Introducing the Canada Gives Crisis Response web page
The crisis in Ukraine prompted Canada Gives Foundation families to step up and take action to help those affected by the war. Their desire to make a difference gained momentum almost from the minute that headlines began detailing heavy shelling and troop movements across the country. As committed philanthropists with charitable assets already available in their Foundation accounts (Donor Advised Funds), they were able to respond with grant funding to Canadian registered charities working in Ukraine.
In response to requests for more information on which charities were most effective during the crisis, as well as later, our Client Services team began working to help them be as strategic with their charitable giving as possible. That meant conducting research on the charitable organizations that were not only active in Ukraine, but were making a clear and focused impact in the region. As such, we narrowed a list to between 10 and 12 registered charities that were delivering relief across the region. Our donor clients continue to support these organizations, just as they closely monitor developments on the ground and send grant funding from their Foundation accounts accordingly.
That extraordinary level of philanthropic engagement was not a surprise. From hurricanes to humanitarian crises, our Foundation account holders have long been committed to lending their support when emergency situations arise—with the Ukraine conflict being one of the most acute and devastating man-made crises in recent memory. The highly-engaged and active response on the part of our donor clients sparked an idea amongst our Client Services team: What if we created a dedicated page on the Canada Gives website that helped our Foundation families understand some of their granting options in a crisis situation like the current one in Ukraine?
As such, we’re pleased to debut the Canada Gives Crisis Response page. Think of it as a source of information about breaking domestic or global emergencies, along with background details and reports on the Canadian registered charities working to support individuals in affected areas. While Canada Gives does not promote the work of any one charity specifically—whether in crisis situations or in relation to our Foundation account holders’ ongoing philanthropy—we do help vet prospective grant recipients on their behalf. It’s part of our turnkey, concierge service experience and just one additional way that we help philanthropists maintain a focus on giving back, leaving the research and administrative work to our team to handle.
Our donor clients can also use the Crisis Response page to learn more about these situations as they occur. We’re committed to providing updated information so they can effectively target their grant requests in alignment with their personal values and giving objectives. In most cases, our Client Services team will post the names of—and reports on—several charities to help our donor clients target their generosity in response to emergency situations. Reports include valuable insights such as a charity’s mission statement, its ongoing programs and initiatives beyond those designed to support the crisis situation at hand, along with its most recent financial statements including revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities. The goal is to empower our philanthropists with up-to-date information as they work to make meaningful giving decisions.
Perhaps most importantly, we want to ensure that as much funding as possible is streamed to groups of individuals that require immediate support. It’s a key objective of our organization and yet another way that we can enhance the experience and joy of philanthropy for our donor clients. So, stay tuned for more information and insights as emergency situations emerge—hopefully infrequently—along with the kind of bespoke service that has become a Canada Gives hallmark.
Because no matter the crisis, we know that our Foundation families will be as eager and determined as ever to come together, lend a hand and work to change lives for the better.
The Canada Gives Team
