Smart Forests Take Root
Canada Forest Trust, a national ESG company, launches practical solution for those looking to go net zero By Jeff Todd Sustainability — it’s a buzz word we’ve all heard a million times. As the climate crisis worsens, and uncertainty for the future grows, companies have never been more sensitive …
Giving Isn’t Equal
By Rickesh Lakhani and Aneil Gokhale It’s that time of year when the focus is on giving. But we think that needs to be different — the focus should be on being in service to others. So what does that shift look like? We’re here to share how this can …
Five Must-Dos When Hiring a Major Gift Officer
By Jenny Love Almost 80 percent of the $373 billion given to charities comes from individuals. And even when it’s a corporation or foundation making a gift, it’s a person making the decision. If you’re looking to start a major gift program, finding staff with the relationship skills necessary to …
Harvesting Growth: A Data-Driven Approach to a National Expansion
By Jennifer Robins In early 2020, Second Harvest, a Toronto area-based food rescue organization, kicked off the initial phases of a three-year strategic plan, including a national expansion of its services. We all know what happened next. The COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, and the world turned upside down. …
Understanding Fundraising’s Costs
By Cynthia Armour, CFRE Fundraising costs and overhead have often been a topic of controversy for investors and contrarians alike. I haven’t heard as much lately; it seems we’ve had more pressing concerns! It’s tempting to leave well enough alone and yet, I prefer encouraging continued dialogue and a lifelong …
Leading a Movement to Drive Change for Mental Health
By Sarah Chamberlin We are in the midst of a global mental health crisis. Mental health has historically lagged behind other areas of research and care, and it continues to be riddled with trial and error. People often search and suffer for years before finding the right treatment for their …
Four Types of People a Gift Officer Needs to Succeed
By Jenny Love The role of the gift officer is that of a director, not the star of the show. Gift officers set up strategy discussions between prospects and influential people at their organization, and they are responsible for follow-up and solicitation. But during the discussions themselves they should play …
Make the Most of Your Donations this Year
Charity Intelligence’s Top 10 Impact Charities to help Canadian donors find charities making the greatest impact. Most charities claim that they “make a difference” in the lives of those they work with, but it is very difficult for donors to tell how much of a difference any given charity is …
Five Burning Questions on Charity Flow-through Shares
By Peter Nicholson If you’ve been a reader of the Ottawa Giving Guide over the years, odds are you have seen my annual column and heard a lot about charity flow-through shares. Since my firm Foundation WCPD (Wealth, Creation, Preservation & Donation) completed the first ever Canadian charity flow-through transaction …