Lessons in Philanthropy: The Legacy of Barb McInnes
Barbara McInnes’s work in philanthropy has touched countless lives, creating ripples of change that continue to grow. This book is a heartfelt exploration of her journey, through the eyes of those who experienced her mentorship, kindness, and transformative vision. This book offers a unique perspective on what it truly means to lead with purpose.
Barb’s dedication to philanthropy has left an indelible mark on individuals, communities, and the world at large. From grassroots movements to global initiatives, Barb’s work speaks volumes about the impact one life can have.
Contributors
Alex Munter
Ottawa City Councilor, Board of Directors, Community Foundation of Ottawa and CEO, Canadian Medical Association.
Barb McNally & Elaine Garfinkel
Co-Founders, The OCRI School Breakfast Program.
Catherine Dubois
Grants Program Manager, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Diane Hodgins
Executive Vice President, Shorefast Foundation Fogo Island.
Dorothea Jäger
Past Chairwoman, The Community Foundation of Hannover.
Elspeth McKay
Executive Director, Operation Come Home.
Gillian Whyte
Senior Associate, Development and Donor Services, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Gordon Thiessen
Sixth Governor, Bank of Canada and Chair, Investment Committee, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Ian Bird
Two-Time Olympian and Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundations of Canada.
Jackie Holzman
Mayor, City of Ottawa and Volunteer, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Jan Despiegelaere
Founder, West Flanders Community Foundation and Co-Founder of My Machine.
Jess Tomlin
Executive Director, The Match International Women’s Fund and CEO of the Equality Fund.
Jim Bradford, Jim McNabb & Victoria Steele
The Founders of PAL Ottawa.
Julie Hodgson
Founder, Ottawa Art Society.
Katherine Godding
Past Chair, Serenity Renewal for Families.
Ken Hoffman
Co-Founder Rideau Street Youth Enterprises
Lucy Grossmann-Hensel
Donor and Grants Committee, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Margot Graham Heyerhoff
Founding Trustee and Chair, Massawippi Foundation.
Margaret Torrance
Donor, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Manjit Basi
Franchisee/Owner of The Body Shops in Ottawa and Board of Directors, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Maureen Molot
Chair, Community Foundation of Ottawa and Director and Professor Emeritus, The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.
Medin Admasu
Program Youth Coordinator, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Michael Maidment
City of Ottawa Poverty Reduction Committee and President and CEO, Ottawa Community Foundation.
Monica Patten
President and CEO, Community Foundations of Canada, Chair, WINGS (Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support), Board of Directors, Global Fund for Community Foundations and Chair, Compassionate Ottawa.
Peter Doherty
Founder, Doherty & Associates Ltd. and Founding Member of the Board of Directors, Community Foundation of Ottawa-Carleton.
Richard Mulcaster
President and CEO, Community Foundations of Canada.
Roger Greenberg
Member, Community Foundation of Ottawa Investment Committee and Executive Chairman of the Board, The Minto Group.
Russ Mills
Editor and Publisher, The Ottawa Citizen and Chair, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Sarah Arden
Manager, The Ottawa Community Board, Telus Corporation.
Tina Roche
Founding CEO, Community Foundation for Ireland and Member of the Senate, National University of Ireland.
Tracy Coates
Carleton University Student Charity Ball.
Vinod Rajasekaran
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Hub Ottawa. Founding Managing Director, Rideau Hall Foundation and Founder and CEO, Future of Good.
Wendy Muckle
Co-Founder, Ottawa Inner City Health.
Yasir Naqvi
Member of Parliament, Ottawa Centre.
Zita Cobb
Fogo Island Inn Innkeeper and Chair, Shorefast Foundation.
Quotes
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of TELUS
Publishing Team
Publisher and Editor
Glenn McInnes
Met Barbara during the summer of 1958 and married on September 28, 1963 and witnessed the founding and growth of the Community Foundation of Ottawa from 1986-2013.
Senior Editor
Lisa MacDonald
An accomplished non-fiction book editor specializing in philanthropy. She is also Editorial Director for The Hilborn Group and Editor of Charity eNEWS editor of the online Hilborn Times. She has helped many writers successfully bring their books to market, including the best seller Excellence in Fundraising in Canada and the newly-published Creative Deviations.
Book Designer
John VanDuzer
Banko Creative Studio tag line “We create brands you can feel. We’re talking memorable, etched-in-your-customers’ hearts and heads kinda brands.”
Online Publishing Lead
Kailey Oliver
A poet, successful author, and marketing communications professional, she has written Paint Your Universe: Inspirational Poetry, dedicated to her 7-year-old daughter, as well as the poetry collection World Stained Us, System Blamed Us.
Publisher’s Advisors
Leah McInnes Eustace – ACFRE and Daughter.
Emily McInnes – Daughter.
Advisors
Jackie Holzman – Mayor of the City of Ottawa, Community Foundation of Ottawa Nominating Committee 1991-1997; Board of Directors, 1997-2003
Russ Mills – Community Foundation of Ottawa Board of Directors 1993-1997: Chair 1998-2002; Publisher, The Ottawa Citizen 1986-2002; Past President, Michener Awards Foundation
Eric Fletcher – Colleague for 60 years and freelance publisher of 300+ self-published online books.
Online Publishing Architect
Brent Eades
Editor-in-Chief, The Millstone News 2014 -2025, Communications Advisor, Bank of Canada 1998-2022, Board of Directors and Online Advisor, Michener Awards Foundation.
Acknowledgements
Jenn Campbell, Anne Carlysle, Edith Cody-Rice, Ken Hoffman, Grant Jameson, Pam Martin, Marcia McClung, Nicole Milne, Sean Moore, Jocelyn Patton, Caroline Phillips, Peter Simpson, Penny Williams and all of the contributors to this book.
Compelling philanthropic learning moments that emerge across the book:
Mentorship and Leadership with Heart
Barb modeled servant leadership—teaching through listening, encouragement, and inclusion. She believed leadership was about nurturing others’ potential and leading by example, not authority.
Community Building and Collective Agency
Her approach was grounded in relationships and trust. She built communities—locally and globally—by creating spaces for collaboration and shared purpose rather than competition
Forward-Looking Vision
A recurring lesson was to think long-term. As she said, “If you want a forest, plant an acorn.” Philanthropy must serve future generations and never be content with the “now”
Humility, Vulnerability, and Learning from Failure
Barb championed learning organizations. She supported initiatives like “failure reports” to promote transparency and growth, emphasizing that vulnerability and curiosity lead to innovation
Mission Integrity and Avoiding Drift
Staying true to the core purpose of an organization was vital. Barb warned against “mission drift” when outside agendas—political or donor-driven—take over a foundation’s core goals
Trust-Based Philanthropy
She led with trust, transparency, and respect, ensuring donors, grantees, and community partners all felt valued and heard. Trust was the currency that enabled deeper impact
Global Connection and Peacebuilding
Barb’s work in Eastern Europe demonstrated that community philanthropy transcends borders. She built enduring international relationships that supported civic infrastructure and peace movements
Courage to Support “Wild Ideas”
She valued bold, creative risk-taking—supporting unconventional projects that could catalyze long-term change. Taking leaps of faith was essential for innovation
Human-Centered Philanthropy
Philanthropy, for Barb, was about people before money. She prioritized empathy, relationships, and understanding individual motivations over institutional process
Integrity and Stewardship Across Generations
Barb’s lifelong focus on governance, accountability, and legacy ensured sustainability. Her example reminds leaders to balance compassion with discipline, creating organizations that endure and evolve.