Colleges Ontario 2009 Conference

Carolyn Milne is president and CEO of Hamilton Community Foundation, a position she has held since 1995. Under her leadership, the assets of the Community Foundation have grown more than tenfold, from $10 million to over $120 million in just 13 years.

Milne believes that it’s not the size of the assets of a foundation that matters, but it’s what you accomplish with that trust and generosity of donors. Today, with grantmaking and community leadership of over $6 million, and supporting all sectors of the community, the Foundation is able to play its role of grantmaker, convener and catalyst.

During Milne’s tenure with the Foundation, HCF has placed a strong emphasis on its leadership work through recent activities, such as convening the establishment of a community roundtable for poverty prevention and reduction (Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction - HRPR), and establishing an internal comprehensive grant-making program focused on poverty reduction and an environmental program focused on citizen engagement and organizational capacity building.

Most important, with respect to fund development, it has been Milne’s ability to use these stories of community needs and the impact of HCF’s work to inspire donors to consider, and step up to, the role they can play in strengthening a city - particularly during an economic crisis. She is also skilled in drawing out the stories of the donors themselves - those life events that have shaped their philanthropic goals - to create fund development strategies that are fulfilling to the giver.

In her own community, Milne currently serves on the Jobs Prosperity Collaborative, the Immigration Strategy Working Group, and the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction. In addition, she was recently appointed to the Advisory Committee on Economic Development for the City of Hamilton.

In June 2007, Milne was awarded an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws, at the Spring Convocation, Faculty of Nursing, McMaster University, in recognition of her contribution, in working with her community, to bring greater strategy and effectiveness in giving, enhancing Hamilton’s charitable capacity and addressing some of the community’s greatest challenges. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Milne held numerous nursing positions in education, clinical practice and administration. She is a graduate of McMaster University and holds a Masters of Health Science Practice degree.

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