IN THIS ISSUE                                                                                                  

Nine Sustainability Network supporters are running for the Sustainability Network in the Scotiabank Marathon on October 19th.  Check out who they are and consider helping them – and us – by sponsoring one of these high performance environmental athletes. We are forgoing our annual donation appeal to concentrate on helping our runners to secure sponsors so if you were thinking of donating to us, consider sponsoring one of them instead.

Click though to join us, sponsor a runner or to simply find out more!
https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?teamID=541036
 

 

 

 

5. Free Charity Village Webinar: Discipline and Dismissal: Making the Best of a Difficult Situation

We appreciate our employees and volunteers and we value their contribution to our organization. But sometimes, the fit between organization and employee or volunteer just isn’t there and changes need to be made.

The session is designed for hiring managers who are not HR specialists as well as volunteer managers. This session will give you the tools you need to successfully manage the discipline and dismissal process, including how to:
- Create an environment that proactively manages people.
- Plan for and implement all three phases of the discipline process.
- Engage in productive discussions when discipline is required, starting immediately.
- Identify how and when to move to a dismissal.

Join CharityVillage and presenter Denise Lloyd, MA, CHRP of EngagedHR on Thursday September 25th at 1 PM EST as they explore the three phases of the discipline process, as well as how and when to make the decision to end the relationship. By the end of the session, you will be equipped with new insights, tools and resources that you can easily implement to make the best of these difficult situations.

Register at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/274486382

 


6. New Issue: The Philanthropist's Collective Impact Issue

This special issue of The Philanthropist focuses entirely on Collective Impact with particular emphasis on how it is unfolding in Canada.

This issue features articles including:
- A detailed overview of Collective Impact by Liz Weaver;
- Insights on the challenges of evaluating Collective Impact by Mark Cabaj;
- An update from Australian colleagues who are using Collective Impact to foster a new movement for social change;
- An interview with John Kania and Fay Hanleybrown of FSG: Social Impact Consultants on their latest thinking; and,
- A Point/Counter-Point feature on the question of whether Collective Impact is a new and innovative approach or merely a re-packaging of old ideas about collaboration with Paul Born facing off against Don Bourgeois

Check it out at:
http://www.thephilanthropist.ca/index.php/phil 

 


7. CRA Update: Regulation of Political Activities for Charities

The Canada Revenue Agency has released a new update with information about the regulation of political activities for charities. The website has been updated to include comprehensive information on the rules registered charities must follow regarding political activities, frequently asked questions, a self-assessment tool, a recorded webinar and a series of videos on political activities.

Check out at:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/chrts/cmmnctn/pltcl-ctvts/menu-eng.html

 


8. Online Video: Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance - Know Your Coverage and Your Options

When people agree to serve as volunteers on charitable or not-for-profit boards of directors, potential liability issues are probably not forefront in their minds. This webinar focuses on the challenging issues and decisions that directors often face, and how to make use of directors and officers liability insurance as an important shield to protect directors, officers, and even other volunteers and employees, from potential personal legal liabilities.

Check out this 50 minute video from 2014 at:
http://sectorsource.ca/resource/video/directors%E2%80%99-and-officers%E2%80%99-insurance-%E2%80%93-know-your-coverage-and-your-options 


 


9. Free Webinar: Carters Professional Corporation and Imagine Canada on Political Activities by Charities: If You Do It, Do It Smart!

With the recent press coverage concerning CRA audits of registered charities involved in political activities, the question that many in the sector are asking is whether it’s possible for charities to be involved in political activities. This one hour webinar takes place at 1:00 EST on September 23rd and will look at the specific rules that apply to registered charities that decide to become involved in political activities, what “political activities” means in practice, and what practical steps can be taken by charities to reduce the possibility of a negative outcome in the event of an audit by CRA.

Register at:
http://bit.ly/1vSOxne


 


10. Fun Quiz: What Type of Environmentalist Are You?

Do you know your modern eco breed? If you found your way here, you have at least some sort of green inclination. But in the 21st century that no longer has to go hand-in-hand with things like sanctimony and guilt — environmentalists now come in all sorts of sizes and shapes. Maybe even some ones that you wouldn’t expect.

Are you an unquenchable activist that everyone awkwardly pretends not to notice while you’re out canvassing? A tech-loving futurist churning out pie in the sky ideas? An eco-yuppie happily buying into everything green, so long as it’s still trendy?

Take the quiz at:
http://bit.ly/1lK1JaT

 



11. Report: New Report Expounds on Old Problem: Lack of Diversity in Green Groups

A new report shows that the staffs of mainstream green groups have been overrepresented with white men despite the groups’ intentions to be more colorful. One of its most damning findings is that “the dominant culture of the organizations is alienating to ethnic minorities, the poor, the LGBTQ community, and others outside the mainstream.”

“The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations,” is billed as “the most comprehensive report on diversity in the environmental movement.” It was compiled by a working group of thought leaders on environment and race called Green 2.0, led by University of Michigan professor Dorceta Taylor. The report explores the history of tension between green activism and racial justice, and the many attempts at rapprochement.

From Earth Day 1970 until today, the report says, the majority of the people directing, staffing, and even volunteering at green groups have not only been white men, but they also hail from wealthier households with elite educational pedigrees. A 1972 study of 1,500 environmental volunteers nationwide showed that 98 percent of them were white and 59 percent held a college or graduate degree. Compare that to Taylor’s more recent demographic profiling of environmental orgs where, based on data collected on 166 mainstream organizations from 2004 to 2006, she found that minorities comprised just 14.6 percent of their staffs.

The Green 2.0 group says it plans to hold the movement accountable. Its recommendations for finally moving the needle on this problem include creating diversity assessment plans with transparency for tracking progress, and increasing resources for diversity initiatives.

To view this 192 page report published in July 2014 visit:
http://diversegreen.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2014/07/FullReport_Green2.0_FINAL.pdf


 



12. Report: Imagine Canada on an Earned Income Framework

Last year, Imagine Canada releases its Earned Income Framework to mainstream some of the key concepts relating to earned income within Canada's charitable and non-profit sector.
The framework is a direct result of their National Engagement Strategy that, involved more than 1500 leaders from charities and non-profits across the country. Between 2009 and 2012, Imagine Canada convened sector leaders to discuss the cross cutting drivers of change that would affect how organizations attract the investments required to fulfill their mission and how they maximize their impact.

The work on earned income was spurred by widespread recognition that even as philanthropy and grants and contributions continue to be important sources of financing for many organizations, increasingly, charities and non-profits are looking to earned income to diversify and supplement their revenue streams. They define earned income as the sale of products, services, processes, expertise and intellectual property for monetary return.

Check out the 12 page report from June 2013 at:
http://www.imaginecanada.ca/sites/default/files/www/en/publicpolicy/earned_income_framework_2013.pdf


 



13. Toolkit: Building Corporate Relationships

Volunteer Alberta recently helped release the Government of Alberta’s Building Corporate Relationships - A Toolkit for Non-profits.

The toolkit presents a five-step process to help small and mid-sized non-profits:
• develop a clear picture of their organization and its role in the community;
• define the organization’s project or programs;
• identify funding partners with common goals, best-suited to their project or programs;
• communicate their message to potential partners through effective project proposals; and
• strengthen relationships with partnerships through effective, ongoing stewardship practices.

The toolkit was created by Alberta Culture with input from nonprofit stakeholders, community investment managers and fund development professionals from organizations including Servus Credit Union, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, YOUCAN Youth Services and Imagine Canada, who were asked to identify issues and opportunities, and provide input and information for toolkit content.

The toolkit (20 pages) is available at:
http://culture.alberta.ca/community-and-voluntary-services/resources-and-links/tools/pdf/AlbertaCulture-Toolkit.pdf 


 


14. Report: Millennials on a Mission: Idealism, Impact, Innovation

During this year’s Millennial Impact Forum, thousands of leaders in philanthropy, social enterprise, and technology joined together for two days of inspiration from our next generation of leaders. MCON takes place on the heels of the release of the Millennial Impact Report, an annual look at the Millennial generation and the ground they are staking out as they mature into adulthood.

Here are a few juicy facts from the report:
- By the year 2020, Millennials will make up 50% of the workforce
- 91% of the female Millennials surveyed donated money to charities, and 84% of the male Millennials had donated
- Nearly half (47%) of the Millennials surveyed had volunteered for a cause or nonprofit in the past month.
- 22% of Millennials surveyed gave more than $500 to non-profits in 2013 and 12% gave more than $1,000.

As a nonprofit leader, why should you focus on Millennials, whose resources are small relative to their older counterparts? It’s simple. They have the power to generate passion, engagement and donations for your cause. The strategies for engaging Millennials are no longer just preferences. They have become the norm for effective communication with all ages.

Check out this 26 page report issued in June 2014 at:
http://bit.ly/1oIpF9i


 
 

 

 

Your esteemed editor was vacationing through most of August and so we skipped a month but we’re back with a fully packed September edition.

Our Scotiabank Marathon rurnners are getting prepared for the big day on October 19th and you’re invited to get involved and help them – and us – out. But before that, we’re excited to be hosting Ryan Turnbull and an ENGO training workshop on exploring alternative revenue generating strategies. We’re also excited to announce we are able to help underwrite CKX conference registration costs for ENGOs.

Also in this edition, links to free capacity building webinars from Give Green, Charity Village and Carters as well as information on a great upcoming charity law conference organized by Blumberg. Also links to new reports on ENGO diversity, earned income, understanding millennials and a tooklit for nonprofits on corporate relationships.