Dear AFP Greater Vancouver Members,
Your Government Relations Committee is pleased to share with you an update about recent
advocacy work on behalf of the membership base and for the non-profit sector.
On Thursday June 19th , Neil McEachern, Vice President of Government Relations addressed
the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Relations via teleconference as
part of the province’s 2026 BC Budget consultation process:
“Good morning members of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government
Services, my name is Neil McEachern and today I am representing the Association of
Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Vancouver chapter in my voluntary capacity as its Vice
President, Government Relations. AFP is a membership organization that aims to empower our
members and the non-profit sector to practice ethical fundraising through professional
education, networking, research and advocacy. In my day job, I serve as the Director, Fundraising; Donor Relations at the Vancouver Police Foundation, where we aim to make Vancouver safer for all. We accomplish this by supporting public safety initiatives brought forward by VPD officers and civilian staff that fall outside the organization’s annual budget.
Today I am coming to you with a recommendation not only on behalf of the 300 members of
AFP GV but for the 370,000 fellow British Columbians who work in 31,000 organizations across
BC’s non-profit sector that annually contribute $30.7 billion to our province’s GDP. Whether we
work to provide nutritious food for a family’s dinner table or timely autism assessments for
children in remote communities or a warm welcome to newcomers – we are ultimately all British
Columbians committed to making our communities and therefore our province stronger.
However, we can’t do this work alone and rely on support from individuals, foundations,
corporations and perhaps most importantly government. As you can imagine, our sector, like
many are facing incredible challenges but perhaps unlike others, we are also seeing increased
demand for our services – while facing a sharp downturn in giving.
While British Columbians often take pride in ranking among the top provinces across Canada,
our record on charitable giving tells a different story. According to the latest Statistics Canada
data, we have experienced nearly a 12% decline—placing us second only to Newfoundland for
the steepest drop in generosity.
One area where support has remained consistent is government funding and it’s why our
recommendation today is a $30M contribution to the Community Prosperity Fund. This is an
existing funding mechanism established by the province as we exited the COVID-19 pandemic
to provide our sector with unrestricted funding. As a refresher it provides non-profits supporting
their local communities with an equitable opportunity to access multi-year unrestricted funding
through community foundations located across the province. Unrestricted funding provides non-
profits on the ground with the ability to best decide how to benefit their communities.
Last year’s budget marked the first time in three years that our sector saw no new funding. As a
reminder, our sector, plays a vital role in addressing pressing issues ranging from supporting
vulnerable people to advancing public health, skills training and housing. If these issues seem familiar, its because they mirror the priorities raised earlier this year at the opening of the 43rd
parliament of our province.
Our sector is already seeing the impacts of economic uncertainty, with reduced services and
programming, without renewed support, we may see non-profits close and British Columbians
lose access to vital community services. It’s why we strongly recommend that the province
invest in our sector, which is dedicated to making solutions right here in British Columbia for our
fellow British Columbians.”
The committee did not seem surprised by our recommendation, having heard similar asks from
other presenters that day. They also asked how they might learn more about the Community
Prosperity Fund and about its impact among communities. In response, we suggested visiting
the respective local and regional community foundations that helped distribute funding through
our province.
Regarding next steps, a letter highlighting this recommendation will be sent to Ms. Joan Phillip,
the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits.