July 2024 Newsletter

Since our last edition...

• We were delighted to bring together so many of you in Western Canada in Vancouver and Calgary for our Member Gatherings at which Michele Fugiel Gartner, PFC’s Lead Researcher, presented our recently released 2024 Landscape Report.  

• We held our 2024 Annual General Meeting during which our Board Chair and President & CEO each shared remarks and carried out official business including thanking and bidding farewell from the Board to Patty Faith, Rachel Renaud, and Jean-Marc Chouinard (who is staying on to complete the work of the Strategic Planning Task Force) and welcoming four new directors: Lisa Cirillo, of the Law Foundation of Ontario, Michelle LeDonne, of the Pathy Family Foundation, Lara O’Donnell of the Weston Family Foundation, and Sylvie Trottier of the Trottier Family Foundation. The AGM was followed by productive Board and Team Retreats in Calgary.

• Our 2023 Annual Report was published and released – we invite you to explore the work we’ve undertaken as a network to advance the work of our sector. And, we encourage you to reflect on how what we should be striving towards collectively, together in the future. Together, we can strengthen Canadian philanthropy – in all of its diversity – in pursuit of a just, equitable, and sustainable world. 

• On July 3, we hosted the last of the Facilitated Dialogue Sessions on the topic of a Productive Dialogue in a Polarized World. Thank you to all those who participated and contributed to this initiative – stay tuned for further developments and next steps.  

• We are delighted to have reached record numbers of early bird registrations from member and non-member foundations across the country to attend our Together 25 Ensemble Conference. Conference registration remains open throughout the summer!

PFC Updates & Insights

PFC’s recently released 2024 Landscape Report has been featured in: 

• Future of Good article entitled “Canadian foundation assets up $100 billion and 5 other findings from a new landscape report” which highlights that Canadian foundations have increased by number, assets and granting volume in recent years. 

• Carleton University’s PANL Perspectives “Top 10 Reports about the Nonprofit Sector”. 

Throughout the summer, PFC Lead Researcher Michele Fugiel Gartner will be publishing a four-part blog series is a deep dive into the 2024 Landscape Report – which offers a crucial starting point for philanthropic research conversations. The blog series summarizes the report’s key findings and provides additional narratives and reflections from research presentations and feedback received from a range of stakeholders. Blog post Unveiling the Landscape no.1 answers the question “How do we talk about how we got here?” 

Upcoming PFC Programming

PFC's National Conference in Ottawa
(In person)

Monday, September 23, 2024
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Local time)
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
  7:30 AM - 9:00 PM (Local time)
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
7:30 AM - 9:00 PM (Local time)

You are cordially invited to attend our Together 25 Ensemble National Conference. Registration is now open to all philanthropic sector organisations across Canada and beyond.  This includes foundations considering joining the PFC network, government, academia, students, and nonprofit organizations – established and grassroots.

Conference registration will remain open throughout the summer, however tickets are going fast! 

Additional Hotel accommodations in Ottawa 

Since the room block at Westin Ottawa filled up quickly, PFC secured additional hotel room group rates at two other hotels nearby.   

• DoubleTree by Hilton Ottawa Downtown (formerly Novotel Ottawa) 
  To make a reservation click the booking link here or call toll free 1-855-677-3033 or 613-230-3033 and reference the booking code (1316452) and name (Philanthropic Foundations Canada) 

• Les Suites Hotel 
  To make a reservation click the booking link here, send an email or call 1-800-267-1989, mentioning group name (Philanthropic Foundations Canada). 

To learn more and to book your room, click here 

Affinity Group Meetings at
PFC Together 25 Ensemble National Conference

Monday, September 23, 2024 (In person)
First set: 1:00 - 2:30 PM (Local Time) 
Second set: 3:00 - 4:30 PM (Local Time) 
Location: Governor General 1-3 - Westin Ottawa

We are hosting in-person individual Affinity Group meetings for current members of Affinity Groups.  You will receive a separate invitation with details.  If you would like to learn more and join an Affinity Group, please visit our website. 

Appointment and Awards

• We congratulate Ivey Foundation’s Bruce Lourie, on his appointment to the Order of Canada. This is a well-deserved recognition of his environmental and philanthropic contributions in making Canada a better place for all its citizens. 
• The Rideau Hall Foundation welcomed the Honourable Jean J. Charest, lawyer, politician, and former premier of Quebec, and Dr. Annette Trimbee, President and Vice Chancellor of MacEwan University, to its Board of Directors. 

Member & Sector Job Board

• Director of Training, Rosza Foundation 

• Programs Associate, Metcalf 

• Regional Coordinator (Atlantic), The Canadian Race Relations Foundation 

• Program Manager – Data & Impact Reporting, Foundation for Black Communities 

• Coordinator; Program Director, Microbiome; Grants Coordinator, Weston Family Foundation

• Manager, Alumni Relations and Community Engagement; Manager, Learning Partnerships and Granting; Manager, Civic Engagement; Manager, Arctic Inspiration Prize, Rideau Hall Foundation

• Program Officer, Pathy Family Foundation

• Board Director, WINGS

• Head, Partnership Development (Canada), Mastercard Foundation

• Communications Coordinator, Calgary Foundation 

Member & Sector Insights

• Imagine Canada's Bruce MacDonald states it is vital that nonprofit sector be properly sustained to meet stubbornly high demand for services in Globe & Mail Opinion piece entitled "With donations down and demand up, charities are under pressure." 

• Those having steered foundations and charities through past changes in government are confident that no change in government will get in the way of good work being done for the vulnerable in Philanthropist Journal's "Change is coming: How can the sector prepare for Conservative rule?." 

• Hilary Pearson considers futuresfuture -thinking a valuable addition to a philanthropic organization’s toolkit in blog post entitled "Philanthropy for the Future". 

• Canadian Race Relations Foundation's renewed funding by the Federal Secretariat at Employment and Social Development Canada, allowing it to continue its strategic community engagement and collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority populations living in Canada highlighted in "Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028." 

• CERIC/The Counselling Foundation's Norman Valdez answers why we should include the philanthropic and social impact sector in the AI strategy in "The Missing Piece in the Current AI Pan-Canadian Ecosystem." 

• Global South Philanthropic organisations demonstrate commendable leadership in the areas of climate action, advocacy, and impact globally in WINGS/Alliance Magazine’s "Global South leadership on climate philanthropy". 

• Rozsa Foundation Executive Director, Simon Mallett, shared "Reflections from the Cultural Leadership Forum" which also prompted him to reflect on the content of the Rozsa Foundation’s Training programs, which they plan to expand to meet the incredible demand of the past 5 years. 

Upcoming Member & Sector Activities

• PFC partner Carleton University’s MPNL Program held its annual “Celebrating Philanthropy” event on the topic of “Community Philanthropy: Canadian and International Innovations” on June 27, 2024. It featured PFC member Mastercard Foundation’s Canada Program Director, Jennifer Brennan. Find out more and view recording here. 

• WINGS and The Partnering Initiative (TPI) are inviting foundations to participate in a global survey on philanthropy’s role in partnerships for systemic change by July 19, 2024, at 17:00 UTC. By participating in this survey, foundations have the opportunity to directly influence the design of a new programme to help shift sector practice and develop philanthropy's institutional capabilities to deliver systemic change through multi-stakeholder collaboration. Take the survey here 

Members in the News

• Weston Family Foundation grant to Western University researchers to help explore potential of gentle brain-synched sounds to improve sleep and memory performance in older adults highlighted in "New Western research aims to improve sleep and combat dementia." 

• Northpine Foundation exclusive relationship with financial security platform seeking to help over 5,000 Scarborough residents achieve financial independence promoted in "Woveo and the Northpine Foundation announce an exclusive financial empowerment initiative for residents". 

• Graham Boeckh Foundation support to help close the gaps between youth mental health and substance use sectors in Ontario highlighted in “Youth Wellness Hub lifts spirits of queer youth and their allies.” 

• Mastercard Foundation grant helping ITK determine what it will need to make an Inuit Nunangat university a reality highlighted in " Nunangat university plans have been in works for years but when will it open?" 

• Azrieli Foundation gift rewarding pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko with the Joseph-Rouleau Career Development Grant upon receiving grand honours at the 2024 piano edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal mentioned in "Salmon Arm pianist takes first place in prestigious Montreal competition." 

• Metcalf Foundation joins original four funders to help The Local, a donor-funded registered journalism organization, reinvent journalism in Philanthropist Journal article entitled "Don’t save local journalism – reinvent it." 

• RBC Foundation and Canada's leading music education charity are thrilled to announce "30 Participants for National RBCxMusic First Up Program, powered by MusiCounts" 

• Lawson Foundation-organized working group which aims to get Vancouver Island University faculty, students and ultimately children outdoors and connected to nature and the Land highlighted in blog entitled "Transforming Early Childhood Education in Canada". 

• Inspirit Foundation and Mastercard Foundation financial support and extra funding to launch first four-year Indigenous journalism and communication degree in North America highlighted in " First Nations University of Canada to offer Indigenous journalism degree." 

Get in touch!

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