In Conversation with Sara Byrnell, Executive Director Philanthropy, KPMG Family Office
By Nicholas Palahnuk In this series, Nick talks with other philanthropic leaders who help to “get money moving” by addressing systemic barriers to giving. This edition features collaborator, connector, and advisor Sara Byrnell, who has mobilized giving in Canada at extraordinary levels during her career. Sara is Executive Director and …
A New Model of Philanthropy Can Point the Way for Tomorrow’s Leaders
By Kathleen A. Provost, CFRE, MAdEd As a professional fundraiser I always ask myself how I can share some of my learnings with other professionals. Since 2019, I have chosen to write this column, expressing my opinion and observations on our ever-evolving sector. For 2025, I thought I would add …
How Donors Choose to Give
By Leanne Kaufman Many Canadians have charitable intentions. In my role, we are seeing a significant increase in clients wanting to learn more about how they can be strategic in their charitable giving in life and in their estates. They not only want to develop a philanthropic strategy, but they …
Using Fundraising to Solve Health Care’s Greatest Challenges
By Julie Quenneville In February, Newsweek released its highly anticipated ranking of the world’s top hospitals, and for the second year in a row, University Health Network (UHN) was ranked #3 in the world. Second only to Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic in the United States, UHN’s recognition is already …
For CEOs and Future CEOs: Keep Donor Relations on Your Desk!
By Sandra Baker I get it! You are swamped. Your multi-faceted role requires you to be an expert in every aspect of your charity, from the cost of office coffee through to the minute details of every program you run. And, you must be an expert in human resources, budget …
Border Controls: AI and Data Sovereignty for Canadian Charities
By George Irish Two decades ago, I heard this statement many times. Canadian charities were setting up their first web donation forms and fundraisers faced a new question: How could they embrace new online fundraising tools while still maintaining control over sensitive donor information? Worries about cross-border data flows were …
At the Heart of Philanthropy Is Story
By Russell James III, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® My career has always focused on charitable giving. This was true in my practice experience, my research, and my teaching. But I’ll admit it. I never planned to study story. I was always more of a “numbers guy.” My law practice focused on …
Canada’s Legacy Giving Revolution: Billions For Charities and We’re Just Getting Started!
By Laurie Fox We have a lot to be proud of when it comes to charitable giving in Canada. As a country, we have a deep-rooted culture of generosity, and it’s now extending beyond our lifetimes. More and more Canadians are embracing the idea of leaving a charitable gift in …
Apply Due Diligence Before Restricting the Use of Gifts
Donors who restrict their gifts to avoid funding “bricks & mortar” or “overhead’ may unintentionally hinder a charity’s mission. Insights from investing in for-profit companies can help inform a more effective approach to philanthropy. By Peter Fardy Most people involved in philanthropy have, at some point, heard a donor declare …
