Creating Community Prosperity in Alberta’s Recovery: CCVO Alberta Pre-Budget 2022 Submission
This post covers CCVO’s recent Alberta 2022 pre-budget submission, focused on the recommendation to invest a portion of unallocated Recovery Plan contingency dollars through a strategic Community Recovery Fund. This fund would support community-focused recovery through investment in social infrastructure that will create jobs and spur economic stimulus. The recommendation contained within this submission outlines a role for the Government of Alberta in working collaboratively with nonprofits to meet the Government’s economic recovery goals while supporting efforts for solutions to pressing social issues.
Government of Alberta Announces new Crowdfunding Platform for Nonprofits
The Government of Alberta has announced a new crowdfunding platform, intended to support organizations to fundraise online. According to their release, the Crowdfunding Alberta platform is meant to “enable organizations to quickly raise money by collecting small, individual contributions from a large pool of donors through an online platform and help donors find local non-profits and causes they care about”. In addition to managing the platform, the government is providing $1 million in “top-up” funding aimed at encouraging donations through the platform.
Women’s Economic Recovery Challenge Grant Program
The Government of Alberta recently announced the Women’s Economic Recovery Challenge Grant Program. The purpose of this new program is to fund, “initiatives led by Alberta nonprofit organizations that help enhance women’s economic opportunities by providing strategies and solutions to address barriers and engage more effectively in the economy”.
CCVO’s Submission Regarding the Charitable Fund-raising Act
CCVO recently made a submission to Tanya Fir, Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction, asking that the Charitable Fund-raising Act is amended to exempt charities and nonprofits from being required to register. With approximately 900 organizations currently registered under the Charitable Fund-raising Act, creating this exemption could significantly reduce the administrative burden on nonprofits, charities, and public servants alike.
Government of Alberta and Federal Government Affordable Childcare Agreement
The Government of Alberta and the Federal Government have reached an agreement regarding affordable childcare in Alberta. Read the Government of Alberta’s announcement here and the Government of Canada’s announcement here. According to the Government of Alberta, “this plan will reduce fees for parents of children aged zero to kindergarten by half in early 2022 and provide an average of $10 per day childcare by 2026”. This agreement brings a total of $3.8 billion to Alberta that will be invested over the next five years. Different tiers of funding based on income will be available for parents of children aged 0 to kindergarten.
Government of Alberta Second Round of Civil Society Funding
The second round of the Civil Society Fund (CSF) through the Government of Alberta is now open for applications. Full updated guidelines regarding eligibility and how to apply have also been released. The CSF was created “to expand civil society capacity” by providing $20 million in funding over three years with the first round of funding released in fall 2020. This second round of funding “will focus on achieving social recovery and inclusive economic participation by building civil society’s capacity to address social challenges impacting Albertans”.
Alberta Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns
Last week, Sonya Savage, Minister of Energy, presented the results of Commissioner Steve Allan’s report on the Alberta Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns. CCVO has previously noted our concerns with this public inquiry, including the potential impacts on nonprofit organizations. CCVO and the Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) have articulated how essential the nonprofit sector is in public policy discourse.
Government of Alberta’s Public Inquiry into Environmental Groups
In July 2019, the Alberta government launched a public inquiry into the foreign funding sources of environmental groups who are critical of Alberta’s energy sector policies. Before that, Premier Kenney promised to establish an ‘Energy War Room’ to respond to campaigns directed at Alberta's oil and gas sector. This blog post covers what we know and how we think it might impact the nonprofit sector, particularly organizations that hold charitable status designation through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Leveraging the Power of Collective Action with The Nonprofit Vote
The launch of The Nonprofit Vote coincides with municipal elections taking place across the province. Elections provide an opportunity to highlight important issues and increase civic engagement on the specific issues that impact your organization. By raising awareness of these issues, you play a role in helping others to be a part of making their community a better place to live for all.
Restrictions Exemption Program Implementation Grant
The Government of Alberta has announced the new Restrictions Exemption Program Implementation Grant (REPIG). This grant provides a one-time payment of $2,000 to eligible small- and medium-sized businesses that implement the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) across Alberta. The purpose of this grant is to “offset costs associated with a proof of vaccination program”.
Alberta nonprofits launch new platform for collective advocacy
Nonprofit leaders have expressed the need for a platform that supports a unified voice for the sector and helps address the issues faced by the sector as a whole. Newly launched, The Nonprofit Vote is a nonpartisan platform created to bring light to the strength of Alberta’s nonprofits, while advocating for the support needed to allow them to continue the delivery of key services and community supports throughout the province.
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.
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.
Impacts of the Pandemic on Women: Input to the Premier’s Council on Charities and Civil Society
The Premier’s Council on Charities and Civil Society recently requested that CCVO complete a questionnaire designed “to gather input on the nature of challenges facing women and inform the Council’s advice to government”, particularly “how Alberta’s civil society can help ensure the recovery is inclusive and acknowledges the experiences and challenges women face during the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic”. While CCVO does not hold expertise specifically on this issue, we have completed the survey to represent what our own research on the impacts of COVID has revealed, to highlight for the Council the great work that many nonprofits are already doing in these areas, and to note that further consultation is encouraged to ensure that the perspective, expertise, and experience of those organizations is captured in the Council’s advice to the Government of Alberta. You can find the full questionnaire and our responses in this post.
Advocate with Confidence: A Guide for Nonprofits
The collective expertise and knowledge within the nonprofit sector represent invaluable insight and on-the-ground experience that can help inform policy direction and decisions. Plans to address the pandemic and subsequent economic recovery are likely to be at the forefront of this election cycle. With the increasing demand for services, it is important that this federal election recognizes and supports the role of nonprofits in rebuilding the community and economy. This election represents an opportunity for nonprofits, including those that access the services of and those who work in the sector, to come together to advocate for underrepresented and underserved populations, as well as for the sector as a whole.