Ottawa's long-running Philanthropy Awards are back for another year, with this year's gala set for Nov. 26 at the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park.
A 32-year tradition at Lansdowne
The Ottawa Philanthropy Awards, better known locally as the Phils, have run for 32 years, celebrating the people and organizations whose generosity, leadership and commitment make a difference in the Ottawa community.
Two new awards join the lineup
Organizers are introducing two new award categories for this year's Phils. The Community Heart Award recognizes generosity and community impact, while the Community Impact Through Business Award celebrates local businesses that embed community engagement into how they operate, rather than treating giving back as an afterthought.
The additions signal an effort to widen the circle of who gets recognized at the Phils, beyond the individual donors and fundraising professionals who have traditionally been the focus, to also formally honour businesses that build community commitment into their day-to-day operations.
Who's behind it
The awards are organized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Ottawa Chapter, the local branch of the professional body for fundraisers that has run the Phils since their start 32 years ago. This year's presenting sponsor is RBC, with additional sponsorship from Wealth Creation Preservation and Donation (WCPD) and the Ottawa Community Foundation. Those three sponsors are described by organizers as sharing AFP's goal of bringing more of the Ottawa community into the room for the event, a theme that lines up with the new business-focused award category.
The Ottawa angle
For Ottawa, the Phils have become one of the clearer annual snapshots of who is quietly doing the work of fundraising and community-building across the city, from large institutional donors to smaller grassroots efforts.
The Phils' expansion into recognizing businesses also comes as Ottawa's philanthropic and civic sectors have been in the spotlight for other reasons this year, including the city's approach to major infrastructure projects like the Alexandra Bridge replacement and recognition events for the city's rising leaders, such as the Forty Under 40 awards gala. Together, they point to a city that keeps finding new ways to formally recognize the people and organizations shaping it.
Tickets and further details for the Nov. 26 event are expected through AFP Ottawa's own channels closer to the date. For now, organizers have confirmed the venue, timing, culinary lead, sponsors and the two new award categories that will headline this year's Phils.
Sources: Ottawa Business Journal, AFP Ottawa (official)
