Eliminating hunger and poverty. Curing diseases. Building a just society. These are just some of the big, audacious goals that charities are trying to tackle within Canada and around the world.

Until recently, conglomerates and tangled, opaque corporate webs were not words commonly used to describe charities. The WE Charity scandal has raised new questions about complex corporate structures and opacity in the charitable sector.

The Multicultural and Newcomer Charitable Giving Study -- one of the first in Canada to explore the influence of ethnicity on supporting charities -- offers a glimpse into the enormous giving potential that resides with newcomers to Canada and second-generation Canadians. 

The funding landscape for the sector is becoming more precarious while demand for the services of these organizations grow. In the context of an increasingly precarious funding environment, social finance emerges as a source of capital that could allow charities to diversify their revenue and become more resilient. 

Experienced nonprofit professionals are likely very familiar with various grant systems and programs. However, for those entering the sector, or even trying out a new role, it can feel very overwhelming and confusing. So let’s break it down: What exactly are grants and how do we find them?

In fundraising, there are generally two camps: 1) Organizations that have hired fundraisers, and 2) Organizations that do fundraising off the side of their desks. Camp 2 is generally executive directors, admin staff, or programming staff who squeeze in time for fundraising while focusing on program delivery, management, and advocacy, among other duties.