Five leaders of charitable organizations were named the first-ever recipients of fellowships offered by The Muttart Foundation of Edmonton.

Merrill Cooper, Executive Director, Calgary Legal Guidance, Calgary, Alberta

Ms. Cooper was executive director of Calgary Legal Guidance when she received her Fellowship. The agency provides a wide variety of legal advice, assistance and education to low-income Calgarians who do not qualify for legal aid and would not otherwise have access to a lawyer. Ms. Cooper produced and piloted a program development and evaluation kit to be used by not-for-profit agencies. The kit will provided executive directors and program or project managers with the information and tools to evaluate programs in a comprehensive and methodical way without assistance from outside consultants. Ms. Cooper now works as a consultant, and works closely with many not-for-profits.

Martin Garber-Conrad, former Executive Director, Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation, Edmonton, Alberta

Rev. Garber Conrad has worked in the not-for-profit sector since 1980, and as executive director of Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation (E4C) since 1987. The agency focuses its work in Edmonton's inner city, concentrating on the needs of disadvantaged people who live there, particularly women and children, especially in the areas of housing and shelter, food, safety, outreach and employment. Rev. Garber-Conrad undertook research to help demonstrate the value of the charitable sector. His collection of essays explores issues related to the non-profit sector at the dawn of the 21st Century. The chapter "Does Size Matter?" summarizes the non-profit sector in Canada and its contribution to contemporary society, and highlights some of the gaps in our knowledge and conceptual framework. Other chapters deal with social entrepreneurship, and with myths and dreams that frequently arise in the sector. "Contracting out" is another theme that is treated at length, based on the experience of organizations in New Zealand during the 1990s.
The emphasis in the book is the practical–what ideas can provide perspectives that can be used here and now? Its light, sometimes humorous style makes it a pleasure to read and its insights are valuable and timely.

Click here to download ‘Sermons for the New Millennium

Click here to purchase from the Resource Centre for Voluntary
Organizations, Edmonton
Click here to purchase from the Volunteer Centre of Calgary

E. Gail Johnston, Chief Executive Officer, Evergreens Foundation, Edson, Alberta

Ms. Johnston is chief executive officer of the Evergreens Foundation of Edson, Alberta, where she has worked since 1984 for an agency which provides housing to Alberta seniors. During her Fellowship year, she undertook an initiative to develop research about future prospects for housing for seniors, given decisions by governments to reduce their funding of such facilities. As part of the research, Ms. Johnston developed a process to assist communities to address housing needs of seniors -- an issue of increasing importance in a society with an aging population. She also researched seniors housing across Canada. The book looks at a wide range of housing: self-contained apartments, co-op housing, seniors lodges, etc. It also briefly examines housing programs in the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and Japan and provides a list of contacts and resources.

Click here to download ‘The Road to Grandma’s House: Ways to
Support the Housing Choices of an Aging Population’

Anne Luke, Executive Director, Central Regina Early Learning Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan

Ms. Luke has been executive director of Central Regina Early Learning Centre since 1977. This agency developed early-learning systems for children living in poverty well before the concept caught on in North America. Ms. Luke spent her fellowship year developing training modules and an Internet home page for pre-school and Headstart staff who work with "at-risk" populations. These resources address the current gap in awareness of what constitutes a developmentally appropriate program.

Martha Parker, former Executive Director, Volunteer Centre of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta

Mrs. Parker has been employed in the charitable sector for since 1987, and has been executive director of the Volunteer Centre of Calgary since 1989. This Centre, which has attracted international awards for innovation, is the central resource for the enhancement of volunteerism in the Calgary community. Mrs. Parker's research project developed Canadian resources to encourage effective alliances between the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Her research includes examination of trends in corporate giving as well as moves to increase employee volunteerism. Her book ‘Partnerships: Profits and Not-for-profits Together’ includes detailed case studies, rationale for change, the evolution of leading corporations and not-for-profits, plus reflections and learnings. Mrs. Parker is now enjoying her retirement.

Click here to download ‘Partnerships: Profits and Not-for-profits Together’.

Click here to purchase from the Resource Centre for Voluntary
Organizations, Edmonton.
Click here to purchase from the Volunteer Centre of Calgary.

"We are delighted to have such a distinguished group of people as the first recipients of the Muttart Fellowships," said Mrs. Helen Parker, the Foundation president, with the announcement of the 1997 Fellows. "We believe the charitable sector generally will benefit from the work these people will undertake. We also hope that this year away from the normal duties of running an agency will also provide the Fellows with an opportunity to renew themselves so they become even more effective in working with their agencies." The Fellows may begin their Fellowship year at any time within the next 12 months. Following completion of the year, they will return to their agencies for at least one year.
The Muttart Fellowships were announced in the fall of 1996. They are open to CEOs and senior managers of human-service charitable agencies in Alberta, Saskatchewan, the western N.W.T. and Yukon. The Foundation will award up to five Fellowships each year.
"We had two purposes in creating this new program -- the first of its kind in Canada," said Dr. Joy Calkin, a director of the Foundation and chair of the Fellowships committee.
"We are concerned about burnout among leaders of the charitable sector. They are working daily under immense pressure. The opportunity to take a year off will, we hope, give them a chance to escape from the day-to-day crises they face and spend some time reflecting on broader issues.

"At the same time, the Fellows will be undertaking a project of their own design, a project that will serve to inform and assist the charitable sector," said Dr. Calkin.
Each of the Fellowship projects will result in creation of new information and new knowledge. The Muttart Foundation has committed to work with the Fellows to ensure this information and knowledge is made widely available.

"Few people working in the charitable sector have an opportunity to do in-depth research on issues that concern them," said Dr. Calkin. "The Fellowships will provide that opportunity, and I think have the potential to pay great dividends to the whole sector."
The Muttart Foundation was founded in 1953 by the late Gladys and Merrill Muttart. It exists to support special initiatives undertaken by charitable organizations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, the N.W.T. and Yukon. With an asset base of $60 million, it is one of the largest private foundations in western Canada.

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