{"id":4967,"date":"2025-03-24T19:54:41","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T23:54:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/?p=4967"},"modified":"2025-11-20T18:18:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T23:18:30","slug":"episode-one-rethinking-trust-based-philanthropy-a-conversation-with-linsey-sherman-zekulin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/2025\/episode-one-rethinking-trust-based-philanthropy-a-conversation-with-linsey-sherman-zekulin\/","title":{"rendered":"Linsey Sherman-Zekulin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-max  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n        \n                    \n                    \n            \n    <div class=\"cu-wideimage relative flex items-center justify-center mx-auto px-8 overflow-hidden md:px-16 rounded-xl not-prose  my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 bg-opacity-50 bg-cover bg-cu-black-50 py-24 md:py-28 lg:py-36 xl:py-48\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/90\/2025\/03\/Linsey1600-1600x700.jpg); background-position: 50% 50%;\">\n\n                    <div class=\"absolute top-0 w-full h-screen\" style=\"background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.600);\"><\/div>\n        \n        <div class=\"relative z-[2] max-w-4xl w-full flex flex-col items-center gap-2 cu-wideimage-image cu-zero-first-last\">\n            <header class=\"mx-auto mb-6 text-center text-white cu-pageheader cu-component-updated cu-pageheader--center md:mb-12\">\n\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold mb-2 text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] cu-pageheader--center text-center mx-auto after:left-px\">\n                        Linsey Sherman-Zekulin\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                    \n\n<p>S1, E1: Rethinking Trust-Based Philanthropy: A Conversation with Linsey<\/p>\n\n\n                            <\/header>\n        <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    \n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<p>In the Episode1 of Season 1 of our <em>PhilanthroThink Podcast<\/em> series, hosts <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/2023\/megan-skyvington-student\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Megan Skyvington<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/2024\/daniel-h-lanteigne-student\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daniel H. Lanteigne<\/a> sit with <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/2024\/linsey-sherman-zekulin-member-of-the-mpnl-advisory-council\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Linsey Sherman-Zekulin<\/a>, a dynamic nonprofit leader, philanthropist and co-founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happyrootsfoundation.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Happy Roots Foundation<\/a>, a private charitable foundation in Ottawa, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sororal.travel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sororal<\/a>, a femme-focused travel and advocacy brand. At Happy Roots, Linsey is championing a trust-based approach to philanthropy and grant-making, something she discusses in Episode 1. You can find it below or on <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/nxpQrnPRAyY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/rethinking-trust-based-philanthropy-a-conversation\/id1801197310\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple Podcasts<\/a> or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/4CO4HH79VRuFUqon5YjLO6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spotify<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rethinking Trust-Based Philanthropy: A Conversation with Linsey Sherman-Zekulin\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nxpQrnPRAyY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rethinking-trust-based-philanthropy-a-conversation-with-linsey-sherman-zekulin\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Rethinking Trust-Based Philanthropy: <\/b><b>A Conversation with Linsey Sherman-Zekulin<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the start of the interview, the hosts ask Linsey to share her journey into philanthropy and the key experiences that shaped her approach. She explains that the transition into philanthropy became more personal in 2019, when a shift in her family\u2019s circumstances\u2014and an entrepreneurial spark from her husband\u2014paved the way for founding Happy Roots Foundation. This private charitable foundation is dedicated to a trust-based approach to grant-making, especially in the realm of infant and early childhood mental health. Linsey explains that by choosing this focus, she was able to connect her professional passions with her desire to make a tangible difference in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also highlights the importance of being flexible in her approach. Rather than relying on lengthy reports, Linsey says she prefers regular, informal conversations with her partners, which allows them to adjust their strategies in real-time. This approach not only builds stronger relationships but also ensures that the funding makes an impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the discussion, we understand that trust is at the centre of the foundation&#8217;s work, as it gives grantees the room to do what they do best\u2014help others.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"not-prose cu-quote cu-component-spacing\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe have really embraced the idea of trust-based philanthropy being underpinned by collaboration and relationship building&#8230; It\u2019s about getting to know each other from the very beginning,\u201d Linsey said. \u201cAnd I think this is one of the pieces of a trust-based philanthropic approach where we are respectful of the work and the expertise and the role that the leaders in the organization have&#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Linsey also discusses navigating respectively and thoughtfully the philanthropic landscape, knowing that there has been a longstanding power dynamic between funders and recipients.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"not-prose cu-quote cu-component-spacing\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cI feel strongly that our traditional models of philanthropy and funder &#8212; and grantmaker and grantee &#8212; are rooted in a lot of institutional power imbalances,\u201d Lindsey explains. \u201cAnd I think a lot about whether I&#8217;m contributing to it, and how can I not contribute to it. Even when I think I&#8217;m not contributing to it, am I contributing to it?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The conversation later touches on the entrepreneurial elements of her Foundation\u2019s work: \u201cI do think there is something entrepreneurial about it. And I never considered myself particularly entrepreneurial, although, in the last couple of years, I&#8217;ve sort of dipped my toe into entrepreneurial life and learned a lot about it. And there are some really exciting things that come about when you kind of embrace that mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lindsey also says that she hopes more people embrace the entrepreneurial spirit, particularly when considering higher-risk projects to support. With that mindset, there&#8217;s an opportunity to take risks in solving complex problems that might otherwise not be solved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Thank you to IG Private Wealth Management for a grant to make the PhilanthroThink Podcast series possible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"http:\/\/eepurl.com\/hdJ0J5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sign up for PANL Perspectives, MPNL\u2019s free newsletter.<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the Episode1 of Season 1 of our PhilanthroThink Podcast series, hosts Megan Skyvington and Daniel H. Lanteigne sit with Linsey Sherman-Zekulin, a dynamic nonprofit leader, philanthropist and co-founder of Happy Roots Foundation, a private charitable foundation in Ottawa, and Sororal, a femme-focused travel and advocacy brand. At Happy Roots, Linsey is championing a trust-based [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[39,121,1206],"tags":[1101,1210,288,976,973,921,975,106,1208,1207,1209],"class_list":["post-4967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-philanthrothink","category-podcast","tag-daniel-h-lanteigne","tag-episode-1","tag-founder","tag-happy-roots-foundation","tag-linsey-sherman-zekulin","tag-megan-skyvington","tag-philanthropist","tag-philanthrothink","tag-podcast","tag-rethinking-trust-based-philanthropy","tag-sororal"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":"blueprint"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4967"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5769,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4967\/revisions\/5769"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}