inTOUCHSPRING 2011

The ECF AnnualGeneral Meeting luncheonwill be held June 9th, 2011at the Westin Edmontonstarting 11:45 a.m.

Our keynote speaker this year isMark Kingwell, a philosophyprofessor at the University ofToronto whose focus is on questionsof social obligation and the role ofcitizenship in sustaining a just anddemocratic society. He has writtenwidely in the popular press andregularly engages with citizensoutside the academic community.

We hope to see you there.

HOLD THEDATE FORTHE AGM

MESSAGE FROM THE CEOThe Foundation lost three long-time friends and supporterswith the passing of Sheila Edwards, Shirley Stollery andMargaret Andrekson. They will be remembered for theirgenerousity and commitment not only to EdmontonCommunity Foundation, but to many other institutionsand organizations in the city. We share their families’grief and we celebrate their lives.

In the first quarter of 2011 I’m happy to report that ROI, new fund creation andestate promises are all above average. Although year-end results are not predictablefrom only one quarter, it is certainly good news to start the year so strong,e.g., 15 estate planning promises and nearly $2 million in new contributions.

Earlier this year Bob Ward, executive director of the Social Enterprise Fund,announced his retirement after three exciting years building the SEF. We thank Bobfor all the work he has done to grow the SEF and we wish him well in hisretirement. After a lengthy recruitment process, we have appointed his successor,Jane Bisbee, who brings valuable experience in the creation and delivery of non-traditional financing. Her recent career has focused on the delivery of innovativesolutions for companies working in the content creation industries with the Albertaprovincial government. We look forward to working with her.

We are proceeding to roll out the new Endow Edmonton initiative to connectdonors with opportunities to address the ever changing needs of our communities.There are options for donors interested in any of the major areas in which ECF isactive. The purpose of the program is to “marshal the energy and resources ofEdmontonians to create the most healthy, vibrant, resilient and vital city anywhere.”We will continue to seek your response to this initiative. But you don’t need to waitfor us to call you. Contact us (Kathy Hawkesworth and I are leading this initiative)if you want to know more!

Just a reminder that the Foundation’s annual general meeting is scheduled forJune 9th at the Westin Hotel and we hope many of you will be able to join usfor the luncheon, stimulating speaker and our report to the community.

– Martin Garber-Conrad, CEO

inTOUCH - SPRING 2011 www.ecfoundation.org

In every organization there areindividuals whose contributionshelp chart its course and so it iswith the Edmonton CommunityFoundation (ECF). We weresaddened to lose three long-timefriends and supporters over thelast several months with thepassing of Sheila Edwards inDecember 2010, Shirley Stolleryin February and MargaretAndrekson in March.

Sheila Edwards was one of the originalmembers of ECF’s board of directors andwas instrumental in activating the presentday ECF in 1989. In 1991, Sheila and herhusband Jim started the Jim & SheilaEdwards Family Fund. Sheila was a greatsupporter and lover of the arts and over theyears was involved with the Citadel Theatre,U of A’s Studio Theatre and the AlbertaFoundation for the Arts.

Shirley Stollery and her late husbandBob were one of the three foundingfamilies in the activation of ECF in 1989.Their foresight led to the formation of theCommunity Fund which allows our boardto react to priority community needs.The Stollery Family name is certainly onethat is familiar to many Edmontonians.Their private foundation has been animportant partner in many communityinitiatives and thanks to their generousity,Edmonton is home to the state of the artStollery Children’s Hospital.

Margaret Andrekson served on ECF’sboard for several years and was instrumentalin bringing the Winspear Fund to ECF. In1997, she and her husband Andy created theAndrekson Family Fund. Along with herwork with ECF, Margaret volunteered forseveral other boards and organizationsincluding the Edmonton SymphonyOrchestra, U of A Senate and the JuniorLeague of Edmonton.

These three generouswomen were importantcontributors, not just to ECF,but to many other charities,activities and institutions in ourCity. They believed strongly inthe value of philanthropy andgave generously of both timeand financial resources.We will miss them.

FLORENCEMACKENZIEFUNDIn early 1998 Florence MacKenzie did anunusual and wonderful thing. She and heradvisors set aside some of her savings in atrust fund with terms that ensured that shereceived the income from the trust duringher lifetime and that an endowment fundwould be set up with the remainder of thetrust money at the end of her life. In charitygift jargon, this is called a “charitableremainder trust” or “CRT” because thecharity receives the remainder of a formaltrust fund.

This is unusual because, in our experience,very few people in Canada formally setaside an amount in a trust during their

lifetimes for this purpose. It is morecommon for Canadian donors to set upsuch a CRT in their wills. For example,they may want to set an amount aside toamply provide for the needs of a child,spouse or parent during their lifetimes, butwish to themselves define what is to happenwith what is left after those loved ones areno longer living.

It is wonderful for a number of reasons.First because of the permanent ongoingsupport this trust ultimately provides toher chosen health related charities, and alsobecause it so clearly defined during herlifetime what she wished to accomplish witha particular defined amount of her savings.Most importantly, it allows a communityenriched by the life of this gracious andpatient kindergarten teacher to be part ofand continue her story, even after herlifetime - which ended in September 2010.

ECF REMEMBERS THREE LONG-TIMEFRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS

inTOUCH - SPRING 2011 www.ecfoundation.org

RANALD &VERA SHEANMEMORIALSCHOLARSHIPFUND“We believe in promotingand supporting culture.We feel that our Fund willhelp our community andour young people.”

This quote from Ranald and Vera Sheanappeared in a story in the EdmontonCommunity Foundation (ECF) AnnualReport for 1995. That was the year Veraand Ranald came to ECF to establish anendowment fund to support youngmusicians. While, sadly, they have bothsince passed away – Ranald in 1997 andVera in 2005 – their commitment to helpingyoung musicians continues through threefunds: Ranald & Vera Shean Fund, Ranald& Vera Shean Sonata Fund and the Ranald& Vera Shean Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Both of the Sheans were musicians andteachers and their love for music promptedthem to establish funds to help promoteyoung musical talent – through competitionawards and a scholarship program.Each year, the scholarship fund gives awardsto six Edmonton & area students whodemonstrate commitment and exceptionaltalent in the studies of violin or piano.The primary criterion for the awards isquality of performance.

One of the latest students to benefit fromthe Shean’s generousity and love of musicis Jared Mosher. This young violinist wasawarded a scholarship to further his musicaleducation through private violin study.Over the years Jared has studied with anumber of well- known local and nationalviolin players and has made a number ofprofessional performances. He has beeninvited to perform and record Dale DykinsSonata in A Minor for violin and piano,a piece of music believed to not have beenperformed in more than 50 years.A planned CD of Canadian works,including his own, is currently in the workswith a possible release date in 2012.

In establishing their initial fundin 1995, the dream of Vera andRanald was to create a legacythat would encourage youngmusical talent. Their dreamhas certainly come true.

Application formsare available on-line.

COMMUNITYINVESTMENTPARTNERSHIPEdmonton Community Foundation launched the Community InvestmentPartnership in the fall of 2010 with its inaugural project guide. CIP is a programto share ECF’s knowledge of emerging community needs and projects withholders of donor advised funds. The guide listed several innovative projectsseeking support and offered donors the opportunity to partner in funding anyprojects that were of interest. We were pleased with the response to the program.A second guide will be distributed this spring.

The CIP program is designed to help donors make effectiveand strategic community investments by communicatingareas of funding priority for their consideration. It also helpsECF meet community needs by mobilizing a larger andmore targeted pool of funds.

inTOUCH - SPRING 2011 www.ecfoundation.org

Bob Ward, executive directorof the Social Enterprise Fund,looks on as presentations are madeat the Social Enterprise Boot Camp.The intensive three-day camp saw25 non-profit organizations andsocial entrepreneurs pitch theirideas for social enterprises to apanel of judges. At the end ofthe three days, four projects wereselected to receive cash awards andbusiness development support fortheir projects.

For more information and view thelist of winning projects visit

www.socialenterprisefund.ca

YOUTHEMPOWERMENTPROGRAMYoung people are oftenmotivated to engage in projectsthat are of particular relevanceor interest to them. They haveideas and strategies to deal withproblems faced not only bytheir peers, but by theircommunities, and EdmontonCommunity Foundation(ECF) wanted to support andencourage the creativity of thesefuture leaders in addressingthese issues.

With a gift from a generous donor,ECF initiated the Youth EmpowermentProgram (YEP) in the fall of 2010. Theprogram is designed to support activitiesthat are initiated, led and organized byEdmonton youth.

For change of address please advise:Edmonton Community Foundation9910 - 103 Street NWEdmonton, AlbertaT5K 2V7

If you would prefer to receive future newsletters via email please contact us at info@ecfoundation.org or call (780) 426-0015.

inTOUCH - SPRING 2011 www.ecfoundation.org

By the projects deadline, ECF grant staffhad received more than 40 applications –a very positive response to this first timeprogram. A panel of ten bright youngpeople (ages 13 to 22), most of whom attendEdmonton area junior high schools, highschools, colleges and universities wasconvened. This diverse and representativepanel reviewed the applications andprovided feedback to granting staff to ensurethat peer-level perspective was included inthe assessment process.

The 21 proposals thatwere approved for fundinginclude such projects asband competitions, youthmentoring programs, helpfor the homeless, support foryoung immigrant programs,and arts & culture projects.

EXPOSUREArtist Travis McEwan was inattendance at his exhibit - TheUnicorn Boy and the AlbinoDepart - that was held at HilltopHouse during the Exposure Festivalin November 2010. The exhibitwas hosted by The Rainbow Fundthat supports Edmonton’s lesbian,gay, bisexual and transgendered(LGBT) community.