Since 2005, the Educational Foundation holds an annual fundraising dinner to raise funds for its programs, which are designed to assist young Canadians to become powerful citizens. The programs grew out of a concern for the decreasing participation rate of 18 to 24 year-old Canadians in the electoral process. A portion of the funds raised will be placed in an endowment fund for the purpose of ensuring that the programs are sustainable in the long term. The balance, by far the largest portion, goes directly to operations with very little diversion to overhead.
Low overheads are possible because the Association invariably works with a partner on any project. The partner possesses the design, development and delivery capabilities for any given project while the Association provides resources in the form of the knowledge, skills and experience of its members and, now, modest amounts of financial assistance to promote innovation and to sustain excellence.
In 2009, it was decided that that year’s and future dinners would be named “Douglas C. Frith Dinner” in honour of the late parliamentarian and former President of the Association who was instrumental in the creation of this event.
The very successful Seventh Annual Douglas C. Frith Fundraising Dinner took place in Ottawa on October 19, 2011. Additional information, including a video of guest speaker Amanda Lang's presentation on Canada's innovation dilemma, the programme, the list of our patrons and sponsors, and photos of the event, taken by photographer Denis Drever, are now available on the 2011 Dinner page.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for future dinners, please contact our office at (613) 947-1690.
Past Dinners: