The holiday season has arrived and with it, the usual lists of charity rankings.  It has been a couple of years since Imagine Canada has written about these inevitable lists that attempt to rate the performance of one charity over another.  We felt it was time to revisit the annual rankings this year as the global COVID-19 pandemic has ‘raised the stakes’ related to holiday giving.

There are countless stories about thriving nonprofits who rely solely on a large government grant each year. They do amazing work and help hundreds in their communities, but a shift in political leadership, for example, could lead to a cancellation of their grant. Programs can then shut down and the organization struggles to stay afloat.

As fundraisers, we are on the frontlines of securing resources to keep our causes alive.

Imagine Canada’s new research explores the most pressing and long term shifts in corporate social investment in Canada, encouraging Canadian companies to think differently about how they invest with and engage in their communities as they explore paths forward.

One in four. That’s the number of women in the fundraising profession who report they have been sexually harassed on the job. I’d like you to think about that in the context of your organization. 25% of the female fundraisers you work with have been subjected to “contacts, gestures, or behaviour of a sexual nature” that were unwanted or humiliating.

Ethics is the cornerstone of fundraising. Without it, the public simply wouldn’t give to charities, and the sector’s programs and services could never be provided. Ethics is the way charities demonstrate their commitment to accountability and transparency, and show the public they are worthy of its trust and confidence.