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A Message from our Board Chair
Welcome to Spring!
Spring is a wonderful time of year because it's all about rebirth. Flowers and grass are coming back to life, animals are coming out of hibernation, and we Atlantic Canadians are embracing the longer days and warmer weather. Spring also means a time for students to plan for their educational future and start applying for scholarships and bursaries, and for organizations to look for grants to fund their community initiatives. At CFNS we have been happy to be part of many of those kinds of activity over the past few months.
CFNS is also undergoing our own period of rebirth. As the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia continues to grow, the Board determined that is was time for some reorganization and renewal at the operational level. This has resulted in some changes on staffing and leadership at the Foundation.
In mid-March the board appointed Stephanie Clark as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CFNS. Angela Bishop, who has served as our Executive Director for the last four years, has left the organization. We want to thank Angela for her dedicated service and many contributions to CFNS during her time with us. We wish her the very best and much success in all of her future endeavors.
Stephanie Clark brings a wide range of senior management experience in both the private and not-for-profit sectors. Stephanie is a strong strategic thinker and has a proven track record in aligning people and objectives. Stephanie's previous leadership experiences include time as president of the Blue Door Group, president of Black Star Group, and a Vice President at Maritime Broadcasting. The knowledge and leadership experience she brings to this role will provide stability to our CFNS operations and community outreach, while the Board completes its strategic reorganization and completes its search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer who will spearhead our future growth plans.
John Cooke, Director of Administration, and Emma Cruddas, Program Coordinator, have also been added to the staff, which includes Henry Devries, Controller, and Stacey McCarthy, Communications Manager.
The Board of Directors, Stephanie, and her staff are committed to ensuring the continued growth of CFNS and excellence in the delivery of all of the services and programs provided by the CFNS to our supporters and donors. These changes have been made to enable effective implementation of our strategic plan and to assist us in bringing the possibilities and positive impact that the CFNS envisions for our province into reality.
We are grateful for the many relationships we have across the province and for your generous support of the CFNS over the years. As we move through this transitional phase our aim is to enhance the impact of the CFNS and to build your trust and confidence in our ability to be a meaningful catalyst for creating smart and caring communities in Nova Scotia. Should you have any questions or concerns, now or over the coming weeks, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly: robert.orr@cfns-fcne.ca, or to Stephanie
stephanie.clark@cfns-fcne.ca.
Thank you for your continued support and enjoy the best of Nova Scotia this spring.
Robert Orr,
Chair of the Board
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- Introduction to our new Interim CEO
- CFNS Video Series Launch
- New Funds:
- Raphael Foundation
- Walter Harris Callow Foundation
- Engaging with CFNS on Social Media
- Scholarship Application Deadlines
- Fund Update
- Halifax Regional Police Foundation
- Tax Season Info
- Community News and Events
- Community Foundation of Canada
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Introducing our New Interim CEO
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Stephanie Clark, Interim CEO
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The Community Foundation of Nova Scotia welcomes Stephanie Clark to our organization.
Stephanie brings more than 27 years of management experience leading organizations in a variety of industries such as finance, hospitality, beauty, distributorship sales, media/broadcast and national and international business consulting. In her current role as Founder and CEO of The Blue Door Group, Stephanie brings the additional extensive expertise in the development of corporate cultures that generate growth, employee retention and customer service in organizations.
With years of experience in coaching and mentoring business professionals, Stephanie has a focus on building organizations that are profitable while being people-centered and making a difference in their communities, and we are confident that her skills and experience will help us ensure a smooth transition during our restructuring process. Should you have any questions for Stephanie, you can reach her at
stephanie.clark@cfns-fcne.ca, or
902-490-5907.
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A Video Introduction to the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia
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Community Foundation of Nova Scotia - Action Center for Philanthropy
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CFNS has been working on a new video series that can be shared to tell the story of the work that we do in our communities every day. The first one has been completed and we would like to share it with you as it highlights how we work with professional advisors. Stay tuned for more videos in the coming months.
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The Raphael Foundation
Nurturing young change makers is paramount to creating vibrant and sustainable communities. The Raphael Foundation was created with the goal of maximizing the impact of youth by supporting:
- Association-led young leadership programs
- Change-making initiatives developed and led by youth.
You can find more information on the initiatives funded by the Raphael Foundation and how to donate online at:
Raphael Foundation
The Walter Harris Callow Foundation
The Walter Harris Callow Foundation was established to honour the legacy of Walter Callow, a humanitarian and veteran of the First world War who invented the first wheelchair bus in Canada to serve the needs of veterans confined to Camp Hill Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. For more than 70 years, Callow Wheelchair Buses provided service to veterans and others with mobility challenges. Today the Foundation continues to support veterans, military, RCMP and their families by directing proceeds to the Foundation to their highest priority needs.
The mission of the fund is to further Walter Callow's legacy to support veterans, military, RCMP and their families in becoming engaged citizens in our society.
To find out more or donate to this fund visit:
Walter Harris Callow Foundation
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Are you engaging with us?
Did you know that CFNS is active on many social media channels so that we can connect with the community, all of our fund holders, donors, and supporters? It's a great way to learn about new initiatives happening in our communities, share scholarship and grant information and to learn tips on starting your own community funds. If you are on social media, we invite you to follow us online, comment on our posts, and share them with your friends.
Here's where you can find us:
Click on the icons to take you to the pages.
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Scholarship Application Deadlines
CFNS is happy to provide multiple scholarship opportunities thanks to the generous donations of our fund holders. Many of these scholarships and bursaries have an April 30
th
deadline, so make sure you take advantage of these great opportunities if you or someone you know is looking to help alleviate the financial burden of their pot-secondary studies.
Visit the scholarship section of our website for a complete list:
CFNS Scholarships
We also wanted to share with you a letter we received from a past recipient of the Peter Kohler Scholarship that demonstrates the impact that receiving a scholarship can have on someone's life.
"I received the Peter Kohler scholarship in September 2014 at a value of $5,000. This in itself was an achievement I was very proud of and very grateful to Mr. Kohler for having provided me with the opportunity. I continued through the remainder of my first year, and at the end of "Engineering One" I was contacted by the Dean of Engineering at MUN who informed me that based upon my great performance, Mr. Kohler wanted to extend my scholarship to $40,000 total over four years. I was astonished. The scholarship has truly been a blessing, as it has allowed me to focus on school and not stress about how I was going to fund my education. Between this scholarship and the six work terms I had throughout my degree, I will be graduating from the Bachelor of Engineering program at MUN with a minimal amount of debt in comparison to where I would have been otherwise.
I am currently in the last semester of my degree in Mechanical Engineering. Two months from now I will be finished final exams and receive my iron ring and in three months I will attend my formal convocation and graduation gala. I am currently interviewing for new grad positions with hopes of a full time job upon graduation. I look back on my time throughout engineering and I know that the Peter Kohler scholarship had a huge part in getting me where I am today."
Toni Jerrett
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The Halifax Regional Police Foundation:
Safe, inclusive, stronger together
The Halifax Regional Police Foundation (HRPF) was established in late 2017 with the goal of providing ancillary funding for crime prevention and support initiatives for communities served by Halifax Regional Police (HRP). On March 4
th
they hosted an official launch and announced their
first significant donation and its inaugural grant.
The launch featured a $100,000 contribution by brothers and well-known Halifax philanthropists, Mickey MacDonald and Colin MacDonald. Mickey MacDonald, President of Micco Companies, was on hand to present Chief Blais with the cheque, and Chief Blais also announced Dartmouth-based Take Action Society as the first recipient of an HRPF grant of $5,000.
Congratulations HRPF!
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Chief Blais, Kayley Dixon, Mickey MacDonald & Mayor Mike Savage
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More information about the Foundation and to make a donation you can do so at:
HRPFoundation.ca
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Tax Season Tips
As the deadline for filing income tax is soon upon us, it's a good time to start thinking about how you can maximize your tax savings for 2019.
In Canada, the tax implications of charitable giving are as follows:
Canada's maximum combined tax rates for incomes greater than $126,264 range from 39% (Alberta) to 48.25% (Quebec). The donation tax credit available for charitable gifts is 15% on the first $200 and the individual's tax rate those gift amounts above $200 and up to a maximum of 75% of the donor's annual income. You can visit the CRA website for more information on tax calculations and tax rates by province. CRA also provides a charitable donation tax calculator.
If a gift is made of capital property the donor would be subject to tax on 50% of the capital gains. The exceptions to this rule are for gifts of publicly listed securities, certified cultural property, ecologically sensitive land, and principal residences. In the case of any of these gifts none of the capital gains is taxable.
An individual can claim the donation tax credit for gifts made by their spouse or common-law partner in order to maximize the tax credit.
Six Gift Options for Canadian Donors:
- Cash
- Appreciated securities
- Bequests
- Real estate
- Life insurance
- Charitable remainder trusts
More information about gift examples and benefits can be found on the Community Foundations of Canada website under their Charitable Gift Matrix
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COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS
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You are invited to a special screening and discussion of
The Shadow of Gold,
a new documentary that pulls back the curtain on the world's most coveted heavy metal.
The Shadow of Gold
is a film by Denis Delestrac, Robert Lang and Sally Blake, written by Allen Booth and Denis Delestrac that is a global investigation of the ultimate talisman of wealth, beauty and power. Filmed in China, Peru, Canada, the U.S., London, Dubai, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Shadow of Gold reveals the impact of gold mining and the gold trade on our economy, environment and conflicts. Watch to discover what our lust for gold costs. And who pays the price.
Nova Scotia is in the midst of an alarming 21st Century gold rush. How and why is this happening and at what potential cost? Journalist and author Joan Baxter will help us ask these questions as she moderates our post screening panel discussion + audience Q&A.
Date: May 7, 2019
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Paul O'Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library
Panelists: Dorothée Rosen -
Society of North American Goldsmiths, Master Artisan Craft Nova Scotia
, Raymond Plourde -
Ecology Action Centre
, Stacey Gomez -
Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network
, Hannah Martin -
We'kopekwitk First Nation, Member Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia
, Robert Lang -
Co-Director, The Shadow of Gold
More information can be found at: The Shadow of Gold
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COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS OF CANADA
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The RBC Foundation and CFC team up to deliver landmark multi-million dollar investment for youth-led initiatives
Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) and the RBC Foundation are pleased to announce the RBC Future Launch Community Challenge, a historic $5 million initiative that will enable participating community foundations to support youth leadership across the country.
This partnership will support youth-led community projects in 150 small to mid-sized Canadian communities from coast-to-coast. Grants of up to $15,000 will be available through participating community foundations, and will support projects that address diverse and urgent local priorities, including food security, employment, learning, health and the environment.
The RBC Future Launch Community Challenge is supported by the RBC Foundation and is part of RBC's 150th birthday celebrations, a milestone anniversary taking place on June 22, 2019. The RBC Future Launch Community Challenge is one of the most important philanthropic community contributions to date, and proof of the RBC Future Launch commitment to empowering youth and helping them chart a more prosperous and inclusive future.
Additional details and the process to submit a grant can be obtained by contacting CFNS at infocfns@cfns-fcne.ca
or by calling 902-490-9916 before May 22, 2019.
The Community Foundations of Canada annual conference is happening in Victoria, BC from June 6-8, 2019. This year's theme is "All In".
You can explore the growing roster of speakers and panelists and discover a stimulating offer of topics in their
50+ concurrent sessions
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Learn all about the pre-conference master classes
led by industry leaders.
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When you donate to CFNS you're supporting
Nova Scotia's communities, now and forever
The Community Foundation of Nova Scotia
is an action centre for philanthropy.
We provide the knowledge and support for communities, charities and citizens to realize their individual potential and collective possibilities.
If you're interested in working with us to grow your charity, honour a loved one or simply give back to your community, call 902-490-9916, email infocfns@cfns-fcne.ca, or visit our
website
to learn more about the opportunities we provide.
You can also support our work directly through a donation on our
CanadaHelps page. Your contribution will help us continue to
build strong, vibrant and diverse communities throughout Nova Scotia by enabling and inspiring effective philanthropy.
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