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October 2023 Newsletter
Since our last edition
- We announced our 25th Anniversary Conference, to be held on Sept 23-25, 2024, at the Westin in Ottawa – learn more about it here!
- We held very successful regional events in Ottawa, discussing our upcoming conference, and in Montreal, discussing affordable housing.
- We launched our new Healthy Aging Affinity Group and CEO Peer Support Group.
PFC News & Insights
- We published a list of resources recommended by members in our network towards supporting philanthropy's response to the Israel-Hamas War
- Our CEO, Jean-Marc Mangin, discussed the changing nature of philanthropy in this CharityVillage Connects podcast episode.
PFC November Programming
Program and Grantmaking Staff Affinity Group (PGSAG) Rendez-Vous
Friday, October 27, 1-2 PM ET (Online)
Topic: Updates Roundtable & Conference Brainstorm
Join this program staff-led get-together for PFC members, where participants will do a quick roundtable of topics relevant to their work as program and grantmaking staff and will collaborate to start designing programming streams for the 2024 PFC Conference.
CEO Peer Support Group
Thursday, November 2, 3-4 PM ET (Online)
Topic: Board Succession
Peer Speaker: Marcel Lauzière, CEO, The Lawson Foundation
This group is designed especially for PFC member CEOs/EDs (or equivalent title) as a way of sharing information, building relationships, and supporting one another. Each meeting will have a cross-cutting theme relevant to different types of foundations, and ample opportunity to talk and learn from one another.
Toronto Regional Member Gathering
Monday, November 6, 4:00-6:30 PM ET (In person and online)
Foundation House (2 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 300, Toronto)
Topic: Funders and Journalism
Join us to reconnect with Toronto-based peers and hear from a panel of leaders and supporters on the topic of funding journalism in Canada. Panel includes: Ana Sofia Hibon (Inspirit Foundation); Tai Hunh (The Local); Marina Nuri (WES Mariam Assefa Fund); and moderator April Lingren (Local News Research Project at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Researcher at PhiLab). Panel to be followed by a reception.
Halifax Regional Member Gathering
Friday, November 10, 12:30-2:00 PM AT (In person)
The Lord Nelson Hotel (1515 South Park St, Halifax)
This special gathering of members in Halifax will be an opportunity to reconnect with regionally-based peers, learn more about their work, and hear updates from PFC through an informal roundtable conversation. The gathering will take place over lunch.
Communications Affinity Group Workshop
Tuesday, November 16, 1-3 PM ET (Online)
Topic: Media Relations Training
At this special two-hour online workshop to be delivered by Siri Agrell, you will learn about how the media works from the inside, getting the right message in front of the right people, improving interview performance, and how charities and funders can improve their media communications.
Calgary Regional Member Gathering
Monday, November 20, 12:30-2:00 PM MT (In person)
cSPACE Marda Loop, Studio Theatre South (1721 29 Avenue S.W.)
Topic: Evolving Narratives of Canadian Philanthropic Foundations
Join regionally-based peers for a presentation by Michele Fugiel Gartner, PFC’s post-doctoral fellow, around the Evolving Narratives of Canadian Philanthropic Foundations, followed by Q&A and discussion. Michele will share early findings from her research, which conceptualizes foundations’ purposes, approaches, and roles while reflecting on their history and future in Canada. This event will take place over lunch.
Vancouver Regional Member Gathering
Wednesday, November 22, 5-7 PM PT (In person)
The Penderel Room at THE SYLVIA HOTEL on English Bay (1154 Gilford St)
Topic: Fireside Chat with PFC's Board
Join this special gathering of members in Vancouver, which will be an opportunity to reconnect with regionally-based peers and meet members of PFC’s board through a fireside chat on their perspectives and visions for philanthropy. Meet and greet to be followed by reception.
Investment Roundtable
Wednesday, November 28, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM ET (In person)
11 AM - 12:30 PM ET (Online)
Foundation House (2 St Clair St E, Suite 300, Toronto)
Join the next hybrid meeting of this Peer Learning initiative chaired by PFC Board Director MJ Sinha, and exchange on innovative investment strategies and tactics. This roundtable is for Board Directors, committee volunteers, and staff members in charge of investments at member foundations.
New PFC Member: Canadian Race Relations Foundation
A warm welcome to our member network to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, which is committed to fighting racism in Canada, working to strengthen the social fabric of our society by supporting, enabling, and convening community groups and organizations through grants, services, and a network of public, research and community partners. Learn more about our most recent member by visiting their website.
Member Job Board
- President and CEO, Metcalf Foundation (rolling deadline)
- Responsable du volet philanthropique (Remplacement de maternité), Fondation Béati (Nov 1 deadline)
- Program Director, Climate and Health, Definity Foundation (Nov 10 deadline)
Upcoming Member & Sector Activities
The Circle's Fall Feast (Oct 31-Nov 2, online): This event is a time for harvesting our collective wisdom and sharing that abundance with members and the sector. Join The Circle to feast and share the wealth and abundance of communities. Register here.
Sustainable Finance Forum (Nov 1-2, in Ottawa): A unique gathering of elected officials, policy-makers, industry and community leaders in the growing field of sustainable and social finance. This year's program will include a session featuring Jean-Marc Mangin on the state of the philanthropic sector in relation to sustainable finance, as well as sessions focusing on collective action with stakeholders from across Canada including colleagues Aatif Baskanderi and Naomi Gichungu (Northpine Foundation). Register here.
Future of Good Nominations for 2024's 30 Young Impact Leaders (Nov 3): If you know young leaders (20-39) driving change from inside existing organizations and who deserve recognition, nominate them here.
Imagine Canada Virtual Town Hall (Nov 6, online); Join to hear from experts and share your thoughts on the idea of creating a home in government for the sector and other big questions. Register here.
Funder’s Table on Ending Homelessness at CAEH23 National Conference (Nov 9, in Halifax): Join the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness for an inspiring conversation and strategy session for foundations and philanthropists, to discuss the role of philanthropy in ending homelessness and explore what else needs to happen for the tide to turn. Register for the funders' table and reception here, and the full CAEH23 conference here.
The Charity Insights Canada Project’s (CICP) first annual Data Summit (Nov 9, Carleton University): This summit aims to bring together leading experts, professionals, policymakers, and researchers to explore project data from the first year of the study, and to reflect on the implications of these findings for the state of Canada’s charitable sector. Register here.
Sommet 2023 sur la culture philanthropique / Summit 2023 on Philanthropic Culture (Nov 14-15, in Quebec City): Presented by Institut Mallet with partners including PFC member the Lucie et André Chagnon Foundation, this summit features speakers such as Hélène Dufresne, president of the Dufresne-Gauthier Foundation and Nadia Duguay, Executive Director of Béati Foundation. Register here (in French only)
Panel discussion celebrating Laidlaw Foundation's inaugural report: "State of Black & Indigenous Youth in Ontario (Nov 15, hybrid): Join for a panel discussion on this new report, shedding light on the experiences and impacts of policing on racialized youth in Ontario. Register here (in-person) or here (online).
Philanthropy supporting Ukraine roundtable (Nov 15, online): Join the Council on Foundations and partners for a panel shedding light on the challenges faced by Ukraine's media landscape, and offering solutions to empower its resurgence, ensuring it meets the needs of Ukraine's democracy. Register here.
Toronto Foundation Webinar on impact investing (Nov 30, online): Learn about how impact investing can advance both housing and climate solutions. Explore how the philanthropic sector can grow in its efforts and how partners can contribute. Register here.
Member & Sector Insights
Ashoka Canada’s recent Build Power, Share Power, Leverage Power: How foundations can best support youth-led organizations and their movements to amplify their impact report highlights that youth who typically are at the forefront of social and environmental change movements are experiencing burnout and mental health distress and are leaving the causes they care deeply about. Young leaders are calling for bold intergenerational action that centers youth voice.
Ontario Nonprofit Network's fourth annual sector-wide survey results show that Ontario nonprofits have reached a tipping point. Explore the new report containing policy recommendations.
Trottier, McConnell, J.A. Bombardier, Ivey and Molson Foundations are mentioned in this recent episode of l'enquête McSween on Télé-Québec (starting at 9min:30sec – in French) which demonstrates how foundations can help meet needs that are not being met by governments.
The MLSE Foundation, who is engaging in a research study to understand better issues of access, engagement, safety and equity in youth sport invites you to complete this survey.
Law Foundation of BC’s Josh Paterson and Mastercard Foundation’s Justin Wiebe share their insights on what they experienced at The Circle’s not-so-typical 2023 All My Relations gathering in this Philanthropist Journal interview.
The Philanthropist explores how Canadian Foundations have significant opportunities to sustainably invest their assets in ways that achieve meaningful social impacts and drive positive climate-transition outcomes alongside financial returns, as argued in Transition finance: An important strategy on the path to net-zero
The Weston Family Foundation supports The 2023 Canadian City Parks report, which highlights the most significant trends, issues, and practices shaping Canada’s city parks.
In recent blog post, Hilary Pearson, former CEO of PFC, highlights insights into an approach to climate in healthcare work put forward by the Trottier Family Foundation in the Aspen Institute's Funding Climate Action: Pathways for Philanthropy report.
Global Philanthropic Canada Associate Consultant, Dionne Malcolm, explores our sector’s reality interviewing industry colleagues in the paper Defending Philanthropy: Understanding the impact, challenges, and necessary evolution of the Canadian philanthropic sector.
Mastercard Foundation’s Justin Wiebe shares his perspectives on the future of our sector in The Philanthropist Journal’s “A look to the future: A philanthropic sector building trust to speed change.”
Hilary Pearson, outgoing co-chair of the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector, suggests four structural elements that shape the effectiveness of policymaking between government and our sector, while emphasizing that we already have the roadmap for deeper policy dialogue.
Members in the News
Canadian Race Relations Foundation’s Board Director, Roy Pogorzelski, describes how understanding and learning more about Truth and Reconciliation is paramount to the way we conduct ourselves and do business.
The Michael Young Family Foundation’s gift enables Kawartha Land Trust to build a larger network of landowners working toward more resilience, doing their part to mitigate the effects of climate change, restore nature, reconnect to land, and build sustainable food systems.
The Joyce Family Foundation’s gift to the Free Your Emotions movement will help strengthen young people’s mental health awareness and skills, and normalize help-seeking behaviors (French text).
Fondation Sandra et Alain Bouchard’s donation to Université Laval's École supérieure d'études internationales helped set up the Couche-Tard Research Chair in Global Value Chains, the first in a series of steps to build a centre of excellence for international research and teaching in Quebec and the French-speaking world. (French text)
Good Foundation-supported Ontario Folk Music Conference and Community Folk Fest in London, ON featured performances from local, national and international musicians, as well as an award gala.
Rideau Hall Foundation’s new grant will support 133 Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship students at six Canadian universities.
Rozsa Foundation’s Emerging Arts Manager Award honouring an early career arts administrator goes to Kadra Yusuf, artistic director at EMMEDIA.
Weston Family Foundation's Homegrown Innovation Challenge helped fund Ceragen, a company at Velocity, University of Waterloo's startup incubator, who has developed probiotics for plants to improve crop yields.
Definity Insurance Foundation and Balsam Foundation grants allow Living Cities Canada Fund to offer nature-based solutions to help 28 Canadian communities become more resilient and healthier places to live.
RBC Foundation grant encourages Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation to honour healthcare workers at nurse appreciation event.
Azrieli Foundation provides emergency funds for Israel to support those affected by the deadly attacks.
Calgary Foundation gift encourages collaboration with Indigenous community members and supports Indigenous-led housing projects to address the needs of urban Indigenous elders.
Birks Family Foundation’s financial support to The School of Religious Studies at McGill University, since the 1950s, allows McGill to keep offering quality lectures in theology.
Suncor Energy Foundation grant allows inspirational Social Changemaker Space to cultivate a generation of socially inspired leaders.
United Church of Canada Foundation gift allows Elder from Kanesatake to complete decades-long translation of the bible into Mohawk.
McConnell Foundation’s Social Innovation Lab on reconciliation in the postsecondary sector helped spark the idea for Lethbridge College to acquire a traditional Buffalo Winter Count Robe, unveiled on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
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