New Provincial Election Resources
#NonprofitsVote Provincial Toolkit
The writ has dropped and the provincial election is May 29. We have put together a 2023 #Nonprofitsvote Provincial Toolkit for nonprofits to experience the unbridled joy of democracy. Below is a summary of the 8 step Toolkit.
Consider why nonprofit issues are election issues. Our ability to provide essential services requires productive collaboration with the Government of Alberta - so we want to know how parties intend to do so, if elected. If we don’t make an ask, we let other issues drive the agenda and we’re less likely to see commitments that support our essential work.
Learn what our sector needs. The Nonprofit Vote partners have established 5 Platform Priorities , that each party must include to ensure the vitality of our sector. Read the priorities here.
Join the Call. Ask your party leaders to incorporate The Nonprofit Vote priorities in their platforms. We have a letter of support you can sign here.
Click here for our Platform Priority communications toolkit, complete with a sample blog and social media posts.Learn what is in party platforms. COMING SOON! Platform analysis is coming soon. Check back on this page for more updates or sign up for the policy newsletter.
Explore our sector's diversity on issues. The Nonprofit Vote advocates for the sector as whole. But the issues our sector engages with are diverse. We’ve started to gather issue-based priorities published by Alberta nonprofits. Learn more here!
Make Your Vote Plan. Prepare the when, how and where of your personal vote plan. Find more information here on taking time off work to vote, voting by special ballot, mobile polls, and other voting accommodations.
Harass your friends (Get Out the Vote). We have swag! Remind your friends and colleagues to vote without having to say a word. Click here for downloadable stickers and tent cards. Don’t forget to follow and use our fancy hashtag, #nonprofitsvote.
Prepare for Doorknockers. Have questions ready in case you run into local candidates.
Provincial Election 2023: Policy Advocacy Guide for Nonprofits
The Provincial Election 2023: Policy Advocacy Guide for Nonprofits is a practical guide for nonprofits wishing to engage in advocacy during the 2023 provincial election. This Guide is intended to help inform a range of nonprofit stakeholders, including executive directors, staff, board members and volunteers, about the context, rules, and strategies that can be used to support nonprofit contributions to public policy dialogue and development.
No matter how you use this Guide, our intent is that it contributes to a healthy and participatory democratic process through the invaluable contributions of the nonprofits across Alberta.
2023 Platform Priorities: Sign the Letter of Support
Alberta’s provincial parties have a critical opportunity to ensure essential nonprofit services are there for Albertans when they need them. Our five platform priorities help them get there. They include:
Appropriate Funding: Invest $300 million over 3 years in a Community Prosperity Fund for nonprofits to address the impacts of the pandemic, inflation, and historic under-resourcing to ensure this essential sector is here for Albertans when they need it most.
A Workforce Strategy: Undertake a labour market study and strategy to stabilize the nonprofit workforce by addressing recruitment and retention concerns.
Better Data Collection: Collaborate on data collection to ensure government and nonprofits can be more effective through data-informed actions.
A Door To Government: Explore creating a dedicated space in government to share challenges, successes and opportunities with renewed partnership from the Government of Alberta to address them.
An Empowered Sector: Make funding go further by cutting red tape and sharing decision-making with nonprofits on the most effective allocation of government dollars.
These provincial platform priorities were created courtesy of The Nonprofit Vote members: Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, FUSE Social, Volunteer Lethbridge, and the Rozsa Foundation. Read more about the platform priorities here.
The Nonprofit Vote has launched a campaign in conjunction with the platform priorities. Sign the letter of support to tell the provincial party leaders that nonprofits are important and you want to see these priorities included in their platforms.
This Week's 2023 Platform Priorities Updates
On Monday, April 24th, The Nonprofit Vote hosted Rachel Notley to an audience of nearly 300 nonprofit leaders at The Grand Theatre in Calgary. There will be lots to come in our analysis of all party platforms, but one notable tidbit from this event is that NDP Leader Rachel Notley announced a $240M commitment to FCSS and related programs, representing $80M above the existing budget. We look forward to hosting leader of the UCP, Danielle Smith at a future date to hear her commitments for the sector.
Election Advocacy
Women’s Health Week 2023 is a pan-Canadian initiative of the Women’s Health Coalition (WHC) that raises awareness, inspires bold conversations and engagement to address barriers and biases in women’s health. This group is engaging in election advocacy, including hosting all candidate forums in Calgary and Edmonton.
Policy Updates
Grow Together Report
Sage
Sage's Grow Together Report found that economic uncertainty is having a significant impact on Canadian donors and volunteers plans to give back in 2023, including:
More than a third (39%) will stop or reduce their charitable donations in the next 12 months.
More than a quarter (26%) will either stop volunteering, reduce their volunteer hours, or keep volunteering but support fewer charities in the next 12 months.
86% of respondents said they are more likely to donate to a charity if they know the charity is operating efficiently.
72% of respondents believe charities that are taking advantage of available technologies are operating more efficiently.
69% of respondents said they are likely to support charitable causes through shopping at a business or brand that donates a portion of the sales to charities.
63% believe Canadian business should be doing more, while 57% think Canadian governments should be doing more to support charities.
See the full report here.
Interview: CRA's Director General of Charities Says Non-Qualified Donee Policy A Key Priority and Donor Advised Fund Data Changes Coming This Fall
Gabe Oatley, The Future of Good
Sharmila Khare is the head of the Canada Revenue Agency’s Charities Directorate — and the bureaucrat with the responsibility for implementing all of these federal promises. Future of Good spoke with Khare about these and other key files, gathering key insights from the conversation.
1) Hundreds of foundations will "likely" need to update their charitable objects to be able to grant to Non-qualified donees (NQDs).
2) Don't expect to see the CRA promoting how foundations can work with NQDS.
3) Beginning fall 2023, expect new information on Canadian donor advised funds.
4) Getting more data on board diversity would require a change to the income tax act.
See the whole summary of the interview here.
Learning Opportunities
The Relentless Pursuit of Impact
May 8 | Online
REGISTER
Psychological Health and Safety
May 9 | Online
REGISTER
Ask Me Anything About Social Enterprise
May 10 | Online
REGISTER
Ambassador Training for Your Board
May 11 | Online
REGISTER
CCDI Community of Practice
Theme: Depolarizing the Workplace
May 15 | Central Library
REGISTER
Board Development Program - Risk Management
May 17 | Online
REGISTER
Funding & Grants
Olive Tree Foundation
The Olive Tree Foundation awards grants to not-for-profit organizations holding charitable registration with the CRA (or sponsored by an organization with charitable registration). They welcome applications from community-based groups working within the fields of social, health and community services; education and library services; policy institutes and think tanks; and arts, culture and heritage. This year the Olive Tree Foundation's priorities are anti-racism/Islamophobia, Indigenous and interfaith, climate action, and youth.
Grants are provided in varying amounts as determined by the Board of Directors and its Grants Committee, based on available funds and the potential value of the proposed initiative to the community. To apply for a grant, applicants must fill out a Project Introduction Form. Forms are due by May 31. View the form and find out further details here.
CNOOC International’s Community Investment Program
CNOOC International’s Community Investment program helps strengthen the communities where CNOOC lives and works. CNOOC prioritizes funding for projects that provide long-term and sustainable results that have a positive impact on our communities. Their focus areas for funding are environmental care, inspiring education and innovation, investing in arts and culture, and supporting communities.
Funding is open to Charitable organizations with a CRA number, nonprofit organizations with a business number, community organizations and Indigenous groups. Find out more information and apply here.
#AB50for50 Alberta Human Rights Commission
2023 marks 50 years since the Alberta Human Rights Commission's establishment in 1973. To commemorate this significant anniversary, the Commission has launched the #AB50for50 campaign. Together with other organizations in the province, the Commission hopes to inspire Albertans to take action to create a culture of human rights.
The #AB50for50 campaign encourages Albertans to challenge themselves and others to spend 50 minutes learning more about human rights or supporting a human rights organization during the 50th anniversary year.
Find a list of Alberta-area human rights resources, events and much more here.
TalentED YYC Launch
Last week Calgary Work Integrated Learning (Calgary WIL) launched TalentED YYC, a new online platform to help Calgary employers navigate the engagement of students in their organizations for practical work experiences. Calgary WIL is a collaboration of CCVO, Ambrose University, AU Arts, Bow Valley College, Mount Royal University, SAIT, St. Mary’s University, the University of Calgary, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and Calgary Economic Development.
Work integrated learning (WIL) opportunities offer relevant experiences for skills development specifically related to a student’s program of study. Placements include internships, co-ops, practicums, community service learning opportunities, field placements and projects.
Currently, employers offering student positions need to navigate each school and program individually. The new TalentED YYC platform offers resources, templates and a centralized job posting portal to share WIL opportunities with students at all seven post-secondary institutions in Calgary. It also offers access to a team who can provide one-on-one support to help employers navigate how to work with student talent. Learn more about TalentED YYC in this press release and visit TalentED YYC here.
Blogs & More
How Can We Centre Community's Voice in Our Data Collection
Meenakshi (Meena) Das, Charity Village
We live in complicated times (perhaps that’s a statement that has always been true). And we share a common intention to collect better data in these complicated times to make better decisions. To be able to do that we must learn – not just the fundamentals of data collection – but the humanity of centring community in it.
It is also essential to understand bringing a community to selectively convenient parts of a project is not inclusion – something that does happen in the world. Working with the community takes more than that. It requires trust, empathy, flexibility, and willingness to unlearn. Community is a complex word, after all. So, how do we do this – center the voice of this community in our data collection? Read more →
Youth Perspectives on Philanthropy
Sharon Riley, The Philanthropist Journal
In 2013 The Philanthropist Journal published a series of articles to explore how “conventional ways of thinking about philanthropy and civic engagement may not work for many young people in the contemporary context.” The series heard from youth and their advocates from across the country. Contributors highlighted the myriad of ways the philanthropic sector needed to change how it thought about young people – both those working and volunteering within the sector and those it serves
A decade later, The Philanthropist Journal reached out to those same contributors again, seeking their thoughts on how – and if – the sector has changed for the better when it comes to youth issues. Irwin Elman, was one of the coordinators of the series. He still sees many of the same issues facing the sector today. While searching for solutions, he adds, it’s crucial for institutions to be open to difficult conversations. Read More →