November 2023 Newsletter

Since our last edition...

• We launched the first step of our 2025-2028 Strategic Planning consultation activities! All PFC members are encouraged to share their insights in our Strategic Directions Feedback Survey.
• Thanks to the warm hospitality and generous support of members across the country, we held successful regional gatherings in Halifax, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver, where many members, partners and friends were able to share, learn and strengthen relations. 
• PFC made presentations at the second Annual Sustainable Finance Forum, and attended the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness Conference Funders Table, the Raven Outcomes Finance Summit and Mallet Institute’s Sommet de la philanthropie,
• We launched our 2024 Membership Renewal Campaign! Thank you to all who have already renewed and to those who have decided to renew for the next three years. 

PFC Updates, Insights & Resources

• We launched a brand-new resource, Funding Journalism: A Guide for Canadian Philanthropy, developed in partnership with Inspirit Foundation and Local News Research Project at Toronto Metropolitan University  
• Jean-Marc Mangin delivered this speech on the Philanthropic Sector and Sustainable Finance at the recent Sustainable Finance Forum in Ottawa
• Sara Krynitzki published this Update on the T3 Trust Reporting Issue, updating members on the final outcome of Canada Revenue Agency developments related to T3 - Trust Income Tax and Information Return for internal trusts.
• Jean-Marc Mangin discussed the Canadian Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change and foundations' role in climate action in this Special Feature Edition on Philanthropy in Le Devoir (pg 9, in French only).

Upcoming PFC Programming

Investment Roundtable

Tuesday, 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)
Topic: Foundations’ investments strategies in current economic context

Join the next hybrid meeting, chaired by PFC Board Director MJ Sinha, to have an open discussion with fellow investment-savvy colleagues around diverse public and private market investment topics, including asset mix and strategies, exposure to oil and gas; responsible investing; private equity venture capital allocations and/or valuations; private fixed income allocation; impact investing, among others. This roundtable is for Board Directors, committee volunteers, and staff members in charge of investments at member foundations. 

Virtual Convening: Role of Funders in the Nonprofit Data Ecosystem

Thursday, November 30, 11 AM - 1 PM ET (Online)

Join this convening for funders to explore our role in the nonprofit data ecosystem, jointly hosted by the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience, Ontario Nonprofit Network, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and PFC. One of the areas to be explored includes the Recommendations from ONN’s June 2023 A Framework for Nonprofit Data Strategies and PFC’s 2021 Towards A Shared Data Strategy for the Philanthropic Sector. 

Program and Grantmaking Staff Affinity Group Rendez-Vous 

Friday, December 1, 1 - 2 PM ET (Online)
Topic: Year-end reflection and celebration

Join this program staff-led get-together for PFC members, where participants will have an opportunity to reflect by sharing, honouring and celebrating the work accomplished throughout the year, and co-create what this community will look like in 2024. Please join ready to reflect, share, and listen as we wind the year down together.

Canadian Philanthropic Commitment on Climate Change Roundtable Meeting

Tuesday, December 5, 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET (Online)
Topic: Presentation and Q&A session with My Climate Plan

My Climate Plan are empowering people with knowledge about the direct climate impacts they face with a personalized planning platform to act and a beneficial membership community to support their journey to collective action. Join us to hear their leaders reflect on finding ways to connect with the climate majority (the Alarmed & Movable Middle) to move them to sustained engagement with, and support for, Indigenous-led and supported climate solutions. 

Stay tuned for our 2024 programming calendar coming soon!

New PFC Members

George Brown Memorial Foundation

A warm welcome to the George Brown Memorial Foundation, a private foundation based in Barrie, which honours the legacy of George Brown by awarding grants to Canadian registered charities in his name. 

The Gauthier Family Foundation

A warm welcome to the Gauthier Family Foundation, a brand new private foundation based in Montreal, focusing on: 1) poverty and homelessness; 2) education; 3) environment; 4) the arts. 

Wesley M. Nicol Foundation

An warm welcome to the Wesley M. Nicol Foundation, a private foundation based in Ottawa, which support charities working to improve the lives of others through community outreach, education, health, and the arts. 

Member & Sector Job Board

• Program Manager, Conservation, Weston Family Foundation 
• Manager, Member Engagement + Collaboration, The Circle 
• Grants Manager, The Law Foundation of Ontario (12-month Contract) 
• Impact Investing Intern, McConnell Foundation 
• Program Manager, Foundation for Black Communities 
• Program Coordinator, Data & Systems, Foundation for Black Communities 
• Program Coordinator, Foundation for Black Communities 
• Manager of Communications, Foundation for Black Communities 

• Administrative Coordinator, The Cole Foundation

Member & Sector Insights

• Canada Revenue Agency's new version of the T3010 Form, Registered Charity Information Return, comes out in January 2024 and will reflect new reporting requirements. For more details, click here. 

• MakeWay's "How will changes to the Alternative Minimum Tax impact charities?" and Aqueduct Foundation's "AMT and Donations" by Malcolm Burrows offer two different perspectives on the proposed Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) changes. For PFC, the charitable sector should not become collateral damage in addressing rising income inequality. The impact of these changes are still unknown and should be monitored carefully as evidence should drive policy.

• The Affordability Action Council, a new initiative of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, Destination Zero, and PFC members Trottier Family Foundation and McConnell Foundation, calls for an all-in approach to solving Canada’s affordability and climate crises.  

• Philab's Jean-Marc Fontan authors another book entitled A New Look at Place-based Philanthropy - Insights from Canada and the US, which brings into the conversation the meaning that individuals bring to their spaces as members of diverse communities, as public and private actors seeking to effect change in underserved communities, and the tension that may result as place is redefined through philanthropic work.

• Trottier Family Foundation-funded report entitled « Décarbonation du secteur de la santé” (in French only) attempts to answer the question: How can the healthcare sector achieve zero emissions by 2040? 

• McConnell Foundation-funded report entitled Accelerating Residential Deep Energy Retrofits in Canada proposes how the philanthropic sector can contribute to major energy efficiency renovations in the residential sector.

• Vancity Community Foundation's new "Unlocking the Potential of Community-Owned Affordable Housing in Metro Vancouver" report shows that accelerating non-market housing will help dramatically boost affordability for those who need it most.

• The Philanthropist Journal reports on how a group of foundation leaders is making the case that healthy news ecosystems are critical to the well-being of our communities, planet, democracy – and funders’ missions, in Funding  journalism – for the sake of philanthropy and democracy. 

• Stanford Social Innovation Review Supplement on Power and Philanthropy argues that if philanthropy is going to play a constructive role in creating a more just and equitable world, foundations need to be accountable for the power they hold.

• Bhayana Family Foundation's work led to October 30 being proclaimed BC Non-Profit Day, to honour the impactful work of non-profit organizations and gain a deeper understanding of their vital role in supporting communities.

• Canadian Race Relations Foundation's Executive Director, Mohammed Hashim, is quoted among several other testimonials in a new Senate report on Islamophobia which says urgent action is needed to reverse rising tide of hate.  

• Canadian Medical Association's president, Dr. Kathleen Ross, wrote this commentary entitled: Feds must maintain health care momentum in Fall economic statement, which was originally published in the Hill Times.

• Gordon Foundation guest blog on Native Land Digital’s map reflects how to learn more about Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages.  

• MakeWay and OneEarth Living’s Fair Earth Living Collaborative provides a vision for climate action.

• Metcalf Fellow on Arts and Society, David Maggs, invites artists to expand the range of social impacts they might come into relationship with, while deepening their understanding of cultural impact as essential to a healthy society in Art and Social Impact: Having Our Cake and Eating It Too?

• Toronto Foundation’s 2023 Vital Signs Report invites readers to reconnect and believe in Toronto again by taking action.

• MakeWay-supported Trauma-Informed Media Toolkit For Indigenous Communities #NarrativeBack is a new resource for Indigenous Communities in the Face of Climate-Related Disasters.

• Azrieli Foundation's Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research grant and Brain Canada have a study on the sex-related differences in the development of anxiety disorders which could uncover novel insights into treating anxiety disorders in both men and women.

• Trico Charitable Foundation answers the most frequently asked question regarding the definition of social entrepreneurship is in their What's the Definition of Social Entrepreneurship blog post.

• Gordon Foundation-supported Arctic Policy Hackathon produced Policy Recommendations addressing how to keep next-generation leaders in the Arctic. Participant Megan Dicker Nochasak spoke to Saltwire about her experience.

• Catherine Donnelly Foundation published a 2023-2028 strategic blueprint that addresses the climate emergency, the housing crisis and a loss of faith in democracy that caused deepened economic hardship and greater social injustice for our most underserved community members.

Upcoming Member & Sector Activities

• Peace Network for Social Harmony, Éduconnexion, and Sisterhood's symposium, "What if violence was perceived as a public health issue?" (Nov 25 at 11 AM - 6 PM ET, Montreal). Register here.

• Rozsa Foundation and Calgary Foundation's Arts community webinar on Ethical AI and the Arts (Nov 28 at 1 PM MT, online). Katrina Ingram, Founder and CEO of Ethically Aligned AI, and Marilène Oliver, Mixed Media Artist and Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta joins Rozsa Foundation's Director of Storytelling Lisa Mackay to discuss the ethics of AI, the intersection of AI and the arts, and developing AI commitments and policies. Register here.

• Trottier Family Foundation’s Jean-Patrick Toussaint will be hosting a panel discussion on creating Local Partnerships for Climate Action (Nov 28 at 12 PM ET) where you will hear how ICLEI Canada will be working with four Canadian municipalities to create local climate partnerships in their communities. Register here.

• Cumberland Private Wealth's Foundations Circle (Nov 29 at 4 PM ET, Toronto): Informal panel discussion through which Hilary Pearson will offer unique insights in the key areas affecting foundation philanthropy today, with Q&A. A lively reception will follow. RSVP via an email here.

• Toronto Foundation Webinar on Impact Investing (Nov 30 at 12 PM ET, 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.

• UnCharitable - Free Online Viewing (up to Dec 1): Fundraise Up is offering on-demand screening of this one-of-a-kind movie that shows how our charitable traditions and prejudices have suffocated the charitable sector and prevented it from leading the charge to truly change the world. Get watch link here.

• The J. Armand Bombardier Foundation's Excellence Grants for the Next Generation of Women Entrepreneurs (by Jan 12, online) are designed to promote the role of women in different sectors of economic and community development, and to recognize the excellence of projects led by women in these sectors. Find out more and fill out the application form here.

• The Dais and Toronto Metropolitan University's Secure and Responsible Technology Policy Foundations (Registration deadline by Jan 14): 8-week course designed for professionals across policymaker and technology communities who want to advance responsible tech policy in Canada. Learn more and register here.

Members in the News

• Weston Family Foundation's grant will allow Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Institute for Sustainable Horticulture to grow sustainable berries year-round. 

• McLean Foundation's funding helps University of Victoria produce a new film entitled Lii Michif Niiyanaan: We Are Métis— a love letter to the courage, determination, and resilient spirit of the Métis nation and helped develop a Canada Agriculture and Food Museum exhibit on Soil Superheros at the Okanagan Science Centre.

• Sandra and Alain Bouchard Foundation's grant will allow the University of Sherbrooke to strengthen its Arts and Culture Strategy, by helping its next generation of music artists launch their professional life (in French).

• Ivey Foundation's President - who philanthropically supports the clean-energy transition - believes Manitoba needs to develop a concrete plan to increase electricity production to achieve decarbonization goals and underscores that Hydro-Québec's plans to spend at least $90 billion on power generation in next decade signal the scale of investment that’s required to decarbonize.

• Northpine Foundation's grants help Team Broken Earth provide education and training focused on women’s and children’s healthcare in Newfoundland and Labrador communities and the College of the North Atlantic's Bonavista campus develop an indoor hydroponic farm.

• A Maytree Foundation report found that from 2011 to 2022, the number of people in B.C. receiving income assistance declined, in Shelter allowance no longer keeping up with costs of housing.

• Medavie Health Foundation and Balsam Foundation among funders helping McMaster University develop a vision for addressing gaps in mental health policy, programs and services in Working to improve access to mental health services for Black youth in Hamilton.

• Rideau Hall Foundation's new 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship Program funding awarded to six universities for international student experiences is highlighted in Algoma students to benefit from Queen Elizabeth scholarship and in MRU and Commonwealth Sport Canada awarded funding for international work experiences through Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship Program.

Get in touch!

Are you a PFC member and have news to share with our broader network?
Get in touch to share your updates