CanadaHelps’ 2024 Giving Report TORONTO, ON–As Canadians have become increasingly disconnected and social networks have shrunk, giving participation dropped from 21.9 percent of Canadians in 2013 to a new low of 17.7 percent in 2021. CanadaHelps, the country’s largest platform for donating and fundraising online, today released the seventh edition of The Giving Report, an annual look at the charitable sector and the state of giving. The Giving Report 2024: From Disconnection to Collective Action highlights significant declines in the number of Canadians donating to charities, while thousands o ..read more

GATINEAU, QC–Every year volunteers across the country dedicate their time and resources to positively impact their communities. Canada’s Volunteer Awards highlight community leadership and aim to encourage people from across Canada to make a difference in their communities through volunteering, while developing innovative solutions to tackle social challenges. As we celebrate National Volunteer Week, Jenna Sudds, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, honoured the recipients of the Awards at a hybrid ceremony at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. This occasion marks the 10 ..read more

Latest round of donations will provide more than $960,000 committed to Canadian organizations VANCOUVER, BC–Drax released an annual report for its Drax Foundation and Community Fund that shows more than $4.6 million has been donated to support communities across Drax’s global operations. The renewable energy company focused on funding organizations that help underrepresented groups, advance gender equality, and support indigenous communities. Organizations that have benefitted from Drax’s funding include those that improve STEM education, access to green spaces, and energy efficiency efforts i ..read more

Julie Foundation Magazine sits down for a Q&A with Julie Quenneville. Here’s the conversation. In your experience, what motivates donors to choose the foundation for their philanthropy, especially for legacy gifts? In my experience, donors choose UHN Foundation for a few key reasons. Firstly, they believe in our mission—it aligns with their values. Then there’s the impact—they see the difference we’re making and want to be part of it. Plus, transparency and accountability matter—they want to know their money is being used well. Many times, people choose a cause that has played a role in ..read more

Program supports Co-operators reconciliation strategy, a multi-year commitment to truth and reconciliation TORONTO, ON–Co-operators launched its Indigenous Youth Employability Initiative, a $1 million commitment to support cultural safety, personal resilience, and employability of Indigenous youth at Co-operators, the broader co-operative sector, and beyond. The employability component is a core component of the company’s three-year reconciliation strategy that aligns the organization’s corporate goals with its long-term collaboration and partnership with Indigenous employees, organizations, a ..read more

By Steve Lloyd Over the past year I’ve been reminded too often that a published obituary may be when deceased individuals ask for donations to be made in their name. Sometimes, it’s the family that decides to honour a charity or nonprofit by requesting donations in the name of the person who has passed on. Often, it’s mentioned as “in lieu of” or “please consider a donation to…”. Obituary-based donation requests often specify charities or organizations that were important to loved ones, yet some simply request donations be made to “a charity of your choice” in the name of the deceased. Also ..read more

Launch follows ST’s recent acquisition of digital services division of Deloitte Canada’s fundraising services group TORONTO, ON–ST (Stephen Thomas Ltd), Canada’s premier full-service marketing, brand and fundraising agency, today proudly announces the launch of STella!, its new digital fundraising division. Following ST’s recent acquisition of the digital services division of Deloitte Canada’s fundraising services group, STella! is a culmination of ST’s legacy of excellence in fundraising and advanced digital expertise that positions the agency as a powerhouse specialist in the digital fundrai ..read more

By Sara Krynitzki and Dr. Michele Fugiel Gartner Many in our sector may be surprised to learn that data on foundations in Canada is extremely limited — this includes data produced by government, in academia, and even by our own sector. This is despite the fact that roughly 1 in 8 charities in Canada are foundations, and that foundations today steward over $135B in non-taxed assets. At the government level, there have been some significant initiatives over the years produced by Statistics Canada, but they need to be more regular, and provide a comprehensive look at foundations specifically. Da ..read more

By Laurie Fox We’ve all heard it, the bleak predictions for the future of charitable giving in Canada. The narrative that fewer Canadians are giving, younger donors aren’t giving as much as previous generations…you know the stats. But this narrative is missing one big thing… The number of charitable gifts in Wills in Canada is growing, and in a big way! Will Power, a national awareness campaign inspiring Canadians to create positive change through their Wills, commissioned a study at the end of 2022. The goal was to find out how many people have made a donation in their Will, and who they were ..read more

Foundation Magazine spoke with the founder of a new technology solution for wealth management services, a system which connects financial planning and philanthropy. Nicholas Palahnuk, CFP®, CIM®, an Investment Advisor and Senior Portfolio Manager, leads The Palahnuk Group. The Palahnuk Group’s vision is to transform the lives of clients through extraordinary wealth management. Toronto-based PhilanthPro Solutions launched new financial planning software designed to help donors plan their giving. PhilanthPro helps financial advisors create and manage goals-based financial plans for charitable ac ..read more