The Philanthropist Journal
@thephilanthropist.ca
News and analysis by and for the non-profit sector in Canada. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for free https://thephilanthropist.ca/subscribe/
“I’d like to explore the idea that the world of philanthropy is a natural habitat for storytelling.” Written by Dan Yashinsky and iIlustrated by Aliya Ghare. thephilanthropist.ca/2026/07/stor...
Storytelling in philanthropy: Companion stories - The Philanthropist Journal
Philanthropy is a natural habitat for storytelling, Dan Yashinky writes. An organization’s companion stories can communicate, chronicle, and celebrate the compassion and thoughtfulness inherent in thi...
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"The work is urgent. The resources are finite. And yet, one of the sector’s most powerful tools is often underused, overlooked, or disconnected from mission: its capital." New op-ed by Nancy Dossous thephilanthropist.ca/2026/07/path...
Pathological short-termism and the $101-billion question - The Philanthropist Journal
The upcoming review of Canada’s disbursement quota will reopen familiar questions about how much capital should move out the door each year, but if the sector debates only the percentage that must be ...
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Dans cette série, @thephilanthropist.ca se penche sur la philanthropie féministe. “We do our best to develop and support a sense of community,” says Marie-Andrée Farmer from the @fgmtl.bsky.social. “We’re trying to lead by example and share good practices with other funders.” À lire ici :
Feminist philanthropy in practice: When solidarity becomes systems change - The Philanthropist Journal
From mission-aligned investments to grantmaking that supports generational movements, feminist philanthropy has myriad lessons for the philanthropic sector writ large.
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SUTE’s Executive Director and Co-Founder, Manvi Bhalla (she/her), was recently featured in an article by @thephilanthropist.ca detailing research on how to deepen support for the growing climate justice movement. 📰 Read the full article at TinyUrl.com/sute-philanthropist
I've enjoyed writing a little for @thephilanthropist.ca lately. Here's a new one on declining volunteerism in Canada, and one local effort to turn the trend around. (Get out there and participate, people!) thephilanthropist.ca/2026/06/less...
Lessons from one local effort to rekindle a culture of volunteering - The Philanthropist Journal
Volunteer Peterborough aims to buck a national trend of declining volunteerism by supporting people to find opportunities that match their skills and interests.
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And here's one from a little while ago on Indigenous philanthropy: thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/10-y...
10 years after the TRC, Indigenous philanthropy is gaining momentum - The Philanthropist Journal
In 2015, the Canadian philanthropic community made a “pledge to do better” on reconciliation. At an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Declaration of Action, Indigenous-led charitable foundatio...
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Only 10% of Canadian non-profits have formal AI policies. "It’s important to understand that when we start to use these tools, oversight becomes really, really necessary." Matt Dirks, @neralake.bsky.social thephilanthropist.ca/2026/05/cana...
Canadian non-profits are using AI in a way that risks losing public trust - The Philanthropist Journal
As charities race to adopt artificial intelligence, “the single most important step” should be a clear framework on how it is used. But only 10% of Canadian non-profits have formal policies.
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“A movement is about collective work and energy, and transformative change requires a mindset of long-term.” @thephilanthropist.ca thephilanthropist.ca/2026/05/figh...
Fighting the good fight: Philanthropy and policy advocacy - The Philanthropist Journal
The Atkinson Foundation’s Good Fight Prize celebrates the creativity and commitment within the movement for decent work. Toula Drimonis profiles the 2025 winning campaign and the two finalists.
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Canadian caregivers are providing 5.7 billion hours of unpaid care every year. Working caregivers put in an average of five hours per day on top of their jobs and incur average out-of-pocket expenses of almost $8,000 per year. Christina Palassio reports. thephilanthropist.ca/2026/04/addr...
Addressing the caregiving crisis in Canada - The Philanthropist Journal
Coming to grips with the “existential” crisis in care amidst an increasingly austere economic environment requires not just financial support for caregivers, but broader system investments and reforms...
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@annahid.bsky.social is playing the long game. Her most recent move, nearly 20 years in the making, is a book for racialized leaders. Coverage: @sherlynassam.bsky.social thephilanthropist.ca/2026/03/anna...
Annahid Dashtgard is teaching racialized leaders how to survive – and then thrive - The Philanthropist Journal
Though some governments and funders shying away from DEI are dominating headlines, the Anima Leadership CEO and co-founder proves that workplace equity is more than just in demand – it’s necessary.
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"What if funders trusted us the way our clients do when they share their stories, bring us their children, and ask for help at their most vulnerable points?" Reflection by @aline-n-m.bsky.social and Megan Vella thephilanthropist.ca/2026/03/why-...
Why trust matters: A reflection - The Philanthropist Journal
Funding for gender justice rarely fits neatly into a single funding category. It requires both front-line service and system-level advocacy and it’s hard to capture in an elevator pitch. This is where...
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Although rarely discussed, separation and divorce in Canada is a major contributor to the feminization of poverty and a significant contributor to child poverty. Kate Webster at @risewomenslegal.bsky.social shares how philanthropy can help. thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/fund...
Funding legal support for survivors is an upstream intervention - The Philanthropist Journal
Legal representation can have a significant impact on women and children’s socio-economic outcomes. And yet, access to a family lawyer is still considered a luxury for many women.
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Curious about what “shifting power” looks like? Playful Mindset and Happy Roots Foundation spent the last few years building a trust-based funding relationship and doubled their children’s outdoor play support group. thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/how-...
How a new funding relationship is transforming children’s mental health in Canada - The Philanthropist Journal
A partnership between a family foundation and a grassroots charity demonstrates what happens when two organizations trust each other enough to shift power, follow community wisdom, and explore an idea...
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"Ending gender-based violence requires a whole-of-society approach. Collaboration between these two large societal institutions creates stronger, more adaptive supports for women, children, and gender-diverse people fleeing violence." @thephilanthropist.ca endvaw.ca/wsc-in-the-n...
Just out: thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/how-...
How AI is quietly rewiring Canada’s non-profit sector - The Philanthropist Journal
Ten practical use cases illustrate how AI is becoming part of the non-profit sector’s core infrastructure – and the strategic implications for boards, executives, and funders.
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For most non-profit leaders, the question is no longer whether AI will enter their organizations but where, how, and under what governance conditions. thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/how-...
How AI is quietly rewiring Canada’s non-profit sector - The Philanthropist Journal
Ten practical use cases illustrate how AI is becoming part of the non-profit sector’s core infrastructure – and the strategic implications for boards, executives, and funders.
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“A recent Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation study concluded that every $1 invested in eviction prevention and housing stability saves $2 to $6 in emergency system costs. In other words, it’s far cheaper to ensure people remain housed.” @thephilanthropist.ca thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/on-t...
On the front lines of eviction prevention - The Philanthropist Journal
“A little goes a long way” in keeping people housed, advocates say, and the social costs of not addressing the housing crisis are immeasurable.
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“If you’re having issues paying rent, chances are you’re having a hard time feeding yourself. Housing is connected to food security, health, and economic security. It’s a health emergency that’s 100% driven by inequality.” thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/on-t... thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/on-t...
On the front lines of eviction prevention - The Philanthropist Journal
“A little goes a long way” in keeping people housed, advocates say, and the social costs of not addressing the housing crisis are immeasurable.
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We keep being told that to fix the economy we need to tighten our belts. Cut “non-essentials.” Make do. But whose essentials are we talking about – and who gets to decide? thephilanthropist.ca/2026/02/the-...
The most important infrastructure isn’t in the budget - The Philanthropist Journal
Philanthropy has a crucial role to play in supporting the chronically underfunded work of gender justice organizations – which are holding communities together in an age of precarity – and the moment ...
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“There’s no light at the end of the tunnel whatsoever,” says Matias Duque, director of philanthropy for Canada’s largest food bank, Moisson Montréal. “Demand is not going down.” thewalrus.ca/more-student...
They Work Full-Time. They Have Degrees. They’re Still Going Hungry | The Walrus
Record food bank visits reveal demand is spreading beyond the poorest households
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Welcome Gabrielle McMann! Learn more about why Gabrielle decided to become a journalist and what she is looking forward to most in this fellowship. Stay tuned for community journalism from Gabrielle and four other fellows this year, supported by the @rhf-frh-canada.bsky.social
The Local Magazine@thelocal.to · 6mo agoWe're thrilled to introduce Gabrielle McMann, our yearlong early career fellow in partnership with @thephilanthropist.ca! Over the course of this year, Gabrielle will be working together with the Local team, learning the craft of magazine-style community journalism. thelocal.to/gabrielle-mc...
Happy to contribute to this important conversation in @thephilanthropist.ca bhttps://thephilanthropist.ca/2026/01/what-does-a-trilemma-mean-for-the-sector-in-2026-we-turned-the-tables-and-asked-journalists-to-weigh-in/
What does a ‘trilemma’ mean for the sector in 2026? We turned the tables and asked journalists to weigh in - The Philanthropist Journal
We asked journalists who cover the sector to share what they’ve been hearing and thinking about the challenges facing the charitable and philanthropic sector in 2026.
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This year, for The Philanthropist Journal’s annual look ahead at the coming year, we flipped the script. thephilanthropist.ca/2026/01/what...
What does a ‘trilemma’ mean for the sector in 2026? We turned the tables and asked journalists to weigh in - The Philanthropist Journal
We asked journalists who cover the sector to share what they’ve been hearing and thinking about the challenges facing the charitable and philanthropic sector in 2026.
thephilanthropist.ca
“I don’t know if I would have been able to get through some of the difficult parts [of my job] without having a creative outlet,” says raine liliefeldt, director of member services and development at YWCA Canada. Coverage: @gordonbowness.bsky.social thephilanthropist.ca/2026/01/crea...
Creative outlets: Why some non-profit leaders are picking up the mic - The Philanthropist Journal
Creative pursuits outside of work like stand-up comedy or playing in a band might just be what your colleagues in the philanthropic sector need right now – to counter burnout, strengthen skills, or ex...
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Our most-read story from 2025 was about...conflict-of-interest rules. Aiden Cyr talked to four Indigenous social impact leaders whose insights suggest that the path forward may instead lie in “mutuality of interest.” thephilanthropist.ca/2025/01/when...
When the expert is your cousin: Indigenous alternatives to ‘distrust by default’ conflict-of-interest rules - The Philanthropist Journal
COI policies have contributed to a working culture that’s antithetical to Indigenous ways of working, Aiden Cyr writes. He talks to four Indigenous social impact leaders whose insights suggest that th...
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“What are we missing by not taking time to be in the space of grieving and acknowledging loss?” thephilanthropist.ca/2025/12/to-g...
To grieve, to learn, to unite: A eulogy for an ever-shifting sector - The Philanthropist Journal
The loss, or realignment, of a funder affects the entire charitable sector, and how it chooses to say its goodbyes has far-reaching implications, both practical and emotional, contributor Angela Long ...
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Governments change, priorities and policies evolve, and austerity bites. The through line at a recent symposium on local media was the resilience and determination of those fighting to keep their publications afloat. thephilanthropist.ca/2025/12/phil...
Philanthropy can be a catalyst for local media but not the long-term answer to ongoing challenges - The Philanthropist Journal
At a three-day symposium in Charlottetown, the overarching takeaway was the urgency and scale of the challenges for independent journalism, and the indisputable through line was the resilience and det...
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@armineyalnizyan.bsky.social shares what Budget 2025 could mean for the non-profit sector. thephilanthropist.ca/2025/12/fede...
Federal budget spends more on capital investment and less on non-profit sector – so far - The Philanthropist Journal
While Budget 2025 does not include a strategy to systemically support programs and services that non-profits and charities provide – or the Canadians working at these organizations – “it could have be...
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“We’re told to be thinking in terms of scarcity, but everyone pays when we choose to divest from communities,” @aline-n-m.bsky.social YWCA Canada says. thephilanthropist.ca/2025/11/stop...
Stopping the funding rollercoaster for feminist and 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations - The Philanthropist Journal
A projected 80% decrease in Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) funding ahead of the federal budget highlighted a level of precariousness that feminist and 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and activists h...
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Given the “aging out” of volunteers and the low re-engagement numbers to date, what are these organizations doing to woo volunteers back? Yvonne Rodney reports. @volunteertoronto.bsky.social thephilanthropist.ca/2025/11/agin...
Aging and re-engaging: Volunteer participation post-pandemic - The Philanthropist Journal
Contributor Yvonne Rodney looks at how organizations are responding to the aging factor in volunteerism and what they’re doing to encourage volunteers to engage and re-engage.
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