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2025 Outlook for family philanthropy & foundations
Happy New Year wishes from Watermark! We look forward to supporting you in your giving journey in 2025. A new year always brings anticipation about what lays ahead. We don't have a crystal ball but here are some insights, trends and predictions for philanthropy and foundations spanning North America and the UK.
Sharilyn's recent op-ed in the Globe and Mail - Foundations in Canada: Anchors for Generosity and Stewardship - offers some insights from research released from Philanthropic Foundations Canada. Canadians are using foundations more intentionally than ever, considering the utility of existing in perpetuity, and looking how to better align their investment strategies with their values. Foundations have enormous opportunities for positive action this coming year, including greater capacity to support non-qualified donees.
The 2025 Trends Report on Family Foundations from the National Centre for Family Philanthropy shows more foundations are limiting their lifespans, increasing disbursements, and centering grantee needs and feedback in their decision making. At the same time, strategies to engage younger family members have declined, operating grants are less common, and impact investing has dropped. This next year, US foundations expect significant gains in assets, anticipate hiring more staff, and plan to increase their grants.
And, the 2025 Philanthropy & Civil Society Trends and Predictions podcast from the UK takes a wide ranging look on everything from nextgen philanthropy, the continued growth of donor advised funds, philanthropy and increasing populism, the role of AI, and continued debates about tax relief for charitable giving.
Unsure about the potential for your philanthropy in 2025? Learn more about our approach to helping you achieve your goals for community and family.
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$405 million in Canadian leadership on climate action
The climate crisis. Nine generous families. $405 million. An extraordinary act of leadership by Canadian philanthropists committed to unleashing Canada's progress on climate change. Spearheading the Climate Champions initiative, the Clean Economy Fund has determined only 0.9% of philanthropy in Canada is directed to climate initiatives, well below the global average of 1.6%. This has driven their ambitious goal to triple climate philanthropy in the country.
The recent $405 million commitment by nine families and foundations is a significant move. Congratulations to the Trottier Family Foundation, the Ivey Foundation, the Peter Gilgan Foundation, Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, David Keith & Kirsten Anderson, the Sitka Foundation, the Vohra Miller Foundation, and Allan Shiff.
Check out this CBC interview on this climate commitment with leaders Bruce Lourie of the Ivey Foundation and Syvlie Trottier of the Trottier Family Foundation.
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Power your Board with Watermark in 2025
Governance counsel for foundations, families, and charities has always been core to Watermark offerings. And now, it is even easier to benefit from what good governance makes possible - for you, your mission, and your communities.
PowerBoard is Watermark's platform to serve your governance needs, challenges, and opportunities - today and as you plan for the future. Role confusion, transition, disengagement, or transformation, we can help with our:
Board Kickstart - Board Check-up - Board Builder - Board Wizard.
Governance is not always simple. Watermark has what you need for the governance you want. Let's talk.
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Don't let psychological barriers hold you back in 2025
Getting started with—and scaling up—philanthropic giving is hard. Overcoming Psychological Barriers to Giving suggests that giving triggers psychological barriers that can have a big impact. Even the most enthusiastic and driven donors often become overwhelmed and anxious, causing them to put off, stall, or curtail their efforts, which in turn hinders impact and strips the joy out of their philanthropy. Why are so many otherwise accomplished individuals and families stuck?
The report highlights 10 common barriers, and includes a diagnostic workbook to help you identify the barriers that may be holding your giving back. Drawing on strategies from psychology and behavioural economics, it offers practical suggestions and options to overcome any barriers so you can create the kind of change you want to see in the world.
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Advance your learning in 2025
Do you to want to deepen your knowledge of philanthropy and leadership in the social profit sector? Has going back to school been a personal or professional goal? Carleton University's Masters in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (MPNL) program - the only one of its kind in Canada - might be worth exploring as a transformational next step.
The program was launched in 2013 to offer advanced philanthropy and social impact education in Canada and help to deepen sector leadership capacity and research. Led by globally respected scholar Dr. Susan Phillips, Sharilyn teaches Governance & Leadership in the program, where she has also established the Simone Joyaux Memorial Award in memory of her mentor and friend.
A competitive program now in its 12th year, the application deadline for the next MPNL cohort of 30 students is January 15, 2025. Learn more.
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YOUR PHILANTHROPY MATTERS.
Strategy - Family Engagement - Governance
Serving leading philanthropists, generous families, and social purpose organizations, across North America and the Caribbean, Watermark helps those who give, give well, engage their families, and channel their wealth and influence for good.
Contact Dr. Sharilyn Hale for a confidential exploration of your needs.
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