Here’s a charity trade secret. One of the best products in a fundraiser’s toolkit is “donor recognition”, in particular naming a piece of real estate. Recognition is effective in inspiring donors, and for some, but not all, an important part of charitable giving. However, donor recognition sometimes produces a backlash…
Tag: Malcolm Burrows
Total 119 Posts
In the 1970s, Canadian charity law dramatically evolved and became imbedded in the Income Tax Act. While this is ancient history, I have personal connections with the drafting Working Group at the Department of Finance that I rediscovered. To my delight, after 45 years, I reconnected with one of the…
I recently spoke to an estate lawyer who told me she would never recommend certain charities to clients. Why? Because of the way these charities treated estate trustees. Some charities are unduly litigious, grind on fees, and are obstreperous about releases. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this comment…
The philanthropic community has a perpetuity obsession. Critics of perpetuity believe that preserving capital, restricting payout, and existing forever is the pernicious norm. Admittedly, for some foundations, perpetuity a sacred ideal, an aspiration that is sometimes unquestioned. Foundations that “spend-down” are valorized as rare entities that value community impact over…
Child sponsorship is one of the greatest mass-market fundraising innovations of all time and a multi-billion dollar a year industry. Used primarily by international development organizations, sponsorship emotionally ties donors to individual children, providing insights, human connection, and funder loyalty. It’s a fascinating model that has evolved over time, and…
A hot topic among charities is anonymous grants from foundations with donor advised funds. Charities receive grants but they often don’t know the identity of the donor or fund that recommended the grant. This prevents the charity from saying thank you and stewarding the donor. Unfortunately, there is deep charity…
Rueben Wells Leonard was an early Canadian tycoon straight out of central casting. He was a pioneering philanthropist whose views created controversy in life and after death. His story is a key part of Canadian philanthropic history, and it contains some relevant lessons for today. The Man Born in 1861…
Technology sometimes produces unanticipated consequences. Witness Canada Revenue Agency. To its credit, CRA has implemented secure, mostly user-friendly technology over the past 20 years. For charities this includes online accounts and user-friendly “checklist” tools for charities. Unfortunately, these features sometimes create a special set of challenges for registered charities and…
Canadian donors who wish to support foreign charities and international charitable initiatives have historically had limited options. While there are about 3,000 registered charities with international activities and another 700 foreign universities with qualified donee status, there are coverage gaps. It’s a big world with lots of needs. Starting in…
The headline is not intended to scare you off. Admittedly, governance is a notoriously dull topic, made worse by the enthusiasm of governance wonks. Charity governance is rarely a matter considered, at least overtly, by an estate donor when planning a gift by will. But strong governance is essential to good charities….