Summer 2009

Welcome to the Summer edition of CEGN Issues and Updates. This issue's feature interview is with Betsy Martin of Community Foundations Canada. Information on new resources, upcoming events, organizational activities and news from fellow members --- all of which may be of benefit to your work as an environmental grantmaker --- is also provided.

Please continue to forward any organizational updates to share with fellow members in the CEGN Member News section. The contact information is as follows: 416-961-1273 or pegi_dover@cegn.org. The newsletter is produced 10 times a year and the next issue will be in September. Best wishes for a fine summer to all!

Please click on the following links to jump down to the appropriate section:

Focus on The Lake Winnipeg Watershed Initiative --- An Interview with Betsy Martin
CEGN Activity Update
New Resources
Upcoming Events
CEGN Member News

An Interview with Betsy Martin, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC), concerning the Lake Winnipeg Watershed Initiative

Editor: With droughts on the prairies and heavy spring rainfall in Ontario, water is on the minds of many of us as we head into the summer. Please tell us about the Lake Winnipeg Watershed Initiative and what the objectives are for this intriguing collaborative effort.

Martin: The Lake Winnipeg Watershed is the largest watershed in western Canada – stretching from the Rocky Mountains to Lake Superior and into South Dakota. At its heart is Lake Winnipeg which is under severe stress from eutrophication. One of the hallmarks of this eutrophication are the blue-green algae blooms on the lake, containing toxins that may have serious adverse health effects for both humans and animals. The overloading of nutrients in the water – caused by urban development, as well as agriculture and industrial developments – is not unique to Lake Winnipeg. It is affecting rivers, streams and lakes across the prairies – the majority of which are within the same watershed. At CFC, we wanted to see if foundations could "think like a watershed" and work together strategically and collaboratively to tackle both the major water quality issues affecting the Lake Winnipeg Watershed and the water quantity issues threatening many users in the region. There are now 13 community foundations, three private foundations, and two other public foundations involved in collective work in the watershed.

Editor: By their nature, community foundations are place-based and work in a specific area. How did CFC garner support for this collaborative effort across such a wide stretch of the country?

Martin: With support from The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, CFC now has a number of community foundations focusing increased resources on environmental issues. Regional work had been identified as a priority by this group and we began to discuss the interconnectedness of water quality concerns in western Canada – realizing that the health of Alberta's Battle River and that of scores of other rivers and streams flowing through communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario are intertwined with the health of Lake Winnipeg. We started with an education workshop in Calgary. It provided a 'primer' on the issues facing the watershed and started the process of having us "think like a watershed".

Editor: What work has been done to date and what are the next steps for the initiative?

Martin: The first need we identified was for greater public education about the serious threats to the watershed. A grant from the Calgary Foundation is spearheading the development of "Choking Lake Winnipeg" – a web-based documentary education program. Pioneered by Dr. Jim Byrne of the University of Lethbridge, the project will include a series of Public Service Announcements and an associated website with educational video clips detailing the issues impacting water quality and lake eutrophication. The website will be launched in the fall of 2009.

We also realized that we needed to develop a strategy that would both identify the role for philanthropic funders in addressing the threats to the watershed and also help to build support for increased philanthropic involvement. Vicki Burns was hired as our Project Co-ordinator in 2008 and a draft strategy was released for comment in April of this year.

The strategy outlines a framework that foundations can use so that their combined actions will have significant positive effect on water quality throughout the region. Draft goals include:

• Foundations doubling their support for water-related work over the next five years;
• Achieving one or more significant changes to water-related public policy in the region;
• Foundations engaging in a strategic approach to their funding and other activities and working together where appropriate

The strategy identifies three key areas for foundation focus in the watershed:
• Pollutant/nutrient reduction;
• Water conservation;
• Land Use Planning.

Within each area, the strategy encourages foundations to consider support for public education; watershed projects; and policy changes as tactics to address these watershed targets.

Editor: What have been the key learning points about the process to date?

Martin: Bringing people together and providing them with a compelling opportunity to learn from leading thinkers was an excellent start to the initiative. It tapped into the latent desire of the funders to make a difference not only within their own community but much more broadly. The importance of a "champion" and ongoing resources are also critical. It hasn't been easy and there is much work ahead, but we are learning how community foundations can work together on a systemic environmental issue.

If you would like more information about the Lake Winnipeg Watershed Initiative, please contact Betsy at: 514-488-3682 or at: betsy.martin@sympatico.ca

Interested in talking with other funders about water issues confronting Canada? CEGN will be convening an affinity group of funders working in the water area or who are interested in learning more about this important environmental concern. If you would like to join this group, please contact Pegi at: pegi_dover@cegn.org or 416-961-1273. CEGN Board Members Betsy Martin and Tim Morris will be working with Pegi to get the group underway.

CEGN Activities

• CEGN's 2009 Board of Directors: CEGN's Board of Directors was confirmed at our AGM in Banff on May 27th. The slate of directors and officers for 2009 is as follows:

Allan Northcott, Chair (Max Bell Foundation)
Rick Lussier, Vice-Chair (The Winnipeg Foundation)
Maja Saletto Jankovic, Treasurer (Ontario Trillium Foundation)
Ruth Richardson, Secretary (George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation)

Directors:
Robert Alain (The EJLB Foundation)
Laurie Edward (Mountain Equipment Co-op)
Mark Gifford (Vancouver Foundation)
Betsy Martin (Foundation of Greater Montreal)
Catherine McVitty (Unilever Canada Foundation)
Tim Morris (Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation)

As we welcome the new and continuing members to the 2009 Board, we also extend our heartfelt thanks to departing Board Members: Stephen Huddart, Vice-President, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation; Mary Pickering, Associate Director, Toronto Atmospheric Fund; and Shelley Uytterhagen, President, Carthy Foundation. All three individuals have given enormous service to CEGN during their terms. Stephen spearheaded the development of our Sustaining Membership concept and is leading our current work on green infrastructure and green economy. Mary has served as a most able Treasurer for the past two years and was instrumental in ensuring a smooth staff transition with the hiring of a new Executive Director. Shelley has been an outstanding Chair of CEGN during the past year, and previously served as Vice-Chair.

• Banff Conference Profiles Environment, Economy and Equity: It was an ambitious topic to tackle, but participants and speakers were up to the task at CEGN's annual gathering at the end of May. A total of 53 CEGN members gathered in Banff for our conference, which focused on the intersections amongst the themes of environment, economy and equity. Highlights included keynote speeches by Jeffrey Simpson, of The Globe and Mail, and Angus McAllister, of McAllister Opinion Research. A workshop on public policy and two sessions on collaboration provided a good grounding for grantmakers seeking to strengthen their knowledge and skills in these areas. The local site visits received very positive feedback and our Members' Dinner atop Sulphur Mountain was a hit. The opportunity to chat with colleagues over dinner, with the mountains and an ever-changing ‘cloudscape' as a backdrop, made it a special evening. We received good and constructive feedback through the conference evaluation forms, including recommendations to provide more opportunities for informal exchange among members and to allow for more unstructured time.

CEGN is very grateful to those funders which provided financial support for the 2009 conference. These are: The Alberta Ecotrust Foundation; Alberta Real Estate Foundation; The Banff Community Foundation; Max Bell Foundation; The Calgary Foundation; Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation; Ontario Trillium Foundation; and the Wilburforce Foundation. Many thanks also to the volunteer members of the Conference Planning Committee for their enormous contribution to ensuring a successful conference: Allan Northcott, Max Bell Foundation; Lori Gammell, Suncor Energy Foundation; Pat Letizia, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation; Jennifer Miller, Wilburforce Foundation; Brenda Naylor, Carthy Foundation; James Stauch, Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation; Shelley Uytterhagen, Carthy Foundation; and Lorraine Widmer, Banff Community Foundation.

And now with a deep breath, we start the work of planning for the 2010 conference. The conference theme and content are still under consideration and if you have recommendations in this regard, please let us know.

• CEGN's New Strategic Plan Finalized: The Board of CEGN has finalized a three year strategic plan for the organization for the period 2009-2011. The plan specifies three strategic goals:

A) Sustaining and Expanding the CEGN Network
B) Increasing Environmental Giving in Canada
C) Increasing the Effectiveness of Environmental Grantmaking

The Strategic Plan is posted in the Members' Section of the website. If you have lost track of your login info for the Member Section or if you would prefer to have the strategic plan sent to you by email, please contact Pegi at: 416-961-1273 or at: pegi_dover@cegn.org The implementation of the plan is getting underway and your feedback will be very helpful in shaping that work.

New Resources:

• Special CEGN Member Offer Angus McAllister, one of Canada's leading pollsters, gave a compelling and entertaining keynote speech at the CEGN conference in Banff last month. It provided a healthy insight into how to (and not to) communicate effectively based on his research findings on Canadian opinion.

"This is the kind of information we need in order to be more effective. And the information must be shared with our grantees. It's a great opportunity to access one of the best in the business…sign up now before Angus changes his mind!"
Bruce Lourie, Ivey Foundation, Toronto

We are excited to let you know that Angus is offering CEGN members a 75% discount on his "Environmental Monitor" briefings and syndicated polling report. The need for strategic intelligence to help focus resources effectively has never been greater than during these challenging economic times.

CEGN member Foundations can obtain special access to his strategic research and insights service for just $5,000, a major reduction from the usual corporate rate of $22,200.

The special CEGN Member Package -- $5,000 includes:

• Environmental Monitor Polling Report 2009
- the authoritative "big picture" report on environmental & sustainability attitudes in
Canada.
- a deep analysis of major trends and audiences to predict, not just describe.
- full colour interpretive report on all major environmental issues and trends in
everyregion

• Quarterly Brief on key trends
- 3 page brief on key trends & data from an array of sources (eg. polls, web, StatsCan,
etc.)

• In-Person Briefing Presentation at Board, staff or grantee event
- A customized in-person (or video) briefing to any audience of up to 50 people
- Includes a PowerPoint deck that can be printed and distributed to audiences.

To take advantage of this special offer, please contact Angus directly at: 778-999-7506 or angus@mcallister-research.com

For CEGN members who are not yet familiar with Angus McAllister's work, please see the McAllister website at www.mcallister-research.com.

• The Unforgettable Commencement Address 2009: Paul Hawken was identified as a possible keynote speaker for our May conference. While Mr. Hawken didn't join us in Banff, his commencement address to the Class of 2009 at the University of Portland, delivered on May 3rd, is well worth reading. For the text of his address, click here.

• Obama Targets US Public with Call for Climate Action (The Guardian Newspaper, June 16th, 2009, Suzanne Goldenberg) The importance of crafting effective environmental communications is highlighted in this article about the June release of "Global Climate Change Impacts in the U.S.", a major scientific report documenting current and projected impacts of climate change. Prior to the report's release, the Obama Administration commissioned Resource Media, a California-based communications firm, to "scrub the report of scientific jargon" and make it much more publicly accessible. The report was viewed as a key building block for helping to build public support for a climate change bill. The proof may well be in the pudding as the House passed ‘The American Clean Energy and Security Act' on June 26th. For the text of the article, click here.

• The Power of Well-Placed Local Leadership: Community-based Foundations and Climate Change (Written by Catherine Porter and sponsored by the Consultative Group on Biodiversity and the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities) The report provides a clarion call to foundations and their leaders, especially those that are community-based, to get involved in the climate change issue. Noting the importance of climate change work at the local level (i.e. improved energy efficiency and reduction of emissions) and the need for strong local leadership, the report includes a number of inspiring case studies, as well as a blueprint for how foundations can become more engaged in the issue. To view the report, click here.

• Worth a Second Mention – Slow Death by Rubber Duck: How the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Life Affects our Health (Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie, Knopf Canada, 2009) Bruce and Rick's book has been on the best seller list since its release earlier this spring. The book's focus on the health impacts of everyday household products makes for a compelling and important read. The book is also a timely one, given the recent news that Health Canada has proposed regulations to ban "rubber duck" chemicals, six compounds widely used in the manufacture of soft plastic children's toys. The regulatory action is being taken in light of growing scientific evidence that the compounds, known as phthalates, may block the production of testosterone, a critical male hormone. It is thought that everyday exposures can cause a slight feminization of baby boys, particularly during fetal development.

• Boreal Opportunity For information about the future for Ontario's boreal forest, visit: www.borealopportunity.ca, sponsored by the Ontario Boreal Futures Coalition. The Coalition, comprised of CPAWS Wildlands League, Ecojustice, Environmental Defence, Environment North, ForestEthics and Ontario Nature, is supporting the establishment of new conservation-focused, land-use planning legislation for the far north boreal region of Ontario. Financial support for the Coalition's work has been provided by the Ivey Foundation.

• The Canadian Index of Well-being (CIW) On June 11, The Honourable Roy Romanow officially launched the Institute of Well-being and its signature product the Canadian Index of Well-being. The Institute is affiliated with the University of Waterloo and the CIW will report on trends and changes in eight interconnected areas that are vital to Canadians' quality of life. In his remarks, Mr. Romanow noted the support of a number of funders, including CEGN members – The Lawson Foundation and The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. For more information about this initiative, visit: www.ciw.ca

Upcoming Events

• Environmental Grantmakers' Association Fall Retreat (September 29 – October 2, Anchorage, Alaska) Our U.S counterpart is holding their annual conference in Alaska this fall. EGA is providing the "member rate" for up to three CEGN members. Details on the conference program are available here. If you are interested in following up on this offer, please contact Jason Babbie, EGA's Membership Services Director at: 646-747-2655 or jkb@ega.org.

• Philanthropic Foundations Canada (PFC) Conference (October 28-30, Calgary, Alberta) For details on the Calgary conference, please visit PFC's conference website. CEGN will be hosting a panel on water during the conference. Participants on the panel will include Betsy Martin, Community Foundations Canada and Foundation of Greater Montreal, and Tim Morris, Programme Officer, Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation.

CEGN Member News

• The Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation has asked President and CEO, Patrick Johnson, to lead a major project examining Canada's development assistance programme and CIDA, in particular. The Foundation's Board has identified this issue as an important priority flowing from the Foundation's interest in Canada's role in the world. Patrick will take on this role as a Senior Fellow with the Foundation and will step down as President and CEO as of July 15th. James Stauch, Senior Programme Manager, will serve as acting CEO and the Board will begin the search for the new CEO during the summer. Hugh Segal, Chair of the Board of the Foundation, expressed delight that Patrick has accepted this important assignment and enormous gratitude to him for his remarkable leadership of the Foundation over the past seven years.

• The 2008/2009 Annual Report of the Victoria Foundation speaks to the organization's involvement in 1% for the Planet, an international alliance of 1,080 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 1,717 environmental organizations worldwide. The Alliance aims to show that taking environmental responsibility is good for business as envisioned by Yvon Chouinard, founder of 1% for the Planet and Patagonia Outdoor Wear. The Foundation's staff is encouraging all environmental non-profit organizations in the region to register as a beneficiary of the program. More information on the program is available at: www.onepercentfortheplanet.org

• The Federation of Canadian Municipalities – Green Municipal Fund has released two new publications on brownfields – abandoned, vacant, derelict or underutilized commercial, industrial or institutional property. For more information, click here.

News on FCM's Sustainable Community Awards is also available here. One of the 2009 Award winners is the Town of Banff's new hybrid bus system (ROAM), which transported a number of CEGN members on a site visit prior to the start of our May conference.

• The Alberta Ecotrust Foundation recently awarded a total of $150,000 to eight projects being undertaken by Alberta environmental organizations. Included is a grant of $28,853 to Water Matters Society of Alberta for their work to increase the water awareness of Albertans and to encourage their participation in upcoming public consultations on provincial water allocations.

CEGN's Issues and Updates thrives on both input and feedback from Members! Please let us know if you have suggestions for resources, updates or other items that we might include in future issues. Suggestions can be emailed to Pegi at: pegi_dover@cegn.org