Staff and members of the Canadian CED Network join family and friends of Ethel Côté in mourning the passing of this incredible woman who dedicated her life to building and promoting the social solidarity economy and the Francophonie in Canada and around the world.

Ethel was a longtime member of CCEDNet. Alongside terms on our board, governance committee, and policy council, she chaired our International Committee for many years, representing CCEDNet on the board of the Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of the Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS) from 2005 to 2009. As part of this role, she, alongside Yvon Poirier, introduced three resolutions at the 2008 CCEDNet AGM on Kyoto Protocol, Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness, and Make Poverty History. This was just a part of Ethel’s overall activity supporting global advancement of the social solidarity economy, which included attending events such as the World Human Rights Forum, the Quartiers du Monde International Conference, the Centre de la francophonie des Amériques, and the Social Enterprise World Forum.

Here in Canada, Ethel was particularly active in the province of Ontario. She worked with countless organizations, sometimes through employment or as a contractor, but often also providing pro bono support to small businesses and nonprofits. Ethel was the first Executive Director for longtime member Impact ON (previously le Conseil de la Coopération de l’Ontario) and an instrumental early member of the Ontario Social Economy Roundtable. For her work in the province Ethel was recognized with the Order of Ontario.

Ethel also contributed to the advancement of the Social Solidarity Economy throughout Canada, including through her participation in CCEDNet’s national events like EconoUs, in which she contributed her excellent speaking and facilitation skills as an MC and keynote speaker. She lent her expertise in social enterprise development to a number of different organizations including MecenESS and Entreprise sociale canada (both of which she founded), the Social Enterprise Council of Canada (of which she was a co-founding member), Innoweave and the Canadian Centre for Community Renewal, among many others.

Ethel’s strong commitment to feminism and women’s economic empowerment was also prominent in her work. This also included active membership and participation with the Women’s Economic Council. Because of her work on this front, she was selected as the 2015 Champion of Women’s Economic Empowerment by UN Women.  

Ethel was a mentor and model for many wanting to make a positive change in their communities and their economies. Her legacy will continue through the relationships she forged and the work she accomplished. She will be sorely missed.

Further reflections on Ethel Côté’s impact and legacy:

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Reflecting on CCEDNet’s Regional Initiatives Program

This is Part 6 of our Ecosystem Building Blog Series.

part 1) Pan Atlantic
part 2) Saskatchewan
part 3) Ontario
part 4) Newfoundland and Labrador – 1
part 5) Newfoundland and Labrador – 2
part 6) Manitoba

Ecosystem building is a core focus of CCEDNet’s Regional Initiatives Program.

Reflecting on CCEDNet’s
Regional Initiatives Program

Author:
Sarah Leeson-Klym, Associate Director 
 

Blog Summary

Read this if you are: 

  • Questioning what ‘ecosystem building’ offers as a frame for action.
  • Curious about what CCEDNet learned through the Regional Initiatives program
  • Struggling to navigate the tensions of working at both local and large scales.

Near the end of the recent Regional Initiatives Program, we reflected on what we were learning. This reflection is mine but incorporates input from Melissa Sinfield (Regional Initiatives Manager) and Mike Toye (Executive Director) as well as themes throughout the rest of the Ecosystem Blog Series. On a personal note, I am so grateful to have worked with Mel on this program. We navigated a challenging time frame and complex environment together and their contributions were incredibly valuable. Thank you!

To learn more about ecosystem building projects and approaches that have been supported by CCEDNet check out our Regional Initiatives Program.


Reflecting on CCEDNet’s Regional Initiatives Program

CCEDNet’s most recent foray into regional ecosystem development can be traced back to two key moments – the launch of Inclusive Innovation and our first Investment Readiness Program project. 

Despite being a national network, we have always had an interest in the regional scale because local action is at the heart of community economic development and these activities are often funded and regulated by provincial governments. I have sometimes considered this the work of building economies-of-network, as opposed to economies of scale. CCEDNet-Manitoba has become a sustained leader in this kind of regional ecosystem development, but otherwise we have seldom found support for a broad, connected approach to supporting relevant social economy action at this scale. So, of course we jumped at the chance to bring the network to the emerging Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy opportunities, leading to our support of Flourish Alberta and the Regional Initiatives Program.

[W]e have always had an interest in the regional scale because local action is at the heart of community economic development…

[T]he field is always changing and the ideas, terms, and frameworks being used are fluid and contested.

One observation that is consistent over the resulting 5 years of work is that the field is always changing and the ideas, terms, and frameworks being used are fluid and contested. This is reflected in our practice. Some of the regional initiatives we’ve worked on have been directly organized as hubs of the CCEDNet membership. Others are partnerships with a mix of members and others and focus more on a frame of ecosystem building for social innovation, CED, or social economy. And, some have been direct projects delivered at a regional scale, like the Atlantic Social Succession Project aimed at supporting retiring businesses across the 4 Atlantic provinces to convert to social enterprises or co-operatives. 

In the most recent Regional Initiatives project, we emphasized ecosystem building for social innovation and CED at provincial or pan-provincial scales and hosted an open intake. We were flooded with applications – 117 representing over 5 times the volume of funds available! From that huge response, we painstakingly selected 6 projects to complement CCEDNet-Manitoba and Flourish Alberta. 

The application process itself was rich with learning about the diversity of perspectives and collaborative work taking place across the field. While ‘ecosystem building’ has gained steam as the predominant terminology for our work within the federal government’s strategy, it was clear this means a myriad of different things on the ground. Even what is meant by a ‘regional’ scale differs – with some provinces using this to describe a municipal level and others thinking about collaboration across multiple provinces with similar concerns. But setting these observations aside, there is clear interest and need for resources to work collaboratively at this middle scale between front-line and federal.

While ‘ecosystem building’ has gained steam as the predominant terminology… it was clear this means a myriad of different things on the ground.

If this work interests you, read the whole blog series! There are incredible insights and successes to learn from throughout. We benefited from our partners’ bright minds and willingness to meet together over the course of the project to share with each other. So, to wrap up these blogs, we’ve drawn together some overarching insights that will help us build towards future regional organizing efforts. 

  • Despite some confusion about the language, ecosystems are all around us and this framework can help us organize effort.  Being aware of the overlapping systems and factors that inhibit or enable change is an essential first step to shifting practices towards the outcomes we seek.  This article is a good introduction.  As mentioned in this blog, it can be seen as a collaborative response to systemic problems.  There are many examples of the range of functions needed to create viable social innovation and social finance ecosystems, such as the Inclusive Innovation report, the OECD Recommendation on the social and solidarity economy and social innovation, and the UN Resolution supporting the social and solidarity economy. 
  • Despite the challenges involved, we remain sure that the regional/provincial level of organizing is effective for ecosystem functions related to capacity building and information sharing (making consistent connection easier), and policy change efforts directed at provincial governments, which hold more relevant levers than the federal government. This work is important. 
  • We still aren’t sure how to connect different regional efforts for translocal learning or to build collective capacity and power to influence policy and the economy at a national scale. Maintaining needed local autonomy while also integrating federally is a perennial organizing conundrum.
  • Local leadership and investment is essential.  This isn’t about imposing top-down strategies from away.  It’s an approach to change that has demonstrated success, and requires strong, engaged, accountable local leadership to implement at provincial levels. 
  • This work requires real resources that aren’t premised on project deliverables, instead providing a stable base for relationship building, collective reflection, experimentation, and routine convening of practitioners and supporters to inform strategy. Currently, this kind of funding is significantly lacking across the country.

We are inspired by the efforts of our regional partners and grateful to have had time to connect beyond our sustained efforts in Manitoba and Alberta. CCEDNet will be bringing these lessons into our Strategic Review as we focus our efforts on the next 25 years of connecting people and ideas for economic action towards inclusive, equitable, and sustainable communities.

Ecosystem Blog Series:

Blog 1) Pan-Atlantic
Ecosystem Building
Blog 2) Saskatchewan
“On the Cusp of Change”
Blog 3) Ontario
Weaving Together…
Blog 4) NL – Creating Luck
Blog 5) NL – “Can’t Quantify Relationships
Blog 6) MB – Building a Community Economy Ecosystem

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Sarah Leeson-Klym

Sarah is currently CCEDNet’s Associate Director, supporting the organization through leadership transition and a Strategic Review. Before this role, she was our director for Regional & Strategic Initiatives. Get in touch if you want to find out more at

Sarah Leeson-Klym

While traditional nonprofit fundraising plays a crucial role, it may not be enough to address the complex challenges faced by charities today. This article explores five new nonprofit revenue generation strategies to create financial sustainability and support your programs, teams, and mission.

The Need for Change in Nonprofit Fundraising

The nonprofit sector is the backbone of many communities, providing essential services and supporting vulnerable populations. However, increasing demand for services, diminishing core funding, and a heavy reliance on traditional nonprofit fundraising strategies are putting a strain on these crucial organizations.

Shifting the Fundraising Mindset

To achieve long-term sustainability and realize their long-term impact goals, nonprofits need to embrace new thinking and move beyond the limitations of traditional fundraising. This means exploring alternative revenue streams that complement, not replace, their existing fundraising efforts.

5 New Revenue Strategies for Nonprofits to Move Beyond Traditional Fundraising

  1. Fee-for-Service: You can offer valuable programs and services for a fee, ensuring program accessibility for those who need it most while generating income to support your mission. This approach can help organizations lessen their dependence on traditional fundraising methods.
  2. Social Enterprise: Establish a social enterprise that sells goods or services to generate unrestricted revenue while furthering your mission. This approach allows you to diversify your income streams and reach new audiences, all while staying true to your core objectives.
  3. Asset Optimization: Maximize the value of your existing assets, for example, by renting out existing space when not in use. This allows you to generate additional income and reduces dependence on traditional fundraising. By strategically utilizing your assets, you can free up resources for your core mission and programs.
  4. Win-Win Partnerships: Collaborate with funders and corporations with shared values to achieve common goals and leverage their resources. Strategic partnerships can provide access to new funding streams and networks. Look for partners who can amplify your mission and impact.
  5. Leverage: Consider how your organization’s operations, employment practices, purchasing, banking, and investments can align with your mission and support the nonprofit sector as a whole. By making choices that prioritize social and environmental good alongside financial considerations, you can create a ripple effect of positive change.

By adopting these strategies, your nonprofit can move beyond the limitations of traditional fundraising and unlock the resources needed to deliver impactful services, create positive change, and create a more sustainable financial future.

Learn More About Revenue Diversification With Our Free Course

Ready to expand your understanding of culture, risk, and money in a nonprofit? Learn about these strategies and more with our free course: Revenue Diversification: What’s Possible for Nonprofits and Charities.   

Are you a funder or partner interested in bringing Thriving Non-Profits to your region? We want to hear from you! Reach out to us at .

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Check out the Manitoba region newsletter for September 2024 here.

Get the newsletter in your inbox! Subscribe and click Manitoba CED Bulletins

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In May 2024 we announced the upcoming departure of our Executive Director of the past 16 years, Michael Toye, followed by a call for proposals from recruitment firms to help us find someone new to step into the top leadership position at the Canadian CED Network. The Board of Directors and members of CCEDNet’s Leadership Team reviewed the recruitment proposals and selected Evenings + Weekends, a full service consultancy based in Toronto that is “committed to advancing equity, justice and social change through ongoing collaboration with community, non-profit organizations, grassroots groups, charities, activists, academics and local leaders.”

Thanks to Evenings + Weekends engagement and support we are happy to now share the job posting for CCEDNet’s next Executive Director and encourage all interested to apply.

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The Gathering 2024 will happen on Friday, October 25

Attendees at the Gathering 2023

With our strong sense of collaboration and our deep rooted networks, The Gathering is a day to better connect people and ideas for Collective Action to move forward together.

Across Manitoba, people like you are working together to strengthen communities and build local economies that benefit everyone. Together, we are taking collective action to create more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable communities.

Join in the learning opportunities of the 22nd edition of the Gathering that will explore Collective Action for Community Economic Development. Participants will benefit from peer learning, networking, and sharing successes and challenges of community building work.

Together, we’ll explore important questions like: 

  • How do we work across differences to do collective change work?
  • How can we work collectively to witness true economic reconciliation?
  • How do we better advocate for systemic change and government action?

Join us for the Gathering 2024 – Growing & Harvesting Collective Action – a one-of-a-kind annual event for Manitoba community builders!

Find more information at thegatheringmanitoba.ca

Here are some suggestions from programming proposals: 
(generally about 1 – 1.25 hours for programming, unless noted)

  • Storytelling through fireside chats, panels, Q&A: sharing stories of success, challenges, learning and growth, celebrating work and innovation
  • Skills and tools through workshops, presentations: teaching others about specific tools, techniques, and resources that will support their community work
  • Theory and concepts through interactive discussions, circles, panels: teaching others about core concepts and theories that relate to CED or the work of community-based organizations, including interrogating the questions posed in the event description
  • Creative or community building activities: creative activities to cultivate joy throughout the event, community building or cultural activities, movement-based or mental health-focused activities, or sessions involving music or arts (variable time length)

We will happily work with you on finessing your proposal to meet the event objectives and to deliver an engaging session.

Please submit as much information as you have by August 12!


Learn more about the Gathering by visiting the Gathering 2023 website and check out this video from the Gathering 2022. 

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Marlis Funk

As Manitoba Events and Engagement Coordinator, Marlis contributes directly to the Network Weaving and Manitoba Learns program areas of our Manitoba regional network, and supports engagement among members and the broader CED sector. Marlis plans CCEDNet events and creates learning and networking opportunities that bring people together.

The Sustainable Finance Forum at the Shaw Centre was a two-day event on November 1-2, 2023, and included 18 sessions, over 100 speakers including leaders in social finance and sustainable finance, and more than 600 participants, including parliamentarians from across the political spectrum.

It was an opportunity for investment leaders and entrepreneurs across Canada:

  • to showcase the power of sustainable finance in addressing key challenges faced by Canadians,
  • to provide updates on significant milestones on the development of essential financial infrastructure,
  • to profile the creation of new financial tools and products,
  • to make parliamentarians aware of the challenges faced by practitioners, and
  • to identify opportunities for the Federal Government to further support the progress of sustainable finance in Canada.

This report represents a summary of the many sessions and discussions that were had at the Sustainable Finance Forum and outlines key recommendations for consideration by parliamentarians as they work together to build the economy that meets the challenges of today and prepares us for tomorrow, a sustainable economy, one that protects our people and our planet.

Contents

  • The Power of Finance
  • International Reconstruction and Development
  • Financing the Circular Economy
  • Tracking Policy Progress and Data
  • The Cost of Inaction
  • Innovations in Sustainable Procurement
  • Investing in Sustainable Food Systems
  • Policy Changes for Greening Finance
  • Sustainable Finance
  • Indigenous Social Economy and Reconciliation
  • Marginalized Communities and Sustainable Finance
  • Affordable Housing: Breaking New Ground
  • The Landscape of Social Finance
  • Policy Changes for a More Inclusive, Sustainable Financial System
  • Impact Measurement and the Sustainable Development Goals
  • Accelerating Implementation

The Sustainable Finance Forum builds on the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy, a roadmap to support innovative solutions that find new ways to help communities tackle their most complex and persistent social issues.

Sustainable Finance Forum 2023 Highlights


Sustainable Finance Forum 2023 Full Report

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Susanna Redekop

Susanna Redekop is the Project Manager for the Sustainable Finance Forum on behalf of CCEDNet.  The Sustainable Finance Forum returns to the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on November 28th-29th 2024, bringing together thought leaders, policymakers, and innovators at Canada’s premier event on sustainable finance. 

Recently, Violeta Manoukian, Founder and CEO of Collaboration Works International in Nova Scotia, sat down for an interview with Robert Cervelli, Senior Advisor and Co-Founder of the Centre for Local Prosperity, to discuss their new model of economic development and climate readiness as well as the 2023 creation of the Atlantic Food Action Coalition which is working regionally for stronger food systems. Here is transcript from this interview.

Violeta Manoukian: Bob. Could you just briefly talk about the Center for Local Prosperity, what’s its focus or its mandate?

Robert Cervelli: I’m glad to give you some background on Center for Local Prosperity. We’re 10 years old this summer. I’m one of the co-founders along with Gregory Heming, who was a municipal counselor for six years in Annapolis Royal.

We are a charitable organization. Our mandate extends through the four Atlantic Canadian provinces. And if I was to give you an elevator pitch on what we do, we work at the intersection between climate readiness and relocalizing economies for small, rural and local communities.

And we pick the words ‘climate readiness’ specifically because it focuses on adaptation, getting ready for the multiplicity of changes that are coming our way, not just from climate, but from all of the other issues around destabilization of our way of life.

And then that intersects with relocalizing economies, communities being able to do a better job of looking after their basic needs and capturing wealth in their communities.

And when you do one of those, climate readiness or relocalization, they’re perfectly synergistic, one reinforces the other and it builds resilience.

So what the Center does is we convene large regional conferences, we’ve done three of those so far: two around localized economics, one around localizing food systems.

We’ve done two studies on import replacement and government local procurement, and we advise small rural and local communities and municipalities.

VM: Very meaningful work. So could you talk a little bit more about what’s the importance of local economies in your view?

BC: Thank you for asking that. We live in a day and age where there’s a fork in the road for everything that happens.

I refer to this at both the domestic level, the neighborhood level, and the community level, even the provincial level. To focus on the community level, it comes down to the fact that we live in an era of globalization where there’s centralized forces, both corporate and government, that are gaining more control for managing things centrally. This removes our ability to make autonomous choices from the local level. So that’s one fork in the road – dependency on those centralized systems.

The other fork in the road is what builds local empowerment, local engagement, and local agency for the future within those local communities. Municipalities, for example, have that choice. What builds greater dependency on centralized systems? Or, what builds greater local agency for their community?

And that’s really, I think, the choice or the fork in the road these days for most any decision.

Also important is the work that we do, particularly around local economies, to capture wealth, to build on the allegiance of place that people have for their community. People care about their children. They care about their elderly. Everyone wants to look after each other. And there’s ways of capturing that social capital and that financial capital within a community.

There’s five elements I could list. One of them begins with government’s degree of local procurement. There’s usually anchor institutions in many communities, public sector entities that spend a lot of money every year, and they could spend a greater portion of that locally.

There’s, of course, local investment for new business, expansion of existing businesses, and so on. There’s a number of mechanisms that those could be fostered.

There’s deepening the use of local assets. It could be all kinds of things. e.g. public lands for example – how are those being used? Can they be made available for community gardens, for example? Public schools? What activities could take place off hours, and so on.

A fourth element is just labor, well-paid labor, that has allegiance to their employer and builds that sense of community.

And then finally, there’s locally owned businesses. Numerous studies have been done showing that a locally owned business is at least two and a half times of greater economic benefit to the local economy than a non locally owned business.

VM: Thank you for expanding on that. I was wondering if you have some examples of community projects that you’ve been involved in and their impact.

RC: I can give you one regional example and then maybe some more local examples. I’ve mentioned that we’ve done three large regional conferences. And in each of those, we brought in 45 speakers presenting best practices across Atlantic Canada, for either local economy or local food systems.

So these are inspirational stories that can be replicated, can be scaled, or can be leveraged in some way. After those events, we hear quite a few instances where somebody wants to approach a particular speaker, find out how did they do it, how can we do ourselves, and so on.

Another example at the regional level occurred just with our last event focused on local food systems. You can go to foodsummit.ca, the Dig In Atlantic Regional Food Systems Summit. Coming out of that event, there was a non-profit organization that just recently formed and is getting underway called the Atlantic Food Action Coalition. These are major food system players, all four provinces that are now collaborating, working together to move the needle on greater local food within our region.

VM: Impressive and very necessary.

BC: And at the local level, I can give you one example that I am particularly fond of – the town of Shelburne, Nova Scotia, – an amazing example of galvanizing community engagement around a community garden, a community greenhouse, and support for local people suffering from food insecurity. There has to be, I’m going to wager, about 12 non profit organizations involved, including the municipal government, the local community college, the high school, the local Indigenous band, and on and on it goes.

VM: It’s great to see those kinds of partnerships. So, how do you think the future looks for local economies in our part of Canada?

BC: I am not going to try to forecast anything, but I think everybody knows that we live in increasingly fragile times. We need to keep that in mind. Now is the time, when things are functioning fairly well, to begin to build that local resilience, that local sense of agency at the community level.

There’s work to be done. A lot of communities are recognizing that. I’ve mentioned Shelburne. There’s numerous other ones that are really working to rebuild the strength of their community, the cohesiveness, the caring, and I always like to think that in Atlantic Canada, we have this built-in, I call it “cultural DNA”, that people care for each other.

You’ll see it come out very quickly if there’s a disaster of some kind. Say somebody’s house burns down and right away everybody will help in different ways. Recently there were big forest fires in both Shelburne and Tantallon, Nova Scotia.

VM: Yes, we saw that DNA during the fires.

BC: And right away there’s businesses, non-profits, everybody stepping up to offer support in whatever way they can. So I think it’s that ethic, that cultural caring, that is going to be probably one of the strongest attributes going forward into the years ahead.

VM: Well, this sounds promising. Thank you so much for all the work you’re doing!


Robert Cervelli has been an active volunteer in community building for over 35 years. Robert is the Senior Advisor and Co-Founder of the Centre for Local Prosperity (www.centreforlocalprosperity.ca). He is also Co-Founder and Chair of Transition Bay St Margarets Bay (www.transitionbay.ca), one of the first Transition Initiatives in the Maritimes. He advises rural communities on the process of drawing out the skills and projects inherent in local cultures to build resilience and adaptability to global changes. As an experienced botanist and horticulturalist, Robert manages a two-acre ‘teaching centre micro-farm’ at his home in St Margarets Bay. He holds a B.Sc. degree (Forestry) from Purdue University and a M.Sc. (Botany) from the University of Wisconsin.

Violeta Manoukian is the Founder and CEO of Collaboration Works International (www.collaborationworksinternational.com), a consulting and training firm based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Violeta has three decades of expertise in participatory approaches that bring together a broad spectrum of stakeholder groups including non-profit organizations, communities, donor institutions, federal and municipal local governments, the private sector, and academia. Her M.A thesis “Participatory Development: Paradigm Shift in Theory and Practice” sparked her ongoing passion for creating spaces where she can apply collaborative approaches to bring about systemic change and yield optimal impacts. Community development, public engagement, design/facilitation of collaborative meetings and workshops, participatory projects/programs, participatory research, and participatory monitoring and evaluation are among her specialties.

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Check out the Manitoba region newsletter for Summer 2024 here.

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From a 2023 interview with Sara Atnikov (Director of Communications and Employee Assistance at Purpose Construction)

CCEDNet member Purpose Construction provides skilled trades training and long term jobs to people with barriers to employment. Sara Atnikov, Director of Communications and Employee Assistance at Purpose Construction, is a part of the We Want to Work coalition that CCEDNet Manitoba provides support for. This coalition believes that one of the best ways to achieve positive social, economic, and climate outcomes would be for government to consider community benefits in their purchasing. If even a very small portion of this spending supported community benefits, it would have a huge social, economic, and environmental return on investment.

In a 2023 interview, Sara shared about the importance of working together to achieve collective action

Purpose Construction is part of the We Want to Work coalition, a bunch of social enterprises that had been rallying the city for social procurement for a thousand years… I’m half joking and half serious!

I remember giving a presentation to the City of Winnipeg, organized by CCEDNet, to all of the department heads, talking about ways in which we could get folks who have barriers to employment in on city contracts and city projects. I could tell there was a lot of apprehension. 

That was seven or eight years ago. Then, finally, coming back to City Hall [in 2022], standing in council and having them vote in this social procurement policy. Being there with folks who had been working on it for so long. What an experience!

At this point it’s really a lot of potential. What it could mean for folks from Purpose Construction is the opportunity to work for a market construction company and build their skills into something greater.

We now have folks who are champions of us because they have seen that our work is great. It’s quality. And we also provide the social benefit. That’s what social procurement gives us – that opportunity to prove ourselves!”

CCEDNet Manitoba builds connection and power in community organizations, coalitions, and social enterprises through convening stakeholders and leaders and representing sector interests through government relations, moving towards CCEDNet’s vision of sustainable, equitable, and inclusive communities directing their own futures.

Sara Atnikov, Purpose Construction

“I don’t think that we’re necessarily siloed in a negative way, but I do think that we’re all ‘head down doing our own thing.’ So being able to have those opportunities to come together and to chat with other social enterprises and nonprofits around the table is super helpful. If I can just like show up to something and there’s a bunch of people there that are of like-minded views and relevant connections, that’s great!” – Sara Atnikov, Director of Communications and Employee Assistance at Purpose Construction

Participate in the coalitions that CCEDNet Manitoba supports, and advance our vision and collective voice for change through public policy advocacy and government relations!


Thank you Cate Friesen from The Story Source for interviewing Sara!

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Together we are truly stronger, and everyone has something to contribute. A milestone like this, our 25th anniversary, is not just an opportunity for reflection on our past but a call to continue to dream into the future. CCEDNet as an organization is now 25 years old, but the network continues to be reborn with every change to our membership.

After several years of work and meetings, the founders of what became the Canadian CED Network rallied around the desired outcome of “enhanced community capacity for revitalization and self-reliance.” To achieve this, the network set out to develop and exchange CED knowledge and skills, market best practices, engage a broad range of partners and sectors in CED work, identify key policy objectives which position CED as a viable option, and increase capacity to deliver technical assistance. 

In many ways this original outcome and the tactics to achieve it, haven’t changed greatly over the years. But our strategies continue to evolve and respond to the challenges of our times, which have changed and in many cases increased. Our particular strengths as a network have been around knowledge sharing and skills learning and acting as a convenor to build strong partnerships and sense of community. We continue to work to build collective power for policy advocacy, but also recognize that impacting policy at the provincial and federal levels is a long and difficult process.

Over the course of the past 25 years CCEDNet has put on many events, starting with the 2001 National Policy Forum in Vancouver and then moving through a series of national CED conferences: in 2001 hosted by the Atlantic CED Institute in Halifax, in 2002 hosted by SEED Winnipeg, in 2004 hosted by ÉCOF-CDÉC in Trois-Rivières, in 2005 hosted by Community Economic and Social Development Program of Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, in 2006 hosted by the BC/Yukon CED Network, in 2007 hosted by FINALY in St. John’s, in 2008 hosted by Quint Development Corporation in Saskatoon, and in 2009 hosted by Ka Ni Kanichihk and SEED Winnipeg. Many of these earlier conferences were co-organized with the CED Technical Assistance Program, which ran from 1997 to 2009.

In 2010 we held the National Summit on a People-Centred Economy, co-organized with the Canadian Co-operative Association (now Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada), le Chantier de l’économie sociale, the Canadian Social Economy Research Partnerships, Causeway, the Social Enterprise Council of Canada, Enterprising Non-Profits, the Canadian Centre for Community Renewal, the Women’s Economic Council, and the BC-Alberta Research Alliance on the Social Economy. This was a return to the strong policy focus of the 2001 forum and the partners from this event have continued to meet and work together. 

After a prolonged hiatus on national events we then returned in 2016 with the national CED conference, rebranded as EconoUs (or EcoNous). The first EconoUs was co-hosted with CEDEC in Montreal. Then in 2017 it was co-hosted with Momentum, Thrive, the Institute for Community Prosperity, REAP and Calgary Economic Development in Calgary, 2018 with the NB Environmental Network in Moncton, and 2019 with Community Futures Ontario. 

Sustainable Finance Forum, November 1-2, 2023

More recently we’ve partnered with MP Ryan Turnbull to deliver the Sustainable Finance Forum in 2023, with another planned for this fall. 

Aside from the pancanadian events, we’ve also delivered and partnered on provincial and regional events. Most notably, the Manitoba Gathering has been going for over 20 years now, moving briefly to a virtual format through the pandemic. This pay-what-you-can event is a true community collaboration, with many members in Manitoba contributing to the programming and social enterprise providing food. 

All of these events have been important opportunities for CCEDNet members and social economy players more broadly to come together, share learnings, and build relationships. 

Over the past 25 years CCEDNet has taken on a number of projects to advance our collective mission to connect people and ideas for action to build local economies that strengthen communities and benefit everyone. I can’t possibly mention them all but here are a few of the significant projects we’ve taken on or were part of that many of you on the call have also contributed to. 

Between 2005 and 2011, CCEDNet partnered with the University of Victoria in the Canadian Social Economy Hub, which acted as a facilitator promoting collaboration among six regional research centres across Canada. Together we undertook research to understand and promote the Social Economy tradition within Canada and as a subject of community-university partnerships. The collaborative effort of the six regional research alliances (Québec, Atlantic Canada, Southern Ontario, the Prairies and Northern Ontario, BC and Alberta, and the North) and the Canadian Social Economy Hub was called The Canadian Social Economy Research Partnerships (CSERP). The partnerships were established through a five-year Social Sciences and Humanities Research grant. Altogether, over 300 researchers, drawn from universities and Social Economy organizations, participated in the work that was undertaken creating over 400 research products.

Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy

Following the 2013 Social Enterprise World Forum in Calgary, CCEDNet – Manitoba convened the Social Enterprise Working Group to consider what it would take to strategically scale up the impact of social enterprise in Manitoba. That meeting resulted in a policy resolution approved by CCEDNet – Manitoba members and then to the co-construction with the Government of Manitoba of the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy focussed especially on social enterprises that provide training and employment opportunities for people with barriers to employment. The Strategy lays out policy areas around six pillars: enhancing enterprise skills, ensuring access to capital and investment, expanding market opportunities, promoting and demonstrating the value of social enterprise, regulatory framework, and networks and community engagement.

CreateAction

Our national work experience program, CreateAction, has run, off and on, since 2005. In its most recent iteration, delivered in partnership with the National Association of Friendship Centres with evaluation support from the Social Demonstration & Research Corporation, the focus of CreateAction was on providing paid-work experiences and career-relevant learning opportunities for young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) and who are facing systemic barriers to employment. The main goals of the program are to promote pathways to meaningful employment and to improve youth wellbeing. A secondary goal of the program is to help employers in the social economy to meet their staffing needs, attract the next generation of youth to the social economy sector, and to create a more welcoming and supportive employment environment. Throughout 5 different iterations of this program we have engaged almost 300 youth.

Established in 2016, the Social Enterprise Ecosystem Project (S4ES) was mandated to address five of the Six Pillars of the Supportive Ecosystem for Social Enterprise Development, created by the Social Enterprise Council of Canada. To achieve this goal, S4ES partners – CCEDNet, Buy Social Canada, Le Chantier de l’économie sociale, the Social Enterprise Institute, and the Social Value Lab – combined forces to optimize co-operation and create a network of partners to support social enterprise leaders. S4ES helped social enterprises start up and grow, sell their products and services, measure their impact, network, and learn best practices in social procurement and social impact measurement. This project ended in late 2021. 

STARCAP

Starting in 2021, CCEDNet partnered with Synergia Institute and Athabasca University to deliver the Synergia Transition and Resilience Climate Action Program (STARCAP). STARCAP’s objective is to mobilize local climate action by providing resources and support to grassroots and community organizations  to navigate the “Toward Co-operative Commonwealth massive open online course (MOOC) and accompanying participatory workshops, actionable frameworks and networking opportunities. 

IRP Understanding Impacts

The last program I’ll mention is the recent Investment Readiness Program, a $100 million grants and contributions program (2 iterations of $50M each) designed to support social purpose organizations as they contribute to solving pressing social, cultural and environmental challenges across Canada. The aim of this program was to help social purpose organizations across Canada build their capacity to participate in the growing social finance market and prepare for the Government of Canada’s broader investment in social finance via the Social Finance Fund. The Social Finance Fund, the IRP and the appointment of the Social Innovation Advisory Council are the first initiatives to result from the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy. CCEDNet was the convener of IRP partners, creating a network of expertise and diverse experience within the program, including partners who raise awareness, develop expert services, consider how diverse demographics can get connected to this field, and the ‘readiness support partners’ who disbursed IRP funding to Social Purpose Organizations.

Finally, an important development of the past five years for CCEDNet was the creation of our Theory of Change. We began work on articulating a Theory of Change in 2019 through board and staff engagement and through a process of iteration we came to the version we have now that was adopted in 2021. This has provided us with a clearer framework for strategy development than we’ve ever had. Now that we’re 3 years into using the Theory of Change and tracking metrics towards the outcomes we are seeking, we’re also seeing some of its limitations.

As we prepare to say goodbye to our current longstanding Executive Director, Michael Toye, and welcome new leadership, CCEDNet will be engaging in a Strategic Review of CCEDNet’s Theory of Change and internal strategic framework. This work feels all the more important following the end of several major projects, which has resulted in new teams and a smaller budget while we all navigate the disruptions of the wider world, particularly since 2020.

Coordinating this process will be Sarah Leeson-Klym in a new “Associate Director” role, who will be providing support to our national programs throughout the transition and the Review. The Review process will be led by a joint board and staff Theory of Change Working Group and will be deeply informed by our members. We are still working through the details but are feeling bold and curious from the start. 

We anticipate this process will tackle three major lines of inquiry. First is the Theory of Change overall – do we really have a shared understanding of the concepts, values, and outcomes outlined here and what needs to change based on what we’ve learned recently? Second is intentionally examining our network to see who is compelled by this approach, who we might be missing, and if we know the real purpose and potential of the network. Third, we need to look at our actions and operations to align with the findings and continue to shape more equitable and impactful strategies as a staff team.

You can expect to see our regular newsletters and member communiqués slow a little and shift to focus on this process for the next few months. You can look forward to being invited to engagement sessions and other activities that will provide you with opportunities to share your insights. And you’ll hear from us as we hit major milestones along the way. 

Stay tuned for more updates on this process and for opportunities to contribute your passion, ideas, and questions.

Sincerely,
Matthew Thompson
Director of Engagement

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Matthew Thompson

Matthew has been working with the Canadian CED Network since 2007 in various capacities particularly in the areas of research and knowledge mobilization, event organizing, and the coordination of the national internship program, CreateAction. Matthew also co-authored Assembling Understandings: Findings from the Canadian Social Economy Research Partnerships, 2005-2011 a thematic summary of close to 400 research products on the Social Economy in Canada.

Matthew Thompson

The State of the Sector reports continue to show the crisis happening within our sector. Grants will always be critical to organizations. However, there is a need for revenue diversification because being dependent on grants or any streams of income that do not cover the entire cost of programs and operations or can be removed based on someone else’s decision or the political will of the moment makes your organization vulnerable.

Think about grants or contracts—when these resources come in, they go out almost immediately. It’s a constant cycle of one hour in, one hour out, with funds being allocated as quickly as they are received. This rapid turnover means that very few resources remain within your organization to support ongoing operations, staff development, or address emerging community needs. 

The pressure to constantly secure new grants and contracts can make it challenging to invest in long-term sustainability and growth, leaving little room for strategic planning or capacity building. Consequently, while these resources are crucial for immediate project funding, they often fall short in providing the financial stability needed to adapt to evolving challenges and seize new opportunities.

On the other hand, when you invest in building assets, those assets grow to the point where they can generate income that your organization can control so you can direct it to where it will have the most benefit, from supporting capacity to achieving long-term financial strength.

Most commonly, we consider assets as those listed on our balance sheets, but many important assets you have within your organization are not likely to appear there. When we take a wider lens of ‘what is an asset,’ we realize our organization has valuable assets we can use. It means we must view assets as something that holds not just economic value. An asset can hold social, cultural, natural, and community value alongside future economic benefit. When we take this wider lens, your organization has a larger set of assets available to generate the resources you need to create community impact and sustainability. 

This shift from reliance on traditional revenue sources, such as grants, to earned income can significantly enhance your organization’s financial stability and reduce vulnerability. It also enables your organization to play a key role in building the local economy and influencing how and where money flows as it directs the flow of resources to organizations that are doing the most critical work in society.

Developing your assets significantly benefits the community in many ways, such as enhancing service delivery to expanding impact-focused programs and services. You can begin to reach more people and address a broader range of needs in the areas you serve. 

Assets such as social purpose real estate generate revenue that is reinvested into the community, fostering sustainable development and growth. This revenue supports the creation of better facilities, providing spaces for community gatherings, educational programs, and essential services. Additionally, it aids in job creation by offering employment opportunities within these facilities and through related projects. 

And the funds are directed towards skill development programs, empowering individuals with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive. By investing in these areas, social purpose real estate helps build vibrant, resilient communities and addresses some of today’s most significant challenges, including food security, unemployment, and social inequality.

If you are interested in figuring out how your organization identifies its existing assets, how to go from underperforming to performing assets, what the sweet spot is when, and how to combine assets in partnerships, know that you can be supported to do this. Join the movement of non-profits and charities across Canada that are tired of existing on a shoestring budget and are shifting their organizations to financial sustainability. Visit Thriving Non-Profits to learn more about this transformational learning opportunity.

Applications are open now for the Thriving Non-Profits fall 2024 Cohort program. It is a 5-month facilitated learning program that will transform your organization with new approaches to grow your programs, support your team, and increase your impact in the community. Learn more and apply here.

You can also drive change by participating in our self-paced program, which is designed for individual learners. Get more information and access here. Use code TRANSFORMATION at checkout for a special discount offered to CCEDNet members. 

Keep up with innovative resources and programs for the non-profit sector by signing up for the Thriving Non-Profits newsletter and follow Thriving Non-Profits on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram  

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Kristi Rivait

Co-founder and Director, Partnerships and Programs, Scale Collaborative, and co-founder of Thriving Non-Profits. Scale Collaborative envisions a thriving, connected, and abundant social change sector, and through its Thriving Non-Profits program, platform, and community, works with hundreds of non-profits and charities to transform through capacity-strengthening revenue diversification towards greater impact.

She brings 20+ years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector, including 10+ years as an Executive Director. Kristi is an expert at operational transformation, change management, and diversifying revenue.