Weekly News Recap: May 29, 2020

A group of local Hutterites sitting down for an appreciation lunch for their contributions to the Salvation Army Food Bank. They are again being acknowledged, this time for their efforts to keep the community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walk together. Feel the heart beats. Experience the presence. This is how to be thankful. -- Amit Ray

VITREO FUNDRAISING ASK ANYTHING ZOOM CHATS

We have hosted six Ask Anything Zoom chats over the last few weeks. The feedback on these sessions has been tremendous. We are coming up on our last of a five-part series on June 12. The topic will be: Why fundraising right now is the only viable strategy.* Registration is free. Seating is limited. Visit our Ask Anything page to see times and dates. Register today.

FUNDRAISING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

+ We are here to help. We are all in this together. If you would like to chat, reach out and schedule some time to talk. You can also call us at 403.210.3157 or, if this is still your thing, you can send us an e-mail. Stay safe. Stay sane.

+ Here is ViTreo's most recent blog post: DON’T LET THE CORONAVIRUS DICTATE YOUR FUTURE Take charge of what happens next for your nonprofit organization.

+ And a freshly updated (as at May 29, 2020) set of resources: Fundraising In The Time Of COVID-19

SOME GOOD NEWS

Gosling balcony rescue brings joy to seniors residence (CBC) SHERWOOD PARK STORY In the season of goslings, this makes my heart swell. Those fuzzy little love-bugs steal my heart every year. Their parents, on the other hand...not so much. "[In] this case there were plenty of witnesses as residents, stuck inside during the pandemic, watched the rescue unfold from their homes."
Stunning Aerial Photographs by Mitch Rouse Capture the Precise Patterns of Farmland (This is Colossal) I have been brought (vs. born) into a farming family and, even with that, these pictures bring me great joy. To all those who farm and feed us, thank you! "Before crops are harvested and combine tracks mark the soil, Wyoming-based photographer Mitch Rouse captures the immaculately planted farmland that patterns the western United States. His captivating aerial shots frame the patchwork fields, concentric rows, and land-hugging lines formed with sprouted produce and vibrant trees. Sometimes disrupted by a natural landmark like a small mountain range, the photographer’s images provide a new perspective on the cultivated land."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

International Museum Day (Fort Calgary) CALGARY STORY Naomi Grattan is the CEO of Fort Calgary. She is also a friend and colleague. I love the honesty of this account. Naomi is exactly the right person to be leading a museum. Well done and well said Naomi. "That’s one of the things I love about museums – no two days are the same. I’ve been licked by a giraffe, climbed over Second World War tanks in storage, had a famous musician fall over with a running jack hammer in hand (no, I won’t tell you who), enjoyed dinner on the roof of (my favourite museum) the Peggy Guggenheim Collection on the Grand Canal in Venice."
NorQuest welcomes new President and CEO (NorQuest) EDMONTON STORY Congratulations Carolyn. We look forward to congratulating you in person someday soon. "After an extensive recruitment campaign, the NorQuest College Board of Governors has unanimously chosen Carolyn Campbell as the new President and CEO [...]. Campbell has served as a Deputy Minister with the Government of Alberta, a Deputy City Manager with the City of Edmonton, and an Associate Dean of the University of Alberta School of Business. She comes to NorQuest College having been the most recent Chair of United Way of the Alberta Capital Region and Vice Chair of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. She has two undergraduate degrees in Art and an MFA from the University of Alberta, is a practicing artist, and has considerable strategic, operational, and crisis management experience."
Incoming University of Alberta president wants 10,000 more students by 2025 (CBC) EDMONTON STORY Increase the number of students while cutting $110 million. I like the aspiration and I hope they can do it. "The University of Alberta's incoming president plans to substantially increase student enrolment to offset a drop in provincial government funding. President-elect Bill Flanagan, who officially takes the helm of Alberta's largest university on July 1, wants to see 50,000 students enrolled by 2025 — a jump of about 25 per cent [...]. They have little choice. The Alberta government reduced its grant to the institution this year by nine per cent, or $110 million. The reduction is part of the government's three-year plan to chop funding to post-secondary institutions by 20 per cent."
TELUS partners with Alberta’s science centres to launch Virtual Summer Camps for Canadian youth (TELUS) ALBERTA STORY How great is this. Nice move TELUS! "TELUS Spark, TELUS World of Science - Edmonton, TELUS, and Microsoft announced that they have joined forces to bring science camps online with the launch of Virtual Summer Camps powered by TELUS. As social distancing guidelines evolve at different paces throughout the country, these camps will ensure children across Canada will have access to a world-class STEM-based learning program this summer."
The long tail for fundraising and philanthropy (Arts Professional) Turns out, the medium-sized organizations look to be in the best position to survive. "As lock-down for the arts appears to stretch on, we have an agonizing amount of time to ponder what a post-Covid 19 future might look like for performing arts, museums, visitor attractions and other organisations that rely on in-person audiences. Many days can be wasted in crystal ball gazing, and there is still so much that we simply don’t know about this disease including likely future immunity, vaccine potential or whether we will experience repeated mini-lock downs for years to come. However, there is one thing for certain and that is we’re unlikely to quickly return to behaviours which might be considered ‘normal’."
Fundraising During COVID-19: How Charities are Fighting to Move the Needle and Make a Difference (The Philanthropist) CANADIAN STORY Paula, you nailed it. Thanks for saying it and thanks for everything you do. "According to Paula Attfield, the national chair of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), 'charities who stayed the course with their fundraising through COVID-19 are being rewarded with solid returns,' particularly in regard to direct mail and digital fundraising. 'In major gifts, foundations, and corporate, we’ve seen some pulling back – because of the pandemic’s effect on the markets and investment revenue – but we have also heard of major donors stepping forward to increase their support for the organizations they really care about,' she says."
Will zoos survive the coronavirus crisis? (ITV) I sure hope so. In many cases, they are the last places we can see and celebrate many of the world's most endangered species. "With the zoos around the world forced to close to visitors for months due to coronavirus restrictions, will sites be able to survive the crisis? Zoos have been taking measures to try and conserve funds, at times forced to return animals due to a lack of resources. Canada's Calgary Zoo has had to return two giant pandas on loan from China because a lack of flights causing problems with getting enough bamboo to feed them."
University of California Will End Use of SAT and ACT in Admissions (New York Times) Lots to not like about this pandemic. And a few things that are made better. Much better. The SAT system has long disenfranchised students based on their zip code. I am so glad this changing. "The University of California [...] voted to phase out the SAT and ACT as requirements to apply to its system of 10 schools, which include some of the nation’s most popular campuses, in a decision with major implications for the use of standardized tests in college admissions."
Why One Former Campus Leader Thinks College Rankings Should Stop During the Pandemic (The Chronicle of Higher Education) Yep. I don't disagree. The rankings system has had its day. "Now, in the next phase of the pandemic, new inequities are poised to arise, this time among both who gets into college, and among who completes their degrees. So argues H. Holden Thorp in the latest issue of the journal Science, of which he’s editor in chief. He has two ideas for leveling the playing field: Suspend both the U.S. News & World Report college rankings, and the use of standardized tests in admissions."
UNB strips Ludlow's name from law faculty building over links to slavery (CBC) NEW BRUNSWICK STORY There appears to be a certain amount of relish in describing how fast the sign came down. Good move UNB. "The University of New Brunswick has removed George Duncan Ludlow's name from its law faculty building in Fredericton after concerns were raised last year over his involvement in residential schools and his legal endorsement of slavery. UNB president and vice-chancellor Paul Mazerolle made the announcement [...] following a unanimous vote by the board of governors' 46 members. Within 30 minutes, crews had stripped the lettering from Ludlow Hall and were filling in the holes."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

'Zoom fatigue' is setting in: What it is and how to prevent it (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Yep. Yes. Ya. Sigh. "Psychologists say several factors lead to Zoom fatigue. Users can feel like they're performing for the camera more than they would while meeting colleagues in person — especially when software continuously displays to a user their own live image, adding an element of self-awareness."
4 key cycling rules to remember as more bikes hit the street (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Stay safe. More bikes than ever. "With soaring bike sales and the summer approaching, there are more cyclists of all abilities on Vancouver streets. That's all the more reason to focus on etiquette and safety, says Jeff Leigh, chair of the Vancouver committee of HUB Cycling, a non-profit organization."
Grief, guilt, embarrassment — clutter can stir many emotions. Here are some tips to kickstart the clearout (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT Oh man. OH MAN. This is so about me right now. "But if the thought of going through rooms and boxes of things you've collected over the years makes you feel uneasy, you're not alone. Marilyn Carlaw, owner and operator of Declutter Bug & Co. in Prince George, B.C., said the experience is overwhelming for many."
A Guide to Crafting the Perfect Donation Thank-You Letter (Learn G2) As one of our associates, Ken Kempcke, says: 'A good donation letter is not about your values -- it honours theirs.' "A donation thank-you letter is a simple response of gratitude for a gift received by an individual or an organization. Typically only a few paragraphs long, thank-you letters provide an opportunity for organizations to share their appreciation and demonstrate the impact of each donation."
5 Donation-Based Online Workout Classes (Daily Motion) *From Black Girls Breathing to Village Yoga, these are all great!*
Study: Work-integrated learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (Statistics Canada) CANADIAN STORY Some things just can't be done online. There are consequences. And here are the stats to prove it. "The COVID-19 pandemic is having a considerable impact on the activities of schools and academic institutions in Canada, with many students having to continue their learning activities online. Not all learning and academic activities can be easily transferred online, however, including those that require students to acquire real-time experience in the workplace. Work-integrated learning, which combines postsecondary education with work experience to prepare graduates for their entry into the workforce is one such activity. It includes work placements such as co-op work terms, internships, practicums and residencies."
Knowledge, expertise and hope can spread just as quickly as a virus (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Great piece. It's opinion but it's also good. "We will need open hearts and open minds to address the problems on the other end of this. We will need to act together and we will need to look out for one another, perhaps in ways we never have before. The innovative solutions that we deploy against these seemingly insurmountable pandemic-related problems may just prove how capable we are at addressing all the other issues that continue to persist."

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

$1.7M for new CT scanner (Castanet) KELOWNA STORY Nice gift! "Peters Bros. Construction is donating $1.7 million to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation towards a second CT scanner at the Penticton Regional Hospital, and hopes that will kickstart a campaign to get to the $5 million that will be needed."
Call For Hutterite Appreciation Issued Following Donations of Thousands of Masks (Swift Current Online) SWIFT CURRENT STORY The Hutterites are often overlooked in terms of giving but this, this is lovely. Thank you! "Hutterites around southwest Saskatchewan continue to support the Dr, Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation, but also the healthcare of the area directly. At the Foundation’s recent annual general meeting, it was revealed that Hutterites are responsible for around $110,000 to $120,000 for the Foundation’s Close to the Heart Campaign for the purchase of a digital mammography machine. They have also looked to support Swift Current and area through producing masks to help foster health during the COVID-19 pandemic."
The Starbucks Foundation: Supporting Community Response and Resilience during COVID-19 (Webwire) Nice work Starbucks! "From aiding global community response efforts to providing hunger relief to supporting our front-line responders, The Starbucks Foundation is committed to strengthening humanity by uplifting communities. To date, The Starbucks Foundation has contributed more than $8.5 million in response to COVID-19, investing in initiatives that extend emergency assistance to those in need while also helping build a path towards recovery and resilience."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo partner Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca

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Vincent DuckworthMay 29, 2020Comment