Resources

Does Your Organization Need an Endowment Policy?

Do you Need an Endowment Policy? As part our work, we are often asked by clients to review their Endowment Policy. Occasionally, we are even asked to develop a brand-new Policy. But these requests have got me thinking. Do charities need a separate Endowment Policy? Do they...

Should We Have an Endowment Fund?

As mentioned in a previous article, the meaning of endowment in Canada is a fleeting one, largely because the word lacks a formal legal definition. As a result, endowment has been subject to a myriad of conflicting definitions, resulting in considerable confusion for fundraisers and...

So What Exactly Is an Endowment?

Endowment is one of the most misunderstood terms in our charitable sector. Given the fact that “endowment” lacks a formal legal definition, this should hardly come as a surprise. There are many who still hold on to the traditional definition of an endowment – that...

Fiduciary oversight of charitable investments

Endowment funds have the opportunity to make a difference in how charities fulfill their missions. The oversight of a charity’s investments can involve considerable fiduciary risk. How charities manage and mitigate this risk is probably the more important aspect of the investment management process. The term “fiduciary”...

Random Thoughts on Philanthropy in Canada

Let’s stop comparing ourselves to Americans when it comes to charitable giving. It is true that on a per capita basis, Americans are more far generous than we are but the truth is that they are miles ahead of every nationality when it comes to...

Corporate Giving: The Decision-Making Process

In the past, I have attempted to dispel some of the basic tenets of corporate philanthropy – namely, that the notion of “corporate philanthropy” is a misguided one because all corporate giving must be driven by building shareholder value and that the values associated with...

Corporate Giving: Don’t Call it Philanthropy

There are many myths and erroneous assumptions about how corporations manage their community investments. The first myth (and probably the most important one to dispel) is the notion of corporate philanthropy – that corporations are entities that share human goals and ideals and are thus...

Canada’s Charities Deserve Better

It’s time to have a frank discussion about charities and their administrative and fundraising costs. Over the past decade, the increasing focus on a charity’s cost of doing business – and yes, charities are in the business of societal betterment – has forced the entire...

Building an Endowment Fund: How Do We Get Started?

Over the last few years, both donors and fundraisers have had the opportunity to consider the notion of endowments and how they might fit into an overall donor development model. Over this time, I have discussed endowments with many people in the charitable sector. What I...

Are Endowments a Lost Soul?

The endowment is a bit of lost soul. It’s a term with no true legal meaning but a whole bunch of different interpretations. It’s a word embraced by some fundraising organizations yet frowned upon by others. Endowments are like perennial flowers – we don’t necessarily...