PFC News Remarks by Board Chair and President & CEO at PFC Annual General Meeting 2024 PFC/FPC PFC News 5 mins read Jun 26, 2024 News & Insights PFC News Remarks by Board Chair and President & CEO at PFC Annual General Meeting 2024 Delivered in Calgary, in-person and via videoconference, on Monday, June 17, 2024 at around 10 AM MT (local time) Remarks by Simon Mallett, Chair of the Board of Philanthropic Foundations Canada * Paragraphs with asterisks were spoken in French Welcome everyone to PFC’s 2024 Annual General Meeting. My name is Simon Mallett, and I am PFC’s Board Chair, and Executive Director of the Rozsa Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Calgary that supports and advocates for the Arts in Alberta. In Alberta, and across Canada, the growing complexity and polarization in our world today continues to challenge all of us. Economic and political uncertainty, labour and volunteer shortages, and the growing need for adapted resources and programs continue to put pressure on our sector and our partners, and to place greater demands on our work. * Yet, I have seen firsthand that as a network – as a community of grantmakers and responsible investors – we have continued to step up, working together, collaborating, and supporting each other and our partners like never before. While our world seems darker and more fragile, we are taking an active role in in supporting Canadian philanthropy to help shape a future we want to see. Together, we have stewarded historic regulatory changes and novel pathways for increased equity; we have facilitated impactful learning platforms for greater philanthropic collaboration, around climate change; and we have continued to strengthen the sector’s capacity around JEDI, best grantmaking practices, and investment strategies. * These ambitious goals have produced meaningful results and, thanks to the strength and dedication of our members and partners, we have been able to work together and engage with our network in a spirit of transformation to make even greater progress. As our current plan approaches completion, we have already been thinking about the future of PFC, and the direction we will collectively be stewarding with the philanthropic sector. Indeed, 80% of our members have participated in our strategic direction consultation process over the past year, to help shape the next iteration of our strategy (which will be released later this year). I would like to thank the talented and dedicated PFC staff team, who move us closer to our objectives each day. They work tirelessly to serve our mission, our members, and to support our collective mission to support the philanthropic sector in their work to advance the common good. On behalf of the entire board, and PFC’s membership, I want to recognize and thank our current staff: Abra, Andre, Aviv, Benoit, Bruce, Erin, Jean-Marc, Krista, Michele, Neila, and Sara. * I would now like to invite Jean-Marc to share a few more highlights from 2023. Remarks by Jean-Marc Mangin, President & CEO of Philanthropic Foundations Canada * Thank you, Simon, for your remarks. * I would like to take a few minutes to share with you my thoughts on the past year within PFC and the philanthropic sector in general. The profound challenges we face as a sector show little sign of abating. The climate crisis is worsening at an unprecedented rate. Wealth inequity and the affordability crisis continue to plague communities from coast to coast to coast. Violence and polarization are on the rise throughout Canada and worldwide. But this time of polycrises and uncertainty also opens windows of opportunity that can lead to transformed lives if we respond promptly and boldly. In many ways, our network is already stepping up. Continuous learning, change and incredible efforts are underway across our sector. Many are hearing the call to engage and fund all of Canada diverse communities, notably indigenous and black led initiatives, rethinking how to align their resources to better meet evolving needs and achieving meaningful results. We know that the world is changing, and that our approaches must change too. * Through ongoing evidence-based learning, dedication and humility, PFC members aim to have meaningful impact in serving the common good. I am proud of the results of our team in supporting our growing network and strengthening our collective impact. 2023 saw the implementation of historic public policy changes, including the first year of the new disbursement quota, and direct grants to non-qualified donees. We published numerous resources to better serve evolving sector needs – from supporting journalism to responsible Investing, We highlighted many of the initiatives supported by PFC members across the country. This collective tapestry provides a uniquely Canadian narrative of philanthropy. In addition, we recently published our inaugural Landscape Report, which represents the start of a new, substantial research agenda for PFC dedicated to the people and practices of foundation philanthropy in Canada. * In recent weeks, we have launched a process of dialogue to better understand and respond to the tragic events in Israel and the Occupied Territories and their impact on Canadian philanthropy and society. * We also welcomed many new members from across the country into our network. I encourage you to learn more about your network’s results by reading our annual report on our website. We are feeling energized to continue this momentum, which will be embodied in our upcoming national conference in Ottawa this September to celebrate PFC’s 25th anniversary, and which we expect will be our largest gathering ever. * We look forward to sharing with our members our next strategic directions. * But please continue to ask your questions. Tell us what is working for you, where you think we should be heading. Your engagement, energy, and spirit are the heart of PFC’s work and our ability to achieve our mission. Share This Article Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email