One of these days, someone in the for-profit sector is going to look at what the folks over at Imagine Canada are doing with their new Standards Program and wonder why nonprofits are the envy of organizations everywhere with respect...
This column was written with the assistance of Ryan Turnbull, Director of Ethics and CSR, Eco-Ethonomics. Our charity needs to start a social enterprise to fund programs operating at a deficit. Do we need to replace the board with business...
In the Dr. Seuss classic, the Grinch dresses like Santa, slinks down chimneys and makes off with all the gifts under all the trees and fireplace mantles in Whoville. This story came to mind last week with the news that...
If a board is responsible for articulating the ethical values of their organization, how would they know what those are? The board is responsible for articulating the ethical values as they want them to be, not as they are. It’s...
I lead a federally incorporated nonprofit. What I should be doing now to prepare for the Canadian Nonprofit Corporations Act (CNCA) coming into effect? Please note I’m not a lawyer and you’ve asked about a legal matter. Even though the...
I’ve read about the importance of board member solidarity with board decisions, but aren’t there times a board member should blow the whistle? Absolutely there are times when a board member should blow the whistle on their organization. Most of...
Should a charity divert monies from its programs to attempt to influence public policy? A charitable mission is about making some aspect of the world or community better. If a current or proposed public policy works against that mission, the...
