Canada’s Chair in Philanthropy: Embracing Canada’s Building Moment
Susan Phillips and Linsey Sherman-Zekulin in conversation with Jamie Levine Daniel, the MPNL Program’s New Chair in Philanthropy
An online event on Nov. 10, 2026
Carleton University and the philanthropic community in Canada are pleased to welcome Dr. Jamie Levine Daniel, a pre-eminent researcher who focuses on the unique characteristics and needs of philanthropy and nonprofits in Canada. Funded by a collaborative group of donors from across the country, the Chair in Philanthropy is the first in Canada. It was created to leverage new resources and collaborate with sector stakeholders to generate and mobilize data that will support initiatives in the charitable and nonprofit sector. It’s a key building block in establishing a world-class Centre for Philanthropy and Civil Society at Carleton University.
Dr. Levine Daniel studies justice philanthropy, and specifically, has been working with community foundations in the U.S. to address inherent racism in their historical practices and on cross-border, diaspora philanthropy —and how domestic actors can become international actors through these activities.
Linsey Sherman-Zekulin and Susan Phillips spoke with Dr. Levine Daniel to discuss her research and how the work of the Chair and Carleton’s proposed Centre for Philanthropy and Civil Society can support the work of the sector.
The nonprofit sector is a major economic force, accounting for roughly one in ten Canadian jobs
In the video, Dr. Phillips argues that philanthropy in Canada has never been treated as a field requiring serious research, education or professional development. With declining donor and volunteer participation, a massive intergenerational wealth transfer underway, and growing demand on nonprofits, she says the moment has arrived to build a stronger culture of philanthropy. Carleton University is a natural home; it’s now building a national Centre for Philanthropy and Civil Society.
Lindsay Sherman Zukulin describes her journey from starting a family foundation to studying at Columbia, where she was struck by how little Canadian-specific data, analysis, and thought leadership existed compared to other jurisdictions. She and a group of funders from across the country came together collaboratively to fund the chair — with no one seeking naming rights — because they shared a profound respect for the sector and for Carleton’s unique role.
Dr. Jamie Levine Daniel then discusses her research focus: how nonprofits acquire resources and how that shapes their service delivery. Her interest grew from a professional experience where four funders forced a youth organization to become independent, raising questions about power and dependence. She describes her work on justice philanthropy — examining how resources are distributed in communities and grappling with histories of racism and inequity in philanthropic practices. She has been part of a multi-university research team studying community foundations that have committed to addressing racism.
Dr. Levine Daniel insists that publishing in top journals means little if the findings don’t reach the practitioners on the ground. She and Phillips discuss practical applications — informing policy consultations on the disbursement quota, helping nonprofits build better revenue models, creating data-literacy tools, and enabling organizations to make their own cases to government and stakeholders.
The conversation closes with audience questions about collaborative philanthropy, conceptual research on power dynamics in giving, and how the chair can shift the government’s policy conversation. All three speakers emphasize this event is the beginning of an ongoing dialogue — a hub, not an isolated institution — and they invite continued collaboration from the sector, alumni and the public.
Banner photo is courtesy of Alex Gillis.