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Category: News & Press
Muskoka Community Foundation Offers Collaborative Granting Opportunity
Muskoka Community Foundation (MCF) is initiating an innovative granting approach for 2015. The Foundation is inviting Muskoka’s charities and their community partners to apply for “Spirit of Wasan Island Grants” for highly visible and collaborative projects that have an immediate impact in building a smart & caring Muskoka.
Wasan Island Report
At a Smart & Caring Muskoka Symposium on Wasan Island in 2014, Muskoka Community Foundation initiated a conversation about building a Smart and Caring Muskoka.
Read a summary of the thoughts of Muskoka donors, Charities, not-for-profit organizations, community leaders and municipal leaders.
Muskoka Community Foundation Holds Governance Workshop
Muskoka Community Foundation is responding to the growing demand for good governance by hosting their 2nd Annual Governance Workshop for Muskoka’s Charities and Non-Profits on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at the Nipissing University Lecture Hall, Muskoka Campus in Bracebridge.
Don McCreesh will facilitate the Workshop. An active leader in voluntary sector governance with more than three decades experience, Don has served as a leader on the boards of 13 different nonprofit organizations. He is past Chair of the Board and HR and Governance Committee of Imagine Canada, where he led an initiative to bring governance, fundraising, accountability and management standards to Canada’s charitable sector.
The Foundation has expanded the curriculum from last year’s half-day workshop into a full day. The morning session will introduce the concept of good governance, and Board roles and duties, focusing on accountability, transparency and fiduciary responsibility. These topics will provide a background and foundation on the purpose of Boards and will set the foundation to carry out the director’s role.
The afternoon will be an in-depth workshop suited for staff leaders and senior volunteers that explores their unique relationship. The goal will be to cultivate a partnership between staff and the board of directors that respects and appreciates their distinct roles. Those who register for this session will have the opportunity to actively participate in the format by emailing discussion questions ahead of time. Don will use those questions to create the agenda.
We’re offering several registration options including online payment.
Marg French Elected New Chair of Muskoka Community Foundation
Marg French was elected the new Chair of the Muskoka Community Foundation at their Annual General Meeting on June 26, 2014. She has
Marg French was elected the new Chair of the Muskoka Community Foundation at their Annual General Meeting on June 26, 2014. She has been MCFs Vice Chair since 2009.
Marg is a Registered Professional Planner and prior to assuming her current role as a principal of French Planning Services, was Commissioner of Planning and Economic Development with the District Municipality of Muskoka. She retired from the District in June 2013 after 30 years in regional government.
Other officers of the Board elected at the AGM were Gord Durnan, Vice Chair, Daniel Bradbury, Treasurer, and Jodi Holder, Secretary. Evelyn Archibald, CPA, CA, and Chris Gun-Munro were also elected as Directors.
Celebrating Our Smart & Caring Muskoka
Chair of the District Municipality of Muskoka, John Klinck, celebrated community at the Smart & Caring Muskoka Celebration, at Grandview Golf Club on Friday
Chair of the District Municipality of Muskoka, John Klinck, celebrated community at the Smart & Caring Muskoka Celebration, at Grandview Golf Club on Friday May 2nd, 2014. Over 100 communitarians joined Klinck celebrate philanthropy and volunteerism in Muskoka and support the Muskoka Community Foundation.
The Mark O’Meara Ballroom was decorated with the banners of the 27 charities and non-profit organizations who were in attendance.
Keynote speaker Warren Jestin, Senior VP and Chief Economist at Scotiabank, spoke about the economics of hope, focusing on the global economy and its effect on nonprofits. And while he highlighted current economic trends in the world, Canada and Ontario, at the heart of his talk was the importance of philanthropy to any economy, and how by strengthening social structure we strengthen community. Dr. Jestin closed by encouraging us to open our minds and look for opportunities to build community through partnerships. He suggested now is the time for all of us to remove the silos and look for opportunities to share resources and synergies, within our sector and beyond, to collaborate and create smarter, more caring places.
Jim Karges, District Vice President at Scotiabank, presents a cheque from the bank for $1,000 for the Smart & Caring Muskoka Fund to the Foundation’s Directors. Grants from this community fund will be distributed in November. The Foundation also announced three special grants to local charities:
• YWCA Muskoka in memory of Betty Hilton,
• Hospice Huntsville on behalf of Cheryl and Randy Cooper, and
• Muskoka-Parry Sound Community Mental Health Services on behalf of District Municipality of Muskoka staff.
Dara Howell Establishes Innovative Fund for Muskoka’s Female Athletes
Dara Howell, and her Dad Doug, introduced the “Dara’s Women into Sport Fund” at the Muskoka Community Foundation’s Smart & Caring Muskoka Celebration on
Dara Howell, and her Dad Doug, introduced the “Dara’s Women into Sport Fund” at the Muskoka Community Foundation’s Smart & Caring Muskoka Celebration on Friday May 2nd, 2014. The Fund will support Muskoka women in sports and promote physical activity for girls. In Dara’s words: “I wanted to give back to the community that was so supportive of my dream, and create a way to support female athletes, and encourage girls to get involved in sport”. Anyone can make a gift to this fund, which is held by the Muskoka Community Foundation.
Three charities receive funding for programs that address poverty in Muskoka
Three Muskoka charitable organizations are the first recipients of grants from Muskoka Community Foundation’s Smart & Caring Muskoka Fund
Three Muskoka charitable organizations are the first recipients of grants from Muskoka Community Foundation’s Smart & Caring Muskoka Fund. District Chair, John Klinck presented cheques for $ 1,000.00 each to the Muskoka Student Nutrition Program, the Table Soup Kitchen Foundation and YWCA Muskoka on Friday, November 15, 2013 for their initiatives that address poverty in Muskoka.
The Muskoka Student Nutrition Program is a partnership between Muskoka, Nipissing and Parry Sound. Each community’s program is led by a volunteer committee and funds raised in that community are kept in that community. The MCF grant will be allocated to Muskoka schools who participate in the breakfast and snack programs and have been affected by increased enrollment due to the implementation of full-day kindergarten.
The Table Soup Kitchen Foundation will use the funds for their Men’s Shelter, which they will operate alongside their Soup Kitchen and Food Bank. Presently the nearest men’s shelters are in Orillia and North Bay.
YWCA Muskoka will use the funds towards their “Bridges out of Poverty” workshop, which is happening on December 2, 2013. The workshop will introduce a fresh perspective on the strengths, and challenges, faced by people living in poverty and offer a way of thinking, together, about how to build the bridges to help people make the transition out of poverty.
Photo (L-R): Gord Durnan (Muskoka Community Foundation Board Chair), John Klinck (District Chair, District of Muskoka), Fran Coleman (Councillor, District of Muskoka), Heather Berg (Table Soup Foundation, grant recipient), Lisette Nault (Community Living North Bay, Student Nutrition Program Coordinator, grant recipient), Lynda Hutt (YWCA Muskoka, Program Facilitator, grant recipient), Ellen Frood (Habitat for Humanity Executive Director), Betsy Rothwell (Treasurer, YWCA Muskoka)
Community Foundation Addresses Need for Good Governance
Don McCreesh, an active leader in voluntary sector governance with more than three decades experience, facilitates Muskoka Community Foundation’s Governance
Don McCreesh, an active leader in voluntary sector governance with more than three decades experience, facilitates Muskoka Community Foundation’s Governance Workshop at Nipissing University on Saturday, September 28, 2013. Fifty-six volunteer and staff leaders from Muskoka’s non-profit sector attended the half-day session, which introduced the concept of good governance and the role and duties of the Board. Emphasis was on the importance of accountability, transparency and fiduciary responsibility as well as the purpose of Boards and how to carry out the Director’s role.
Presentation to the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation
Chris Gun-Munro, Director, MCF presents a cheque to Colin Miller, Executive Director, South Muskoka Hospital Foundation on behalf of the Lowden Family Fund
Chris Gun-Munro, Director, MCF presents a cheque to Colin Miller, Executive Director, South Muskoka Hospital Foundation on behalf of the Lowden Family Fund