The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) has spent three decades making a tangible impact in the United States and the United Kingdom. Now, the organization is setting its sights on Canada.
The move was timed strategically alongside the foundation’s 30th anniversary. With a footprint already established in key global insurance markets, the expansion into Canada had only been a matter of time, according to Jodie Kaufman Davis (pictured), co-president, H.W. Kaufman Group and chair of the IICF 30th anniversary committee.
Kaufman Davis, who spent a significant part of her insurance career in Canada, said Canada’s insurance sector plays a crucial role in the global industry, yet no comparable organization currently exists in the country to unify charitable efforts under one umbrella.
"Canada is a key part of the global insurance market, and so IICF decided that it would make sense to bring together the industry there, as many of its organizations already had a footprint," she told Insurance Business. "I personally made some introductions that helped set this in motion.”
The foundation has spent years refining a model that allows insurance professionals to collectively drive philanthropy in the communities where they live and work. Since its establishment in 1994, it has contributed around $50 million in community grants and over 337,000 volunteer hours by more than 125,000 industry professionals.
IICF UK, based in London, is marking its 10th anniversary in 2025. Later this year, the IICF will launch its second international division in Toronto to expand its global impact.
For Kaufman Davis, the IICF’s work is not just about raising funds; it’s about giving companies an easy way to contribute to communities. That simplicity has been key to IICF’s success in the US and the UK, and it will be a defining feature in Canada as well.
"We began the groundwork (for the Canada expansion) formally last year, and we’ll soon hold meetings with the founding board member companies, including Kaufman, to determine the areas where the grants should focus," Kaufman Davis said. "IICF does incredible work across our industry, emphasizing the importance of getting our teams involved in the communities where we do business.”
Some of the initiatives IICF is focused are:
While the mission is clear, rallying industry support always presents a challenge. The foundation has spent years proving that a collective approach to giving has a greater impact than individual efforts.
The foundation’s ability to bring companies together, simplify charitable initiatives, and amplify their collective impact has made it an essential force in other markets. Now, it’s time to see if the Canadian insurance industry will embrace the same approach.
One of the key advantages of IICF’s model is that it doesn’t just focus on financial contributions. Kaufman Davis said the foundation creates volunteer opportunities that allow employees to actively participate in giving back, strengthening both their connection to the industry and the communities they serve.
"There’s something wonderful about the IICF bringing together insurance colleagues across all backgrounds, lines of business, locations, and career stages to work side by side on a volunteer project," said Kaufman Davis. "It enables industry professionals to create relationships which deepen their connection to the industry and the communities where we live and work."
Participation at every level will be essential to the success of the Canadian expansion, she added. While industry leaders and board members will shape grant allocations, individual insurance professionals will be key to driving engagement. For many companies, IICF’s expansion represents an opportunity to take a proven model and apply it to a market where such a structure didn’t previously exist.
"We can make a greater philanthropic impact when we work together collectively to give back," Kaufman Davis said.
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