It’s more than the donation, it’s about the impact you have on the community
“Without a societal problem to solve…There is no compelling donor offer. Without a compelling donor offer…There is nothing to present to your donor. With nothing to present to your donor…There is no chance your programs will match the donor’s interests and passions.
With no chance to serve the donor’s interests and passions…There will not be a gift.” – Veritus Group, Passionate Giving blog
By Renee Beneteau
I’ve been at the Y over the past decade. I’ve witnessed first-hand the incredible impact the YMCA of Greater Toronto has had on young lives, like Teniola, who recently participated in the YMCA Black Achievers Mentorship Program, which helps Black youth throughout the Greater Toronto Area ( GTA) pursue education and career aspirations.
Since joining the program, Teniola has made new connections, learned and tried new things. She even joined a public speaking competition—and won—thanks to the support from her mentors and fellow program participants. She has since graduated high school and is now pursuing higher education.
Teniola is just one of many participants who has been reaching their full potential because of a Y program. There are thousands of other youth who have benefited from other programs and services offered by our charity.
These stories and experiences would not exist without the help of donors who believe in the programs we offer and see the immense impact our charity has on youth across the GTA.
Donor passions and interests are extremely relevant when connecting philanthropists and charities today. It’s invaluable to our success in establishing a stream of philanthropic revenue to support programs at the Y, including youth programs. We align donor interests and passions with transformative programs, fueling the innovation and relatedness of youth at the most critical stages of their development.
Whether it’s expanding a program that already exists into new regions, introducing a new program to help equity-deserving youth, or supporting youth with the programs and services they need to shine, finding the perfect donor doesn’t happen overnight. Our team spends time researching and connecting with donors, ensuring they share similar interests, values and goals as our charity.
On June 5, 2024, The Barrett Family Foundation announced a gift of $10 million over the next five years to support five evidence-based, high-demand YMCA of Greater Toronto youth programs.
This monumental investment is the largest gift in the history of the YMCA of Greater Toronto and will benefit hundreds of thousands of youth facing barriers — locally, provincially, and nationally.
The donation aims to build equity for Black youth facing systemic barriers through the expansion of the YMCA Black Achievers Mentorship Program in the GTA, transform newcomer and refugee youth programs, including groups and internships, broaden the Youth for Entrepreneurship program to reach more equity-deserving youth, support the development of an innovative, online career exploration game for education-disconnected youth, and expand financial literacy programming for youth, including for young people in YMCA emergency and transitional shelter programs.
The donation – gifted by Robert Barrett, Francine Rouleau-Barrett, and the rest of The Barrett Family Foundation board – will impact thousands of youth like Teniola.
This is what major donors are drawn to: the opportunity to create a lasting impact on young people, accelerating their potential for positive change. Through a strengths-based approach to positive youth development and the incorporation of local civic action and volunteer activities, the Y’s programs and services contribute to fostering inclusion, a sense of belonging, leadership, employment readiness and entrepreneurial skills.
We work to understand and passionately communicate to donors the strengths and challenges faced by youth at the onset of a potential partnership, and the Y’s programmatic solutions. This includes highlighting a societal problem to solve and why it matters, concise descriptions of program solutions, demographic profiles of the youth engaged, intended impact, success indicators and measured results, activity highlights, how donors can help, testimonials and first-person videos.
This comprehensive approach includes the Y’s research team activities, such as focus groups and asset mapping, to ensure we have a wealth of evidence-based opportunities that we can present to donors year-round. Opportunities that can show the impact of a donation to charities like the Y and its importance in the community.
Donors like The Barrett Family Foundation have an opportunity to transform charities like the Y by providing resources needed to turn big dreams into reality. It reminds us of the profound difference we can make when we understand the issues our communities face and are prepared with innovative solutions. This clarity of purpose and vision is uniting young people, our charity, and generous supporters.
And together, we can accelerate the potential of young people.
Renee is the Vice President of Philanthropy at the YMCA of Greater Toronto with over 10 years’ experience at the Y and over 30 years in the fundraising space.
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