Giving For Lasting Change
The Barrett Family Foundation's Approach to Canadian Philanthropy
by Alister Mathieson and Emilio Elia

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“Learn how a leading Canadian foundation is giving for lasting change.” The Barrett Family Foundation (BFF) is one of Canada's ten largest foundations by annual giving—a status punctuated by several historic, multi-million-dollar gifts. However, the dollar figures only tell a fraction of the story: BFF was built upon the belief that how you give is just as important as what you give. BFF is recognized by partners like World Vision Canada and the Rideau Hall Foundation for its innovative giving strategies, which have been developed over the past thirteen years with a bold vision in mind: to create the most meaningful and lasting change, at the greatest scale possible, and with the utmost efficiency. ‘Giving for Lasting Change’ was written by BFF insiders to help others in the Canadian philanthropic sector discover their ‘how’ amidst increasingly complex challenges. It allows unprecedented and unlimited access to the playbook of a top-10 Canadian foundation, where readers will find innovative and practical ways to improve collaboration with nonprofits, fund sustainable solutions, minimize administrative costs, and much more. Whether you are a foundation insider, a leader in the nonprofit sector, or an advisor to philanthropic clients, this book is a ‘must read’ that will expand how you think about strategic philanthropy. All proceeds are donated to BFF to support its partners. “This remarkable piece of work speaks to a shining star of contemporary Canadian philanthropy.” — Right Honourable David Johnston, 28th Governor General of Canada “At World Vision, we are inspired by the Barrett Family Foundation’s thoughtful philanthropy. Their approach is broad, tackling big challenges; deep, by strategically addressing root causes; and generous, launching innovations that make a real difference…” — Michael Messenger, Former CEO, World Vision Canada (2015-2025)

www.givingforlastingchange.com

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Alister Mathieson is the executive director of the Barrett Family Foundation. He was first introduced to Bob Barrett and the Barrett Family Foundation in 2014. At that time, he was a vice-president at Humber College in Toronto and led a team of educators to establish a partnership with BFF that resulted in the creation of the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation. During this time, Alister was introduced to BFF’s progressive approach to philanthropy and witnessed firsthand the inspiring impacts of their donations. When he retired from Humber, Bob asked Alister to come and work with him at BFF. Without a second thought, Alister jumped at the opportunity. Alister is an internationally recognized author of academic books in tourism and several children’s books on Canada. His academic books, written between 1982 and 2006, have been described as seminal works in the discipline of tourism studies. His six children’s books have been described by the Globe and Mail as “must reads” and have received endorsements from notable Canadians including former Governor General, the Right Honorable David Johnston, Wheel in Motion activist Rick Hansen, and broadcaster Peter Mansbridge. Alister and his family recently moved to British Columbia after living in Ontario for nearly 40 years Emilio Elia is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, author, and proud grandson of Bob Barrett. He is a graduate of Economics and Management (BA) from the University of St. Andrews and a Co-Founder of Argon Prototypes Inc., a precision manufacturing company in Toronto. In 2024, Bob invited Emilio to study his philanthropic journey and to sit on BFF’s board in an observational role. The following year, Emilio and Alister began co-authoring this book.

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Contributors

Author

Alister Mathieson

Author

Emilio Elia

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