AFP Foundation Receives Grant to Continue Fellowship Program

December 12, 2017

The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada is pleased to announce it has received a grant of $96,160 from the Minister of Canadian Heritage under its Multiculturalism Program to expand the Fellowship in Inclusion and Philanthropy Program across Canada in 2018.

The Fellowship in Inclusion and Philanthropy is a one-year program targeting under-represented groups in the fundraising profession.  The program will train diverse fundraisers from across Canada to promote intercultural understanding of diverse philanthropic practices to increase engagement with the communities they serve.

Roger Ali, CFRE, Chair of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada shared that, “This grant will allow the Foundation to expand our successful Fellowship program which began in Ontario with 61 Fellows graduating over two years, into a national program for all of Canada.”

The one-year Program includes:

• Education in ethical fundraising and specialized training in diversity and inclusion through conferences/courses and webinars
• One-on-one mentorship with a seasoned fundraising/non-profit/diversity executive
• Fellow and Alumni networking based on collaborative learning in-person and online

More information about how to apply for the Fellowship will be forthcoming in the near future.

“The Foundation has made diversity and inclusion a strategic priority and this grant will provide important resources to make that happen,” said Mike Geiger, president and CEO of AFP. “The Fellowship was such a fantastic program, and to be able to offer it across the country is critical for the future of our profession.”

There has been growing concern within the sector that fundraising and organizational leadership needs greater diversity and is lacking inclusive leadership.  Enhancing diversity better reflects the demographic and ethno-centric composition of Canada, especially those who voluntarily support and/or receive service from Canada’s charitable organizations and nonprofits.  It also expands best practices in inclusion training, allows career paths to be strategically developed for people from a wide-range of backgrounds, and increases intercultural understanding and awareness of the benefits of diversity for the social, economic and civic life in Canada.

The Fellows will represent ethno-cultural, racial, religious and immigrant groups, aboriginal peoples, women, youth, people with disabilities, francophone and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ2) populations. These fellows will be poised to become the sector’s future leaders and thereby help to disseminate their knowledge and practices across local communities.

For more information about the Fellowship in Inclusion and Philanthropy program go to www.afpinclusivegiving.ca