Posts in ccvo blog
How Video Content Can Transform Nonprofit Initiatives

Video content, with its combination of moving images, sound, and narration, has the unique ability to transport viewers into the heart of a story. It allows nonprofit organizations to showcase the real-world challenges and triumphs of those they serve. When audiences witness the faces and hear the voices of individuals affected by a cause, they are more likely to empathize with their struggles and feel a strong desire to help.

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Budgeting Basics

Not too long ago, we wrote a post on the CCVO blog about budgeting in uncertain times as we all navigated the impacts of the pandemic. You can view that post here. We decided to refresh that blog and remove a bit of the uncertainty from it, as we move forward. Although there are always some unknowns when budgeting, these basics will help you get started and be prepared, without the major uncertainties we have faced in previous years.

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An Introduction to Utilizing Key Performance Indicators in Your Organization

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a way to measure progress towards business or agency goals. Whether it be for profit, employee retention, or general costs, KPIs as a tool have been used for decades by many businesses. The issue for many Not-for-Profits (NPO) is that the majority of these indicators seem to be based on the idea that one is generating profits for the business. This is not always the case, and KPIs serve a valuable purpose in the NPO world as well.

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Structuring a Board in a Not-for-Profit

Structuring a Board is a strategic and in-depth process. Many Boards consist of professionals in other sectors or positions that serve on a Board on a volunteer basis. Sometimes it can take a couple of attempts to create the perfect scenario. A Key element one should look for in a Board member in a director position is that they have an understanding of the mission of the not-for-profit and are ready and willing to donate the time required.

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Telling Your Organization's Story

At the core of many not-for-profits is empathy, compassion, and community. Every Not-for-Profit has a story behind their cause. Telling a story in a compelling way will help solidify a cause, attract donors, and position an organization strongly in their community. Donors are searching for meaning, and hearing the stories from not-for-profits helps them feel connected to the cause.

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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

As a sector dedicated to supporting and uplifting communities, we all – staff, board, volunteers, and other supporters – have a direct and important role to play in truth and reconciliation. CCVO acknowledges that the very sector in which, and for which, we work has been founded on colonial systems, and that these systems have contributed to the direct discrimination against and harm of Indigenous Peoples and communities.

With National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaching this Thursday, we pause to acknowledge and honour the survivors of and those who did not make it home from Canada's Indian residential schools. CCVO staff will spend the week listening and reflecting with open eyes and hearts, as we continue on our own personal learning journeys. Though we recognize that this journey is just that – and that we must spend every day of the year listening and learning.

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Fundraising Best Practices: Getting Back to Normal

As we get closer to normal life again, it’s important to evaluate your fundraising strategy and make sure you’re ready to pivot once more. Is your organization moving the needle on your mission? Too many people rely on you so there really is no option other than to go all in. This includes fundraising. Catalyst recently hosted a webinar with John Phin, a manager at BNP Goldie Canada, guiding participants through time-honored principles, standards, benchmarks, and fundraising in a post COVID world. This post includes the main learning points from his presentation, written by CCVO Guest Blogger Caitlin Simpson.

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The news of the bodies of 215 Indigenous children found at the former residential school in Kamloops, the community of Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc, is a devastating and heartbreaking discovery and reminder of the trauma inflicted by settlers and colonial systems upon Indigenous children, families, and communities. This trauma doesn’t live in the past; it’s present in daily life. As part of the nonprofit sector and our role in serving communities, it is the responsibility of both nonprofit organizations and individuals to learn and acknowledge the disturbing truths of the Indian Residential School system and take deliberate action toward reconciliation.

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