Go Wide

We have the wherewithal to increase our charitable giving, and we're not resistant to giving more. That’s what the research finds. In my interviews, people were interested to learn how little it takes to make a difference, and how many organizations welcome even a modest legacy. And they were surprised at how little it takes to set up a personal foundation through many vehicles including our Community Foundations.

The Celia Franca Society, the legacy arm of the National Ballet of Canada, provides a good model for engagement. Marcia McClung, the Chair of the Society explains that their strategy is to “go wide.” Anyone can become a member of the Society who commits to including the Ballet in their will. The benefits of membership include watching dress rehearsals and attending lectures. Marcia describes the impact this way: “This means that all ballet lovers of all income levels can sustain their passion for the organization. And we can sustain and nurture their commitment and loyalty. Some of these relationships will end up being more fruitful than we could have imaged. And every one of them is valued.”

On June 16, I had the pleasure of speaking about The Well-Lived Life with author Katherine Ashenburg to a sold-out audience brought together by the Society, the Royal Ontario Museum and Trinity College. The photo below shows us in the Ballet’s beautiful Walter Carson Building in a rehearsal and performance studio transformed into a discussion space. You can just make out in the mirror the dedicated Ben McNally selling books.