The East Coast of Canada is a small but very formidable fundraising community. The aphorism, “a rising tide lifts all boats” is often used to describe the importance of community care. Atlantic Canadians take pride in taking care of one another.

However, over the last three years the fundraising sector has had a wake-up call. The legacy of colonialism in Canada was front and centre with the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the site of an Indigenous Residential School. In 2021, the Foundation for Black Communities released the Unfunded Report which noted that for every $100 donated in Canada, less than 7 cents are given to Black-led charities. The rising tide was clearly not lifting all boats.

In 2022, Sargasso Philanthropic CIC, in collaboration with AFP Nova Scotia’s education and IDEA committee, made a commitment to host AFP Fundamentals of Fundraising and provide 10 spots for candidates from the Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQAI+, and disabled individuals. Sargasso’s team made a concerted effort to reach out to the local African Nova Scotian network to ensure that they were aware of this opportunity. The response from community was tremendous with all 10 spots filling up within one day with an extensive waiting list for spots.

The AFP NS Scholarship Committee is delighted to share news that Daphne Carter is the successful recipient of the Chamberlain Scholarship!  This scholarship funds the registration cost of AFP ICON, the world’s No. 1 fundraising conference, which this year is taking place April 16-18, 2023 in New Orleans, LA. 

Daphne is a professional fundraiser who has served the sector for over two decades.  She was a founding charter member of AFP Nova Scotia in 2004 and has been giving back to our chapter ever since. 

Congratulations Daphne! 

LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER - LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

We hope to see you at our upcoming Fall Networking Social on November 24, 2022, we’ve partnered with Glenn Stewardson at the Donor Motivation Program, CAGP Nova Scotia and RCR Hospitality Group to offer an evening of connection over a beverage and tasty snacks. This event is open to everyone and we encourage all AFP and CAGP members to bring a non-member with them as their guest. As a special bonus we will also have the opportunity to tour the venue and learn about opportunities to host your own events in the space. Tickets are $10 and selling fast!

Storytelling has become a very popular item amongst fundraisers lately. But, why all the fuss? Does storytelling really work? Does it persuade donors and prospects to give? And if so, how do you actually go about telling a great story?

Fraser Green has your answers. In a jam-packed session, Fraser will show you why stories are so powerful and what happens to your audience once you’ve told them a great story. Fraser has also created his own simple 7-step recipe for creating a story outline that will increase your storytelling success.

Fraser promises that this session will give you both a fundamental understanding of storytelling technique and the confidence to become your organization’s best storyteller!

2023 Maritime Fundraising Conference

Plans are underway and we want to hear from you. Interested in shaping this year’s conference? Let us know, there are volunteer opportunities available including: 

• Co-Chair Positions
• Committee Roles: Communications, Education, Logistics, IDEA, Young Professionals, Professional Awards, Sponsorship

If you are interested in getting involved please contact dcarter@pier21.ca or whitney.maclean@nscc.ca.

As the fundraising sector continues to reflect on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access, it’s an important time to talk about disability and accessibility in fundraising. This webinar will focus on helping us understand how disability is tied to the origins of fundraising, language and ableism, hiring and internal accessibility, creating accessible events and digital accessibility. In addition to the webinar, you will have access to a toolkit to help you navigate creating a more accessible and inclusive fundraising plan.

In honour of National Philanthropy Day, AFP is offering a $50 discount to new members joining in the Professional and Associate categories by November 30, 2022. Fill out the membership invitation as usual, but deduct $50 from the total and include the coupon. Memberships are on-par with Canadian dollars.

Offer expires November 30, 2022.

Grant Thornton is offering a series of webinars specifically for our sector.

• Strategic Execution – Nov 22th 1pm AST
• Culture and Connection – Dec 13th 1pm AST
• Information Technology Transformation – Jan 17th 1pm AST

Scholarship applications for AFP ICON 2023, April 16-18 in New Orleans are now open!

Sponsored by the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy U.S., the AFP Diverse Communities Scholarship is for fundraisers who identify as a member of one or more marginalized communities . This scholarship covers the full cost of registration plus a US$800 travel stipend to attend AFP ICON.

Applications are due by December 1.

Located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq, Mount Saint Vincent University offers exceptional academic programs across Arts, Science, Education and Professional Studies, underpinned by a commitment to an equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible community. A centre for both outstanding teaching and research, researchers at MSVU are improving lives across the lifespan – from early childhood to older adulthood. We are well-known for our leading legacy in the advancement of women and our commitment to social justice. msvu.ca 

MSVU prioritizes equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) and we encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Peoples of African descent, members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ1A+ individuals.

At this time, we are seeking members with expertise in government relations, risk management, EDIA, financial and investment management, governance, and philanthropy, as well as individuals with legal expertise.