New initiative will leverage the company's
technology and data-science expertise to help not-for-profit
organizations better support the communities they serve
TORONTO, July 13,
2022 /CNW/ - Today, Mastercard launched
Changeworks™, a social-impact program that helps
Canada's not-for-profits harness
the power of technology and data to create positive change. To put
this commitment into action, Mastercard has made its first anchor
grant to national not-for-profit, CanadaHelps, to launch a digital
transformation program for charities across Canada.
Canada is home to outstanding
not-for-profits delivering critical social programs and services,
but many of these organizations have not been able to adequately
invest in technology infrastructure and digital skills. While a
majority believe digital adoption is important and the resource
crunch they face could be more effectively managed through digital
technology, 55 per cent of charities polled say they do not have
the funding, or the skills, expertise and knowledge for digital
adoption1.
This has created significant obstacles for delivering programs
and services efficiently, scaling impact and reach, and bringing in
donations critical to support their work. The pandemic has made
this situation even more challenging as not-for-profit
organizations struggled to survive and to pivot to online models
while facing decreasing revenue and increasing demand for
services.
"Canadian not-for-profit organizations are vital contributors to
our country's economic health and social fabric, but many lack the
necessary technology infrastructure and digital skills to deliver
on their mandates and increase their impact," said Sasha Krstic, president of Mastercard in
Canada. "We aim to provide
support, resources and expertise to help empower them do what they
do best. It's about creating a ripple effect that will make
Canadian society stronger, more inclusive, and more equitable for
everyone."
About Mastercard
Changeworks
The core mission of Mastercard Changeworks is to support
Canadian not-for-profits – and the individuals and communities they
serve – by helping them improve their technology and data
capabilities. Designed with three program pillars: grants and
partnerships, hackathons and datathons, and employee volunteer
initiatives, the program will launch with a targeted focus on
not-for-profits in the entrepreneurship space, particularly those
supporting Indigenous and Immigrant/Newcomer small-business
entrepreneurs; a segment of the business community that continues
to face significant challenges. Over time, the program will broaden
to others in the not-for-profit sector.
CanadaHelps is the first anchor grant recipient of Mastercard
Changeworks. The grant will fund the development and piloting of a
new program, CanadaHelps' Charity Growth Academy – to help small
and medium-size charities use tech and data to transform their
strategies, operations, and fundraising. Eleven charities and
not-for-profits in the entrepreneurship, Indigenous and/or
immigrant/newcomer space will be part of the pilot, each receiving
a digital transformation assessment and customized action plan,
training, coaching, and a grant from Mastercard to implement
technology and/or data solutions customized to its needs.
"The prioritization of digital transformation is well understood
and underway in the business world, and charities need the same
support to go digital that has been offered to small businesses,"
said Lizz Bryce, SVP, Community and
Strategic Initiatives at CanadaHelps. "The support provided by
Mastercard Changeworks has taken Charity Growth Academy from a bold
idea to a reality that was only possible with the significant
investment Mastercard was willing to make. This program will enable
our small and medium-size charity partners to kick-start their
digital transformation journeys with the support of quality
training resources, connections to volunteer experts, and funding
needed to lay the foundations for long-term progress and
success."
Mastercard Changeworks furthers the mission of The Mastercard
Center for Inclusive Growth to advance equitable and sustainable
economic growth and financial inclusion globally. Through a
commitment to investing in actionable insights, impactful programs
and cross-sector partnerships, the Center helps ensure that
technology works for people, meets their needs and makes their
lives better.
About Mastercard (NYSE:
MA)
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments
industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital
economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions
safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks,
partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help
individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses
realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ,
drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our
company. With connections across more than 210 countries and
territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks
priceless possibilities for all.
About CanadaHelps
CanadaHelps is a public foundation advancing philanthropy
through technology. For Canadians, it powers CanadaHelps.org, a
safe and trusted destination for discovering and supporting any
charity in Canada, and
UniteforChange.com, where Canadians can learn about causes and
easily support the collective work of charities addressing a cause
they care about. CanadaHelps also develops affordable fundraising
technology used by more than 25,000 charities, and free training
and education so that, regardless of size, all charities have the
capacity to increase their impact and succeed in the digital age.
Since 2000, over 3.5 million people have given more than
$2.2 billion through
CanadaHelps. Connect with CanadaHelps on Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram and LinkedIn.
1Source:
CanadaHelps polling:
https://forcharities.canadahelps.org/whitepapers/2021-digital-skills-survey-results
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SOURCE Mastercard