Connecting donors who care with causes that matter

Ottawa Citizen, Advertising Feature, pg. F1
November 17, 2004

By Barbara McInnes

Reprinted with permission

“To give away money is an easy matter and in any man’s power. But to decide whom to give it and how much and when and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man’s power – nor an easy matter. Hence it is that such excellence is rare, praiseworthy and noble.” – Aristotle

Even after four years studying philosophy in university, those words didn’t really register until I started working for a community foundation. To effectively give money away in a fashion that respects both donor and recipient is tricky. While many donors know what kinds of things they’d like to support, they are usually unsure how to get the biggest bang from their charitable buck.

Charitable giving is big business in Canada and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. The most recent statistics show Canadians giving $4.94 billion to charitable causes in 2000. Contrary to popular belief, the allure of a tax receipt is not usually the primary motivation. People want to make a difference and they are, increasingly, asking for advice and information before making their decisions.

With over 1,700 charities in the Ottawa area, it’s hard to determine where your money will have the greatest impact. Giving to a cause that is close to the heart is a good start, but most of us justifiably want to know how the money will be used. Which are the most credible organizations? What new, innovative programs are being developed to tackle tough issues? How does the average person get answers to such questions?

There is a hunger for non-partisan, experience-rich advice for donors whose primary concern isn’t always the tax receipt. Some financial institutions offer philanthropic advisory services to their high net-worth clients, but that level of help is not available to those of more modest means.

Banks are promoting donor-advised charitable funds, but for more in-depth information on local needs and issues they often turn to organizations such as community foundations. As grantmakers, it is our job to understand the issues and know the players - large and small - in the charitable community. Matching donors who have resources to give, with organizations that can turn those resources into meaningful social and/or cultural programs is very satisfying. “Connecting donors who care with causes that matter” is the way some people have described this work.

We live in a wonderful city that has blessed so many with good fortune. People want to give something back to the community, but they want to do so in a way that is thoughtful and meaningful. Those of us who work in the field of philanthropy are privileged to be able to help ensure their giving is done wisely and well, as Aristotle urged so long ago.

Barbara McInnes is the President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Ottawa.