Read & Watch

Explore these selected publications and presentations by Sharilyn on philanthropy, family engagement, charitable giving, and governance.

Watermark Matters Newsletter

Watermark Matters keeps you current with insights, trends and news on generosity, family philanthropy, and governance.

Read past issues

Family Philanthropy & Governance

  • The Governance of multi-generational family philanthropy

    A new model for family philanthropy governance

    Read the summary

  • Family + Philanthropy: Philanthropic Foundations Canada

    Unpacking Great Governance for Generous Families
    (September 2025)

    Read

  • A Family Foundation Won’t Fix What Isn’t Working: Social Capital and a Pragmatic Approach for Generous Families

    Lansberg Gersick Advisors (August 2025)

    READ

  • Strategic participation in giving: Optimizing individual and multi-generational engagement

    Legacy Builders, Beacon Family Office and Assante Financial Management (May 2025)

    LISTEN

  • Governance excellence and the board/CEO relationship for foundations and charities

    Carleton University, PANL Perspectives (March 2024)

    READ

  • Watermark’s three powerful governance practices to manage private foundations

    Canadian Family Offices (July 4, 2022)

    READ

  • Philanthropic elders can strengthen the family philanthropy experience, describes Dr. Sharilyn Hale

    Canadian Family Offices (September 29, 2021)

    READ

  • Giving Together: How Generous Families in Canada are Navigating Family Continuity and Community

    Canadian Charity Law Association (May 12, 2021)

    WATCH

  • How Philanthropy Can Support Both Family Governance and Legacy

    Let’s Talk Family Enterprise (December 2020)

    LISTEN

  • A New Model for How Generous Families Organize Their Giving

    NCFP (June 2020)

    READ

  • Increase Your Family-Philanthropy-Savvy: Understanding How Families Give

    The Vitreo Group Provocateur (March 2020)

    READ

  • The State of Family Giving as the Next Generation Takes the Torch

    BrainTrust Philanthropy Podcast, powered by Vitreo (2020)

    LISTEN

  • Building Lives of Purpose: Engaging the Next Generation in Philanthropy

    VIDEO Private client event, Burgundy Asset Management, Toronto (2019)

    WATCH

  • Philanthropy trends, considerations and practices for generous families and family offices

    The Capital Club (November 2023)

    LISTEN

Philanthropy & Nonprofits

  • Foundations in Canada: Anchors for generosity and stewardship

    The Globe and Mail (November 2024)

    Read

  • Philanthropy and Wealth 3.0: A more skillful view regarding advice on charitable giving

    Trusts and Estates Magazine (April 2024)

    READ

  • Women and the why, what, who, and how of philanthropic giving

    Minerva Magazine, Burgundy Asset Management (March 2024)

    READ

  • Better advice for thoughtful philanthropy: Why it matters and how to get it

    Canadian Family Offices (November 2023)

    READ

  • Sharilyn on how donors give through (and not to) in “Giving back: The $40 million question”

    CPA Pivot Magazine (July 2023)

    READ

  • Sharilyn discusses climate philanthropy “Climate lags among charitable causes in Canada”

    Canadian Family Offices (March 6, 2023)

    READ

  • Sharilyn on donor naming “Why we put our name on it…”

    Canadian Family Offices (February 24, 2023)

    READ

  • All things Philanthropy: Thane Stenner in conversation with Dr. Sharilyn Hale

    BNN Bloomberg Smart Wealth with Thane Stenner (September 28, 2022)

    LISTEN

  • Giving visibly, under the radar: Considerations and options for those who don’t love the limelight

    READ

  • Dr. Hale in conversation with Canadian Family Offices on why charitable giving in Canada is at a crossroads

    Canadian Family Offices (September 10, 2021)

    READ

  • Do Better Philanthropists Provide Better Philanthropy?

    Carleton University PANL (Fall, 2020)

    READ

  • If You’ve Seen One Board…You’ve Seen One Board: Building Great Governance

    BrainTrust Philanthropy Podcast, powered by Vitreo (2017)

    LISTEN

  • Sharilyn’s Four steps to defining or refining your approach to philanthropy

    Tamarind Learning Series (2023)

    LISTEN

Caribbean Philanthropy

  • Common Sense & Solutions: Strategies for sustainable growth

    Kainos Caribbean, Common Sense Steps to Doing Good, (April 2025)

    watch

  • Investing in Barbados social infrastructure and a check-list for giving well

    Business Barbados Magazine (2023)

    READ

  • Giving in the Caribbean: Building Upon Cultures of Generosity to Strengthen the Nonprofit Sector

    Palgrave Handbook of Global Philanthropy, Hale (2015)

    Read

  • A Portrait of Affluent Giving in the Caribbbean

    Experiences, challenges and the future of philanthropy

    Read

News & Trends

  • Dr. Sharilyn Hale awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal

    (February 2025)

    READ

  • Watermark recognized with 2025 Family Wealth Report Award

    Family Wealth Report Awards (January 2025)

    READ

  • Sharilyn comments on how Charities embrace crypto donations even with recent market volatility

    Canadian Family Offices (July 6, 2022)

    READ

  • Three trends that will influence Canadian philanthropy in 2022

    Canadian Family Offices (December 28, 2021)

    READ

  • Giving and Fundraising Trends by Dr. Sharilyn Hale – Intersections & Innovations: Change for Canada’s Voluntary and Nonprofit Sector

    The Muttart Foundation (2021)

    READ