Inspiration

“This is not about altruism. This is about like minded people creating alliances of hope and change. In these kinds of alliances, everybody is a donor and everybody is a recipient.”

- Winnipeg gathering participant

 
 
 

Resources: Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples

 
Foundations are often looking for ways to support activities of aboriginal peoples and their communities, but are often unsure of whether they are legally permitted to make grants to First Nations and certain other aboriginal organizations. This document summarizes the current position of the Canada Revenue Agency regarding its interpretation of First Nations as qualified donees for grants from foundations and highlights other possibilities to consider to provide that support. Please note that this primer does not directly address the qualified donee status of Inuit or Métis organizations.  Developed by Susan Manwaring, Miller Thompson LLP  Read More
 
 
Addressing our Toughest Challenges: A Social Justice Discussion Guide for Community Foundations
Touches on Aboriginal issues, among many others, in making the case for philanthropies addressing root causes to social issues, rather than just the symptoms.  Community Foundations Canada.  Developed by Nancy Johnston and Betsy Martin, November, 2006.  Read More

 

This report focuses on challenges and strategies for grantmakers whose mission requires them to make grants over many years in communities that have a limited number of individuals with the experience and skill required to lead those organizations. The findings summarized here are based on interviews with approximately 30 individuals working in a range of settings, including grantmaking to First Nations, Native American and Aboriginal Peoples; grantmaking in rural areas; and grantmaking in developing countries.  Weiser, John and West, Ellen E., for the Cherokee Preservation Foundation.  Read More
 
 
Bridging and Building Indigenous-Focused Philanthropy
Reflects on issues in Australian indigenous philanthropy. Focuses on grant-making timelines, creating an enabling environment and supporting indigenous governance. Brown, Catherine (panel presentation – WINGS 2006 Forum).   Read More

 

This article explores views of Australian grantmakers and philanthropists who give to Indigenous causes. It reports on a study undertaken as part of the Giving Australia research to discover if and how giving to Indigenous causes differs from philanthropy to other areas. This paper builds on the scant literature, looking at key issues, funding needs, and recommendations for fostering Indigenous development. Indigenous groups are challenged in understanding how foundations work and, conversely, foundations do not always appreciate the need to support traditional cultures. The study found that small grants can play a key role, as could enticing new grantmakers, co-funding, engaging Indigenous representatives in the decision making process, and dispelling misconceptions.  Scaife, Wendy, in the Australian Journal of Social Issues. 2006.  Read More
 
 
Much discussion of indigenous philanthropy centres on building on the traditions of indigenous peoples. As Geoff Scott, Chief Executive of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (ALC), sees it, it is the dynamism of the Aboriginal people of Australia that has allowed them to survive and to maintain their traditions. Now the ALC is helping to turn that dynamism to the longer-term purpose of promoting a better life for Aboriginal communities and their successor generations. This involves developing new structures and new ways of making decisions, which combine elements of the traditional with those of the modern.
 
 
A conversation between nine foundation leaders from Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.  Discusses the importance of a more concerted effort to understand indigenous worldviews and support indigenous priorities. Addis, Rosemary and Catherine Brown; R.E. Ross Trust, Melbourne, Australia: 2008.  Read More

 

The Hundested Recommendations for Donor Best Practices
These "best practice" recommendations emerged from a Roundtable & Workshop where representatives of multilateral, bilateral and private donors exchanged insights and experiences with indigenous participants from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Arctic. These are premised on the notion that philanthropies demonstrate leadership by support­ing policies that create political space and enabling conditions for Indigenous Peoples to exercise full benefits of citizenship and participate in civil society and decision-making at all levels.  Convention on Biological Diversity: Hundested, Den­mark, 2001.  Read More

 

Large Foundations’ Grantmaking to Native America
Presents key findings from a study of large foundations' giving to Native American causes and concerns. It addresses the real dollar value of grantmaking from 1989-2002, top donors and top recipients, and the general purposes to which grants are targeted. The pamphlet concludes with a discussion of what the data imply (and in particular, what actions they ought to motivate) for foundations, Native-serving nonprofits, and tribal governments.  Hicks, Sarah and Miriam Jorgensen. . Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. Cambridge, MA: 2005. Read More

 
Native Gathering: A Meeting with Native American Elders, Activists, Select Funders and Scholars
Reports on a gathering hosted by the Marguerite Casey Foundation at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. This report identifies opportunities and the potential impact on foundations, grantmakers and individual philanthropists as they support Native American community building efforts. Delgado, Louis T. (prepared by). Philanthropy & Non-Profit Sector Program, University of Chicago, 2004.  Read More
 
Native Issues in Philanthropy Forum
Part of a blog operated by Philanthropy Northwest, an affinity group of foundations and corporations in the US Pacific Northwest. Includes highlights from a presentation by Ken Gordon of the Potlatch Fund: “Everything You Wanted to Know About Working with Native Communities But Were Afraid to Ask.”  Read More
 

Rangatiratanga and Generosity: Making the Connections
This speech by Pat Snedden, Deputy Chair ASB Trusts, to the 2004 Philanthropy New Zealand conference explores this notion:  "It has been commonplace to hear that there is no Maori cultural equivalent to the concept of philanthropy. In my experience this is not true. What's more I will suggest that a sophisticated treaty-based understanding of the protection of rangatiratanga would result in a true recognition of Maori generosity that for the most part remains hidden to most New Zealanders."   Read More
 
This national study determines the nature and extent of access by First Nations families to many social and quality-of-life supports provided by the voluntary sector in Canada. Results indicated that First Nations children and families on-reserve receive a negligible amount of service from the voluntary sector or support from philanthropic foundations. Nadjiwan, Samantha and Cindy Blackstock.  First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, Ottawa: 2003.  Read More
 
 
Shows how philanthropies can better support people and causes that are too often ignored, offering an opportunity to cultivate new non-profit leaders and donors. Community-based "focus funds" are small, vibrant grant-making organizations created by people who are connected not just by location, as with community foundations, but also by shared experience and culture, such as race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. Because the approach is similar to a community foundation, many focus funds are housed at those institutions.  Ross, Robert K. , in Chronicle of Philanthropy. May 18, 2006.  Read More