“Philanthropy plays a very important catalyst role in systems change, and that’s what we need right now.” This year on National Philanthropy Day we looked ahead to changes across the sector. The pandemic and recent climate events have highlighted the need for an equity and climate focus in philanthropy. We appreciated the conversation between Laidlaw Foundation Board President Janine Manning and journalist Miles Morrisseau about the challenges and opportunities in the philanthropic sector. In the article titled ‘Indigenous folks have always been philanthropists’: A conversation with Janine Manning, Janine and Mike discuss reconciliation and the role Indigenous culture plays within the philanthropy sector. Read the article here.
The Canadian Philanthropy Commitment to Climate Change is a joint initiative of Community Foundations of Canada, Environment Funders Canada, Philanthropic Foundations Canada, and The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.
The pledge, the first of its kind in Canada, was unveiled a month before the start of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow and is a focus of the 2021 Philanthropic Foundations Canada conference. The pledge is a call to action for Foundations to consider how they contribute and act on climate change through their work. Read more about the pledge here.