Innovation is both buzzword and bugbear: everyone wants to be seen as innovative but no one really wants to take on the risks of something new; no one really knows how to innovate (is that even a proper verb?); and...
If you're tasked with writing grant proposals, you've probably spent some time wondering what goes on behind the scenes at the foundations to which you apply so assiduously. Wouldn't it be nice to get an insider's look at the decision-makers...
Statistics Canada released the results of its 2010 Canadian Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (CSGVP) last Wednesday. Released every three years, this iteration again provides some intriguing updates to how much (and how many) Canadians are giving back to...
Even Justin Bieber gives to charity. Actually, there's a bevy of Canadian artists and musicians that are heavily involved with giving back to their communities across the country, and yes, the Biebs is one of them. This charitable spirit in...
We want to improve our donor recognition and stewardship programs. What would you recommend? Thanks for your question; you have chosen one of my favourite topics because it's an area that can make or break your fundraising efforts. I've often...
Since 2004, homeless youth in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, have had somewhere to turn for a hot meal, a shower, and other much needed support. The Survival Centre, operated by the Boys and Girls Club of Charlottetown, is a free...
When nine-year-old Alaina Podmorow agreed to join her mother one evening at a presentation by author and activist Sally Armstrong, she was just hoping to cadge a later bedtime. But the presentation changed Alaina's life. Armstrong spoke about the lack...
Why should organizations should consider setting up a monthly giving program? Donors who opt for monthly giving demonstrate a strong commitment to their favourite causes. Not only do they provide regular, predictable income, they are the most likely constituents to...
"Ultimately, great things happen when you leave the old way of doing things behind," says Arti Freeman, program manager at the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). Since co-founding an innovative collaborative called Youth Social Infrastructure in 2009, OTF has moved from...
"The biggest wealth transfer in history is set to take place," stated a BMO Retirement Institute Report in July 2009. "In Canada, it has been estimated that Boomers stand to inherit $1 trillion over the next 20 years." Though the...
