Concurrent Sessions

The concurrent sessions are organized along three tracks: Track A Purposes, Track B Practices and Track C Partnerships. Participants may select the sessions they wish to attend on site.

TRACK A PURPOSES

 

A1 - Sport and Philanthropy: Beyond Making Kids Sweat

How can participation in sport and recreation activities foster healthy lifestyles, volunteer commitment and social networks in vulnerable communities? This session explores philanthropy’s role in using sport as a community development mechanism, fostering the next generation of volunteers and mobilizing citizens from a range of backgrounds in building resilient communities.

Designer: John Cawley, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation
Moderator: Ian Bird, Sport Matters Group
Presenters: Doug Gore. Ontario Trillium Foundation; John Cawley, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, Blythe Hartley, Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation

 

A2 - water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink? a challenge for canada's funders

Canada, a country that contains more of the world’s freshwater than any other, is seeing signs of increasing scarcity, conflict and risk. This session focuses on how funders work with community partners to meet these challenges to water security. Come and learn about how foundations can engage in crucial environmental action in the age of climate change.

Designer: Pegi Dover, Canadian Environmental Grantmakers Network and Betsy Martin, Community Foundations of Canada
Moderator: Danielle Droitsch, Water Matters
Presenters: Tim Morris, Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, Robert Sandford, United Nations Water for Life Decade, Betsy Martin, Community Foundations of Canada

 

A3 - International Philanthropy: Easier than You Think

These tough economic times remind us that we are global citizens. What can we do? What should we do? How do you find and select an effective partner to work with? How do you ensure foreign activities are transparent, ethical and effective? This session will feature stories of Canadian funders having a big impact beyond our borders.

Designer/moderator: Joan Vanduzer, Harbinger Foundation
Presenters: Vera Radyo, Kenoli Foundation, Colin Glassco, Glassco Charitable Foundation for Children, Mary Tidlund, Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation

 

A4 - investing in early childhood to connect the dots

Effective early childhood programs are a sound investment that addresses part of the early childhood challenge. But Canada’s early childhood programs and systems are fragmented and investments lag far behind other developed countries. How can foundations demonstrate what is possible to policy makers and jump start the early childhood agenda in Canada? This session will present the work and the lessons learned by three foundations who have invested in innovative early childhood programs that make a difference in the lives of children and their families.

Designer: Jane Bertrand, Margaret and Wallace McCain Foundation
Moderator: Charles Pascal, Atkinson Charitable Foundation
Presenters: Nancy Mannix, Norlien Foundation; Lyse Brunet, Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon; Jane Bertrand, Margaret and Wallace McCain Foundation

 

A5 - Bridging the worlds of philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples through respectful engagement

How do funders most effectively and respectfully acquire information about, and initiate partnerships with, Aboriginal communities and organizations ?. Hear from three Indigenous women with experience advising or managing philanthropic foundations.

Designer: James Stauch, Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation
Moderator: Barbara Bruce, Consultant
Presenters: Zainab Amadahy, Atkinson Foundation; Joanne Barnaby, Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation, Victoria Grant, Community Foundations of Canada

 

A6 - Engaging in Social Change: Youth Organizing

This interactive session explore how, as funders, we can support strategic social infrastructure to increase opportunities for youth to engage in our communities, drawing on a growing movement and community of practice in youth organizing that is evolving across Ontario, connecting this with initiatives across Canada.

Designer/moderator: Violetta Ilkiw, Laidlaw Foundation
Presenters: Ana Skinner, Laidlaw Foundation, Mark Langlois, Youthscape, Helena Shimeles, Schools without Borders

TRACK B PRACTICES

 

B1 - Working on the Edge: Helping Charities Engage in Policy Work

There are many ways to go beyond grantmaking, including working with government and social activists, operating foundation-run programs, launching policy and advocacy campaigns, and engaging in institutional reform. The session will look closely at efforts by foundations to engage charities in policy development and advocacy work.

Designer: Allan Northcott, Max Bell Foundation
Presenters: Ratna Omidvar, Maytree Foundation, Bob Wyatt, Muttart Foundation, David Elton, Max Bell Foundation

 

B2 - Show Me the Money: Leveraging Assets for Social Change

It is even more compelling in tough times to consider how to apply a foundation’s assets directly to mission through social investing and program-related loans This panel will discuss how foundations can leverage their endowments for social change in an era of market turbulence while maintaining financial returns.

Designer/moderator: Tim Draimin, Social Innovation Generation
Presenters: Bill Young, Social Capital Partners, Olivier Gamache, Groupe Investissement Responsable Inc, Martin Garber-Conrad, Edmonton Community Foundation

 

B3 - Hard Times and the World of Charities Regulation

As foundation boards consider their strategies in the face of the economic downturn, they must take into account the regulations that shape their decisions, particularly encroaching on capital and meeting the federal disbursement requirements, with a senior representative of Canada Revenue Agency.

Designer/Moderator: Hilary Pearson, Philanthropic Foundations Canada
Presenters: Terry de March, Charities Directorate, Canada Revenue Agency; Laird Hunter, Richards Hunter, Susan Manwaring, Miller Thomson LLP

B4 - Investment Strategies: It’s All about Asset Allocation

In a very difficult market for investment managers, consultants and foundation boards, is asset allocation the key to navigating this stormy sea? What do investment committees need to know about what works and what doesn’t work in this economy? How do you choose between building for the long term and meeting today’s needs? Join foundation and investment professionals as they debate the direction of the economy and the strategies that they have employed to meet the challenges of the downturn.

Designer: Hilary Pearson, Philanthropic Foundations Canada
Moderator: Peter Warrian, Lupina Foundation
Presenters: Tony Arrell, Arrell Family Foundation, Ralph Strother, Max Bell Foundation

B5 - Drowning in Paperwork! streamline the Grants Process

What can grantmakers do to reduce the burden on their grantees and free up more time and money for mission-based activities?.Come hear about the four core principles and practices to help streamline and improve the quality of the grant and outcomes process for the applicant, grantee and grantor.

Designer: Liza Goulet, PFC
Moderator: Jessica Bearman, Bearman Consulting
Presenters: Jessica Bearman, Bearman Consulting, Karen Shelstad, Lawson Foundation, Hulene Montgomery, Lyle S. Hallman Foundation

B6 - Stepping Back to move Forward: Reflecting on Mission and Practice

Are we making a difference? And are we doing it effectively? These are two of the most often asked questions at foundation board tables. Answering them is easier when you take a step back to reflect on programs, practices and experiences. Foundation leaders will share their experiences of gathering input from peers, field experts and grantees to help them address the question: how can we be as effective as possible in achieving our mission?

Designer: Hilary Pearson, PFC
Moderator: Tim Brodhead, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation
Presenters: Fiona Ellis, former Director, Northern Rock Foundation, Newcastle, UK; Christopher Smith, Muttart Foundation

 

TRACK C PARTNERSHIPS

 

C1 - more cooks in the kitchen - foundation collaboration on immigration

Migration is one of the more powerful forces shaping society, not just in Canada, but world-wide. It presents foundations with rich opportunities for engagement and success, but it is also, like many other global issues, fraught with contradictions and challenges.

Designer/Moderator: Ratna Omidvar, Maytree Foundation
Presenters: Howard Duncan, The Metropolis Project, Ulrich Kolber, Bertelsmann Foundation, Germany, Stephen Huddart, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

C2 - From Partnership to Project to Policy

Engaging multiple funders and agencies in a large community collaboration is an exciting but risky venture. This workshop will use a Calgary-based case study to examine the benefits and pitfalls of partnership, focusing on the key factors that allowed it to thrive, the processes put in place to support the project, and the role it played in supporting policy change at the municipal level.

Designer/Moderator: Michelle Clarke, Burns Memorial Fund
Presenters: Doug Borch, City of Calgary, Tina Brillantes, Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary, Kendall Quantz, United Way of Calgary

 

C3 - The Art of Partnership

Arts organizations across Canada are faced with a perennial challenge: how to maintain organizational and artistic excellence in the face of financial uncertainty? Funders have responded to this challenge in some creative ways. This session will feature funders and their partners in the arts sector exploring the power of collaboration to pool resources and to promote the vitality of arts organizations. Why partnership? Why the arts? This session will illustrate some of the advantages of working together and provide some stories of collaborations in progress.

Designers: Cheryl Cohen, Harry and Martha Cohen Foundation, Mary Rozsa de Coquet, Rozsa Foundation
Moderator: Sandy Houston, The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation
Presenters: Jini Stolk, Creative Trust; Mary Rozsa de Coquet, Rozsa Foundation, Leila Fenc, Deloitte Touche Foundation, Dianne Goodman, Alberta Theatre Projects

C4 - Harnessing the Market Place: The Missing Piece

The private market place is often viewed as out of bounds or at cross-purposes to the work of charities. Some Canadian foundations have ventured into the intersection between market and charity to bring about far-reaching impact in areas such as forest sustainability, and protection of the environment. This session will share perspectives and stories about some of the creative work being done today to link philanthropy, markets and social change.

Designer: Bruce Lourie, Ivey Foundation
Moderator: Ross McMillan, Tides Canada
Presenters: Bruce Lourie, Ivey Foundation; Nicole Rycroft, Markets Initiative; Ersilia Serafini, Clean Air Foundation; Shelley Uytterhagen, Carthy Foundation