Recast Philanthropy

To the incredible community that enlivens, emboldens and embodies Recast Philanthropy we wish you a very restorative and joyful holiday season. From the bottom of our hearts Nicole McVan and Tanya Rumble MPNL, CFRE, CMP, MFA-P™ are deeply grateful for the collective wisdom and insights we have gleaned as part of the Recast Philanthropy community at the intersections of #philanthropy and #equity and restorative philanthropy - priotizing #reconciliation and #decolonization through 2024. Wishing health and peace for 2025. With gratitude, Recast Philanthropy

🔍 When donors dictate how every dollar is spent, we send a subtle but powerful message: "We know better than the people doing the work—or the communities impacted by it." It’s time to flip that script. Unrestricted funding isn’t just a budgetary choice—it’s a commitment to trust, equity, and shared leadership. 📖 In my latest article, Unrestricted Funding is Equity Work: Shifting the Conversation from Control to Trust, I explore how we can reimagine philanthropic relationships grounded in respect and reciprocity. ✨ Read it—and explore more of my writing—here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/g9BhkVw5 #TrustBasedPhilanthropy #UnrestrictedFunding #EquityInPhilanthropy #Philanthropy #FundraisingWithEquity #PhilanthropyReimagined #SocialJustice #NonprofitLeadership #ShiftThePower #CommunityCentricFundraising cc Recast Philanthropy Hilborn Charity eNews Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) CFRE International, Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, Community Foundations of Canada | Fondations communautaires du Canada, Philanthropic Foundations Canada / Fondations philanthropiques Canada, Imagine Canada

Centering Equity and Community in Philanthropy One thing I’ve learned in my journey as a fundraiser: the communities we serve are our greatest teachers. When we talk about equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the sector, it’s not just an HR exercise – it’s about reshaping how we do our work with and for the community. I recently collaborated with a Canadian charity on incorporating community voices into their project design. The result was powerful: programs that truly resonated and a community that felt ownership. It reinforced a key lesson for me: nothing about us, without us. Here’s how I strive to center equity in my practice and advice: ➡️ Listen first, design second. Whether it’s a fundraising campaign or a new service, start by listening to those impacted. Their perspectives can illuminate gaps in understanding and spark ideas we hadn’t considered. Community advisory panels, surveys, coffee chats – whatever it looks like, make space for those voices. ➡️ Diversify the room. This means boards, staff, and yes, donors too. I often consult on board development, and I always ask: Does your board reflect the community’s diversity? If not, there’s rich talent out there to bring in. A more diverse team = better decisions and deeper trust with the community. ➡️ Equity in funding. As a fundraiser, I’m conscious of how we direct resources. Are we inadvertently favoring projects that appeal to big donors over those the community says are urgent? I push for aligning fundraising priorities with community-identified needs. Sometimes it takes educating donors – and I’ve found many welcome that conversation. On the Recast Philanthropy website, I’ve shared a piece called “Elements of Inclusive, Anti-Oppressive Governance” amongst many others (find it on https://lnkd.in/dczdUiXe). It’s a candid look at what charities are doing to become more inclusive in their governance practices and HOW they can do that across all aspects of governance. I know equity work can feel abstract or even uncomfortable (and all the more relevant in a post-affirmative action context). But I carry hope from seeing charities take concrete steps – from policies to personal commitments – to make our sector fairer and more just. If you’re working on IDEA/EDI/DEI initiatives or community engagement, I’d love to hear one win or insight you’ve had. Let’s inspire each other. And if you’re not sure where to start, let’s chat – building a more equitable approach to philanthropy is work we all need to do, and we don’t have to do it alone. https://lnkd.in/g9BhkVw5 #Equity #Inclusion #CommunityCentric #Philanthropy Recast Philanthropy Photo of me, for the algorithm. 😊

Restorative Philanthropy - The Philanthropist The veneer of philanthropy is shiny and positive; however, philanthropy can also be extractive and harmful and replicate systemic oppressions found in all other facets of our society. This is especially true when philanthropy intersects with Indigenous communities. So as you start this week as a fundraiser or grantmaker or philanthropist, here are a few questions to consider as to how 'Restorative' your philanthropic practices. ➡️ Do you understand the differences between equity and sovereignty in relationships with Indigenous communities? ➡️ Do you have dedicated funding streams or fundraising priorities that have the built-in resources and capacity to support specific communities? ➡️ How does your organization build reconciliation into your governance practices? ➡️ What organizational procedures exist that allow for Indigenous sovereignty and decision-making around funding? 🔆 Looking forward to your reflections. #philanthropy #charity #fundraising #reconciliation cc The Philanthropist Journal, Recast Philanthropy, Yumi Numata

Report on the Charities Program 2023 to 2024 As a proud former member of the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector with Canada Revenue Agency - Agence du revenu du Canada Charities Directorate, I am pleased to amplify the Report on the Charities Program 2023 to 2024 released today by Sharmila Khare. Key Highlights: ➡️ Enhanced Support: The CRA emphasizes a "People First" philosophy, ensuring client-centric services guided by empathy and respect. ➡️ Transparency and Compliance: The report underscores the CRA's dedication to openness, providing detailed insights into the regulation of charities to uphold public trust. ➡️ Modernization Efforts: The CRA has rapidly modernized its operations, implementing remote work strategies to ensure continuous support for charities, reflecting its commitment to service excellence. For a comprehensive understanding of the CRA's initiatives and the full report, visit the official page: https://lnkd.in/gaN6dMhK #charity #charitylaw #regulatory #taxpolicy #Canpoli #philanthropy #philanrthropy

“We need to be prepared to work through difficult conversations about who we are, what we prioritize, what we believe, the ways in which we work, and how we can adapt or completely eschew our existing approaches and bring in new, more relational practices to centre sovereignty. We need to avoid the need to be experts; instead thinking about money as a tool and a resource, and philanthropy as a tool and a resource to upend settler colonialism within the sector, and replacing that kind of “divide, control, and exploit” paradigm with some restorative repairing.” 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Restorative Philanthropy: Rethinking Giving in 2025 A groundbreaking 2024 learning series introduced restorative philanthropy, urging philanthropy to address injustices against Indigenous Peoples. Key Takeaways: ➡️ Beyond Benevolence: Challenges traditional philanthropy to confront its role in systemic oppression. ➡️ Restitution & Equity: Calls for funding strategies that prioritize Indigenous leadership and reparative justice. ➡️ Historical Accountability: Acknowledges that many foundations were built on wealth from appropriated Indigenous lands. ➡️ Action-Oriented Change: Encourages philanthropy to shift from inclusion to genuine reconciliation. By embracing restorative philanthropy, funders can support Indigenous communities in a meaningful and lasting way. 🚀 For a deeper understanding of restorative philanthropy and its implications for the future, read the full article by Yumi Numata and me (Tanya Rumble MPNL, CFRE, CMP, MFA-P™): https://lnkd.in/g4R4EtHt With credit to Hayden King for for his role in co-developing the principles and concepts shared in this article. Recast Philanthropy #reconciliation #fundraising #grantmaking #philanthropy #charity #decolonization

The veneer of philanthropy is shiny and positive; however, philanthropy can also be extractive and harmful and replicate systemic oppressions found in all other facets of our society. This is especially true when philanthropy intersects with Indigenous communities. A 2024 learning series introduced “restorative philanthropy” – a rethink of traditional models of philanthropy, especially in light of historical and ongoing injustices experienced by Indigenous Peoples. Tanya Rumble MPNL, CFRE, CMP, MFA-P™ and Yumi Numata share some key learnings from the program. The learning series was a collaboration between Recast Philanthropy and the Yellowhead Institute’s Hayden King and Yumi Numata. Read: Prioritizing restitution, Indigenous leadership, and the future with ‘restorative philanthropy’ https://lnkd.in/gNDD3UpT Artwork: Matisiwin / La vie, by Eruoma Awashish

Restorative Philanthropy: Rethinking Giving in 2025 A groundbreaking 2024 learning series introduced restorative philanthropy, urging philanthropy to address injustices against Indigenous Peoples. Key Takeaways: ➡️ Beyond Benevolence: Challenges traditional philanthropy to confront its role in systemic oppression. ➡️ Restitution & Equity: Calls for funding strategies that prioritize Indigenous leadership and reparative justice. ➡️ Historical Accountability: Acknowledges that many foundations were built on wealth from appropriated Indigenous lands. ➡️ Action-Oriented Change: Encourages philanthropy to shift from inclusion to genuine reconciliation. By embracing restorative philanthropy, funders can support Indigenous communities in a meaningful and lasting way. 🚀 For a deeper understanding of restorative philanthropy and its implications for the future, read the full article by Yumi Numata and me (Tanya Rumble MPNL, CFRE, CMP, MFA-P™): https://lnkd.in/g4R4EtHt With credit to Hayden King for for his role in co-developing the principles and concepts shared in this article. Recast Philanthropy #reconciliation #fundraising #grantmaking #philanthropy #charity #decolonization

Recently Yumi Numata and I penned a piece for The Philanthropist Journal on Restorative Philanthropy, based on the principles we developed in collaboration with Hayden King and Recast Philanthropy. The article will be published soon - but in the interim sharing an excerpt from the article that we hope will resonate. "As funders, but also as fundraisers, those who are speaking with donors and inviting them to make investments in work, I think we have to start with some of the things that we are doing. We owe this work some critical self-examination and thinking about how colonization is showing up in our institutions. We need to be prepared to work through difficult conversations about who we are, what we prioritize, what we believe, the ways in which we work and we believe we have to work, and how we can adapt or completely eskew our existing approaches and bring in new practices that are more relational to centre sovereignty. We need to avoid the need to be an expert; instead thinking about money as a tool and a resource, and philanthropy as a tool and a resource to upend settler colonialism within the sector, and replacing that kind of “divide, control, and exploit” paradigm with some restorative repairing." The three-week Restorative Philanthropy program was designed to progressively deepen participants’ understanding of restorative philanthropy, centred on the following learning objectives: ➡️ Question assumptions: Challenge traditional philanthropic practices and explore why Indigenous communities often do not benefit proportionately from philanthropic funds. ➡️ Clarify “equity” versus “sovereignty”: Understand the differences between equity and sovereignty in relationships with Indigenous communities. ➡️ Build reconciliatory practices: Learn how to develop ethical fundraising and grantmaking practices that prioritize justice and respect Indigenous leadership. ➡️ (Re)Define funding for Indigenous communities: Outline different, contextualized ways to fundraise for and support Indigenous-led projects. To learn more visit: https://lnkd.in/gXzrBZ7k