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Max
Bell Foundation
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2005
Report
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Message from the Chair and President |
In 2005, the Foundation made the following new commitments:
The goal of this longitudinal evaluation of the Alberta Hip and Knee Replacement Pilot Project is to facilitate changes at multiple levels within the healthcare system, including: improved access; improved administrative processes; impede clinical practices; and improved information sharing.
In June, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $300,000 over three years to this four-year, $511,000 project.
Aspen
Family and Community Network Society
Internship - The Role of the School in Wrap-Around Services
The internship project involves literature and practice reviews and stakeholder interviews to articulate current state of knowledge and practice related to "wrap-around services." The goal is to lend insight to the role the school plays in the offering of wraparound services for homeless children.
In July, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $20,500 to this five-month internship.
The
Banff Centre
2006 Rosenberg World Water Forum
The primary purpose of the Rosenberg World Water Forum is to facilitate the development and exchange of scientific information, including that gleaned from water management experiences, among scholars and water managers coming from very differing circumstances. This scientific and experiential basis is the foundation on which modern water policies should be built.
In June 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $50,000 over one year in support of this $346,000 conference.
Canadian
Association for Community Service Learning
Internship: Improving Community Service Learning Practices in Canada
In order to inform the early development of the Canadian Association for Community Service Learning, this internship conducted an in-depth scan of the community service-learning environment in Canada, including an investigation into existing community service-learning (CSL) practices, research and resources in both Canada and the United States.
In July, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $10,000 in support of this internship.
Canadian
Institute for Advanced Research
Successful Societies
CIAR's research program on "Successful Societies," launched in Fall 2002, aims to explore the social processes underlying key health and human development outcomes within populations. In broader respects, the program also seeks to examine the social conditions that underpin the collective development of social communities at the national and local levels. By collective development, we mean the capacity of a society, at any level, to develop features fundamentally tied to social well-being, including social equality and non-violent inter-group behaviour, access to political participation, cultural tolerance, social inclusion, and access to education and employment.
In June, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $250,000 over five years to this initiative.
The
Fraser Institute
Internship: Re-Selling Drugs to Americans Over the Internet
This project was intended to impact the debate on grey-market trade in pharmaceuticals so that Canadians call for alternative policies that do not threaten Canada's drug supply.
In July, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $12,000 to this internship.
The
Fraser Institute
Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education
Based on the premise that improvement through innovation in K-12 education in Canada would be fostered in part by parental awareness and advocacy, the goal of the proposed project is to encourage the consideration of alternative education delivery models.
In December, 2005, the Foundation committed an investment of $100,000 over 3 years to this 3-year, $313,000 project.
McGill
University - Faculty of Medicine
McGill Skills Centre Clinical and Communication Skills Program
The goal of this project is to increase the clinical competency of graduates of health professional schools and to nurture a culture of continuing quality control.
In April, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $130,000 over two years to this two-year, $130,000 project.
McGill
University - Faculty of Medicine
McGill Curriculum on Physicianship
The goal of this project is develop and employ a medical curriculum within a framework of the physician as healer and professional.
In April, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $412,000 over two years to this five-year, $2.45 million project.
McGill
University - Faculty of Medicine
Evaluating Today's Surgeons - A New Surgical Skills Centre
The goal of this project is to contribute to the development of a new paradigm for teaching and learning surgical skills.
In April, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $250,000 to this project.
McGill
University - Faculty of Medicine
The McGill Centre for Integrated Whole Person Care
The goal of the Centre for Whole Person Care project is to bring together scholars and clinicians from different disciplines to collaborate on research, teaching programs, curriculum development, and clinical projects related to whole person care. The Centre will act as a locus of excellence for issues related to healing and suffering and will be an academic home for leading scholars, both from McGill and from around the world.
In April, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $194,950 over three years to this three-year, $2,120,000 project.
McGill
University - Faculty of Medicine
McGill Program for the Study of Behavior, Genes and Environment
The goal of this initiative is to foster research and educational programs that reflect a perspective that takes into account the interactions between genes and environments.
In April, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $40,000 over one years to this one-year, $285,000 project.
McGill
Institute for the Study of Canada
Innovation and Implementation in Public Policy
The goal of the initiative is to generate, test, and disseminate
for use a model of policy analysis that synthesizes the insights of policy inquiry
in three domains (Media, Health Care, and Food). The new model will be transferable
across domains, and based upon evidence-based answers to the following questions:
- what catalyzes policy change?
- what innovations produce new policy outcomes?
- what role do the media play in fostering public concern in policy matters?
- how do policies perpetuate themselves?
In April, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $320,000 over three years to this three-year, $320,000 project.
McGill
University Faculty of Law
Internship: McGill International
Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy
The JSDLP is a student-run, peer-reviewed journal. The members of the editorial and management board are students at the Faculty of Law at McGill University. The student board is under the supervision of a Faculty Advisor, who is jointly appointed to the Faculty of Law and the McGill School of the Environment. The Advisory Board of the JSDLP provides insight and oversight to the content, structure and direction of the journal.
In April, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $14,000 in support of this internship position.
McGill
University Brace Centre for Water Resources Management
New Policy and Decision-Making Tools for Water Quality Management
The overall goal of this study is to develop new tools that will improve Phosphorus management policy and reduce Phosphorus pollution in rural watersheds.
In June, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $382,900 over four years to this three-year, $550,000 project.
McGill
University International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviours
Helping Youth with Gambling Problems through Online Interventions
The goals of this pilot project are to assess the feasibility of an on-line therapeutic intervention for adolescent problem gambling, and to inform treatment providers and policy decision makers how such an on-line therapeutic intervention compares to traditional therapeutic models.
In September, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $144,400 over 18 months to this 18-month, $144,400 project.
McGill
University Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology
University Teaching: Meeting Challenges and Demands
Some form of pedagogical development could help faculty carry out their teaching responsibility with greater competence and confidence, resulting in more positive learning experiences for students.
The overall purpose of this demonstration project is to enhance
the quality of teaching in Canadian universities. The project involves:
Developing the pedagogical competency of new faculty;
Assessing the effectiveness of pedagogical development programs
with respect to the improvement of teaching as well as the learning experiences
of students, and
Promoting institutional policies to support teaching and its development and the commitment to dedicate resources for this purpose.
In September, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $250,000 over three years to this three-year, $550,000 project.
McGill
University Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology
A Dynamic Assessment of Early Intervention Model for Children with Developmental
Delays
The goal of this project is to create a blueprint for Service Provision for Early Intervention (EI) for Families and Children with Developmental Delays that policy makers across Canada can use to guide policy change.
In September, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $237,000 over three years to this three-year, $550,000 project.
McGill
Institute for the Study of Canada
Conference: What
Will Canadians Eat?
Our collective food choices affect practically all segments of Canadian society. They also shape many of the most discussed subjects of the day - obesity, rising costs of health care, the farm income crisis, genetic engineering, globalization, and climate change. Current food policy in Canada lacks integration, and current policy analyses lack an interactive focus.
The main strategic goal of the proposed conference is to encourage policy decision makers in the agricultural sector to work more closely with those from health, trade, and the environment, and for these sectors to have a more complete understanding of agricultural realities.
In September, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $50,000 to this conference.
Montreal
Economic Institute
Economic Note on Private Alternatives to Health Care Funding
In order to "de-Americanize" current Canadian debates over health care reform, this project researched, synthesized, and published a paper showing how other OECD countries with universal health care systems similar to Canada's are open to private health insurance.
In September, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $13,500 over five months toward this five month, $13,500 project.
In November, 2005, the Montreal Economic Institute published the paper (.pdf) to their web site that concludes:
Without private insurance, only the wealthiest of Canadians could, in the event of illness, obtain treatment from private establishments, often outside Canada, paying directly from their pockets. The Supreme Court ruling provides a route to the emergence of private insurance, a sensible means of financing private health care when the public system falls short. Through the payment of premiums, this care could become accessible here in Quebec to a broader part of the population. If the Quebec government allows it to emerge, a dynamic and more extensive private health care sector would benefit everyone in Quebec directly and indirectly.
Montreal
Economic Institute
Economic Note on Private Health Insurance (Part 2)
By injecting into Canadian health care reform debates examples of OECD countries which have similar universal health care systems but greater openness to private health insurance, this project aims at the goal of "de-Americanizing" health reform debates and legitimizing an option which Canada will inevitably have to consider as health care costs keep rising.
In December, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $13,500 over 8 months to this 8-month, $13,500 project.
Ontario
March of Dimes
Internship: Review of Stroke Policy and Funding
The purpose of this internship was to perform a literature and policy review of the current state of stroke policy and funding federally and provincially across Canada. This is an essential starting point for designing future research and crafting policy recommendations.
In July, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $12,000 to this internship.
Pollution
Probe
National Child Health and Environment Policy Consultation
While the degree of risk remains uncertain because of an incomplete research base, we can be certain that our children are at some risk as a result of exposure to environmental toxins. This proposal is based on the premise that the best way to address this situation is to try to reduce or eliminate toxic exposures through the creation and implementation of child health-protective legislation and policies. The goal of this project is to bring together scientists, policy experts and a diverse group of stakeholders to begin an ongoing process of educating decision-makers about the value of pursuing child health-protective legislation and policies.
In December, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $150,000 over 18 months to this 18-month, $410,000 project.
Society
for the Advancement of Excellence in Education
Technology Assisted Student Assessment (TASA) Phase 2 Research
The goal of this project is to facilitate evidence-based collaborations between Ministries of Education, school districts, testing agencies and international researchers to advance knowledge and effective use of assessment technology in Canada.
In December, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $60,000 over 32 months to this $149,000, 32-month project.
Society
for the Advancement of Excellence in Education
Baseline Survey of Teacher Preparation Programs in Canada
Teacher education in Canada is controlled by the provinces and delivered by some 89 education-degree-granting institutions which graduate some 15,000 teachers every year. Europe, Australia and the United States are undertaking major evaluations of their teacher preparation programs, but no large scale evaluative research has occurred in Canada. The goal of the proposed project is to document the range of current programs in order to highlight variations and provide a baseline against which improvements can be encouraged and tracked.
In December, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $102,000 over one year to this one-year, $202,000 project.
United
Way of Lower Mainland
Evaluation of Success By 6® Partnership in BC
Success By 6 British Columbia (SB6-BC) is an innovative way of organizing and funding service delivery for children. The goals of the proposed evaluation are to:
improve the SB6-BC strategy framework in order to improve the capacity-building and locally-valuable, locally-supported, coordinated early childhood development service delivery that occurs within that framework;
improve the positive impacts on children and families of local service delivery programs supported by SB6-BC;
document and communicate the successes and shortcomings of the SB6-BC partnership as a model for enhancing early childhood development in order that other jurisdictions (e.g., provinces) can use the model for ECD or other policy domains (e.g., youth, seniors, mental health, etc.).
In May, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $420,000 over 3 years to this 3-year, $870,000 project.
University
of Calgary Faculty of Medicine
Internship: Economic Analysis of Medicare Incentives as they Apply to Doctors
This internship project identified the incentives offered to doctors through provincial Medicare Schedules and other means of payment, and examined how these incentives direct doctors' behaviour.
In July, 2006, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $8,116 to this internship.
University
of of Alberta - Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children,
Youth, and Families
Internship: Knowledge Sharing
The internship project involves a full range of communication activities aimed at ensuring the uptake of the research generated by the Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children, Youth, and Families. The goal is to develop an optimum model of knowledge uptake.
In April, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $32,080 to this eight-month internship.
In addition to the above new commitments, during 2005 the Foundation managed the following ongoing commitments:
Alberta
Children's Hospital Foundation
Whole School Mental Health Promotion Pilot
The goal of this pilot project is to contribute to school planning approaches that develop and support preventative, self-sustaining, positive environments. The project will plan, implement, and evaluate whole school strategies aimed at creating a social environment that promotes all children's mental health & well-being in 3 elementary school and 1 junior high school within the Calgary Board of Education. Results will be communicated in professional journals and public forums.
In December, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $259,382 over three years (2005-2007) toward this three year, $731,000 project.
Atlantic
Institute for Market Studies
Internship: Cost Recovery for Uninsured Services
The goal of this research project was to provide policy-makers, academics, researchers and the media with a broader perspective on one financing approach outside of the current practice of health care funding and to explain the details and implications that arise from some of its possible permutations.
In May, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $15,000 in support of this internship.
In February, 2005, AIMS published the result of this work in a paper
entitled Payment
is Powerful: Overcoming Canada's Shortage of GP's by Increasing Family
Practice Compensation (.pdf)
The paper explores various ways to improve primary care practice and increase
GPs' practice revenue without resorting to additional public funding.
For example, GPs could bill patients more aggressively for services they
now deliver at low cost or free of charge but that are uninsured by provincial
governments. Under the fee-for-service approach, physicians simply charge
the patient directly for the service provided. Under flat-rate billing,
GPs charge the patient an annual rate in exchange for the delivery of
uninsured services, including such popular ones as telephone, e-mail,
and fax prescription renewals. And under hourly billing, physicians simply
set an hourly rate for services, taking account of the kind of service
provided, the physician's experience and expertise, and the cost of materials.
Atlantic
Institute for Market Studies
Hospital Outcome Assessment in Canada
Using publicly available information from both public and private sector sources, this project assesses the developing framework for hospital accountability in Canada, critiques the systems, methods, and measures being used or proposed, and points to alternatives for improvement.
In December, 2003, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $105,000 over five years toward this five year, $160,000 project.
To date, the project has generated the following outputs:
A
Finger on the Pulse: Comparative Models for Reporting the Quality of Hospital
Care
The one element that the various models of comparative hospital performance
seem to lack, or to convey clearly, is relevance to patients. Instead,
these measures are oriented to providers. ISO standardization, for example,
while thorough, is business oriented and does not focus on outcomes. Hospital
league tables focus on certain outcomes, but the lack of standardization
makes such rankings difficult to interpret. The main concern of patients,
in contrast, is how likely they are to get better, and whether this is
related to the care they receive at a particular hospital.
Atlantic
Institute for Market Studies
School Awards Program
The goal of this demonstration project is to improve the quality of education in Atlantic Canada by rewarding success and supporting efforts to improve - both of which are key components of true accountability for results in our schools.
In December, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment
of $375,000 over five years toward this five year, $3,000,000 project.
C.
D. Howe Institute
The Education Papers
This series of high-quality analyses relevant to current and emergent debates over issues in education in Canada is intended to shape the agendas and inform the debates of engaged citizens and policy decision makers.
In December, 2003, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $100,000 over three years toward this three year, $347,000 initiative.
To date, C. D. Howe Institute has published the following papers from this initiative:
Canada's
Future in the Balance: New Approaches to Effective Education (speech
given by Jack Mintz at Economics Club of Toronto, January, 2004). (.pdf)
"I bet you are asking yourself right now: Why is the C.D. Howe Institute,
Canada's leading economic policy research organization, devoting
so much effort and resources to education? Well, the answer is
simple: There is no single issue - none - that will so directly affect
the overall economic well-being of our nation and its citizens in the
decades that stretch before us, as far as the eye can see. Creating an
education system that is the envy of the world must be a national priority."
Stay
in School: New Lessons on the Benefits of Raising the Legal School-Leaving
Age (.pdf)
One in five young adults lacks a high-school diploma. This paper examines
one possible response: raising the minimum school-leaving age above 16.
Doing so yields small increases in an individual's length of schooling,
decreases the dropout rate, and increases the fraction of young adults with
at least some college or university. An additional year of compulsory schooling
not only lowers the probability of being unemployed but also boosts weekly
earnings.
Redirecting
Rae: Some Proposals for Postsecondary Education in Ontario (.pdf)
The government of Ontario undertook a Postsecondary
Review in 2004-2005. Led by Bob Rae, the purpose was to review the
design and funding of Ontario's postsecondary education system and recommend
improvements. This paper argues that the Ontario government was right
to respond quickly to Rae's advice about the importance of post-secondary
education, but should begin to deviate from Rae's recommendations. Tuition
fees should be treated not as a residual source of funding available to
ensure that the PSE system meets the government's own version of society's
priorities, but as a significant source of revenue that individual institutions
should be free to compete for by responding quickly to the ever changing
priorities of their students.
Carrots
& Sticks: The Effect of Recent Spending and Tax Changes on the Incentive
to Attend University (.pdf)
Current debates over university funding are dominated by the view that
tuition fees and student debt loads are increasing as government support
is decreasing. This focus has eclipsed the effect of tax measures on the
incentive to invest in human capital. This paper shows that the effective
subsidy rate fell only slightly between 1998 and 2003, while the effective
tax rate fell substantially more. Consequently, net encouragement to university
studies increased from 5.8 percent to 10.8 percent in that period. The
form of public encouragement of university participation has changed somewhat
and increased in recent years.
Selling
Postsecondary Education: The Role of Private Vocational and Career Colleges
(.pdf)
Private Career Colleges play an important and unique role in Canada's
education system. This paper argues that the sector and the Canadian labour
market would be better served if an expanded system of self-regulation
replaced the current approach to regulating private career colleges. Further,
there are no compelling reasons to exclude private institutions or their
students from public assistance, and students who graduate from private
career colleges fare better, economically and socially, than students
who possess only a high school credential. Because private career college
students typically pay higher fees than community college or university
students, governments could increase the level of public support by upping
the student loan limits for students in this sector.
Public
Investment in Skills: Are Canadian Governments Doing Enough? (.pdf)
Canadians do not perform well on international tests of literacy and numeracy
for adults, particularly when compared to other highly developed countries.
There is a clear and significant relationship between investments in human
capital and both long-run economic growth and long-run labour productivity.
Literacy and numeracy test results are connected to economically important,
quantifiable outcomes, and therefore underline the importance of producing
publicly available indicators of student and school performance based
on standardized skills tests. Further, policy incentives for job-related
training and lifelong learning, particularly measures targeted at people
with very low skills, would likely generate substantial economic rewards.
School
Class Size: Smaller Isn't Better (.pdf)
There is no solid base of empirical evidence to show that smaller classes
improve student achievement beyond kindergarten and grade one, when pupils
are being socialized into the classroom environment. Even in those first
school years, the gains in achievement observed are relatively small and
do not carry through to later years. Recent standardized test scores from
Canadian pupils aged 13 to 16 years old show no evidence that smaller
classes are better, either for achievement or classroom atmosphere. Because
reducing class size is enormously expensive, it is very likely that the
money being spent there could be better spent on other educational policies,
such as continuous teacher training, which, unlike class size reduction,
have been shown to improve student performance.
Aboriginal
Off-Reserve Education: Time for Action (.pdf)
The links among income, employment and education levels exist for Aboriginals
as much as for other Canadians. Among Aboriginals in their prime income-earning
years, the employment rate ranges from below 45 percent for those living
on-reserve in the three prairie provinces to above 70 percent for off-reserve
Aboriginals in Alberta and Ontario. Jobs matter, but to get a good job,
education matters more now than in generations past. This paper argues
that Aboriginal education results must be a higher priority than in recent
years. Two thirds of Aboriginals now live off-reserve, and off-reserve
education is under provincial jurisdiction. Bringing coherence to Aboriginal
education policy will require engagement by the provinces. The authors
recommend a combination of strategies: enhanced student mobility, creation
of magnet schools, and school enrichment.
Reframing
Education: How To Create Effective Schools (.pdf)
Research reveals that eight major characteristics have been widely identified
as factors that positively influence student achievement: a focus on student
achievement, effective classroom instruction, a shared vision about educational
purpose among school staffs, an orderly and secure climate for learning,
strong leadership (particularly from principals), a linkage between assessment
and curricular practices, high standards and expectations for students
and, finally, supportive home-school links. Taken as a whole, these eight
factors provide educational policymakers with useful guidelines to improve
student performance and the quality of schooling that young people receive.
Research on effective schooling also furnishes important insights for
school administrators and policymakers into the complexities of large
school systems. Most importantly, effective schools research points to
the necessity of looking at school systems as a whole and promoting research
into organizational factors that lie outside schools, but within school
systems.
How
We Pay Professors and Why It Matters (.pdf)
Academic salaries now account for more than twenty percent of total university
operating expenditures. Salary structures set the incentives for faculty
to advance the mission of their university: the transfer and creation
of knowledge. This paper argues that salaries of university professors
should substantially recognize performance. Evidence shows that the performance
of universities with merit-based salaries exceeds that of other universities.
They perform better in a variety of research-based and quality measures
such as entrance grades, the success of faculty in gaining research grants,
and the citations received by faculty publications. Elimination or reduction
of the seniority-based element in university salaries would benefit higher
education. Provincial governments may need to foster greater competitive
pressures among universities by making funding follow students, rather
than the other way around. Such pressures may force universities to rethink
their salary policies.
Calgary
Health Trust
Project neuroArm
neuroArm is an MRI-compatible, ambidextrous robot capable of performing the most technically challenging surgical procedures. The goal is to reduce the invasiveness of brain surgery by the use of precise tool manipulation under visual and MRI guidance and ultimately, improved patient recovery rates for neurosurgery.
In December, 2003, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $200,000 over four years toward this four year, $30,000,000 project.
Campus
Calgary
City Hall School
Campus Calgary provides Calgary teachers and students with opportunities to spend a long term (approximately 8-week) period of interdisciplinary study focused on a week in a local setting such as the Zoo, Glenbow Museum, Science Center, Canada Olympic Park, etc. This project adds Calgary's City Hall to Campus Calgary's offerings.
In May, 1999, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $105,000 over five years toward this five year, $160,000 project.
Canada
West Foundation
Internship: Natural Capital
This internship supported Canada West Foundation's work related
to Natural
Capital. In January, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of
$25,000 in support of this internship.
Canada
West Foundation
Natural Capital Incentives
This project researched and communicated the case in favor of natural capital public policy incentives, the range of options available, and barriers to moving forward. The project culminated in a set of practical public policy recommendations regarding the use and implementation of natural capital incentives.
In December, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $59,550 over eight months toward this eight month, $74,550 project.
The project generated the following publication:
What's
in it for me? Exploring Natural Capital Incentives
Incentives have great potential to enhance investment in natural capital.
Nevertheless, incentives are not "one-size-fits-all solutions"
and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Incentives are just one
tool in the policy mix and should not be seen as the sole means to achieve
environmental objectives. Keeping these points in mind, natural capital
incentives are powerful tools and it is likely that the role of incentives
will strengthen as environmental public policy continues to evolve.
Canadian
Caregiver Coalition
Making Caregivers Count
The first goal of this project is to build, through broad consultation, a Canadian Caregiving Strategy (i.e., an integrated, comprehensive set of public policies and programs that will recognize and support family caregivers). The second goal is to have the strategy adopted within health systems at multiple levels across Canada.
In October, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $116,180 over three years to this three year, $232,000 project.
To date, the project has generated the following output:
Canadian
Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health
Setting Strategies For Research, Partnerships And
Knowledge Transfer
By improving the use of research/information in decision-making, both health-system decision makers and stakeholders can become increasingly confident that they are making the best investments possible to improve the health of Canadians. In order to enable the development of effective services and treatments to meet the mental health needs of Canadian seniors, this project aims to develop a focused research agenda. It is anticipated that this initiative and its deliverables will influence the funding activities of key research agencies (e.g., CIHR, CHSRF, and the SSHRC).
In May, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $68,000 over 2 years to this 2 year, $152,000 project.
Imagine
Canada (formerly Canadian Centre for Philanthropy)
Voluntary Sector Evaluation Research Project
The goal of this project was to improve the capacity of voluntary organizations to assess their performance and communicate their effectiveness to their funders, stakeholders and the public. The project was developed to respond to the need that many voluntary organizations have to demonstrate the effectiveness of their work, both as a means for improving their programs and services and as a response to the demands of funders and the public.
In November, 2000, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $150,000 over 5 years to this 5-year, $1,050,000 project.
The key outputs of this project are available on the project web site.
Canadian
Institute of Resources Law
Legal and Policy Implications of Alberta's Water for
Life Initiative
The goal of this project is to provide an analysis of the obstacles and opportunities under current Alberta law and policy for successfully applying a watershed management approach in the implementation of the province's recent Water for Life initiative.
In December, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $15,500 over 18 months to this $96,500, two-year project.
Canadian
Medical Hall of Fame
London Museum School
The goal of this pilot project was to develop a program enabling elementary school students at schools in or near London, Ontario, to participate in week-long, interdisciplinary, hands-on learning experiences in a museum setting based on the Campus Calgary model.
In December, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment
of $10,000 over one year to this one-year, $140,000 project.
Canadian
Institute of Natural and Integrative Medicine
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Development Initiative
The goal of this initiative was to contribute to fostering the evidence-based growth of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Canada.
In November, 2001, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $300,000 over four years to this four-year, $1,500,000 initiative.
Canadian
Institute for Advanced Research
Early Childhood Development Research
The goal of this initiative was to provide support for policy-relevant research into Early Childhood Development.
In November, 2000, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment
of $500,000 over five years to this initiative.
Evergreen
Nature of Cities Green Space Workshop
This project will hold several regional workshops for decision makers regarding urban green space. The goal is to provide participants with a better understanding of the range of policy tools for protecting and caring for green space.
In December, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $29,072 over 19 months to this $29,072, 19-month project.
Institute
for Media, Policy and Civil Society
Charities and Democracy
This project is intended to educate charities regarding how to participate in informing public policy, and to achieve legislative and administrative changes to laws and regulations so that charities are empowered to speak out on the issues that are related to the purposes for which they were registered as charitable organizations.
In May, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $50,000 over one year to this $484,000, one-year project.
Literacy
Alberta
Building A Strategy For A More Literate Alberta
This project will, working with government decision-makers, build a coalition of Alberta organizations interested in literacy policy and improve their capacity to inform public policy. The overall goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive literacy strategy within the province of Alberta.
In December, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $86,763 over 18 months to this 18-month, $115,000 project.
Mount
Royal College
Internship: Implementation of Policy for Children With
Disabilities
The purpose of this internship was to explore how the policies of the Government of Alberta which address the needs of children with disabilities compare (and/or contrast) with programs and administrative practices at the level of implementation.
In March, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of
$6,700 to this internship.
National
Youth in Care Network
Internship: Exploring the Chemical Management of Canadian
Systems Youths
The purpose of this internship was to examine the uses and abuses of 'chemical restraint' among youth in care in Canada.
In March, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of
$24,510 over eight months to this internship.
Planned
Lifetime Advocacy Network
Disability Savings Plan: Research and Strategic Planning
The goal of this project is to encourage the adoption of a social policy framework in Canada that would include a disability savings plan -- a tax vehicle for Canadian families to plan for the future of their relative with a disability.
In September, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $40,000 over 18 months to this 18-month, $90,000 project.
Society
for the Advancement of Excellence in Education
Internship: Program Development
The purpose of this internship was to conduct the necessary reviews and author 4-6 fully developed project proposals relative to key issues in Canadian education.
In July, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of
$22,980 to this internship.
Society
for the Advancement of Excellence in Education
Policy Roundtable on Aboriginal Education
The goal of this one-day forum of 50 invited policy makers and aboriginal leaders was to prompt commitment to action on urgently needed reforms to improve K-12 education quality and outcomes for Canada's burgeoning population of aboriginal children and youth.
In September, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment
of $19,617 over one year to this one-year, $25,000 project.
Society
for the Advancement of Excellence in Education
Technology Assisted Student Assessment Research
In order to launch and establish the appropriate context for TASA's further research and communications work on computer-based assessment, this project documented international and national trends, prototypes, evidence about effectiveness, best practices, and implications for policy.
In September, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $29,901 over six months toward this six month, $29,901 project.
In May, 2005, SAEE published the resulting paper
(.pdf) which concludes:
... some jurisdictions in the K-12 system have made major strides in the
introduction of assessment technology. To date, much of the rationale for
expansion is based on evidence related to a closer match between instruction
and assessment, improved turnaround time, and
greater access. There is a need for further research to gather hard evidence
to clearly establish the added value of the process and quantify gains made
through this shift. These findings would have greater potential to rationalize
the allocation of resources and to establish a case for
transition.
Although many jurisdictions are still at the beginning stages
in planning for the delivery of technology-assisted assessments, the future
is bright. As successes of current users become widely known, as the need
for more relevant and timely assessments grows, and as innovations enter
the mainstream, a major shift toward this medium can be anticipated. It
is inevitable that through technology, assessment will significantly enhance
the learning process in Canadian schools.
Society
for the Advancement of Excellence in Education
Parent and Teacher Opinions on Key Issues in Canadian
Education
The goal of the project was to help improve provincial and school board policies and practices regarding a range of key issues in Canadian education. It approached this goal by presenting, through a strategic communications program including policy roundtables, the results of a 2005 national survey. The survey report examines and compares parent and teacher views on key issues in education, including assessment and accountability, school choice, school climate and the teaching profession.
In November, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed to an investment of $155,059 over 18 months to this $305,000, 18-month project.
The deliverables for the project are available online
www.aceresearch.ca
University
of Calgary Faculty of Nursing
Policy-Relevant Evaluation of Calgary Urban Project
Society Intervention Programming
The primary goal of the study is to identify costs and the key elements of CUPS programming that improve and sustain positive health and developmental outcomes for children and their families over the short and long term. A secondary goal is to provide valid evidence to support decision-making about the most effective policies and programs for vulnerable children and their families.
In December, 2003, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $195,000 over 4 year to this 4-year, $195,000 project.
University
of Calgary Faculty of Medicine
Advancing CAM Research in Alberta
This three-year project is intended to develop a fully operational and sustainable, multidisciplinary provincial Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) research network in Alberta.
In May, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $75,000 over three years to this three-year, $75,000 project.
The deliverables for this project include a web site.
University
of Calgary Centre for Health and Policy Studies
Americans' Experience of Two Health Care Systems
The goal of this project was to inform future discussions about debates about health care quality, accessibility, efficiency, and organization on both sides of the border. It sought to achieve this goal by increasing understanding of the relative advantages and disadvantages of the Canadian and American health systems from the perspective of people who have actually experienced both.
In September, 2004, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $28,050 over one year to this one-year, $28,050 project.
University
of Lethbridge
Cybercitizenship: Improving Canadian Politics and Policy
The goal of this project is to create a web site focussed on research and information directly related to public policy debates that will become a resource that policy and political audiences at all levels will use regularly.
In December, 2003, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of $150,000 over three years to this three-year, $245,000 project.
Vartana
Internship: Community Development Financial Institution
Policy
This internship focussed on the development of research supporting the public policy elements of the Community Bank initiative.
In March, 2005, Max Bell Foundation committed an investment of
$19,400 to this internship.
In 2005, Max Bell Foundation made disbursements for grants totaling $2.767 million. Costs to manage the Foundation's investments, to administer the granting program, and for overhead and office administration break down as follows:
In addition to making the above expenditures, the Foundation's asset base grew from $58.9M at the end of 2004 to $61.1M at the end of 2005. Had the growth of the Foundation's asset base kept pace with inflation since 1974, it would currently be valued at $73.5M. Since the Foundation's inception, it has invested $67.6M in grants to improve Canadian society.
