Weekly News Recap: December 15, 2017

Cassandra Morin takes a look at the new car her family received at a Red Deer dealership on Saturday. (Scott Neufeld/CBC)

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. -- Gloria Steinem

News

  • Alberta shelters turn away 22K women, children despite extra $15M: report (CBC) ALBERTA STORY The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters says group is turning away 18 per cent fewer than in previous years but you would not know that from just reading the headline. Good lesson in reading the story vs. just relying on the headline. 12/12/17

  • Almost 34,000 positions unfilled in Alberta as job vacancy rate rises (CBC) ALBERTA STORY "Employers are having a hard time filling jobs in Alberta, which could be another of sign of economic recovery in the province, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. In the third quarter of 2017, there were 33,900 unfilled jobs in Alberta, according to the CFIB Help Wanted Report. That translates to a 2.2 per cent vacancy rate — the proportion of unfilled jobs relative to all jobs available in the private sector, CFIB said in a release." 12/12/17

  • Langdon volunteer receives Provincial recognition (Rocky View Weekly) LANGDON STORY Congrats Corrie. We are proud to be working with you and the North Bow Community Recreation Facility board on the Langdon Community Campus project. "For years, Corrie Carrobourg has been an active volunteer in the hamlet of Langdon – driving recreation initiatives, serving on multiple committees and boards and coaching and managing athletic teams for both youth and adults. His efforts were honoured by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association in October, when he was one of four Albertans presented with a Recreation Volunteer Recognition Award at the association’s annual conference." 12/12/17

  • LYFT LAUNCHES IN TORONTO WITH SICKKIDS DONATION PARTNERSHIP (betakit) TORONTO STORY I love this type of partnership. I will be curious to see what kind of results they see. "Lyft’s Round Up and Donate initiative allows Lyft riders to round up each fare to the nearest dollar for a cause of their choice. To celebrate its Toronto launch, Lyft will round up the fares on their end throughout December for the SickKids Foundation." 12/12/17

  • Royal Roads University searching for new president (Goldstream News Gazette) VANCOUVER ISLAND STORY "Do you know someone with the qualifications required to take over the reins at Royal Roads? The university’s board of governors is looking for a new president and vice-chancellor to succeed Allan Cahoon, who has decided to return to teaching after a decade at the helm of the Colwood institution." 12/11/17

  • Gifts Roundup: Columbia and Cambridge Universities Received 9-Figure Gifts (Chronicle of Philanthropy) The Chronicle's regular gift roundup includes the $250 million gift from Roy and Diana Vagelos to Columbia and the $114.1 million gift by the Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund to Cambridge. 12/11/17

  • 'Truly grateful': Red Deer dealership gives new car to family of girl battling cancer (CBC) RED DEER STORY Yep. Right in the feels. Nice work Red Deer Mitsubishi. "Kimberly Lange wasn't expecting much when she brought her daughter's 2001 Chevrolet Malibu to a Red Deer car dealership — just some new brakes and tires. She just wanted to make sure her granddaughter, 9-year-old Cadance Smallboy, could get to her cancer treatments safely. But Lange didn't just get new brakes or tires. Instead, Red Deer Mitsubishi gifted her family with something better: a brand new car." 12/10/17

  • Calgary addictions centre struggling to keep up with demand as donations drop, says director (CBC) CALGARY STORY "The Fresh Start Recover Centre, an addictions treatment facility, is struggling to address the opioid crisis because [...] funding is not keeping pace with demand." 12/8/17

  • Charities of the year: Our annual picks of Canada’s most efficient and accountable charities (Financial Post) CANADIAN STORY I am pretty impressed with the methodology used by the Financial Post. "An encouraging theme emerged this year while poring through [...] tens of thousands of data lines about Canada’s charities: they are doing a noticeably better job of explaining their work to donors. They’re doing so well that the criteria for being named one of our charities of the year are more strict, with the minimum donor accountability grade changing to a B+ from a B-." 12/7/17

  • VIDEO: The Nutcracker takes on new importance as corporate donations fall (Business News Network) CANADIAN STORY A strong interview with Barry Hughson, executive director of the ballet by BNN’s Paige Ellis about the "importance of the production, why corporate donations are down year over year, and why the company had its best box office season ever in 2016/2017." I don't often watch these pieces because they tend to be filled with banal questions (and answers). This interview was not. A fulsome piece. 12/7/17

  • Free music education offered online to all Canadians as Calgary Philharmonic teams up with Meludia (CBC) CALGARY STORY Nice gift. Thanks CPO! "Whether you're into Bach, or Bachman-Turner Overdrive, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra has a present for you. To celebrate Canada's 150th birthday, the CPO has partnered with an online music education platform to give all Canadians a chance to increase their music literacy — for free." 12/7/17

  • Collins Barrow Calgary partners with Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids (Newswire) CALGARY STORY I love BB4CK. Great organization. Thank you Collins Barrow for supporting this initiative. "To support this valuable organization, Collins Barrow Calgary is asking Calgarians to purchase a $5 lunch and 'eat like a kid.' Simply place an order before the event on Jan. 5, 2018 to receive a healthy lunch prepared by local post-secondary students and the staff at CB Calgary on Jan. 12. Lunches can be delivered to offices within the downtown Calgary core or picked up at the University of Calgary downtown campus, where a lunch-preparation station will be set up. All proceeds from this initiative go directly to BB4CK. Orders can be placed here." 12/6/17

Books to read

  • On Philanthropy: Next-generation donors will revolutionize giving (Denver Post) "'Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving,' (2017) is written by Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody. Goldseker is founder of 21/64, a nonprofit dedicated to improving next-generation and multigenerational philanthropy. Moody is a cultural sociologist serving as the Frey Foundation Chair at the Dorothy Johnson Center on Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University." 12/10/17

Opinion

Life and career hacks

Studies and stats

  • Philanthropy’s Contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals in Emerging Countries (Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors) "Philanthropy’s contributions to large development frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been growing worldwide [...]. This research paper presents winning strategies for foundations which achieve scale through systems design and thinking, supporting local innovations, and collaboration [...]." 12/11/17

  • The state of giving in Canada (Charitable Impact Foundation) CANADIAN CONTENT "How do Canadians support charity, what do they care about, and how is their giving likely to change in the future? These are the questions CHIMP and Angus Reid Institute set out to answer in a four-part independent study in November, 2017. The answers, we hope, will spark a conversation about charitable giving and help Canadians incorporate giving into their everyday lives." Thanks to Michelle Bergsma for sharing this and the next two posts. 12/6/17

  • What stops Canadians from giving more to charity? (Charitable Impact Foundation) CANADIAN CONTENT "Following an earlier exploration of Black Friday and charity, the second in this four-part independent study looks at how Canadians feel about their level of giving and the factors that stop them from giving more. The study also sheds light on Canadians’ knowledge of charity, how they learn about it, and the effect this has on their charitable participation." 12/6/17

  • Millennials and Giving: Finances, lack of confidence prevent many young people from donating to charity (Charitable Impact Foundation) CANADIAN CONTENT A report from Angus Reid and the Charitable Impact Foundation. "[Canadians] under 35 are less likely to donate to charity than other generations, and generally donate less money when they do give. [Millennials] are more trusting of charitable organizations than their elders, and most say they would give more under the right circumstances – if they had more money, could find the right cause, or simply felt more confident about giving in general." 12/6/17

Uncommon knowledge

  • American Jews and charitable giving: An enduring tradition (Washington's Top News) An inside look at Jewish philanthropy. "Most Jews, regardless of their economic status, heed their religious and cultural obligations to give. In fact, 60 percent of Jewish households earning less than US$50,000 a year donate, compared with 46 percent of non-Jewish households in that income bracket." 12/10/17

  • Predicting Donors’ Actions Via Behavioral Science (Nonprofit Times) Excellent, long form article that talks about how we can utilize the science of behavior to better increase our fundraising success. The informed and thoughtful Bernard Ross is quoted as well. Thanks to Scott Decksheimer for sharing this post. 12/5/17

Philanthropic controversy

  • Calgary man who promised $7.5M to B.C. hockey team charged with fraud, forgery (CBC) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY I am getting the feeling that this story (the $7.5 million gift commitment) is not going to have a happy ending. I hope I am wrong. "Mike Gould, the man who promised $7.5 million to a junior B hockey team in Kimberley B.C., has been charged with fraud and using a forged document. Charges against the 38-year-old man stem from a banquet held to celebrate his promise to donate millions to a B.C. junior hockey team called the Dynamiters in Kimberley, B.C." 12/12/17

  • How a midlevel school became The University of Adidas at Louisville (ESPN) This is a tale of sponsorship gone completely and horrifically wrong. When the FBI implicates your sponsor in bribe-making directly related to your sponsorship deal, you and your organization are going to have a bad day. And, the University of Louisville did (and is). 12/10/17

  • OPINION: Given its disregard for the Canadian beef industry, A&W's donation is bittersweet (Saskatoon Star Phoenix) SASKATOON STORY "Surprising and ironic. Those are a couple of the words that come to mind with the news that A&W is donating $5 million toward the University of Saskatchewan’s $36-million Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence under construction near Clavet, just east of Saskatoon." 12/8/17

  • Amnesty International ordered to return donation from billionaire George Soros (Irish Times) "Amnesty International has said it will not obey an instruction by the State’s ethics watchdog to return a donation from billionaire George Soros to fund its campaign to overturn Ireland’s abortion ban [...]. Refusing to obey, Amnesty’s chief executive, Colm O’Gorman, told The Irish Times: 'We’re being asked to comply with a law that violates human rights, and we can’t do that.'" 12/8/17

Trends and shifts

Large gifts

  • $6M donation will fund Ottawa University sports complex (AZ Big Media) "Ottawa University announced that alumni [Jim and Jeanne] O’Dell have donated $6 million to the University, the single largest gift in the school’s 152-year history. This extraordinary gift will fund the O’Dell Center for Athletics at the University’s newest residential campus at Ottawa University Arizona in Surprise." Not to be confused with the University of Ottawa, Ottawa University is a private, non-profit, Christian liberal arts university in Ottawa, Kansas. 12/12/17

  • Sanford donation made to Lutheran school (Froggyweb.com) "Sanford Health will donate 30 acres and a matching gift of up to $5 million to help a Sioux Falls Lutheran school realize its plans for a new facility." 12/12/17

  • Home BancShares Chairman donates $5 million to ASU athletics, Centennial Bank matches the donation (Talk Business) "Home BancShares Chairman John Allison grew up near the field where Arkansas State University plays its football games, and when he went to college, he played on the same bit of ground. Now it’s named for him." 12/11/17

  • Unique Western University department receives $5M donation from its namesake (Global News) LONDON STORY "Aubrey Dan is donating $5 million to the DAN Department of Management and Organizational Studies. The department began as a program in 2006 that was developed thanks to a $5-million donation from Dan." 12/11/17

  • Teach for America Baltimore gets $1 million donation (Baltimore Sun) "Baltimore philanthropists Patricia and Mark Joseph donated $1 million to the city’s chapter of Teach for America [...]." Teach For America is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of America's most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence. 12/11/17

  • Apple's Donation to Wildfire Relief Is Great, But It's Just a Drop in the Bucket (Gizmodo) The awkward headline notwithstanding, thanks Apple. "Hundreds of thousands of people had to evacuate their homes in Southern California over the span of a week due to wildfires sweeping the region. In response to the ongoing devastation, Apple announced on Monday that it is donating $1 million to aid in relief efforts." 12/11/17

  • Long Beach State will rename Blair Field after major donation (Press-Telegram) "Long Beach’s most iconic sports facility is getting a major facelift, and a name change as well. Blair Field was constructed in 1958 with public funds and is currently being leased to Long Beach State by the city in exchange for the university making upgrades to the historic baseball field. Those upgrades will be easier to make after a $5 million donation from longtime booster Marilyn Bohl. At a [recent] ceremony [...] LBSU athletic director Andy Fee said, 'The city and the California State University system have approved the right to rename Blair Field in honor of Marilyn Bohl. From this day forward we will call it Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.'" 12/11/17

  • LDS Church donates another $5 million in 2017 for refugee resettlement in U.S. (Deseret News) "For a second straight year, the LDS Church has donated $5 million worth of aid to the nine voluntary refugee resettlement agencies in the United States. The $1.2 million in cash and $3.8 million in commodities or services will be used during 2018 by the nine charitable organizations, who have agreements with the State Department to provide reception and placement services for refugees who arrive in the United States." 12/10/17

  • £1m donation stands out in 60 years of hospital fundraising (Newark Advertiser) "There have been many memorable occasions since the League of Friends of Newark Hospital was set up 60 years ago. But one in particular — a telephone call from businessman and former Nottingham Forest chairman the late Nigel Doughty — will never be forgotten by the charity’s chairman, Mrs June Howsam. 'He called to say he wanted to do something in memory of his mother, Mercia, who had been a nurse at the hospital for many years' [...]. It was a lovely thought but June was taken aback by what came next — the news that the donation would be £1m." 12/10/17

  • $5M donation dedicated to helping U of Manitoba become hub for human rights (CBC) WINNIPEG STORY Just one of the outcomes of having the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg. Thank you Gail Asper. "The University of Manitoba has received a major financial gift to help develop the city as a centre for human rights and social justice. Philanthropist Arthur Mauro gave $5 million to the university's Front and Centre fundraising campaign to establish a new multi-disciplinary chair in human rights and social justice, and to support local and international peace-building initiatives." 12/8/17

  • CASPER COLLEGE RECEIVES MILLION DOLLAR DONATION (K2 Radio) "A million dollar donation has been given to the Casper College Foundation from the now-closed Casper Petroleum Club. The Petroleum Club was established as a nonprofit public-benefit corporation, according to Casper College officials. The club had asked the foundation to be the successor to handle its remaining assets should the club ever close its doors, and the foundation agreed." Casper College is a public college located in Casper, Wyoming. 12/8/17

  • Columbus Symphony Receives $8 Million Donation (WOSO Public Media) "The Columbus Symphony Orchestra in Ohio has received an $8 million donation, the largest in the group's history. The Columbus Dispatch reports the orchestra received the donation from the estate of Anne Melvin. Melvin, a local philanthropist and supporter of the arts – as well as a WOSU donor – died in December 2016." 12/8/17

  • $3 million donation to help locals attend York College (York Dispatch) "A former Seven Valleys couple left millions after their deaths to help local students attend York College. Dorothy and Armand Gladfelter's bequest is providing more than $3.2 million to fund scholarships for York County students attending the private, four-year college, according to a news release from the college." York College of Pennsylvania is a private, coeducational, 4-year college located in south central Pennsylvania. 12/7/17

  • Akron Children’s Boardman gets $1 million Christmas donation (WKBN 27) "Christmas is coming early for Akron Children’s Hospital of the Mahoning Valley. Bruce and Nancy Beeghly announced Wednesday that they will be donating $1 million toward future growth and expansion at the Boardman location." 12/6/17

  • Letter of thanks to German organisation for €1m Iron Bridge donation (Shropshire Star) "The Hamburg-based Hermann Reemtsma Foundation made a €1 million donation to English Heritage to support the charity’s £3.6m restoration project, which is taking place over the course of the next year." 12/6/17

  • Macy’s Celebrates National Believe Day with a Double Donation to Make-A-Wish® and Wishes Across America (Business Wire) "As part of its 10th annual Believe campaign, Macy’s has declared this Friday, Dec. 8, National Believe Day – a day focused on spreading the beloved holiday program’s message of generosity and hope. Throughout the Believe campaign, Macy’s collects customers’ letters to Santa in-store and online at macys.com/believe. For each letter submitted from Nov. 3 through Dec. 24, Macy’s has pledged to donate $1, up to $1 million, to Make-A-Wish® to help grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses. In celebration of the ninth annual National Believe Day, Macy’s will again double its donation to Make-A-Wish, providing an additional $1 per letter, up to an extra $1 million, above the existing $1 million campaign goal. Additionally, this week Macy’s will help grant special wishes for children in cities from coast-to-coast as part of Wishes Across America." 12/6/17

  • Former B.C. politician's legacy lives on with $25M hospital donation (Vancouver Sun) VANCOUVER STORY What a fitting tribute. Mr. Gaglardi was a former BC Minister of Highways, a former BC Minister of Social Welfare (renamed Rehabilitation and Social Improvement), and a former mayor of Kamloops. "The family of the late B.C. politician Phil Gaglardi has donated $25 million to the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation. The donation will go toward the foundation’s Future of Surgery campaign to pay for expanded surgical services and new operating rooms. Tom Gaglardi, the grandson of the late Phil Gaglardi, and Phil’s wife, Jennie, represented the Gaglardi family at an event Wednesday to announce the donation." 12/6/17

  • J-Law wins award for Norton Children's donation, but was brought to tears for another reason (Courier Journal) Silly nickname aside, this is a wonderful gift. "Actress and Louisville native Jennifer Lawrence said she's overwhelmed by donors' support during her foundation's fundraising events at the Frazier History Museum in Louisville." 12/6/17

  • 50 mini-soccer fields to be built with $3M donation from Ken Griffin (Chicago Sun Times) "Mayor Rahm Emanuel played freshman soccer at New Trier High School, then gave it up when he found he was 'better at ballet than sitting on the bench in soccer.' Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, the richest man in Illinois, was a men’s league soccer player for years before his knee surgeon ordered him to hang up his cleats after six surgeries. [The] two men joined forces once again in a way that will give thousands of Chicago kids a place to play soccer, a sport they both love. One year after making the $12 million donation needed to complete the lakefront trail separation project, the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund is making a $3 million donation that will pave the way for construction of 50 miniature soccer fields across the city over the next five years." 12/6/17

  • University of Iowa renames art museum after family who donated $10M (Des Moines Register) "A Muscatine couple is donating $10 million to the University of Iowa for the construction of a new art museum on the Iowa City campus. Richard and Mary Jo Stanley committed the money in November [...]." 12/6/17

  • Chance the Rapper Teams Up With Google for Big Donation to CPS (NBC) Smart partnership. Good work Google. "Chance the Rapper continued his push to provide funding to local schools with a massive new donation from one of the world’s biggest tech companies. At Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Paideia Academy on the city’s South Side, Chance announced grants totaling $1.5 million from tech giant Google. $1 million of that money will go to SocialWorks, Chance’s non-profit organization, and $500,000 will go to the Children First Fund, which will support computer science programming at Chicago Public schools." 12/6/17

  • National Music Centre receives $1.8 million gift honouring memory of Arlene Flock McKen (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY What a lovely and fitting tribute. "The National Music Centre has received a $1.8-million gift to honour the memory of the late Arlene Flock McKen, a respected Calgary entrepreneur. In recognition of the donation and in celebration of McKen’s life, the Cloud Lounge in Studio Bell will also be renamed the 'Arlene Flock McKen Cloud Lounge' [...]. In addition to $900,000 donated by McKen’s friends and loved ones, an anonymous donor matched the gift for a total contribution of $1.8 million to support the National Music Centre." 12/6/17

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