Provincial 2023 Budget Consultation | Calgary Awards | Economics of Social Change
View the browser version of this newsletter here
Alberta's Nonprofit Sector: Too Essential To Fail
Alberta has always known: a strong nonprofit sector means better economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes for Albertans. To get a comprehensive view of the current state of Alberta's nonprofit sector CCVO conducted a survey of 331 Alberta nonprofits and engaged in a literature review. The findings are presented in our Too Essential To Fail report and reveal that after three years of doing more with less, Alberta nonprofits are in crisis.
Some of the top challenges Alberta nonprofits identified include:
Increased demand for services
Increased need and complexity of people/communities served
Impacts of inflation
Negative impacts on staff mental health and well-being
Difficulties in staff retention and recruitment
Fewer volunteers
Reduced revenue
Nonprofits were not equitably supported through the pandemic by the Government of Alberta. They were eligible for less than half of the Province of Alberta’s pandemic support programs and had to compete with the private sector for these funds. Less than 4% of the total funding for the Small Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant (SMERG) went to nonprofits and only 7% of the total hires supported by the Jobs Now program went to nonprofits.
Despite their challenges during the pandemic, nonprofits and charities have worked together to provide vital programs and services for everyday Albertans. With the sector facing mounting challenges such as growing inflation and labour shortages, it is critical that the Government of Alberta demonstrates an understanding of the importance and unique needs of the sector to support pandemic recovery.
Some of the top requests identified in the survey were:
An increase in operating funding at the rate of inflation
Government supports and funding opportunities only open to nonprofits
Support for digital transformation and technology
Support for innovation
Support for diversity, equity and inclusion work
Policy Highlights
2023 Alberta Government Budget Consultations
The Government of Alberta is accepting feedback until January 15 to help decide the direction of the 2023 budget. Organizations can fill out an online survey and submit letters or reports in support of spending priorities and options for the 2022/2023 surplus. Find out more here.
CCVO's submission outlines the key role that nonprofits play in Alberta, the current state Alberta nonprofits are in and some of the current initiatives that the UCP has undertaken to strengthen civil society and the nonprofit sector.
The two budget requests CCVO has put forward are:
A commitment to indexing all granting programs to inflation and growth in the budget. This would put Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) at $70 million, Community Initiatives Program (CIP) at nearly $58 million and Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) at nearly $130 million
An investment budget in a strategic Community Prosperity Fund, eligible only to nonprofits totalling $300 million over 3 years, with first year priorities focused on relief from the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and the historic under-resourcing of the sector in support of key priority areas: recruitment and retention of staff; digital transformation; mental health programs for staff and volunteers; and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
See CCVO's full submission here.
The Future of Non-Profit Work and Workers Post-Pandemic
The Philanthropist Journal
In May 2022, the Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) and the Assemblée de la Francophonie de l’Ontario (AFO) conducted a survey of Ontario non-profit organizations to ascertain the impact of the pandemic on the sector.
Some of the key findings include:
Seventy-four percent of the 1,500 organizations surveyed reported a significant jump in demand for services.
Organizations faced more financial strain during the pandemic and some had to close their doors or run deficits.
62% of the organizations surveyed reported significant losses in volunteer staffing.
From observations it seems that the non-profit sector – in Ontario, for sure, and arguably across Canada – took the biggest job-loss hit.
Wage parity, decent working conditions with better pay, flexibility, and stability are no longer wish-list items for employees. These are now demands. By not investing in its workers, the nonprofit sector is guilty of expecting workers to stay for the cause without equipping them well to do the service. Over the coming months, The Philanthropist Journal will probe into and animate some of the key issues relevant to the future of non-profit work and workers. Read more here.
Learning Opportunities
Planned Giving 101
Jan 17 | Online
REGISTER
Nonprofit Digital Marketing Benchmark Report Release
Jan 17 | Online
REGISTER
Advancing Inclusion In The Workplace
Jan 18 | Online
REGISTER
Introduction to Strategic Planning
Jan 18 | Online
REGISTER
Answering Your Questions: Communication Edition
Jan 19 | Online
REGISTER
GR101: Advancing Government Relations
Jan 18 | Online
REGISTER
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - The fundamentals
Jan 19 | Online
REGISTER
2023 Fundraising Trends: Preparing for the Year Ahead
Jan 24 | Online
REGISTER
Five Good Ideas for Values-Driven Digital Transformation
Jan 25 | Online
REGISTER
Running Effective Meetings
Jan 26 | Online
REGISTER
Strategic Risk Management for Nonprofits
Jan 26 | Online
REGISTER
Enhancing Generational Giving: How Digital Tools Can Help Charities Reach New Donors
Jan 26 | Online
REGISTER
HR & Financial Strategy in the New Economy
Jan 26 | Online
REGISTER
ICD-Rotman Governance Essentials Program
Feb 15-16 | Online
REGISTER
Funding & Grants
Community Services Recovery Fund
The Community Services Recovery Fund is a $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profits as they focus on how to adapt their organizations for pandemic recovery. Now more than ever, charities and non-profits are playing a key role in addressing persistent and complex social problems faced by all communities. The Community Services Recovery Fund responds to what charities and non-profits need right now and supports organizations as they adapt to the long-term impacts of the pandemic.
The Community Services Recovery Fund will accept applications from Community Service Organizations, which means non-profit organizations, Indigenous Governing Bodies or Registered Charities located in Canada that provide services to communities within Canada. Organizations that are Non-Qualified Donees (e.g. Incorporated Non-profits) must apply in partnership with a Qualified Donee (e.g., Registered Charity) who will act as the fiduciary agent for the project, meaning they will sign the funding agreement and manage the funding on behalf of the Non-Qualified Donee.
Find out more information at the next Community Recovery Fund Webinar on January 12 or the Community Services Recovery Fund website. The application deadline is February 21.
Community Needs Grants
The Canadian Women’s Foundation is now accepting proposals for Community Needs grants. Approximately 25 grants up to a maximum of $20,000 each will be selected.
The aim of the Community Needs Grants is to provide short-term support for organizations doing gender justice work, with a focus on smaller grassroots organizations, to meet a range of immediate needs. Applicants may apply for funds to cover existing program costs, to pilot new initiatives, to undertake timely policy or advocacy initiatives, to support organizational capacity-building or professional development, to build networks, and/or to cover operational and administrative expenses.
Applicants must have charitable status or be a First Nations Band or municipality designated as a qualified donee by Canada Revenue Agency. Organizations that do not have charitable status and are not a qualified donee can submit applications in partnership with another organization that is a registered charity or qualified donee. The deadline for application is January 26. Find out more information here.
Future Focus Granting Program
the Future Focus Granting Program is a joint initiative of Calgary Arts Development, the Rozsa Foundation and the Calgary Foundation aimed at supporting arts organizations to investigate, plan, and implement strategic adaptations in their operations to build capacity, strengthen business models, explore new directions, examine structural change and address life cycle questions. Organizations will be asked to speak to how equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility are embedded into this work.
This work may incorporate issues relating to:
organizational strategy development and planning
business model evaluation and shifts
sustained inter-organizational collaborations
succession planning to transition from founding & longstanding leaders
explorations of mergers and closures
There is $400,000 available and applications will be accepted until the funds are expended. Applications are open to Calgary-based arts organizations who are registered charities or not-for-profits, or arts-based organizations who have comparable organizational structures. Organizations cannot be receiving project support from any of the three partner funders individually for the same work.
Organizations interested in this program must meet with a team member of one of the granting organizations to discuss their eligibility for the program and intended activities. The next application deadline is February 6, 2023. Contact information and further details can be found here.
Economics of Social Change
Are you curious about how individuals and communities are applying economic tools to create a positive impact for people and the planet? Economics of Social Change, a 5-part workshop series, highlights emerging innovations and local solutions that are doing just that right here in Alberta.
This workshop series, now in its fourth offering, is made possible thanks to a partnership between the Institute for Community Prosperity at Mount Royal University and Momentum. The sessions are held bi-weekly and get underway on January 26. The program is open to anyone working for the betterment of our communities including those working with cooperatives and social enterprises, in social policy, civil servants as well as those on the front lines of community change. For more details about the program visit here.
Calgary Awards
The Calgary Awards celebrate outstanding individuals and organizations whose exceptional achievements and contributions make life better for Calgarians.
Award categories include:
The Community Achievement Awards:
Grant MacEwan Lifetime Achievement
Calgarian of the Year (previously Citizen of the Year)
Arts
Community Advocate - Individual
Community Advocate - Organization
Education
Heritage
Social Impact - Business (previously Commerce)
Youth
The Award for Accessibility
The Environmental Achievement Award
The International Achievement Award
Look to your neighbours, colleagues, community leaders, local groups and companies who qualify for a Calgary Award. The nomination deadline is February 1.
Blogs & More
12 predictions for nonprofit and philanthropy for 2023
Vu Le, Nonprofit AF
Vu Le from Nonprofit AF presents his 2023 predictions, based on the alignments of the stars, planets, and a proprietary divination method that he likes to call “surfing the internet and then guessing.” His twelve predictions touch on technology, workplace trends, DEI, fundraising, communications, board models and more. Read the full predictions here →
Do Nonprofit Boards Need a Youth Infusion?
Sid Davis, Grant Station
Data about young nonprofit trustees is scant, but information about recruitment is available and revealing. Recent research from U.K.-based Ecclesiastical Insurance shows that 51% of charity boards have problems attracting new members, and 54% have vacancies. In addition, resignations from boards have risen in the last year. Most of the charities surveyed said they were actively looking to diversify their boards, and 79% said their sector needs to do more to recruit “trustees from a wider range of ages, backgrounds, and communities.” Therefore opportunities for younger people to join boards exist numerically, as well as in terms of what many nonprofits say they are seeking. Read more here→
Do We Know The Problem We're Trying To Solve
Sylvia Cheuy and Liz Weaver, Tamarack Institute
This conversation between Sylvia Cheuy and Liz Weaver explores why it’s important for the leaders of a collaboration to take the time to explore and reach an agreement on the nature of their shared problem and the most useful approaches for how it can be addressed.
Cheuy and Weaver discuss the Cynefin Company Framework as a useful tool to identify the nature of the problem and how that impacts not just how organizations think about a problem, but what strategies are most effective to address it. Watch the video here→