Jon Duschinsky

Why would you be A/B testing in your fundraising? "Because we're trying to improve" Ronen Tal, CFRE (he/him) is on the BuildGood Fundraising Podcast this week talking about: → How Nature Conservancy of Canada/Conservation de la nature Canada is testing something on almost every fundraising piece that goes out → The difference between trying new stuff, and A/B testing new stuff → How to set up a successful A/B test (hint: it starts with having a clear, documented hypothesis) → How to gain actionable insights from your testing You can listen to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts—or simply click the link in the comments below to stream it online and watch the video. #fundraising #nonprofit

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Thank you to B Lab U.S. & Canada for this great article about B Local PDX's new Policy Advocacy programming that we launched this year! B Lab has been a huge supporter of this effort and I'm grateful for their support in getting the word out. Check it out to learn how you can get involved! I've become much more involved in policy advocacy this year, mostly because it's the thing I keep coming back to when I think about how I can make the most impact as a business owner and leader. I don't believe we can make the systemic change that we need through business alone - it's going to take collaboration across sectors. AND although I wanted to get more involved in advocacy for some time, it felt daunting as a small business and I had no idea where to start. Thankfully, I've been able to explore this question in my role as Collective Impact Chair for B Local PDX, where we made policy advocacy a key part of our impact strategy this year. And because we know we can't do it alone, we partnered with Oregon Business For Climate to deliver our new Policy Advocacy programming (which we launched at #bldpnw in June!) This 4 part series is leading up to Oregon's 2025 legislative session, with many ways for you to take action around climate policy (no matter your business or role). Look out for our next session coming in the fall and message me if you'd like to learn more about how you can get involved. #climatepolicy #policyadvocacy #bcorp #collectiveaction https://lnkd.in/gtZGzkMh

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I want to say out loud that several of these folx are my most trusted collaborators, others are new leaders to our shared network. But ALL are experts in this space who usually teach longer (more costly) courses and private client programs. This is a low time/cost commitment that will pay you MAX dividends. How to join a board? What’s the commitment of time and expectations? Going beyond “governance” rules, because many real people (not just the wealthy, powerful or ‘connected’), join a small charity or nonprofit board to support a vision, a cause, a community or leaders they believe in…so how can you be not just productive but a GOOD board member? Join these experts and get the scoop.

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The Walrus Talks: Shifting Power in Philanthropy The future of philanthropic practices and power in Canada Philanthropy makes more of an impact than we realize, and the sector is undergoing major shifts. The Great Wealth Transfer is in progress and younger generations are inheriting trillions; technology is evolving sometimes for the better and sometimes not; and new strategies for giving are reshaping the relationships between donors and charities. But there are still obstacles to funds reaching the people who need them most. Speakers come together at The Walrus Talks Shifting Power in Philanthropy to discuss what the future of philanthropy looks like. What are the innovations and advancements in philanthropic giving? How can we break down barriers to make philanthropic funding more accessible and inclusive? With donor bases now comprising younger generations and more women, what changes will we see in giving trends? How can we embed equity and reconciliation into philanthropy? Join us in Toronto, or online, to learn about the practices and people shaping philanthropy in Canada right now. Tuesday, October 1, 2024 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. ET   General Admission: $20 Student/Senior: $12 Livestream: Free with registration https://lnkd.in/ggnMadjE

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Sharing the big news! Nine wealthy Canadian families and foundations have made Canada's largest-ever philanthropic commitment to climate action, pledging $405-million over the next decade to accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy. Proud to share that Trottier Family Foundation last night announced its $150M pledge towards climate philanthropy. This is the single largest 🇨🇦pledge towards climate change in Canadian history. We have already disbursed some of these funds and will continue to do so until the end of 2030. Our commitment is a partial spend-down of the Foundation’s endowment. White TFF will remain in operation over the long term, a few years ago our board (Claire Trottier Sylvie Trottier Lorne Trottier Howard Trottier Louise Rousselle Trottier) felt that the urgency of the climate crisis required immediate catalytic capital. We cannot afford to wait any longer and the next few years are crucial for mitigating climate change. We know that solutions exist in decarbonizing our economy and we are playing our part in helping Canada get there. While $405M may seem significant, it's important to recall that climate philanthropy in Canada is currently only 0.9% of total philanthropic giving. We need other high-net-worth families and foundations to join us and help address this challenge. Solving the climate crisis in Canada will inevitably better all Canadians. This was a group effort and huge shout out to co-organizers Bruce Lourie, C.M. Kelsey Envik Lorne Johnson Eric Campbell Aimee J. Poulin Ivey Foundation Clean Economy Fund Thrilled to be share our ambition with phenomenal and ambitious philanthropic peers: Luke Gilgan Stephanie Trussler Peter Gilgan Foundation Mark Gurvis Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation Carolynn Beaty Sitka Foundation David Keith Kirsten Anderson Allan Shiff Laurie Thomson Andy Chisholm Chisholm Thomson Family Foundation Sabina Vohra-Miller Craig Miller Vohra Miller Foundation My team for being amazing: Laura Butler Adrienne Hiles Jean-Patrick Toussaint Caroline Lavoie Dale Marshall Aurore Fauret Flavie Desgagné-Éthier Erin Hetherington Ryan Rodrigues #climatephilanthropy #climatechange

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Calling all charities and non-profits!Here at JIRAH Growth Partners, we are committed to helping organizations thrive and make a lasting difference in their communities. We specialize in driving impactful growth for charities and non-profits. Our tailored services include: *Major Donor Strategies – Cultivating relationships for sustained support.  *Growth Development Strategies - Structuring plans for scalable impact.  *Team Alignment – Uniting efforts towards common goals.  *Policy & Process Development – Streamlining operations for efficiency. *Fundraising Revenue Growth Planning – Maximizing financial sustainability. Let's collaborate to amplify your mission and achieve meaningful growth together. Reach out today to explore how we can support your organization's journey! #CharityGrowth #NonProfitConsulting #ImpactfulInitiatives #TeamAlignment #FundraisingStrategy

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Salaam Alaykum. Check out our latest post on the best prospect research tools on the market. Prospect research is such an important part of our work, so please let me know any other tools you found beneficial and how they’ve helped you fundraise successfully 😊

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Report: Early Stages of Indigenous Women's Entrepreneurship. "There are about 75,000 Indigenous businesses in Canada, with some expanding into non-traditional sectors as a key component to economic reconciliation. Along with an upward trend, Indigenous women's entrepreneurship has been increasing, as 33% of Indigenous businesses are women-owned." #entrepreneur #Indigenous

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At GenWell, we most often speak to the individual health benefits of building healthier social connection habits, as it is easy to understand, and each of us can experience the benefit directly. More recently, I have been having conversations with municipal leaders, political leaders, concerned citizens, and business leaders who are concerned about our society's collective well-being. The topic: democracy. At the heart of democracy lies the fundamental principle of unity, of coming together as a collective force to shape the future we envision. Yet, in today's fast-paced and distracted world, this essence of togetherness often gets lost amidst the noise and busyness. Human connection isn't just a nicety; it's the bedrock upon which our democracy stands. If we desire change, if we yearn for progress, we must embark on this journey shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. If we take our democracy and our human connections for granted, we give rise to individual interests. It's no secret that our democracy is facing challenges. From the erosion of trust to the proliferation of misinformation, the very fabric of our society is being tested. But amidst these trials, there's a beacon of hope: our ability to forge genuine connections with those around us. When we take the time to know our neighbors, talk to strangers, connect with friends and family and build relationships with colleagues and classmates, we begin to understand their hopes and fears, we strengthen the bonds that hold our society together. And in doing so, we fortify the very pillars of our democracy. Yes, the road ahead may seem daunting, but let's not forget the immense power we wield when we stand united. Let's reclaim our democracy, not as a fractured collection of individuals, but as a formidable force for positive change. Now is the time to come together, to bridge the gaps that divide us, and to reaffirm our commitment to the principles that define us. In our unity lies the promise of a brighter tomorrow. Join the movement. wwwGenWell.ca #HumanConnection #Democracy #Unity #Inthistogether #GenWell Scott Aitchison Scot Patriquin Steve Joordens Kiffer Card Stuart Robertson Stewart McDonough Ontario's Big City Mayors (OBCM) Ontario BIA Association Federation of Canadian Municipalities Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) CivicInfo BC AMCTO Alberta Municipalities | Strength in Members Rural Municipalities of Alberta Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador Government of Northwest Territories Federation of Prince Edward Island Municipalities Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities Association of Yukon Communities Justin Trudeau Mark Holland, CPA, CA Ryan Turnbull Gord Johns Paul Estey Christopher Shulgan

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This is one of the core barriers to #nonprofit sustainability in our communities. How can one plan beyond an annual budget cycle when most of our funders refuse to change their scarcity funding practices? The answer to the question of whether nonprofits can be sustainable is that we need to ask a different question. What systemic barriers exist to prevent nonprofit sustainability and how can our community leaders push for changes with people in positions of power? Because collective change to funding practices benefits us all and I am tired of my colleagues fighting for scraps. #WaterlooRegion #CharitableSector #NonprofitManagement

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An important narrative by my colleague Stephen Bartolo, eMBA, CEC that reflects the thought leadership from us at Shepherds of Good Hope. Our donors and partners create solutions as we aspire to end homelessness through supportive housing as it not only provides hope and dignity to achieve a better quality of life, but it delivers cost savings. A 2014 study by the Mental Health Commission of Canada found that for every dollar invested in supportive housing, governments save $1.54 on emergency services, hospital stays and other social services. A more recent study reaffirmed that focusing on housing makes simple sense. Why ? - a month in the hospital is $30,000. - a month in the prison system is $12,000. - a month in the shelter system is $6,000. - a month in supportive housing ? It is only $4,000. This is saving us tax dollars. We believe that supportive housing is the long-term solution and our collective commitment enables us all to address the core root of homelessness. https://lnkd.in/gTeQRRwb

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Get ready for sessions that unpack how Indigenous communities are defining economic justice, regenerative business practices, and digital transformation. With insights from Indigenous business leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers from around the globe, you’ll gain a front-row seat to real-world success stories. Register now for as low as $50 USD and enjoy year-round access to event content. Don’t miss your chance to join the movement transforming economies globally. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gjspHVwS #Indigenomics #IndigenomicsNOW #Indigenous #GCOI #Economicreconciliation #indigenousbusiness #indigenouseconomy

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Just to say, I have posted my 6th blog about the path of evolution for the charity sector. This one is about the top 3 most important strategic changes for the Canadian Charity Sector. - Do you agree with them? - See below. https://www.giv3.ca/blog Typically, it is the role of the CEO of a company to determine the strategic direction and to identify the top 3 priorities which must be accomplished in the year. And then, most importantly, the CEO must focus their energy on helping the company achieve these three things without getting bogged down in the day-to-day operational challenges, staffing problems, client issues, finance, and so on.  If the company makes significant strides on the three chosen priorities, then the year has been useful. In a sense, this is about focus and simplifying the essence of what needs to be accomplished... "The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” - - Hans Hofmann, abstract artist. With so many millions of Canadians in need, and a collapsing environment, what is necessary?  If we had a sector CEO and a sector strategic plan, I propose that the three most important initiatives to advance for the sector should be:  (1) Encourage greater generosity (in all forms). That is, bring in more resources (2) More staff in the sector to deliver charitable services. (3) improve efficiency in how charities perform. (I recognize that another key strategic issue would to reduce demand for charitable services, but I feel this is beyond the power of the charity sector. Reducing demands is on the shoulders of politicians via changes in labour codes, environmental laws, immigration policies, investment in productivity gains, better health care, and so on). And if there is any doubt, other important things like D.E.I., better data measurement, clarification of legal definitions of charity, better governance, trust, and so on, are secondary. To put this frankly, the homeless person living on the street is not co concerned about the governance, representation, measurement, and operations of the charity helping them to survive each day. They just need results. Please do not get me wrong. I recognize and appreciate the good work which many organizations are doing for these secondary initiatives. They are important. It is just that these are not the most important strategic priorities. It often feels to me our sector is prioritizing these secondary things while we are not doing enough for the biggest strategic issue: A growing charity gap. - I am not so sure we are “eliminating the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak”. In my search for a ‘sector strategic plan’, I concluded that we do not have one! And when I asked those who might know, they confirmed it. We need to develop a strategic plan to address the growing charity gap in Canada, and to optimize and guide our priorities. I will talk more about a sector strategic plan soon.

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Just to say, I have posted Blog #8 in our series calling for a change in the Charity/Social Sector. https://lnkd.in/eR3D4SPZ Our charity sector needs a holistic strategic plan to help optimize the allocation of efforts towards the highest priorities for the sector.  To respect the true meaning of setting priorities, only a few key items can be presented. Outlining dozens of problems works to distract, overwhelm, and dilute efforts. Here are my top three initiatives I believe are most important: 1.     To address the growing charity gap, and to reverse the decline in giving in Canada, we need to encourage greater generosity among all targets.    →  Since religious people are more generous, the decline of religiosity challenges the future of the charity sector. We need to learn what it is about religion which drives greater generosity and then replicate it elsewhere. - To get an initial insight on the influence of religiosity, see this recent Canadian research study: https://lnkd.in/esFZcghy  →  It might be a good idea to develop and deliver an on-going ‘generosity’ campaign. This would be akin to ParticipACTION (for greater exercise), but for greater generosity.  →   It should also be said that it is inappropriate to increase charity tax incentives to incent greater giving since this is both expensive to the public purse and because generosity is more strongly influenced by culture than it is by tax credits. - For example, Quebec has the highest charity tax credits of all provinces, but has the lowest level of charitable giving per capita. 2.     To help deliver more charitable services, we need to invest in, train, and retain more motivated staff and volunteers. We need to enhance the supply. •       We need programs to make Canadians aware of the need, the opportunity, and ease to work in the charity sector, as paid staff and/or as volunteers. •      The vast majority of charities do not have HR departments so it might be useful to establish a “central, universal HR hub” for the sector (?) •       We need to defend the rationale for ‘overhead costs’ (as per “Uncharitable” by Dan Pallotta). •       It might even be interesting to allow (underpaid) staff in the charity sector to be able to claim a tax credit (say, 10% of their salary as reported on the T4s), up to some maximum (perhaps $3,000-$5,000).  •       Perhaps corporations can register for staff volunteering, with a certain portion of staff time volunteered for charitable purposes earning tax credits (?)   3.     We need better dissemination of best-practices to all 85,000 registered charities in Canada. We need to help charities become better. •       Perhaps we need a ‘central knowledge hub’ to help teach and host best-practices for the sector? Something akin to the “What Works Network” in the UK. ‍  What other priorities do you think are most relevant to those in need? 

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What if we used innovation to solve our social and environmental challenges? Check out this short peice that Timothy Draimin authored for the latest Social Innovation Canada newsletter. https://lnkd.in/gbN4AD_i #socialinnovation

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Last Friday's morning sessions (Part 1) at #ClimateWeekNYC on "Building Resilient Food Systems for All" with Food Tank were fantabulous! Highlights below: 🍠 Evan Fraser from Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph spoke about the need for food crops that can both withstand and bounce back from perturbation. 🍥 Shakuntala Thilsted Director of Nutrition, Health and Food Security at CGIAR discussed the need to focus on young women, to see farmers as great scientists, and to not only look for new "innovative" solutions but to look at traditional ways and knowledge, and to look at who is in the room when these conversations are being had. Additionally, She emphasized that it is not simply about producing MORE food, but looking at strategies like preserving, and focusing on seasonality, and the need to find more ways to monitor health. (My note: look at nutrition!) 📀 The panel "Linking Food, Climate and Health: Creating a Collaborative Path of Resistance, included: 💡 Jessica Fanzo from Columbia Climate School who discussed the "huge momentum around food & climate" albeit with nutrition often getting left out of the conversation, how important it is for different sectors to work together (grassroots movement and political actors) and the excitement around EAT Lancet 2.0. And, oh yeah, VOTE. 🔎 John de la Parra from The Rockefeller Foundation talked about the wonderful work of the The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) which is standardizing the measurements of the many compounds that make up what is in our food, and looking at how growing practices affect the composition and by how much. He also emphasized the need to center Indigenous Voices, and to co-create solutions with communities with lived experience in addition to including those in academia. 💸 Steven Jennings from Ahold Delhaize who spoke about the interest in transferring more brands to source ingredients that are grown with more #regenerativeagriculture and change the misperception that health doesn't sell. He also discussed how imperative it is to form internal partnerships withIN an organization to create buy-in across the board that healthier products are actually good for business! 📌Christine Datz-Romero of The Lower East Side Ecology Center talked about how when composting is widespread and well done, it can be the same as taking 50 million cars off the road. (Forgive me for not having the exact amount of composting data). She also provided a call to action to all of us to be leading examples and separate out the food not used to be put towards a composting system. 📎 Stay tuned for more takeaways from Friday morning part 2! 📎 Thanks Danielle Nierenberg Bernard Pollack & Elena S. for making it all happen!

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These types of reports are important. And even more important is what we choose to do about these declines. I do not believe hoping, wishing, and asking for charities to act better is sufficient. Charities have been struggling and hoping for better for decades. They are already trying very hard! Regardless, these trends have been occurring for much longer than the past ten years. Our independent, voluntary actions have not solved the problems despite strong desires. It is time we look to find innovate systemic changes based in policy. The change in the DQ is a prime example. Many large grant-making foundations did NOT willfully do better. Only due to a policy change requiring better did we see them raise their granting. We need to explore other policy ideas to empower a stronger sector. Pleading and hoping has proven to be insufficient. This is why GIV3 has started an initiative to develop a strategic plan for the whole charity sector to help guide optimal policy innovations. But we cannot do this alone. We need CanadaHelps, Imagine, and others to collaborate on real systemic innovation.

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