Webinar: Fund Development 101, Part 1

Fund Development is a team sport and includes all member’s participation in creating and implementing. But what does that look like? This 4 part series will explore the essential components of fund development strategies including building a plan that is aligned, effective and manageable, donor stewardship do’s and don’ts, explore ways to engage members of your organization and community, plus delve into the importance of an integrated approach to all areas of your work, and yes much more. If you are new to your foundation as a board member or staff, or a seasoned member, you will gain a base on building a community foundation strategic fund development plan.

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Fact Sheet: Maintaining Organized Books and Records

Developing a manageable records management system is critical to your community foundation’s success. It's not just about keeping your office tidy, good recordkeeping is a legal requirement once registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Traceable records help you stay accountable to the public, your funders and the CRA, and also keep you on your toes in the event of an audit or a request for information.

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Fact Sheet: Role of Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer

Defining the role of the Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer (ED/CEO) can be challenging, given the wide variety of shapes and sizes of community foundations in Canada.

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Fact Sheet: Understanding the Disbursement Quota

The disbursement quota (DQ) is the minimum calculated amount that a registered charity is required to spend each year on its own charitable programs or on gifts to qualified donees, such as other registered charities. Foundations use the DQ to determine the minimum amount of funds they are required to grant annually.

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Fact Sheet: Defining the roles of board vs. staff

Community foundations in Canada come in all shapes and sizes. Some are run completely by a volunteer board, some operate with a single Executive Director and volunteers supporting operations, while others operate with small or even large teams of paid staff. Regardless of the size of the organization, there needs to be a clear definition of who does what and who is accountable for what.

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Fact Sheet: Annual Report Guidelines to Reflect Transparency

Community foundations work with donors to provide various and diverse resources, in response to community needs. Producing an annual report provides foundations with the opportunity to celebrate their success in meeting these needs, while also providing reassurance to the community as to the financial and organizational capacity to accomplish its vision and mission.

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Treasurer and Financial Fundamentals 101: Risk Management (Part 3/3)

The final session in our Treasurer and Finance Fundamentals series provides an overview on the importance of internal financial controls necessary for all community foundations. Employee risk, hiring practices, tracking financial systems and best practices will be featured.

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When a Crisis Strikes: A Guide for Community Foundations

This resource is an overview for community foundations and other community-minded organizations who are experiencing a crisis, or want to be proactive and ready when their community faces one. The first part outlines the unique role of a community foundation and the second section is a guide for community foundations in each phase preparing for, and after experiencing a crisis. The third section highlights areas for special consideration by community foundations including the Sustainable Development Goals, infectious disease, climate change, giving to non-qualified donees, and advocacy.

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Fact Sheet: Working From Home

The new COVID-19 reality means that many employees are “working from home” (WFH). As a local employer, there are new challenges to navigate, and new normals to integrate into your professional planning.

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Fact Sheet: Virtual Meetings

Prior to the pandemic and its impact on in-person interactions, foundations were only marginally using virtual technology to organize their meetings, usually only when distance between meeting participants was a factor. However, the “new normal” has impacted foundation operations and inter-personal communications in ways that weren’t experienced in the past.

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