Tuesday Thoughts | 29 November 2022| NaNoWriMo – Making an Impact with Your #GivingTuesday Donations

In the days following the Russian invasion of Ukraine I was sitting in a dealership waiting area while my car was being serviced, and half heartedly listening to the staff as they watched the news. The story of the day centred around copycat “charities” that had sprung up to take advantage of Canadian’s desire to open their wallets in support of the Ukrainian people, only to have those funds stollen by unscrupulous actors.

This, coming on the heels of the We Scandal, was not the news story a Not-for-Profit and Charity Industry Executive wants to hear, although I do give credit to the producer of the segment for finding experts who provided resources instead of just hyperbole.

But, what struck me – and is one of the many anecdotes that make up the inspiration for the book I’m chipping away at – was the response of one of the staff who said “well, I guess if you can’t trust anyone I’m just going to only donate to the Red Cross from now on.”

Now, let’s be clear, the Canadian Red Cross does outstanding work both at home and around the world, and the matching donations provided by the Canadian Government can help Canadians stretch their charitable dollars in the face of tragedy, war, climate disaster, and other causes of humanitarian need; but, (and I admit I’m making an assumption here) that gentleman would not be able to address with his dollars every issue he cares about and every cause he wants to champion, simply by donating to the Red Cross. And I’m guessing (yup twice in one paragraph) that you, my dear reader would not be able to make the impact that you want to make by only donating to one Charity for the rest of your natural life.

If you’re like me, you have causes that are near and dear to your heart, people, places and organizations that have made invaluable contributions to your life and the lives of those you care about, and the list can change based on the events that have shaped your recent months or years. As an example, prior to my Dad’s accident in September of 2018 Spinal Cord Injury Ontario wasn’t even on my radar, now I not only donate money each year, but have also joined the organization’s Advocacy Committee to give of my time as well.

This #GivingTuesday you many be wondering, how do I bridge the gap, between the disillusioned would-be donor, and the well-informed Non-profit Industry insider, to figure out, where the heck do I donate my money today to make the most impact? Obviously, what follows here is the short answer, a couple of things to think about as you – lets face it – are using this prompt to pad out your charitable receipts before the end of the tax year (no shade, I do the same thing on Giving Tuesday).

First, and I cannot stress this enough, do not be distracted by flashy claims of high percentages of donations that bypass “administration” to “go directly to the people who need it”; we’ve all seen the stories of the Hospital Foundation executive whose golden parachute numbers in the 100s of Thousands of Dollars, those people are the outliers. Low admin costs (not to be confused with genuine efficiency) can often mean that people are not being compensated fairly, or investments are not being made to ensure sustainability.

Just a few weeks ago a couple of key studies were published that can help illustrate why this is particularly important. First, we saw updated living wage data for Ontario, which pegs the living wage for the Greater Toronto Area at $23.15/hour; which works out to $48k and change, for a full time worker (assuming a 40 hour work week holding only one job). At roughly the same time, Imagine Canada published Diversity is our Strength, Improving Working Conditions in Canadian Nonprofits; even without the added nuance of gender and diversity wage gaps, this data pegs the average salary for a Canadian worker at a Community Non-profit Organization at just over $40k – even if when we acknowledge that this is an oversimplification of complex data (which I do) – that means that Charities (especially community and local based charities) hardly need more incentive to hold wages below the poverty line.

Instead, think about impact. How much impact – not just a function of dollars – is this organization making towards their mission or cause? Its ok to donate to, or solicit donations on behalf of, an organization that has impacted your life, or the lives of loved ones, friends, or others you know in your community. In fact, testimonials are an incredibly powerful motivator for people to make donations.

Not a charity example, but I still make a regular donation to the Ontario Young Liberals because I recognize that my experiences during my time as a member have had a deep and lasting impact on my career, and on my life through the enduring bonds of friendship I formed, and I want to help provide that same opportunity for the next generation.

While the staff team, and in particular the CEO or Executive Director plays a big role in the impact an organization can make, and paying a competitive rate will attract the kind of well qualified people you want running Canada’s charities; the biggest single determinant of how effective and impactful a Charity will be in achieving their mission long-term is the Board of Directors.

Good people can make shockingly bad collective decisions (I’m looking at you Canada’s game), but there are some indicators that a Board collectively or as individuals is taking good governance and strategic oversight seriously. A simple one might be that the organization has and is articulating a strategic direction – while this does not guarantee that they will actually follow the strategy, it’s a good first step and many organizations will publish this information on their websites; in addition, (yes I have a bias here) if Board Members have obtained or are?seeking formal governance education, through CSAE*’s Governance Forum, the Directors College**, the ICD, or some similar program, its an indication that they are taking these issues seriously.

Its been my experience that Boards that have a high fidelity to their mission, tend to be more strategic because they are better able to tune out the “noise” or as I like to call it “the urgent, unimportant”; conversely those who have lost the plot along the way tend to make poorer decisions – and, are frankly more likely to be at the helm of organizations that might “waste” your donor dollars.

Of course, hand-in-hand with mission, and the way it is carried out is Values, not just does the organization value their people (are they fairly compensated and provided a non-toxic work environment)? Nor, just, is the board governing well with a focus on the Mission? But, also, is the mission and the subsequent actions of the organization in alignment with YOUR values?

We “vote” with our money all of the time, we tell people either through apathy or actual conscious decision making, what is important (or not) to us. Many organizations with their roots in organized religion do good works; as an example Jewish Vocational Services (aka JVS) serves the underprivileged and new Canadians regardless of their religion; however, many others do not, including organizations such as the Salvation Army which in some communities has refused to assist members of the LGBTQ community. It is incumbent on us as donors, to regularly educate ourselves on these issues.

Of course, at the end of the day, you’re going to put your dollars not only where they can make the most impact, but somewhere that speaks to you, where the issues or cause have some sort of personal connection. If, after this entire edition of Tuesday Thoughts you are still at a loss on where to give, I’d like to share with you my top charities and a few honourable mentions;

Where I give:

• Spinal Cord Injury Ontario
• Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation
• Wilfrid Laurier University

Honourable Mentions:

• The Canadian Cancer Society
• Peterborough Regional Hospital Foundation

I should also mention that through the Imagine Canada Standards Program Charities can be accredited, and receive the right to use the Strong Charities mark; there are a lot of organizations doing good works, that have for one reason or another chosen not to seek accreditation and the lack of the mark should not in-and-of-itself be taken as a sign of bad management, but it is a quick way for those who have little time to do their own research to assess an organization's fitness.

My Call to Action This Week should be self evident, but just in case, here it is, please give what you can to the many charities and causes where you want to make Impact this #GivingTuesday and throughout the years to come.

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*Yes, I am a CSAE (Canadian Society of Association Executives) Board Member

**Yes, also a current Student in the Chartered Director program through The Directors College

New and Noteworthy?is a collection of things readers of?#TuesdayThoughts?might find interesting, important, or informative;

??What to Watch:?Redstone New Website Launch and Rebrand Announcement

??What to Read:?Rickesh Lakhani on the unfortunate fate of many WOCs who are hired to make change, it reminds me quite a bit of my last job.

????What to Do:?Participate in the 2023 CSAE Benefits and Compensation Survey | LEGO #BuildToGive h/t Nancy McPherson | Service Canada Virtual Research Study h/t Grahame Rivers

????♀?Cool Jobs (Paid and Volunteer):?Research Assistant @ Spinal Cord Injury Ontario | Association Coordinator @ TouchPoint Association and Event Management | Alumni Governors @ University of Toronto (UofT Alumni only)

??Take Note: AMCI Canada Chapter Education and Networking Event

??I am a Certified Association Executive with nearly over a dozen years of experience in leadership positions in Canada's Not-for-Profit Sector; as a College Professor, occasional Speaker, and contributor to blogs, newsletters, and media, I am skilled at using the art of storytelling to explain my ideas and inform audiences and readers on a variety of topics.

??♀?I am also a Certified Organizational Specialist and Practical Minimalist, who happens to have an unhealthy love for Excel Spreadsheets. I don't do this work often, but I am always happy to give a bit of advice if you are struggling.

??Did you know I also paint and draw? I am passionate about the benefits of Adult Colouring, and can create custom colouring sheets for speech and workshop audiences, by request.

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LinkedIn?Danielle S. Russell, CAE (she/her)?| Instagram ???@danielle.s.russell?| Twitter?@dani__russell?|?YouTube???One Woman Island