A recording of our Celebrating Philanthropy event, “Philanthropy and Democracy,” on June 18, 2026, is available:

What is philanthropy’s role in democracy? How can philanthropy in Canada create, sustain or revive civic spaces that foster community connection and trust? Does philanthropy itself need to be democratized?

Panellists

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Lisa is also Director of the . In the podcast, she shares how her path began with community work focused on families and children, and how that work grew through her board service and her family’s foundation. One idea has shaped much of her work: communities know what communities need. That shows up in her support for organizations overseas, as well as in her family鈥檚 support for arts access for young people at the , in Vancouver.

A key part of the conversation is the idea of 鈥渆noughness鈥�: asking what wealthy families truly need, what they want to leave behind, and what capital they can move now. Lisa explains how that reflection can help open up more funding for organizations working on climate change, Indigenous-led solutions, women鈥檚 leadership, and community-led change, while also challenging funders to think differently about power, legacy, accountability and trust.

Get the podcast on or listen on or .

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Trust and Accountability in Canada’s Charitable, Philanthropic and Regulatory/Public Sectors

For focus groups for this study, we鈥檙e looking for individuals or employees from four sectors:

1) operating charities and/or nonprofit organizations
2) grant-making foundations
3) government agencies and/or regulatory bodies
4) members of the Canadian public with an interest in civil society and institutional accountability

Participation is voluntary and confidential, and all responses will be de-identified before analysis. Also, you may withdraw from the study at any time within one month after your session鈥檚 conclusion.

Focus groups

Single Audience Focus Groups (SAFG): structured peer discussions among representatives from the same sector (1.5 hours each).

Multi-Audience Focus Groups (MAFG): cross-sector, guided dialogues with representatives from four sectors: charities/nonprofits; foundations; government/regulatory; and the public (2.5 hours each).

As a token of appreciation, SAFG participants will each receive a $75 gift card per session and MAFG participants will each receive a $125 gift card per session.

Dates & times (2026)

All groups will take place at the Metcalfe Hotel (123 Metcalfe St., in Ottawa). Virtual groups will also be offered (see below, in “How to express your interest in participating”).

Monday June 22 (all times are EDT)
9:30-11:00 am: SAFG for charities/nonprofit representatives
1:00-2:30 pm: SAFG for government employees
3:00-4:30 pm: SAFG for foundation reps

Tuesday, June 23 (times are EDT)
11:00 am to 12:30 pm: SAFG for members of the general public
2:00-4:30 pm: MAFG session 1 for individuals from a mix of four sectors. Note, to maintain research integrity, participants who participate in this session must commit to participating in the next two sessions on July 27 and August 24.

Monday, July 27
2:00-4:30 pm: MAFG session 2

Monday, August 24
2:00-4:30 pm: MAFG session 3

This study has received ethics clearance (protocol #125374) from the 杏吧原创 University Research Ethics Board (CUREB).

How to express your interest in participating

In the subject line of an email to TAPCanada@cunet.carleton.ca, please indicate which of the following focus groups you wish to participate in: (1) SAFG Charities; (2) SAFG Foundations; (3) SAFG Government; (4) SAFG Public; or (5) MAFG. Also, provide a brief description of your involvement with the sector. A member of our research team will follow up with more information, including ethical considerations, and will confirm your interest before registering you in the study.

If you鈥檙e interested in attending virtually, rather than in person, please note this in your email. More information about virtual sessions will be provided.

We look forward to hearing from you, and thank you for supporting this important study.

Nathan Grasse, PhD
Principal Investigator,
School of Public Policy & Administration,
杏吧原创 University

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Another Way: Annabelle White on Inheritance and Putting Wealth to Work for Good

Annabelle White didn鈥檛 set out to work in finance or philanthropy. At 19, she became a beneficiary of her family鈥檚 wealth after her mother’s passing. As the PhilanthroThink Podcast hosts, Titilayo Adedeji and Jonathan Harline, spoke with her, they learned how she stepped into the responsibilities that come with inherited wealth — and how it wasn鈥檛 easy to find her place. She remembers sitting across from financial advisors and thinking, 鈥淭here has to be another way.鈥� She ended up moving in a new direction with her finances and her philanthropy.

In this episode, we explore how that shift led Annabelle to build Dragonfly Ventures, a family office focused on environmental health, human well-being and community-led solutions. She shares how her approach brings together impact investing, blended finance and trust-based philanthropy. From supporting community-led programs in the Arctic to rethinking how capital moves through systems, this conversation settles on one idea: money should be put to work in ways that support people and the places they live.

Watch the episode below, or listen on or .

Thank you to IG Private Wealth Management for a grant to make the 鈥淧hilanthroThink Podcast鈥� series possible.

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MPNL and TD Bank Group hosted Philanthropy & Nonprofits in the ‘Innovation Economy’ on April 16, 2026:

Canada is in the process of reinventing our economy to be more productive and innovative.

What is the role of the philanthropic and charitable/nonprofit sector in this new economy? How does the sector support innovation? How can the sector be a full partner in this reinvention process?

Panellists

is a Professor, the Munk Chair of Innovation Studies, and Co-Director of the at the University of Toronto. He’s also co-director of the program on Innovation, Equity and the Future of Prosperity at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR). In 2021, he published the award-winning book , which argues that there are models for innovation-based growth that don鈥檛 rely on a flourishing high-tech industry and that communities waste time, money and energy pursuing this high-tech road to nowhere. Instead, he proposes that communities focus on where they fit within four stages in the global production process and recognize that all localities have certain advantages relative to at least one stage of the global process and that the trick is in recognizing those advantages.

is the CEO of , a leader in social finance and innovation, dedicated to driving systemic change through mission-based strategies and collaboration across sectors. For decades, she’s led organizations and initiatives focused on creating positive social and environmental progress through strategic philanthropy, media and arts, social innovation and impact investing. In addition to roles as CEO of the Inspirit Foundation, Executive Director at Rally Assets, and President of PTV Productions, she’s served in governance and advisory roles for numerous organizations. Andrea currently serves as a Director for the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority. She’s committed to finding innovative ways to support cohesive and prosperous communities and was recognized in 2017 with a Governor General鈥檚 Meritorious Service Award.

is the CEO of , which is a national, non-partisan, registered charity shaping a bigger, bolder Canada. She’s a leader and strategist who advances smart, long-term solutions for Canada鈥檚 prosperity and who speaks regularly about philanthropy, social innovation and the social sector. Century Initiative is a network of diverse leaders and experts in business, academia and the charitable sector from across the country united by a shared belief that, with the right approach to growth, we can enhance our economic strength and resilience at home and our influence abroad. Through leading research and convening, Century Initiative champions data-driven solutions for responsible population growth, advocates for long-term planning for future generations, and drives bold policies that secure Canada鈥檚 future.

The panel will be moderated by , who’s Professor Emerita in the School of Public Policy and Administration, at 杏吧原创 University, and who founded the MPNL program — and who recently received the Order of Canada. In 2021, she published a book, with Bob Wyatt of the Muttart Foundation and Amanda Mayer of the Lawson Foundation, called ,” which presents essays and different perspectives on the roles and inner workings of Canada鈥檚 charities, including their innovations. She’s currently Faculty Supervisor with the Women in Philanthropy (WiP) project and Interim Director of the Charity Insights Canada Project (CICP).

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“The big thing is to find people who know the ground, know the turf, and are connected to the people” –Eric Peterson on working with nonprofits.

In “Mobilizing Wealth for Public Impact” (Season 2, Episode 3, of the “PhilanthroThink Podcast“), Jonathan Harline and Titilayo Adedeji talk with Eric Peterson, co-founder of the and founder of the , about how he transitioned from running a for-profit tech company to creating a nonprofit foundation, which works in BC and Guatemala, and about how he collaborates with Indigenous groups in BC.

At 23:49 of the Podcast, he also gets into how wealth should be put to work rather than saved. “Idle money doesn鈥檛 do anybody any good,鈥� he says. “I can’t imagine having a big endowment, and just sitting there — and not doing anything with it. Let’s face it, look at the needs that are out there. No matter what someone’s interest is, they can find some way of using their resources for social benefit.”

Listen or watch on , or :

Thank you to IG Private Wealth Management for a grant to make the “PhilanthroThink Podcast” series possible.

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Congratulations to graduate students and , who both receive this year’s award that promotes Black leadership within the philanthropic and nonprofit sector and is championed by the generosity of the Black Canadian Fundraisers’ Collective.

“This scholarship is deeply meaningful to me, because it represents recognition and belonging within a sector where Black professionals have faced barriers to access mainstream opportunities for further education,” Martin-John says.

“Receiving the Award is both an honour聽and an affirmation,” Nyamande adds. “It represents more than financial support; it鈥檚 a meaningful investment in my leadership and a reminder that the sector is becoming more intentional about creating space for Black professionals. As someone who began my journey in community work in Zimbabwe, this recognition fuels my commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in philanthropy.”

In partnership with 杏吧原创 University, to Black students in the MPNL program. With the initiative and support of members of the Collective, the Award was established in 2020 to promote Black leadership within our sector and to make professional education more equitable and inclusive.

“Receiving this scholarship from my peers is a true honour,” Martin-John says. “It validates not only my professional contributions, but also the shared commitment within this community to invest in one another鈥檚 learning and leadership.”

Martin-John is Executive Director of the Family Education Centre and is a social change champion, community mobilizer, advocate and fund-development specialist who’s dedicated her career to strengthening capacity for marginalized and at-risk communities through revenue generation, program development and Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work. She held leadership roles in the health-charity and social-justice sectors for 25 years.

“The MPNL program has challenged me to engage with perspectives and areas of practice that I may not have encountered as deeply through professional experience alone,” she explains. “The cohort model has also been a welcome addition, as it’s created an additional network of practitioners who are experts in their own right. Learning alongside peers with diverse experiences has enriched my academic experience at 杏吧原创.”

Tatenda Nyamande is an accomplished nonprofit leader with extensive experience in philanthropy and community development. Her journey in the nonprofit sector began by supporting vulnerable children at a Zimbabwean orphanage, sparking her lifelong commitment to social justice. She holds a degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management, and has since built a multifaceted career in Canada spanning fund development, donor relations and organizational leadership.

“In the coming years, I hope to continue bridging gaps between donors, organizations and communities, particularly in spaces that serve marginalized groups,” she says. “Long term, I aim to contribute to a more inclusive philanthropic landscape where diverse voices not only have a seat at the table but also help shape the agenda.”

Listen to Nyamanda’s assessment of the MPNL program:

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Graduate student Mikayla Odut has received this year’s “Simone Joyaux Memorial Award,” which goes to an outstanding student who demonstrates volunteer leadership as a critical thinker, change-maker and bridge-builder.

The Award was established by Dr. Sharilyn Hale in honour of her mentor and friend Simone Joyaux, who had a passion for advanced learning, social justice and governance issues in the nonprofit sector.

“I鈥檓 extremely grateful for the support,” Odut says. “It means that I can take weekends off prioritizing my health and well-being, rather than trying to find freelance work to pay for educational expenses. The award gives me financial stability for at least two semesters, making sure I can put myself and my studies first.”

Odut works as the administrative coordinator at St. Joseph鈥檚 Parish, a diverse church and social-services centre. Her days are filled with donation record-keeping and philanthropic planning, supporting the centre鈥檚 various programs, building and operational management, and she provides administrative support for the rest of the staff. Working towards change in a diverse, multi-generational environment is important, and makes her time at the parish extremely rewarding.

“I enjoy the MPNL program, as I鈥檓 stuck with a bunch of like-minded charity geeks who want to work to make the world a better place,” Odut explains. “Having the support of the cohort makes my studies easier knowing I can rely on others 鈥� even though we are all in different cities and countries.”

Each year, the MPNL program distributes a number of scholarships and awards.

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“A Future Built on Recognition at the ,” Episode 2, Season 2, of our PhilanthroThink Podcast, features Raksha Bhayana (CEO and Co-founder of the Foundation). She tells the MPNL hosts, Megan Skivington and Fengwen Yu, about who gets recognized in the nonprofit sector 鈥� and who usually doesn鈥檛 — and about her early career in social work and her family鈥檚 values that led the Foundation on celebrating frontline nonprofit workers across Canada through partnerships with United Way Centraide Canada.

She also discusses the advocacy behind nonprofit appreciation initiatives in Nova Scotia, Ontario and BC, and how her adult children help to shape what’s next. Volunteering was always part of how Raksha raised her two children. In the early days, that meant time spent in seniors鈥� homes and supporting people experiencing homelessness in Toronto. As the Foundation grew, they attended events and edited Raksha鈥檚 speeches, offering feedback that made messages more relevant to younger audiences. Now, they鈥檙e advising and helping to decide the next phase of the Foundation, including recognizing frontline workers in hospital emergency departments.

Watch the with Raksha (below), or listen on or .

Thank you to IG Private Wealth Management for a grant to make the PhilanthroThink Podcast series possible.

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