{"id":6295,"date":"2026-07-18T18:24:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T22:24:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/?p=6295"},"modified":"2026-07-18T19:19:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T23:19:57","slug":"why-build-a-stronger-culture-of-philanthropy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/mpnl\/2026\/why-build-a-stronger-culture-of-philanthropy\/","title":{"rendered":"Why We Should Build a Stronger Culture of Philanthropy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Why We Should Build a Stronger Culture of Philanthropy\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

By Calum Carmichael<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"With
Calum Carmichael<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How can we gauge a culture of philanthropy in Canada? As noted in the introduction to this series on PANL Perspectives<\/em><\/a>, we use the term \u201cculture of philanthropy\u201d not as it\u2019s been used elsewhere to describe fund-raising potential<\/a> or the internal work environment of nonprofits<\/a>. Instead, we mean something much wider: the ongoing set of behavioural norms within a society that encourages and normalizes a personal and collective responsibility for empathy and action. Here, empathy refers to our regard for those in need and those with whom we differ. And action refers to our learning about those needs and differences, together with our assisting or defending the people involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such a culture can be seen in a variety of ways, whether in our readiness to help, say by voluntarism or charitable donations, or in our readiness to understand and respect the priorities of others, despite not sharing those priorities. However, on both fronts \u2013 our readiness to help and our readiness to understand and respect \u2013 we see mixed signals in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before considering why we should build a broader and stronger culture of philanthropy, let\u2019s first set the context by reviewing the concerns outlined in the introduction<\/a> \u2013 concerns that stem from the mixed signals we see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A strong history of donating and trusting<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In terms of our readiness to help, Canada has a strong history and practice of voluntarism and donation, and by some measures, these practices are growing. Contributions made through CanadaHelps<\/a> are increasing across a range of donor types and causes. And over the 25 years from 1998 to 2023, the charitable donations claimed by tax filers<\/a> increased in real terms from $8 billion (2023 dollars) to $12.7 billion: an overall growth of 60%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of respecting and accepting those with whom we differ, across recent international polls, Canadians rank high on questions about trusting<\/a> most people in their country, believing them to be morally good<\/a>, and in not thinking that being born in the country is necessary to truly belong<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n