Policy Priorities for the Sector | Guidelines for Non-Qualified Donees
CCVO will be closed from December 22-January 1. We hope everyone enjoys the holidays and the rest of 2023. We look forward to connecting with you in the new year!
2024-2025 Provincial Budget Submissions
The Alberta government is currently accepting input to create the 2024 budget, which will be released in February 2024. Nonprofits can submit a written submission outlining their budget priorities. We strongly encourage all nonprofits to make a budget submission and include some or all of the policy priorities outlined below along with their own priorities.
The Nonprofit Vote partners created these five priorities at the beginning of 2023 to ensure the vitality of Alberta's nonprofit sector.
Appropriate Funding: Establish a community prosperity fund
A Workforce Strategy: Develop a nonprofit sector labour force strategy
Better Data Collection: Support sector level data strategies
A Door to Government: Create a meaningful nonprofit sector presence in government
An Empowered Sector: Increased impact of provincial investments
Save the Dates: Workshops with TalentED YYC
Join CCVO and TalentED YYC on January 25 and February 22 for two different workshops on work integrated learning. More details and a registration link will be coming soon.
Policy Highlights
Guidance for Registered Charities Making Grants to Non-Qualified Donees
In 2022, the Income Tax Act was amended to allow charities to make grants to non-qualified donees. This legislative change was made to recognize the significant value that non-qualified donees bring to charity work and allow charities to build more collaborative and equitable partnerships with non-qualified donees.
The government recently released guidelines to guide charities in this process. This guidance is not law. Instead, it recommends ways a charity can meet the Income Tax Act requirements while taking reasonable measures based on the nature of each grant. Many organizations, including CCVO, as part of our participation in the Canada Revenue Agency Charities Directorate Technical Issues Working Group, have helped develop these guidelines. Find the guidance here.
Groceries and Essentials Benefit: Helping People with Low Incomes Afford Everyday Necessities
Affordability Action Council
To address food insecurity, the Affordability Action Council recommends the federal government take the following action:
Create a new Groceries and Essentials Benefit
The federal government should restructure and expand the Goods and Services Tax/-Harmonized Sales Tax rebate and rename it the Groceries and Essentials Benefit. The proposed benefit would build on the one-time Grocery Rebate implemented in 2023 and would target households with working-age adults. It would provide $1,800 a year per adult and $600 per child. In addition, the Council recommends that the proposed benefit be provided monthly rather than quarterly. Read the full article here.
Consultation on Canada Disability Benefit Regulations
The Government of Canada is consulting Canadians on the new Canada Disability Benefit. The Canada Disability Benefit Act received Royal Assent and became law on June 22, 2023. This benefit is being created to reduce poverty and support the financial security of working-age people with disabilities.
All members of the public can share their thoughts on benefit details, such as eligibility, application, administration, payments, compliance, and benefit amount. The consultation process is open until December 21. The input will then be analyzed to create a draft version of the regulations. Provide feedback here.
Building a National Volunteer Action Strategy
Volunteer Canada is co-creating a national volunteer action strategy.
The strategy will be a comprehensive and coordinated effort aimed at:
Creating new participation and engagement frameworks and pathways
Addressing critical economic, cultural, and social cohesion challenges
Building Canadian communities inclusively through volunteering and service
Find out more information about the strategy and see how you can get involved here.
Learning Opportunities
Ask Me Anything About Social Enterprise
Jan 10 | online
REGISTER
Equity and Inclusion in Volunteer Screening Series - Volunteer Rights
Jan 16 | online
REGISTER
Cybersecurity - Building a Proactive Approach
Jan 17 | online
REGISTER
Changemaker Wellbeing Summit
Mar 20 & 21 | online
REGISTER
Refugees and Immigrant Service Enhancement
On Demand | online
REGISTER
Achieving Brand Consistency In Your Nonprofit
On Demand | online
REGISTER
Capacity Canada's Design Collective Program
Capacity Canada’s Design Collective Program works with organizations that want to increase their capacity to address complex challenges. Each organization can apply to send two staff from their organization to learn about human-centred design thinking and receive coaching and mentoring to apply it to an issue of importance to their organization. This professional development program is a no-cost opportunity due to the generous support of Suncor Energy Foundation. An information session will be held on January 19 from 10-11am. The application deadline for the next online cohort is February 2nd, 2024. Find more information here.
The Dandelion Wager: Scaling Social Impact by Winding Up and Giving it All Away
The Institute for Community Prosperity’s latest publication, The Dandelion Wager: Scaling Social Impact by Winding Up and Giving it All Away, documents a bold strategy to increase impact by closing an organization. This case study follows the journey of Calgary Reads as they carefully dissolved their organization into a set of seeds to be sown by partner organizations.
The Dandelion Wager examines the rationale and origins of the legacy transfer concept, the progress to date, the potential to scale impact through strategic transfers and post-dissolution activities, and lessons learned along the way. It shares insights into how to scale and includes a framework for nonprofit organizations, leaders, funders, capacity builders, and changemakers who are looking for innovative ways to scale impact. Read the report here.
Funding & Grants
Youth Substance Use Prevention Program
The Youth Substance Use Prevention Program is a new, community-based program created by the Government of Canada to prevent substance use among young people. Using a collaborative approach, it focuses on building protective factors that promote overall health and well-being, and prevent substance use harms among youth. These factors include healthy relationships, safe environments, and community connectedness. The Program is based on the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) which is recognized internationally.
The Program is currently accepting proposals for Stream 1, the Incubator and Capacity Building Stream. It is focused on supporting communities with building their capacity to implement the IPM. Applicants must demonstrate the need for funding to support capacity-building activities and a willingness to implement the IPM in their community. The maximum allowable budget per project is $125,000. Four projects will be funded. Applications are due by January 15. Find out more information and apply here.
National Anti-Racism Fund
Applications are open for the National Anti-Racism Fund, run by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. This round of funding is open to initiatives on the following themes: addressing systemic racism, promoting and increasing accessibility of data on race relations, informing public policy by highlighting barriers, and cultural and intercultural community building. Applications are open to Canadian registered charities, registered nonprofits, Indigenous organizations, and Canadian non-Federal public institutions.
Two streams of funding are available. The Projects Grant stream has a deadline of January 8. Project funding can range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $125,000. The Events and Youth initiatives grant stream has a deadline of January 15. The maximum amount for this stream is $10,000. Find more information and applications for both streams of funding here.
Sustainable Development Goals Program
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 goals that were adopted by Canada and all other United Nations Member States to eliminate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity. The SDGs Program is run by the federal government and has two funding streams; both streams have a deadline of January 12. Organizations can only apply for one stream.
The Grants stream funds projects that increase public awareness or share best practices or lessons learned that support and enhance Canada’s progress on the 2030 Agenda, particularly within equity-deserving groups and groups or individuals in vulnerable situations. Organizations can receive up to $200,000 for a project that is up to 24 months. Find the Grants stream application here.
The Contributions stream funds projects that aim to localize SDGs in communities. Funded projects will adapt, employ, and monitor progress of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the local level and will measure and report on the SDGs. Organizations can receive up to $900,000 for a project that is up to 36 months. Find the Contributions stream application here.
Applications are open to nonprofit organizations, governments, Indigenous organizations, coalitions, committees and research organizations.
Journey to Impact: Unlocking Purpose through Social Finance
Imagine Canada's Journey to Impact Report reveals that social purpose organizations engage in social finance primarily to diversify funding sources, access capital, and overcome challenges with traditional financing. Enablers to social finance include a clearly defined social or environmental mission, visionary governance, impact measurement, and access to social finance products. Barriers include limited financial track record, high transaction costs, and lack of accessible social finance products. Read more and explore how 22 different organizations are using social finance here.
Blogs & More
2023 Lessons from Canada's Top Changemakers
Future of Good
"Leading or being involved in a social purpose organization has meant that I often have to create situations of discomfort. Still, true leadership means we turn that discomfort into meaningful action and true allyship when it matters the most." Jung-Suk (JS) Ryu, President and CEO, National accessArts Centre
Hear from 20 of Canada's changemakers on what they've learned in 2023. A common theme in these lessons is a renewed focus on empathy, trust and hope. Read More→
4-Day Work Week: Our Experience So Far
Bruce MacDonald, Imagine Canada
Imagine Canada is now over ten months in to implementing a four-day work week. This is an honest account of Imagine Canada's experience so far. We’ll start with the good. Allowing employees to enjoy an additional day off has undeniably improved staff morale and well-being. We’ve measured this through sets of surveys: our internal employee pulse survey, as well as a survey we participated in with the research group Four Day Week Global. Overall, employees tell us how much they appreciate the new schedule. Read More→
Handling Holiday Stress
Calgary Counseling Centre
On the latest episode of Calgary Counselling Centre's podcast, Katherine Hurtig talks with registered psychologist Amy Ramler about the many stresses and emotions that can come with the holiday season and the different ways we can manage that. They explore topics such as the weight of expectations, financial pressures, navigating family dynamics, setting boundaries, and coping strategies. They also discuss the common struggle of finding the perfect gift and offer insights on creating meaningful traditions while maintaining healthy boundaries with family. Listen in to learn practical ways to navigate the holiday season and make it more enjoyable and less overwhelming. Listen here→