Almost nine months ago I took a leap of faith when I decided to leave Stronger Philanthropy and sell my condo in downtown Toronto. Like many, the pandemic left me feeling depressed, burnt out from endless zoom calls, and confused about life both socially and politically. The worldview that I entered the pandemic with did not stand up to the … Read More
Shattered, a story about generational legacy
Last evening, sitting alone in a dark room in my old New Brunswick Victorian house, and listening to The Fabulous Thunderbirds on my iphone, I finished a book. It was the perfect soundtrack, suggested by the author’s story of hearing this blues band on an outing with his father. Arthur Boers’ devastating and vulnerable memoir Shattered somehow struck a chord with … Read More
Succession in families and the value of history
As we turn our attention this weekend to the coronation of King Charles III of Canada, I’ll be attending a garden party at the home of dear clients. I read an article this morning which roots this moment into our historical reality as a nation: King Charles is as Canadian as maple syrup. It’s a great article written by an … Read More
Developing community in philanthropy
Leadership guru Margaret J. Wheatley is an academic and researcher on organizational development who made an impact on me during my DLd studies. Her book, Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time, introduces a framework for the development of authentic communities of praxis in which members grow in confidence and impact as they journey together. She encourages leaders to … Read More
Connecting money to mission
Major donors have investments that are earmarked for charitable purposes. But lately I’ve been wondering how to unlock that value. Philanthropy offers a way to see invested funds create social change. It happens through surrender – giving it away. As one surrenders capital, and trusts a valued charity, those investments are channeled into lives changed: education received, capacity built, vision … Read More
Transformed by Generosity
Stronger Philanthropy has focused in the past on helping its clients to love giving well. But as our group has evolved over the past few years, we’ve realized that the ‘love giving well’ tagline doesn’t encompass all that we want to achieve. Increasingly Stronger Philanthropy finds itself located in the middle ground between major donors and charity leaders, acting as … Read More