Charity Leaders on Professional Development Priorities

Power To Give Annual Charity Partner Survey 2024

Here are the top ten skillsets our charity partners want to focus on in the coming year, as they work to grow as leaders and build sustainable social impact organizations.

  • Effective Communication Skills
    • Communicating clearly and impactfully in various environments (Board, stakeholders, community, teams) and simplifying ideas in informal settings.
  • Fundraising & Securing Resources
    • Enhancing the ability to ask for and secure funding, strengthen donor relationships, and make larger asks.
  • Conflict Management & Difficult Conversations
    • Managing conflicts and having difficult conversations, especially about performance and differing values.
  • Strategic Planning & Visioning
    • Developing confidence in strategic planning, aligning teams around a shared vision, and improving long-term decision-making.
  • Leadership & Team Development
    • Empowering and motivating teams, fostering ownership, and growing leadership potential within the organization.
  • Negotiation Skills
    • Improving negotiation skills for partnerships, collaboration, and advocating for shared goals.
  • Governance & Board Dynamics
    • Strengthening governance skills to guide high-performing boards and facilitate effective board participation.
  • Emotional Intelligence & Adaptability
    • Building emotional intelligence to connect with teams and stakeholders, and adapting to complex situations.
  • Time & Priority Management
    • Enhancing time management skills, setting realistic expectations, and balancing priorities effectively.
  • Cross-Cultural Communication & Competency
    • Fostering cultural competency and strengthening communication skills in diverse, cross-cultural settings.

Charity Leaders on the Top Challenges of 2024

Power To Give Annual Charity Partner Survey 2024

The top ten challenges managed by our charity leaders last year make it clear that our friend Dan Pallotta is correct: charities face the same challenges as for-profit businesses (with more strings attached).

  • Funding Constraints
    • Limited funding hinders growth, program delivery, and the ability to meet rising demand.
  • Staffing Shortages and Turnover
    • High turnover and difficulty recruiting skilled staff affect program effectiveness and stability.
  • Capacity Limitations
    • Limited resources and staff prevent organizations from scaling or delivering services effectively.
  • Sustainability of Funding
    • Dependence on short-term funding makes long-term planning and growth uncertain.
  • Community Engagement and Partnership Challenges
    • Building strong, lasting partnerships is difficult due to capacity issues, leadership changes, and differing priorities.
  • Inadequate Infrastructure and Space
    • Lack of facilities or infrastructure to support projects delays progress and reduces impact.
  • Leadership Transitions and Succession Planning
    • Leadership changes create instability and disrupt long-term goals and strategies.
  • Program Scalability and Delivery Limitations
    • Resource constraints limit the ability to scale or deliver programs, particularly in-person.
  • Cultural and Political Barriers
    • Cultural or political challenges can impede program success, especially in marginalized communities.
  • Evaluation and Impact Measurement
    • Lack of evaluation capacity prevents organizations from measuring and demonstrating long-term impact.

Charity Leaders on Key Risks They’re Watching for 2025

Power to Give Annual Charity Partner Survey 2024

Being a strong leader means looking ahead, planning for success and anticipating where the road bumps will be. Here are the top ten risks our charity partners are planning for now.

  • Lack of Funding and Resources
    • Insufficient or flucuating financial support limits program deliver, staff retention, and operations.
  • Staffing Challenges
    • Shortage of qualified staff, high turnover, and burnout can reduce program quality and stability.
  • Sustainability of Funding
    • Over-reliance on short-term funding risks long-term program sustainability.
  • Community Engagement and Participation
    • Low participation or engagement from target communities can undermine program effectiveness.
  • Staff Morale and Burnout
    • Low morale and emotional exhaustion, especially in high-stress roles, can lead to high turnover and reduced productivity.
  • Operational and Logistical Disruptions
    • Unexpected disruptions (e.g., facility issues, construction delays) can hinder program execution.
  • Capacity Limitations
    • Lack of resources or infrastructure to scale programs can result in overextension and declining quality.
  • Leadership and Succession Planning
    • Changes in leadership or lack of succession planning can destabilize operations and strategic direction.
  • Economic and External Factors
    • Economic downturns or political shifts can impact funding, priorities, and long-term viability.
  • Cultural Barriers and Inclusion
    • Failing to address cultural sensitivities can damage trust and limit program participation, especially in marginalized communities.

Board Sense – Top Ten Tips From Irfhan Rawji

Imagine having a boss where the only thing you ever hear is constructive criticism

Our gratitude to Irfhan Rawji for stopping by to chat with our charity partners about board governance and some pf the not-so-obvious but still very important things to know.

It was a fun session. Here’s a “Top Ten List” of insights we heard:

  1. The most forgotten board role: motivating the staff to do great work.
  2. The CEO and board chair relationship needs to have trust “at marriage level”.
  3. Always have a vice chair and a succession plan for the chair.
  4. If a director isn’t showing up, “celebrate them out”. “Thank you for your service, is this still something that excites you? Let’s relieve you of the burden.”
  5. The #1 fail with directors comes from a positive place: they’re trying to help. So tell them how to be helpful.
  6. The board must be diverse so the staff team can be diverse: DEI is fundamental, essential, and starts at the top.
  7. If members vote your board in, make very sure those members are very informed and engaged. It must be easy for them to do the work: they must have the information.
  8. Focus on brevity and clarity in all your board materials. Make it easy to be engaged.
  9. A board size of 8-12 is ideal to get all the skills you need. Minimum size is 3.
  10. All board members need to be donors. If they don’t believe enough to give, why would they expect anyone else to? ($1000 annually minimum)

About Irfhan

An experienced Board Director and Chair, Irfhan is a powerhouse leader, advisor, entrepreneur and visionary. As Managing Partner with Relay Ventures he manages US$700MM in venture capital assets. As Managing Partner with Realize Capital Partners he manages $135MM in social finance funds from the Government of Canada.

Measuring Impact: 8 Words and a Counterfactual

When Kevin Starr, CEO of the Mulago Foundation, generously agreed to join our Give’r team for a conversation about measuring impact, we knew he would fire us up.   

Like Power to Give, Mulago provides unrestricted funding to about 60 charitable organizations they believe can make a big impact. They also go “beyond the cheque” to welcome charity leaders into a fellowship program that teaches them about designing for impact, strategizing for scale, how to build a good organization, and how to fundraise. 

Keving defines impact as an observable, material difference in the world attributable to your efforts. 

He’s the first to admit that measuring impact is tough, but Mulago’s cardinal rule is they don’t fund any organization that does not measure impact.  

“If they don’t know what they’ve accomplished, we can’t either. Without measurement, organizations can struggle to be accountable to their beneficiaries and won’t have the information they need to get even better at what they do.” 

Mulago recognizes that early-stage organizations are just beginning to figure out their key metrics and how to collect them. As funders, they’re looking for a progression that shows increased rigor over time. And they work closely with their beneficiaries throughout the process. 

Kevin talked about the vital distinction between activities and the results of activities (impacts).   

Examples of impacts: better nutrition, healthy fisheries, improved literacy 

Examples of activities: people reached, workshops, engagement 

The team at Mulago have identified four principles that they believe enable an organization to really understand measuring impact and to think about impact better.   

  1. Know what you’re trying to accomplish   
  1. Measure the right thing 
  1. Show that change happened 
  1. Make sure that it was you 

Knowing what you’re trying to accomplish is your mission statement, and Mulago uses a model they call the eight-word mission statement:  a noun, a verb, a target population, an outcome. 

That simple, clear mission can lead a charity directly to the one main thing it needs to measure. 

The next step is to get a baseline for that measure, and keep measuring so you can show how change is happening against the baseline.  That takes time – and a big enough sample size. 

Number 4 is the toughest: how do you make sure that it was your organization that drove the change? Kevin calls this the “counterfactual.”  What would have happened if your organization wasn’t there doing the work, compared to what did happen? 

To see – and hear – some examples of this work we hope you’ll find 12 minutes to watch and listen to the presentation, which is posted here. 

Our sincere gratitude to Kevin and Alex from Mulago, and to our Give’r team, for participating in this important conversation about measuring impact.

NHL Star Tyson Barrie and Power to Give will Host Special Benefit Concert on August 3 in Victoria to Raise $400,000 for Local Children’s Sports Programs

Victoria, BC (July 29, 2024) – NHL star Tyson Barrie has teamed up with venture philanthropy foundation, Power to Give, and is returning to his hometown, Victoria, on August 3to host Tyson Barrie and Friends. This intimate benefit concert hosted on a private oceanfront estate in the Saanich neighbourhood, will feature legendary artists Wesley Schultz, Dallas Green, Nathaniel Rateliff and special guest Sarah McLachlan.  In addition, top local chefs, breweries and mixologists will offer up exclusive gastronomic delights.

The evening is poised to raise $400,000 to support local children’s sports-focused programs.

“This night bridges two areas that I’m deeply passionate about – music, and helping children and youth discover a love of sport,” said Tyson Barrie, star Canadian NHL defenseman. “We will be supporting five local charities who are all dedicated to helping children and youth discover their inner strength, confidence and resilience, through the power of playing sports.”

The local organizations benefiting from this one-of-a-kind concert include: First Tee British Columbia, KidsSport – Greater Victoria, Sport for Life, Victoria City Police Athletic Association (VCPAA), and Washington Kids Foundation – Victoria, BC.

To start off the evening, Schultz, Green and Rateliff will each play acoustic solo sets, and they will close out the concert by performing together for the first time ever.  Schultz is the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Grammy-nominated folk rock band, The Lumineers, and is also known for being one of the composers of the Hunger Games song “The Hanging Tree”.  Three-time JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter and record producer, Green also known as City and Colour, has played to stadium crowds with Rateliff and his backup band, The Night Sweats.  Rateliff was also dubbed by the New York Times as a local folk-pop hero. Guest Sarah McLachlan will perform a special set and join Schultz, Green and Rateliff for the finale.

“This is truly a rare, personal musical experience, where people can come together to do some good for local kids and enjoy an incredible evening with extraordinarily talented musicians,” noted Tim Cormode, CEO, Power to Give. “Top chefs and mixologists provide the all-inclusive culinary experience so guests can simply take in the breathtaking ocean view and enjoy all that this special night has to offer.”

Only 225 Tyson Barrie and Friends tickets are available at $2,500 per person, and every ticket holder will receive a charitable tax receipt for $2,000. Tickets can be purchased online at: https://can.givergy.com/tysonbarrieandfriends.  The location of the private estate, generously donated by friends of Power to Give, will be shared with ticket holders prior to the concert date.

The evening’s programming will begin at 6 p.m. and run through to 11 p.m. Prior to the musical performances, guests will be able to wander through the estate’s spectacular oceanside lawn and manicured gardens while sampling unique cocktails and an irresistible array of treats designed to tease the tastebuds.

The evening’s culinary maestros will include:

  • Celebrity chef Errin Massolin and champion of regional cuisine from Western Canada, Matthew Batey from Teatro Group, based in Calgary
  • Alessandro Vianello from Vianello Hospitality in Vancouver who honed his culinary skills all over the world and is revered for his Italian heritage-inspired food mastered in Tuscany
  • Matias Sallaberry of South Fire by Zambri’s in Victoria, who has worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants, and is known for his South American cuisine and cooking with fire
  • JP Green, of Truffles Catering in Victoria, who perfected his craft in his grandfather’s bakery in a small village in France. Green is also a strong advocate for sustainable food practices
  • Jess “The Mullusk Man” Taylor, of Shuck Taylor’s, known as Victoria’s premier destination for the finest oysters, crab, wild shrimp and lobster
  • Jayce Kadyshuck, of Marilena Café and Raw Bar, a leading mixologist who was described as the base camp of Victoria’s cocktail culture. He is well known for his off-the-cuff cocktails, and will undoubtedly be serving up some magical concoctions at this benefit concert

This is the second time that Tyson Barrie and Power to Give have partnered to give back.  In 2022, they hosted a similar intimate, acoustic charity concert on the island, which raised $750,000 for five local charities supporting youth mental health.

“Our heartfelt gratitude goes to Tyson, Wesley, Dallas, Nathaniel, Sarah and to all of the incredibly talented chefs and mixologists who are contributing their valuable time and talents to bringing this special magic back to Victoria,” said Cormode. “I would also like to thank all of our esteemed guests in advance – their generosity will be making a difference for children and youth at a foundational level for decades to come.”

About Power to Give: Established in 2016, Power to Give is a boutique venture philanthropy foundation that invests funds into social purpose organizations. Today, it is one of the most active grassroots foundations in Canada.  Power to Give is dedicated to amplifying impact through a refreshed philanthropic approach, one that brings together impact investors and social purpose leaders, and focuses on convening, curating, and connecting inspirational ideas that can change the world.  For more information, please visit: www.powertogive.ca.

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Media requiring further information or interviews, please contact:

Martine Levy
Martine.levy@ederyandlord.com 

Partner
Edery & Lord Communications

FACT SHEET

Charities Receiving Funds from the Tyson Barrie and Friends Benefit Concert

On August 3 at a private oceanfront estate in Victoria’s Saanich neighbourhood, NHL star, Tyson Barrie and venture philanthropy foundation, Power to Give are hosting, Tyler Barrie and Friends – a powerful, intimate concert featuring legendary artists Wesley Schultz, Dallas Green, and Nathaniel Rateliff and special guest Sarah McLachlan.

Tickets are available online now for $2,500 each (with a charitable tax receipt for $2,000). All net proceeds will be donated to five local charities supporting children and youth sports programs. This unique benefit concert is aiming to raise $400,000.

The five organizations that will receive funding from this concert are:

  1. First Tee British Columbia – This not-for-profit builds game changers by empowering kids and teens through the game of golf. Its youth program has been developed by Golf Canada. Through in-school and after school programs, First Tee reinforces values like integrity, respect, and perseverance and focuses on character development.
  • KidsSport, Greater Victoria – This organization envisions a country where all children can participate in sport, where costs are no longer a barrier – because no child should be excluded and relegated to watching from the sidelines. KidSport provides grants to help cover registration fees so kids aged 18 and younger, can play a full season of sport, helping them build a sense of belonging and confidence, while unleashing their potential.
  • Sport for Life – Sport for Life thinks globally and acts locally, delivering quality sport and physical literacy programming within communities. Sport for Life is a knowledge-based organization that works with governments, institutions, schools and sports organizations to improve programs and services that can benefit everyone, not just high achievers in sports.
  • Victoria City Police Athletic Association (VCPAA) – This non-profit society supports events in the community to foster positive relationships between police and youth in Greater Victoria and South Island. In addition to officers volunteering hours towards local initiatives, the VCPAA donates funds for annual youth golf and basketball tournaments, and sponsors numerous community athletic teams.
  • Washington Kids Foundation | Victoria, BC – This foundation partners with school districts on the island to support youth via tailored programming. Funds raised will benefit programs that promote fitness, training and nutrition, to help youth improve their overall physical and mental well-being, while improving motor skills, flexibility, strength-building, and team participation skills.

Together we can do more.

Relive that magical summer evening, when the Lumineers (joined by Sarah McLachlan) gifted us with an intimate concert in support of five charities. We are so grateful to Tyson Barrie and his friends, the Lumineers, for making this evening possible.

Charity Concert Featuring the Lumineers Raises $750,000 for Power To Give Charities

Lumineers photo credit Erica Chan

Hometown NHL legend Tyson Barrie brought the idea of a charity concert to Power To Give and what an incredible event resulted. Supporting five charities focusing on youth mental health, the concert featured top touring band the Lumineers and local band Ocie Elliott. The 325 guests were treated to intimate performances accompanied by incredible food and drink. Celebrity chef Bruce Kalman created a sumptuous menu, and finely crafted cocktails, beer and wine rounded out the selections.

We are so grateful to our generous hosts the Johnston family for opening their home, to the Lumineers and Ocie Elliott, to everyone who made the evening possible and most of all, to all the guests who came out to support youth mental health.

Enjoy these images of the evening.

Tyson Barrie and Friends: Give Back Tour

On July 18, Tyson Barrie gathered 325 friends together for a charity concert and the next day kicked off a tour of remote communities connecting NHL players with local kids.

The concert, featuring top touring band The Lumineers and local band Ocie Elliott, raised $750,000 for five charities focused on supporting youth mental health:

Foundry

Power To Be

The Erika Legacy Foundation

Washington Kids Foundation

Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island

Power To Give was honoured to provide support for this event. Read more here.

Kunsoot Wellness Centre Now Operating

Qqs Project Society’s vision for its community’s new Kunsoot Wellness Centre, a $2-million-plus health and wellness project funded in large part by Power to Give, is now in operation.

The vision for the Kunsoot Wellness Centre is an inclusive, accessible, and safe space for land-based healing and learning. It is purpose-built to promote Heiltsuk wellness. In the face of trauma and crisis, it is a beacon of resilience. Its aim is to draw out the individual and collective strength of our people in an environment of comfort and support – steeped in culture and surrounded by nature. 

Kunsoot Wellness Centre from Qqs Projects on Vimeo.