CALGARY, February 26, 2008 — Eight charity leaders in Alberta have received up to $2,500 each as part of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Leadership Grants program. As part of the PwC Canada Foundation the program supports the leadership and professional development of existing and emerging charity leaders, which is an acutely under-funded area for charities.
"For many charitable leaders, professional development opportunities are not always within their organization's budget," says Raymond Crossley, PwC Calgary Managing Partner. "The aim of our Leadership Grants program is to invest in charity leaders — maximizing their potential by giving them the management tools and skills necessary to successfully lead their organizations into the future."
Recipients can apply the funding to a formal educational program or development opportunity of their own choice that will help them build their skills and gain experience. In turn, recipients will be able to apply their learning to improving their delivery of programs and services to the communities and people most in need.
PwC conducted a poll inviting employees to choose the causes that mattered most to them. Children and youth, poverty, education and the environment were selected the top causes, and as a result, organizations in these categories received the majority of grants this year.
The grants given in Calgary include:
- Alberta Council for Environmental Education
- Alberta Mentor Foundation For Youth
- Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank
- Child Find Alberta
- Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary
- The Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary
- The PREP Program
- Volunteer Calgary
The following are a few examples of opportunities the Alberta grant recipients will pursue:
- Alberta Council for Environmental Education, Gareth Thomson, Executive Director, will apply the grant to take part in a full-year training program, 'Fundraising Plus', put on by The CentrePoint for Non-Profit Management. This program will assist with his personal and professional goals to create and implement a fund development plan.
- Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary, Andria Brumwell, General Manager, will use the funds to attend the Association of Fundraising Professional's international conference. The conference offers a variety of workshops that will be beneficial to Ms. Brumwell including: Management and Leadership, Boards and Fundraising, Grant Writing, and Advanced Social Justice and Progress Philanthropy.
- Volunteer Calgary, Kate Hartnett, Volunteer and Community Engagement Coordinator, will use the funds to attend the Points of Light Foundation national conference on Volunteering and Service. This conference provides a well-developed curriculum designed to prepare and educate volunteers on supporting their communities and on other issues related to volunteerism.
The mission of the PwC Canada Foundation is to make a positive, lasting change in Canadian communities through the sharing of time, expertise and resources. The Foundation offers multiple programs that provide financial resources to numerous charitable organizations and also encourages and supports the community involvement of PwC's staff and partners. To learn more, visit http://www.pwc.com/ca/foundation.
About PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwc.com) provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 146,000 people in 150 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. In Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (www.pwc.com/ca) and its related entities have more than 5,200 partners and staff in offices across the country.
“PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership, or, as the context requires, the PricewaterhouseCoopers global network or other member firms of the network, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity.
