Welcome to 1601 - Imagine Canada's podcast about the country's charitable and nonprofit sector. In our first episode, we speak to Green Party leader Elizabeth May and discuss the environment that charities and nonprofits operate in.

A 2013 Muttart Foundation survey revealed that nearly three-quarters of Canadians believe that charities spend too much on salaries and administration.

With October fast approaching, we sat down with Bill Schaper, Imagine Canada’s director of public policy, about how the upcoming election could affect fundraisers in the nonprofit sector.

This is an exciting moment in our democracy. October 2019 marks the first federal election since changes to the Income Tax Act removed the restrictions that charities have long faced in advocating for public policies that support their causes.

Accountability is paramount to nonprofit leaders and good practice supports this, regardless of the size of the organization.

Melanie Riley has over 20 years’ experience working in fundraising and currently works as the Development Manager at YMCA of Southwestern Ontario.