP program is designed to help donors make effective and strategic community investments by communicating areas of funding priority for their consideration. It also helps ECF meet community needs by mobilizing a larger and more targeted pool of funds.
Bob Ward, executive director of the Social Enterprise Fund, looks on as presentations are made at the Social Enterprise Boot Camp. The intensive three-day camp saw 25 non-profit organizations and social entrepreneurs pitch their ideas for social enterprises to a panel of judges. At the end of the three days, four projects were selected to receive cash awards and business development support for their projects. For more information and view the list of winning projects visit www.socialenterprisefund.ca
RANALD & VERA SHEAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND “We believe in promoting and supporting culture. We feel that our Fund will help our community and our young people.” This quote from Ranald and Vera Shean appeared in a story in the Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) Annual Report for 1995. That was the year Vera and Ranald came to ECF to establish an endowment fund to support young musicians. While, sadly, they have both since passed away – Ranald in 1997 and Vera in 2005 – their commitment to helping young musicians continues through three funds: Ranald & Vera Shean Fund, Ranald & Vera Shean Sonata Fund and the Ranald & Vera Shean Memorial Scholarship Fund.
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Both of the Sheans were musicians and teachers and their love for music prompted them to establish funds to help promote young musical talent – through competition awards and a scholarship program. Each year, the scholarship fund gives awards to six Edmonton & area students who demonstrate commitment and exceptional talent in the studies of violin or piano. The primary criterion for the awards is quality of performance. One of the latest students to benefit from the Shean’s generousity and love of music is Jared Mosher. This young violinist was awarded a scholarship to further his musical education through private violin study. Over the years Jared has studied with a number of well- known local and national violin players and has made a number of professional performances. He has been invited to perform and record Dale Dykins Sonata in A Minor for violin and piano, a piece of music believed to not have been performed in more than 50 years. A planned CD of Canadian works, including his own, is currently in the works with a possible release date in 2012.
In establishing their initial fund in 1995, the dream of Vera and Ranald was to create a legacy that would encourage young musical talent. Their dream has certainly come true. Application forms are available on-line.
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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM Young people are often motivated to engage in projects that are of particular relevance or interest to them. They have ideas and strategies to deal with problems faced not only by their peers, but by their communities, and Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) wanted to support and encourage the creativity of these future leaders in addressing these issues. With a gift from a generous donor, ECF initiated the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) in the fall of 2010. The program is designed to support activities that are initiated, led and organized by Edmonton youth.
EXPOSURE
By the projects deadline, ECF grant staff had received more than 40 applications – a very positive response to this first time program. A panel of ten bright young people (ages 13 to 22), most of whom attend Edmonton area junior high schools, high schools, colleges and universities was convened. This diverse and representative panel reviewed the applications and provided feedback to granting staff to ensure that peer-level perspective was included in the assessment process.
Artist Travis McEwan was in attendance at his exhibit - The Unicorn Boy and the Albino Depart - that was held at Hilltop House during the Exposure Festival in November 2010. The exhibit was hosted by The Rainbow Fund that supports Edmonton’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) community.
The 21 proposals that were approved for funding include such projects as band competitions, youth mentoring programs, help for the homeless, support for young immigrant programs, and arts & culture projects.
If you would prefer to receive future newsletters via email please contact us at info@ecfoundation.org or call (780) 426-0015.
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For change of address please advise: Edmonton Community Foundation 9910 - 103 Street NW Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2V7
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