Giving Compass' Take:

• Canada is the first and only country in the world to have National Philanthropy Day which is a testament to their philanthropic pursuits across the country. 

• How does philanthropy in Canada differ from the U.S.? How is philanthropy in Canada shifting? 

• Read more about who gives, how and why in Canada. 

It’s been five years since Canada became the first and, so far, only country in the world to enshrine National Philanthropy Day (NPD) in legislation, proclaiming November 15 as the official day to celebrate the generosity of Canadians and the amazing impact they have on communities from coast to coast.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) views NPD as far more than just a celebration. It’s also a grassroots movement to increase public interest in and awareness of the importance of philanthropy, and to share knowledge on giving, volunteering and engagement so people can practise effective philanthropy

Statistics also have a tale to tell about Canada’s charitable sector. There are more than 170,000 charitable and non-profit organizations in Canada, of which 85,000 are registered charities recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency. Many of these organizations are very small but have huge impacts on the people they serve across the country.

According to Imagine Canada, the Canadian charitable and non-profit sector is the second largest in the world in relative terms. Data from tax filings show that charities reported $21.49-billion in fundraising revenue from all sources in 2014, and 82 percent of Canadians said they gave to a charity in 2013.

Delphine Haslé, development manager at the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre Foundation in Ottawa, agrees that a national day to celebrate philanthropy is important.

“Canadians are very generous, but the need is also great, and it keeps growing. On top of that, we see new giving patterns as the makeup of the population changes. Each generation has a different way of giving,” she says. “The challenge for charities is to understand the differences and adapt to them.”

Read the full article about the national day of philanthropy from The Globe and Mail