It’s hard not to worry these days about what is happening to democracy in North America. Yes, this worry is particularly concentrated on the United States given the constant stream of news from the USA about polarization, conflict, and outright attacks on democratic institutions. We have not experienced these attacks in Canada. But we should […]
Collaboration Across Sectors: Opportunities for Canada
Philanthropic funders today have more opportunities than ever for collaboration with others. But which others? The choices are many: other funders, other community partners, others in business or others in government. The reasons for collaboration are not hard to point to: more resources, more impact, more leverage and bigger change possibly. Collaborative funding can also […]
Telling the Story of Definity Insurance Foundation
I have worked with many foundations during more than two decades of my engagement with philanthropy. I have found that the best way to understand them, and to share my understanding with others, is to tell a story about them. Stories about what they do in the present are compelling. But the story becomes even richer […]
Why Is Collaboration So Difficult?
Why is philanthropic collaboration so difficult? Much is said about collaborating, but much less is done in practice, it seems. This is true even in the face of the complexity of the issues that philanthropy addresses, the increasing push for community partnerships, and the additional leverage to be had from funding and working cooperatively. Foundations in […]
Philanthropy in Place
In early May I visited one of the most beautiful places in Canada, Fogo Island, Newfoundland. It is truly a distinctive place, with welcoming communities, stirring scenery and a long and meaningful history of human settlement. But over and above these attractions, Fogo Island features an extraordinary experiment in place building, led by the philanthropist […]
Philanthropy, Conflict and Peace
We are living today in a world shaped by conflict. And conflict makes philanthropists uncomfortable. This is not unique to them. In practice, individual aversion to conflict often leads to organizational avoidance of intervention in conflict, whether the organization is a company, a non-profit or a foundation. It is a rare foundation that takes on […]
Listening to the Signal in the Noise
We hear a lot of noise in philanthropy right now. This is especially true In the United States. It’s the noise of calls for funders to step up, spend more, rescue programs, fill gaps, support legal action and advocacy, help a civil society under siege, “meet the moment”. The U.S. federal government is making noise about […]
Philanthropy and the Defense of Civic Space
Civil society is under attack in the United States. How does this affect Canadian funders? The calls for support are multiplying. Some of the work that Canadian funders support, whether it is international aid or scientific research, is being demolished. But funders here may feel that they or their partners in Canada won’t come under direct […]
Canadian Philanthropy and Nation Building
Canada is under extreme pressure in the era of Trump. Our independence is being called into question in a way that has not happened for many decades, if not centuries. Our political and economic stability is being turned upside down. And Canadians are rising to the challenge of the moment with declarations of patriotism and defiance. […]