I Learned the Importance of Volunteering at a Young Age
By Ryan Teng Imagine Halloween 1950, in Philadelphia. Small orange boxes were distributed to school children to be carried with them while they walked through their neighbourhoods trick-or-treating. As they received candy for themselves, they held out these boxes and asked adults to donate coins, spare change, to help feed …
Ageism in the Social Impact Sector
By Maryann Kerr One of the hardest parts of writing a book was knowing when it was done. As something of an information junkie, this was particularly difficult for me. After I’d sent the final, final, final, final manuscript to the editor, another report would be published. Another coin termed. …
Justice-Oriented Grantmaking
Would a New Disbursement Quota Help? By Laura Bonnett Significant conversations have been happening at the federal level and in non-profit circles concerning the disbursement quota (DQ) that governs the charitable spending requirements of foundations in Canada. The disbursement quota defines the minimum amount that Foundations, as charities, must spend …
How foreign currency supports charity
By Dennis Ullman and Scott Hutchings It is estimated that over $2 Billion in foreign currency is currently stored or saved in Canadian homes and businesses. This currency has no use or real value in Canada. As a result, foreign currency (notes and coins), pennies, and loose change are found …
Thoughts on the Overhead Beast
By John Phin Ask a random stranger what their number one problem with charities is. Chances are good they will say they are bugged about something to do with overhead, fundraising, and administrative costs. Oh, and they are certain charities waste donor dollars. That is the disconnection that needs repair. …
Noble Free Giving: Breaking Out with a New Dimension
By Gideon Samid Before I set out to describe this “new dimension” I wish to prepare you, my reader, to a dose of ‘strangeness’ that always wraps up new concepts. Please think it through carefully. The two big attractions of this “Noble Free Giving” initiative are spreading the act of …
Successful Succession
By Cynthia Armour, CFRE Sometime in the mid-1990s I was facilitating a planning exercise with a small charity’s board. The Executive Director informed me she was retiring in December after more than 25 years running the organization. She’d given one year’s notice and it was now six months in; to …
Fundraising Storytelling
Are emotions manipulative? What about images? Is it bad if people cry? By Mary Cahalane When we nonprofits tell a story that shares the needs of a beneficiary, we don’t create the tension that the donor feels. The story just reveals the internal tension the donor holds between how the …
Movember: Redefining the Man and the Moustache
By Sara Jankowski When the season changes, Movember begins, bringing with it the (re) emergence of the moustache. Drawing attention to men’s upper lips across the country, the moustache raises awareness for men’s health issues including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s mental health. This month, it also represents an …
SHINING LIGHTS IN CALGARY
Generosity of Spirit and Professional Award 2021 Recipients The Calgary and Area Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has an awards program which recognizes the many individuals, families, groups and businesses which demonstrate the spirit of philanthropy through outstanding contributions of time, talent, leadership and financial support. The …