This text is part of the special Philanthropy section
In the philanthropy ecosystem, each category of donor is essential and plays a particular role. Whether large-scale or not, each donation will be used to finance certain needs of the organization and will have significant effects.
From $20, a donation already begins to be significant, says Amélie L’Heureux, senior advisor and director of studies at Épisode, a philanthropy consulting firm. This amount involves the issuance of a receipt, it then makes it possible to collect “quality information on donors” in order to “help them evolve within a philanthropic structure and strategy”, adds Laetitia Shaigetz, president of Épisode .
Donations of $20 or more are essential, because they also ensure the sustainability of organizations. A larger donation will have the “capacity to transform and act more as a lever for change”, while the sum of small donations allows “reparation in philanthropic terms”, maintains Mme Shaigetz. Additionally, “the larger the donation amount, the more it goes toward something specific, whereas smaller donations [permettent] to offer adequate salaries or to pay for the premises,” explains Amélie L’Heureux. Michelle Niceforo, general director of the Foundation of the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), believes for her part that there is no “small” donation. A regular donation of $5 per month for several years “is extremely valuable,” she says.
The new edition of the study on trends in philanthropy, produced by Épisode, reveals that “the number of donors has been decreasing for 10 years in Quebec although the money dedicated to philanthropy is increasing”, which testifies to the “increasing inequalities,” confides the director of studies at Épisode. This means that fewer individuals determine what is funded in society and this is where smaller donations take on their importance, she continues, because they allow them to diversify their origin.
Furthermore, philanthropic organizations with the financial means to “put themselves forward” are also those which receive the most donations, which can also increase inequalities, adds Amélie L’Heureux. “Small donors” have the power not only to narrow this gap, but also to reduce the risk, says Mme Shaigetz, because “a major donor can decide [à tout moment] to turn to another cause.
The power of citizen action
By donating to an organization, we choose to support the sector for which it works and “we contribute to society,” says M.me Shaigetz. A donation can therefore be similar to a vote, she continues, although the majority of individuals are not aware of the power of this civic act, or even “of being a philanthropist”.
In academia, donations have the power to “change the society of tomorrow,” says Michelle Niceforo. At the Foundation, she explains, donors choose the faculty or project for which they wish to make a donation. They can thus make a concrete gesture to support research, create a chair, or even to finance scholarships. Michelle Niceforo believes that donors are aware of the direct consequences of their donation, which can, for example, allow students to access university studies. This is the reason why they “are very attached” to the scholarships, because it represents concrete help, deduces the general director of the Foundation.
Many of UQAM’s regular donors are graduates or employees of the University. Some teachers have also chosen to donate their life insurance, but there are a variety of donations, as evidenced by the value of the median amount, which is $60. This proves that all amounts count and allow projects to be carried out, concludes Michelle Niceforo.
This is why the UQAM Foundation is active, particularly on social networks, says M.me Niceforo who wants “people to realize that it is possible and accessible” to give and be philanthropic. In this regard, she believes that it is useful for a donor to become aware of the impact and usefulness of their donation.
Philanthropic trends in Quebec
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