1. Local empowerment through philanthropy: Is
the community foundation the right model?
The Canadian Experience
Susan Phillips
Presentation to the CGAP Conference
May 2013
3. The Study
• With Tobias Jung and Jenny Harrow
• Comparative study of community foundations in
the UK and Canada
• Supported by CGAP and Canadian granting
council (SSHRC)
• Data on 13 Canadian CFs
• More extensive interviews over the summer
• 360 degree assessment
5. Canadian Context
• Very generous tax incentives
• Giving is flat, except for high income donors
• Canada was early adopter of community
foundation model, 1921
• Important role of CFs in donor advised funds
• Governor General: Smart, Caring Communities
7. Size Comparisons with US
$0
$500,000,000
$1,000,000,000
$1,500,000,000
$2,000,000,000
$2,500,000,000
$3,000,000,000
$3,500,000,000
$4,000,000,000
Tulsa
MountainView
New York
Cleveland
Chicago
Vancouver
CFs
CFs
8. Comparisons with the UK
Canada UK
Total Assets £ 1.9 billion £ 309 million
Total Grants
(2011-12)
£ 98.7 million £ 52.1 million
No. of CFs 183 54
Canadian CFs: no government funding, none for the national association
16. Pick us over a
Commercial DAF or
Private Foundation
Advice to
Professional Advisors
17. Toronto: The Knowledge Centre
Vital Leverage
Started Vital Signs in 2001
Process not data
Leveraged to:
• Vital Ideas (capacity building)
• Vital People (prof development)
• Vital Youth (recreation)
Community Knowledge Centre
• Connects issues with solutions &
organizations
18. Vancouver: Focus & Impact
# 1 - Youth homelessness
created separate organization,
streetohome ( investment of £320,000 to £ 17 m)
#2 – Connections and Engagement
19. • Fit initiatives to the community
– Giving/matchmaking; social enterprise; ‘forever funds’
• Policy transfer: Knowledge centre
• Impact initiative
Largest gift ever to a
Canadian community
foundation
20. Niche-Picking relative to other CFs
What is ‘our’ space?
• Social enterprise
• Responsible and impact investing
• Youth and family philanthropy
21. Are Canadian CFs agents of change?
• Mixed, but most of the larger ones are seeking
to be agents of change
22. Explanations – what it is NOT:
• NOT a direct result of:
– Asset size (over a threshold)
– Community size
– Age of the foundation
– Increase in grantmaking
– Size of grants
23. What it might be:
• Leadership and strategy
• Focus – drive change, pick a few priorities
• Fit with the community
• Knowledge and connection
• Collaboration, relational networks
• Leadership of the national association
24. Organisational Leadership
• Women in leadership?
– of the 13 CFs in the major cities, 8 have women
CEO/Presidents
• Boards are ‘corporate,’ but the more innovative
tend to be more diverse and connected
– Toronto: Council of 100
– Vancouver: ethnoculturally diverse board
– YACs – Youth Advisory Committees
25. Conclusion
Place-based philanthropy is gaining prominence,
and community foundations are likely to be the
major players, IF they are strategic and make use
of their relational capital.
They need to look beyond their grantmaking to
become leaders of change and community
empowerment.
