National Philanthropy Day

LawNow, Jan-Feb, 2008 by Jerry S. Grafstein

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National Philanthropy Day occurs annually on November 15th as a special day for those people active in the philanthropic community. National Philanthropy Day events are already held in every province and region in Canada involving thousands of people on November 15th each year. Initiated at the grassroots level, it continues to grow each year, led by individual charities and organizations such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Canada would lead the world if Parliament formally recognized National Philanthropy Day. Parliament can have a tremendous influence on public behaviour. The creation of a day recognized by Parliament would send a powerful message to all Canadians that charitable giving and volunteering are critical to our society and a crucial element in all aspects of Canadian life. Such a day would provide a forum for all charities and volunteeers across the country to gather together in our villages, towns, and cities to share their stories and celebrate their successes, large and small. It is with this goal in mind that I have introduced a Bill in the Senate of Canada, Bill S-204 to enshrine this day in the law of Canada.

It is an established fact that celebrating these stories and identifying the ongoing need for support is one of the most effective ways to inspire others to give of themselves and their resources. For instance, Terry Fox' story is a powerful example of the effect that one person's actions can have on the public's desire to support great and good causes.

Parliament's recognition of this day is important for a multitude of reasons, but I will briefly describe only four.

First, it encourages giving. Support for the charitable sector must come from a variety of sources. Direct government funding remains the primary and essential source for most organizations. However, in an era of shrinking budgets and expanding needs, philanthropy is becoming an ever-increasingly important part of the solution.

Second, it builds communities and civil society. Giving encourages greater citizen responsibility. When people give, they invest a part of themselves in their community and create a stake in the future of our society. Giving can bring together people who might normally have nothing to do with one another by focusing them on a common goal.

Third, recognition of this day would further strengthen the growing partnership between the federal government and the voluntary sector. The federal government began a partnership in the year 2000 and provided $94 million to fund the jointly administered Voluntary Sector Initiative. The VSI resulted in a number of outcomes that were jointly recommended by government and the sector itself, including the largest regulatory reform of the charitable sector in more than a generation.

Finally, recognition of National Philanthropy Day is a grassroots, non-partisan matter, something that the Canadian public has strongly and consistently supported by voice and deed. How so? Studies report that 90 per cent of Canadians believe that non-profits are becoming increasingly important to all Canadians. Fifty-nine per cent of Canadians believe that non-profits serve on the front lines of hundreds of issues facing our country, from social services to health care, to the environment, to the arts and beyond.

Already, more and more Canadians are coming to rely on programs and services provided by nonprofit organizations. The voluntary sector has an indelible impact on all Canadian society. There are 81,000 registered non-profits in Canada that receive approximately $10 billion in contributions annually, according to Statistics Canada, but the impact of the voluntary sector goes beyond philanthropic programs and services.

The non-profit sector has an impact on the financial health of the economy. The economic contribution of the non-profit sector is larger than many major industries in Canada and amounted to 6.8 per cent of the gross domestic product in 1999 according to Statistics Canada. The non-profit sector's GDP is eleven times more than that of the motor industry and more than four times that of agriculture.

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According to the recent Cornerstones of Community: Highlights from the National Survey of Non-profit and Volunteer Organizations study, the sector posted $112 billion in revenues in 2003 and employed more than two million people. In addition, these organizations draw on two billion volunteeer hours every year, the equivalent of one million full-time jobs. Every Canadian has been touched by the work of our voluntary sector in some way.

National Philanthropy Day has the support of many volunteer organizations including Imagine Canada, the Philanthropic Voluntary Sector Forum, the Canadian Association of Gift Planners, and the Canadian Bar Association. These groups represent thousands of non-profit organizations in the country. Should we not take one day every year to honour their efforts and the efforts of all Canadians and organizations across Canada that support them? The National Philanthropy Day Bill would accomplish this task.