Philanthropy and the nonprofit sector in Canada are being transformed by COVID-19. One in five nonprofits is already in financial trouble, and many will not survive. Others are proving to be resilient and innovative in dealing with increased demand during the crisis; community and private foundations are stepping up their grantmaking and leadership.
The post-pandemic period will require more than recovery, but a reinvention — of financing and fundraising, services, advocacy and more inclusive engagement with communities.
Professor Susan Phillips of the School of Public Policy and Administration addressed this topic in Resilience and Reinvention: Canadian Philanthropy and Nonprofits Post-Pandemic, a virtual discussion and Q&A.
This event was hosted by Keith Sjogren (BA/71), managing director at iNVESTOR ECONOMiCS, with an introduction by Jennifer Conley (MPNL/19), chief advancement and liaison officer at Carleton University.
Dr. Susan Phillips is a professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration, Carleton University, and founder and director of its Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. She is also editor-in-chief of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, the leading international journal focusing on nonprofits, philanthropy and civil society. Susan is currently leading study teams examining the vulnerability and resilience of Canadian charities and the changing roles of philanthropy in response to COVID-19. Her research contributions have been recognized by distinguished service awards from both the Association for Nonprofit and Society Economy Research (ANSER) and the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA).