Weekly News Recap: June 1, 2018

Maria and Ron Martini speak to reporters following a press conference that announced they would be donating $5 million to the campaign to build and equip a new ER at Langley Memorial Hospital. Dan Ferguson Langley Times

If you can get the other party to reveal their problems, pain, and unmet objectives — if you can get at what people are really buying — then you can sell them a vision of their problem that leaves your proposal as the perfect solution. -- Chris Voss

Lists of lists

News

  • Alpine Canada appoint Thibeault to philanthropy and alumni role (Inside the Games) CANADIAN STORY Congrats! "Alpine Canada has hired Marie-Hélène Thibeault as the organisation's director of philanthropy and alumni engagement." 5/30/18

  • Calgary city council approves committee to hit reset button on arena talks (Global News) CALGARY STORY "After a 12-1 vote in favour, city council is striking an 'event centre assessment committee' consisting of city councillors, the mayor, and members of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation and Calgary Economic Development, and aims to refocus the vision of a new event centre/arena in the city." 5/28/18

  • Aga Khan Garden Alberta to open on June 29 | University of Alberta Botanic Garden (Ismaili Mail) EDMONTON STORY Spectacular! "When the Garden opens on June 29, visitors will be able to experience, for the first time, the much-anticipated Aga Khan Garden, Alberta (AKGA). Unlike any in the province, and the largest of only a handful in North America, the AKGA is a spectacular contemporary garden inspired by traditional Islamic design, with water features, intricate stonework and geometric patterning. This beautiful feature is the result of a $25 million gift from His Highness the Aga Khan." 5/28/18

  • Citadel Theatre fundraising for new technology that would help audience members with hearing impairments (The Star Edmonton) EDMONTON STORY This is a terrific initiative. I made my gift. "An Edmonton theatre fan with a hearing impairment says he nearly cried when he found out the Citadel Theatre was fundraising for a t-coil system. The system, a type of hearing loop, generates a magnetic field that can be picked up by hearing aids and cochlear-implant processors." 5/27/18

  • Fort Calgary to undergo major expansion as it seeks to become more inclusive (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY "A major overhaul is coming to Fort Calgary that’s expected to transform the site of the city’s birthplace and help tell its origin story from the perspective of Indigenous nations, which officials say was neglected for far too long." 5/27/18

  • U of A to vote on terminating a dozen arts programs due to low enrollment (The Gateway) EDMONTON STORY "After May 28, the University of Alberta may be terminating eight Modern Language and Cultural Studies (MLCS) majors and four other arts programs." 5/27/18

  • Sudbury Food Bank trying new approach to fundraising (CBC) SUDBURY STORY "The Sudbury Food Bank is trying out a new approach to raising money this summer. The organization is setting up a lunch-time food cart to raise funds for the community's less fortunate. The cart will feature sausages and hot dogs, including a treat known as a 'donut dog.'" 5/27/18

  • United Way Tour aims to identify and alleviate community concerns (Vanderhoof Omineca Express) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY "On May 9, the philanthropic agency, United Way of Northern British Columbia, or UWNBC, stormed through Vanderhoof on a mission to raise funds for community programs and increase awareness to the issues that effect Vanderhoof as a whole. This was all apart of the first ever United Tour of Northern B.C., an initiative launched by the organization that invests in over 500 community programs across the northern part of the province, which include 86 aboriginal communities and 5 regional districts across the entire region." 5/25/18

  • Stanley A. Milner Library rising to become a showcase structure (Journal of Commerce) EDMONTON STORY "According to the EPL, the new facility will include a children’s library that is more than three times the size of the previous space, with hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math activities like coding, robotics and digital creation, as well as an indoor play area; a larger “Makerspace,” for creating with technologies such as 3-D printing, sound and video production, and robotics; new spaces for music and art activities; an additional 4,000 square feet of private study spaces, including over 1,000 square feet overlooking Churchill Square; over 2,500 square feet of added community meeting space; a theatre; and a multi-storey interactive simulation wall, facilitating interactive learning as well as large-scale multimedia presentations." 5/25/18

  • 6 people awarded Saskatchewan Order of Merit (CBC) SASKATCHEWAN STORY Congrats to you all. "Six Saskatchewanians have been recognized for their contributions to the province. The Saskatchewan Order of Merit recognizes those who have demonstrated exemplary contributions to the province in areas ranging from the arts to business to agriculture to community leadership, according to the government." 5/24/18

  • Life comes full circle for Alberta Theatre Projects' new artistic director (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY Welcome! "Alberta Theatre Projects’ new artistic and executive director is Darcy Evans, an actor, director and theatre administrator who put his stamp on productions from Prince Edward Island to Victoria as well as in New York." 5/24/18

  • 'He would be humbled': David E. Mitchell among Calgary Business Hall of Fame inductees (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY Congrats to all. "Four Alberta business leaders, including the late David E. Mitchell, were recognized for their financial and charitable achievements Thursday at the hall of fame’s Laureate Announcement Luncheon." 5/24/18

Canada's First Peoples

  • Tipi Raised To Recognize Relationship Between First Nations, U Of A (Public.) EDMONTON STORY "A symbol recognizing the relationship between First Nations people and the University of Alberta was raised on campus today. Under the guidance of Elder Ricky Cardinal from the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Joe Cardinal and more than 50 students, staff and community members raised a tipi in front of Pembina Hall, which houses the Faculty of Native Studies." 5/28/18

  • University of Alberta’s School of Public Health to get a northern touch (College and University) EDMONTON STORY "The University of Alberta’s School of Public Health is getting a northern touch. The school announced Wednesday it’s appointing five adjunct professors and two Indigenous elders from the Northwest Territories." 5/27/18

  • Reconciliation Bridge renamed as 'symbol of resilience' for residential school survivors (CBC) CALGARY STORY "Songs, drums and the pounding of feet echoed across Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge and the Bow River Saturday, as the city held an official renaming ceremony for the 108-year-old landmark. The bridge was built in 1910 and originally named for Hector-Louis Langevin, a founder of Canada's confederation and one of the architects of the infamous residential school system. City council voted to change the bridge's name in 2017, and about 150 people gathered in the northeast end of downtown Calgary to see the new sign unveiled." 5/30/18

Life and career hacks

Uncommon knowledge

  • Here's where your donated clothing really ends up (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT "For anyone who doesn't want their old shirts, pants or dresses to end up in a landfill, clothing donation bins sound like a win-win-win solution: the donor gets to declutter, the charity operating the bin gets to resell the clothing to fund good deeds, and a shopper on a budget gets to buy affordable clothes. But in reality, the path your worn-out jeans take isn't so straight, and doesn't always benefit the people you may think." Thanks to Derek Bechtold for sharing this story with us. 5/29/18

Opinion

  • Working our way towards a Single Market for Philanthropy (BlogActiv.eu) "Growing nationalism and deepening populist sentiment across Europe make it all the more urgent to bolster our shared European values [...]. But if civil society remains legally hemmed in by national borders, then it cannot work and interact on a level playing field with other sectors of European society. A Single Market for Philanthropy would ensure that the sector can realise its potential as a full partner in the vibrant, innovative and democratic European society that so many of us have long worked towards." 5/28/18

  • Food banks are not the answer: Is it time to end charity? (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT "'No amount of food charity is going to solve the crisis around food insecurity in this country. Food will never solve hunger, only progressive public policy will'[says Nick Saul, President and CEO of Community Food Centres Canada]." 5/25/18

  • #MeToo and Philanthropy: 3 Things We Can Do to Improve our Workplace Practices (Northern California Grantmakers) "What is our role in the #MeToo movement? Are we complicit? Or are we creating cultures and norms that allow for discriminatory practices and sexual harassment claims to be investigated and addressed promptly? Do we overemphasize growth or do we align our practices with social justice values? Are we creating workplaces and supporting efforts that address gender, race and class power dynamics?" 5/24/18

Philanthropic personalities

  • A Tech Giant Steps Up for the Homeless. What's Not to Like? (Inside Philanthropy) "To herald the opening of Salesforce Tower—now the tallest building in San Francisco—the company’s philanthropic arm recently announced a $1.5 million grant to Hamilton Families, a nonprofit that houses homeless families. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and his wife Lynne matched the gift, bringing the total donated to the nonprofit’s Heading Home Initiative to $3 million." 5/28/18

Philanthropic controversy

  • Amid skepticism, Koch Foundation increases higher ed giving (Washington Post) "The conservative Charles Koch Foundation is dramatically increasing its donations to colleges and universities at a time when its philanthropy is facing increasing scrutiny, according to tax records. The foundation gave nearly $49 million to more than 250 colleges across the U.S. in 2016, according to an Associated Press review of the foundation’s most recent tax records. That’s a 47 percent increase over 2015." 5/28/18

  • LEADING US WEBSITE QUESTIONS TATA TRUSTS' $50MN DONATION TO HARVARD (The Pioneer) "The controversy surrounding the $50 million donation from not-for-profit Tata Trusts to the Harvard Business School in 2010 has now reached the American shores with a leading Conservative website questioning the globally prestigious institution for accepting "questionable funds" that should otherwise have been "used for the welfare of the poor." 5/25/18

Trends and shifts

  • What This Fundraising Campaign Says About the State of Higher Ed Philanthropy (Inside Philanthropy) "Amherst has already raised around half of its $625 million goal through 'quiet' fundraising leading up to the campaign launch. It also netted a $100 million donation from an anonymous donor earmarked to match 'gifts at very significant levels that are matching campaign priorities,' according to Suzanne Newby-Estes, the executive director of advancement and campaign operations." 5/29/18

  • London Mosque Now Accepts Bitcoin As Donation (NDTV) "The Shacklewell Lane Mosque in Dalston, east London, has decided to accept bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in a bid to widen its donor base and cut down on currency conversion fees, mosque leaders said." 5/28/18

  • Bank of America Issues $2.25 Billion Green Bond (Philanthropy News Digest) "Bank of America has issued a $2.25 billion green bond aimed at increasing renewable energy generation. The bond, the largest green bond issued by the bank to date, advances the company's commitment to deploying capital to advance sustainable projects." 5/23/18

Large gifts

  • U of M Renames College of Dentistry After Historic $7.5M Donation (ChrisD.ca) WINNIPEG STORY "The College of Dentistry at the University of Manitoba has received a $7.5 million from an alumnus. Dr. Gerry and Mrs. Reesa Niznick presented the historic donation on Tuesday through the Front and Centre campaign." 5/29/18

  • YSU Grad Remembers His Grandparents with $1M Donation (Business Journal) "A $1 million donation to Youngstown State University’s 'We See Tomorrow' campaign by Robert W. Reeder III, a 1981 YSU graduate, will create two new professorships in English and history in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences." 5/29/18

  • Hong Kong’s version of Beijing Palace Museum to open with nod to HK$3.5 billion donation from Jockey Club (South China Morning Post) I am loving the gold jockey helmets. "Hong Kong’s version of Beijing’s Palace Museum will open with an exhibition of ancient horse-themed relics borrowed from the capital to depict the 'striving spirit' of the Jockey Club, which donated HK$3.5 billion (US$446 million) to the project." 5/29/18

  • Langley Hospital receives big donations for new emergency department (CBC) LANGLEY STORY "Langley Memorial Hospital kicked off its campaign to raise $15 million for a new emergency room with an announcement that two families are contributing almost half the amount needed. A $5 million donation from Maria Martini and her family and a $2 million donation from Allan Skidmore kicked off the campaign, which is being called 'Emergency Response.'" 5/28/18

  • Okanagan family makes inspirational $1.45M donation to Okanagan Rail Trail (Kelowna Now) KELOWNA STORY Love this! "Weatherill directed the executors of his will, his three nephews, to provide funds for a recreational facility for members of the public and for senior citizens in the Okanagan to use. Those nephews, Bob, Gary and Gordon Weatherill, decided that the Okanagan Rail Trail was the perfect benefactor for their uncle’s request." 5/28/18

  • Anonymous donor pledges $1 million to GNOME project (My Broadband) "The GNOME Foundation has revealed an anonymous donor pledged $1 million to the project over the next two years, a portion of which will be matched funds. GNOME is a desktop environment for Linux, with the non-profit GNOME Foundation supporting it." 5/28/18

  • TI Foundation gives $4.6 million for STEM training (Dallas News) Bingo! These kids are going to be big users of the TI calculators. "The Texas Instruments Foundation is investing $4.6 million to enrich the science, technology, engineering and math curricula at 16 schools that feed into Lloyd V. Berkner High School." 5/26/18

  • Flagship E3 Institute Receives €25m Donation (University Times) "Trinity’s Engineering, Energy and Environment (E3) Institute has received the largest-ever private donation in the history of Ireland, with a €25 million gift from long-term College donor Martin Naughton." 5/25/18

  • Arkansas Children's Receives $1M Donation (Arkansas Business) "The Arkansas Children's Foundation recently received a $1 million gift for Arkansas Children's Hospital from the estate of Linda Garner Riggs. Dr. Lamar and Linda Garner Riggs' generosity will be celebrated in the burn unit; this is one of the largest unrestricted gifts made to the hospital." 5/25/18

  • Exclusive: Orlando Ballet gets $5 million donation that will jump-start headquarters construction (Orlando Sentinel) "Thanks to its biggest benefactor, Orlando Ballet hopes to start construction on a game-changing new headquarters in a matter of months. Longwood philanthropist Harriett Lake, a devotee of the ballet for decades, donated $5 million to jump-start the project." 5/25/18

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