The Shared Brain Podcast

Are donor-advised funds holding money hostage — or are they one of the most powerful tools in the charitable sector? In Part 2 of our DAF series, Senior Consultants Jill Nelson and Peter McKinley tackle the real concerns and common misconceptions surrounding how donor-advised funds operate. From disbursement quotas and endowment comparisons to anonymity, stewardship barriers, and complex gift vehicles, Jill and Peter bring clarity, nuance, and a healthy dose of optimism to a topic that is res...

In this episode, two expert Senior Consultants with Global Philanthropic Canada, Corinne Rusch-Drutz, PhD, and Jason Muscant, MA, discuss political resilience within Canada's charitable sector, emphasizing the importance of understanding the impact of crises, maintaining a clear mission, and developing effective communication strategies. They explore how organizations can navigate the political landscape, build relationships with political partners, and advocate for their causes while remaini...

HOORAY for the next generation of philanthropists!! This episode takes us to New Brunswick, where we connect with two inspiring individuals who make the wheels turn for the "Youth in Philanthropy" (YiP) program. This program is designed to inspire, engage and teach youth about the impacts and benefits of being involved with philanthropy through various activities where they learn about the work of non-profits in their communities. The youth leave the program inspired to become young adults wh...

Aujourd’hui, on vous propose un épisode spécial pour faire écho à la conférence nationale 2025 du CCAE, qui s’est tenue dans le cadre prestigieux du Château Frontenac à Québec, en collaboration avec l’Université Laval. Une rencontre qui a réuni les leaders de l’avancement institutionnel au pays — et où les idées, les échanges et les inspirations ont fusé. Mais on le sait, tout le monde ne peut pas y assister. Alors, que vous étiez retenu sur votre campus ou que vous n’ayez tout simpleme...

What makes philanthropy tick in the Canadian landscape? How do we collectively squeeze the most juice out of associations and memberships to elevate your non-profit's mission and your fundraising career? What does it mean to be a fundraising generalist? In this episode, we dive in to discuss fundraising in Canada from the perspective of Lisa Dayanandan, CFRE. Lisa is a self-described storyteller, connector and big picture thinker. A former teacher, she found her way into fundraising and never...

It's Pride Season! So let's dive in. Pssst. May we have an itty bitty chat about the acronym LGBTQ? Or is it LGBTQ+? Where do we include the 2S? What does allyship look like from a fundraising perspective? What's the best approach to pronouns in the workplace? This conversation provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by the queer community and what we can do collectively to drive positive change. This episode features three leaders in the Canadian fundraising space. Our two gues...

Today’s episode has us jetting off to the quaint town of Dunnville, in Ontario’s Niagara peninsula to chat with Penny Banks of the Dunnville Hospital and Healthcare Foundation. Penny is the passionate and upbeat Executive Director of the foundation and enthusiastically spends a good portion of Smile Cookie Week elbow deep in cookie dough. Penny’s organization teamed up with the Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie campaign and the union paid off – literally. Since 1996, $77 million has been raised for o...