NCF has a long lineage of strong and dedicated volunteers who help govern and grow the foundation. From our early Directors like Debbie Zimmerman and Frank Branscombe to our more recent Board Chairs like Ruth Todd and Damian Goulbourne, all our directors have given of their time, talent and treasures to help shape and build NCF into the organization that it is today- Niagara’s philanthropic partner since 2000.

On June 1st, NCF’s board of directors elected a new chair to take the reins for the next three years. We are pleased to announce Mike Mann as NCF’s Board Chair, a community leader who needs little introduction. If you are in a room with Mike, he is guaranteed to run into someone he knows. He is a leader within our community, a champion for Niagara and a dedicated volunteer with NCF.

We asked Mike a few questions to help our community get to know him a little better.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your connection to Niagara. 

I am a life-long resident of Niagara. I am married with two adult sons and I am currently a partner at one of the oldest law firms in Ontario, Lancaster Chown & Welch LLP, with offices in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland. I grew up in a household where my father was involved in municipal politics for 30 consecutive years, so that laid a foundation and example for me to be community-minded.

How did you get involved with NCF? What drew you to the organization to start and what kept you here?

I joined the board in 2015. One of the partners in my law firm, Rob Welch, previously served as a director on the NCF Board and he always was very complimentary of the organization and its staff. I also had clients who named NCF in their Wills and spoke very highly of the impact that NCF has in the community. The reason that I have remained on the Board and also established my own family fund with NCF is that I have seen first-hand the positive outcomes that the organization can achieve.

NCF rebranded in 2022 and adopted the tagline, “turning intent into impact.” What does this tagline mean to you?

In my opinion words alone without action and appropriate behaviour will not accomplish the intended result. As a member of the Grants Committee of NCF for several years, I had the true benefit of seeing the impact that donor dollars can have for worthwhile programs and deserving organizations in our community. Hearing their stories has resulted in a true depiction for me of “where the rubber hits the road”.

NCF has been Niagara’s philanthropic partner since 2000. How have you see the culture of philanthropy evolve in Niagara?

Despite fluctuations in our economy and talk of recessions, it seems to me that Canadians, in general, are becoming more attuned to charitable giving and to serving the needs of others. Clearly, there is always room for improvement and growth in those areas. NCF, with its connection to many charities in Niagara, is positioned well to spearhead philanthropic giving.

NCF often partners with allied professionals like yourself- lawyers, accountants, financial advisors- to connect with new donors and fundholders. What would be a piece of advice you would give to fellow allied professionals when speaking with their clients about philanthropy and endowment giving?

When I am taking instructions from clients with respect to their estate planning, I always ask if they have actively supported charities during their life; and if they have, I then ask if they would want those same charities to benefit from the assets of their estate upon death, and I highlight to my clients that, in most cases, their giving capacity and impact are the greatest upon an estate distribution; and, of course, there can be tax benefits related to charitable bequests.

As the newly appointed chair of the NCF board of directors, what do you see on the horizon for NCF?

I am very excited about the direction that NCF is taking. Since being involved with the Board, I have been impressed with the Foundation’s proactive steps to meet the needs of the community and to “think outside of the box” in terms of how it can invest in community and charitable initiatives. I have immense confidence in the organization in terms of its accountability to stakeholders and to the Board; and I am encouraged by the very strong team of employees who work so hard to maintain the success of the organization.

Thanks so much to Mike for your dedication to NCF and we look forward to your upcoming term as our Board Chair.

To find out more about how you can get involved, visit our Volunteer page here.