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WATERMARK MATTERS
Helping you raise more money, give with purpose and lead effectively.
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"Screw it, let's do it!"
Richard Branson
Don't hold back...donor-tingling fundraising,
awe-inspiring
governance
and catalytic philanthropy - let's do it!
Sharilyn
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Scotiabank Foundation (Jamaica) board members focus on impact
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CLIENT KUDOS
Watermark is pleased to be working with the Scotiabank Foundation in Jamaica,
a leading philanthropic presence in the region transforming the lives of children. Wayne Powell, Chair of the Scotiabank Foundation Board and Vice President & Head Retail Banking, English Caribbean for Scotiabank International Banking says:
"Sharilyn's thinking has been very clear, practical and relevant to the issues before us in the Foundation. Our work with her has left us energized and excited about the future of the Foundation, with confidence we will be poised to make a greater impact on our society."
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On April 2 Food For The Poor Inc. will be honoured in Toronto for transforming communities across the Caribbean and Latin America at a gala of the University
of the West Indies. Watermark congratulates Food For The Poor, one of North America's largest international aid and relief organizations, for ensuring children and their families have what they need to flourish.
Learn more here.
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FIVE signs your board may be in trouble
For readers in Canada, you would have had to be living under a rock early this year to have missed the dramatic events surrounding
Goodwill in Toronto, including the mass resignation of the board, locked-out employees, disaffiliation by the US-based umbrella body, and subsequent bankruptcy with a tab of $6 million CDN. The question asked from all corners of the community has been,
"where was the board?"
Nonprofit governance is serious business. We rely on boards to advance mission and safeguard community assets. The stakes are high, and when governance fails the implications are far-reaching. Here are 5 signs your board may be in trouble:
1. Your board does not operate within its bylaws.
2. Your board does not evaluate its' performance, nor that of the CEO.
3. No one on your board really understands the financials of the organization.
4. Your board does not understand main areas of risk for the organization.
5. Board meeting attendance is poor, and there's no board-building or
renewal process.
If you serve on a nonprofit board, please renew your commitment to governance excellence today. A BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer and a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, Sharilyn can help. Contact her for governance support from comprehensive assessments to training and coaching, as well as guidance to achieve the Imagine Canada accreditation for charities.
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What 'money messages' do you carry?
We all carry messages about money that inform our attitudes and behavior.
"Money is bad", "Greed is good", "People only like me for my money", "I'm afraid I won't have enough money".
It is important to reflect on the money messages we have internalized and the ways in which they inform, enhance or impede our work - whether as fundraisers seeking money for mission, or philanthropists giving money away.
Find out how
Watermark can support you, your family, board or fundraising team to explore your money messages and then harness or shape them to more effectively engage the philanthropic spirit.
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Sharilyn with Marcel Lauziere at Foundation House |
FOUNDATION HOUSE OPENS
IN TORONTO
Foundation House is the brainchild of The Lawson Foundation, The Counselling Foundation of Canada and Laidlaw Foundation, and a home they now share with seven other local and national organizations, providing a hub for philanthropic collaboration, learning and sharing.
A cheery and dynamic space for staff,
volunteers
and foundation family members, Foundation House also rolls out the welcome
mat to grantees, partners and other sector leaders,
encouraging
approachability,
collaboration and cross-pollination.
Lawson Foundation CEO Marcel Lauziere says, "Foundations often talk to their grantees of the need for better collaboration, for sharing of resources, for partnerships...all in the name of better outcomes and impact. We believe in this...and we want to walk the talk." Thanks Foundation House for setting such an
innovative example.
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Upcoming learning opportunities with
Sharilyn
Mission Possible: Improving the relationship between
hospital foundation
and operating boards
Sharilyn with Dina Palozzi
Tackling The Toughest Board Fundraising Issues
Diversity in Fundraising
Governance for Family Foundation Boards
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LET'S DO IT! Fifteen ways to practise the art of philanthropy
I'm grateful to friend and colleague Dr. Paul Pribbenow for drawing my attention to this list:
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1. You don't need to be rich to be a philanthropist.
2. Spread love - giving away money is not enough.
3. Seek out originality and imagination
4. Support unpopular truths.
5. Fund players with a long view.
6. Look out of the loop and under the radar.
7. Be effective and cost-effective.
8. Fund passion.
(William Wimsatt, "No More Prisons", Soft Skull, 1999).
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9. Invest in self-help.
10. Attack root causes.
11. Fund doers, not grant writers.
12. Foster combinationism.
13. Go for net gains.
14. Pay operating expenses.
15. Trust what inspires you.
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Invite Sharilyn to help you raise more money, give with purpose, and lead effectively.
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