Originally published in the Winnipeg Free Press on April 28, 2015

---

Darcy Penner is a Social Enterprise Policy & Program Co-ordinator with the Canadian CED Network. He has been working in community economic development since graduating from the University of Winnipeg with a BA (Honours) degree in Politics. Starting at CCEDNet in 2013, his role has seen him work with member-organizations to pursue a broad policy agenda through workshops, presentations, budget submissions, policy papers and community-organizing, while specializing in supportive social enterprise policy and research – including coordinating the Manitoba Social Enterprise Sector Survey and the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy being co-created with the Province of Manitoba. Darcy was also a contributing author to the Alternative Municipal Budget for CCEDNet-Manitoba.

David LePage is a member (and past Chair) of CCEDNet’s Policy Council.  He is a Principal with Accelerating Social Impact CCC, Ltd. (ASI), one of Canada’s first incorporated social purpose hybrid corporations. Through ASI David provides direct support and strategic advice to blended value businesses, social enterprises and social finance developments. He is involved in multiple public policy initiatives and research projects to support the social enterprise ecosystem across Canada. ASI is a partner in launching and building the Buy Social Canada campaign.  He is the former Team Manager of Enterprising Non-Profits, where he led the effort to expand the enp social enterprise development and training model across Canada. He initiated Canada’s first Social Purchasing Portal in 2003.

The 2015 Election for CCEDNet’s Board of Directors is now open and will close on May 11th.

Five candidates are running for four seats on the Board.

Presented below in random order are our five candidates running in the 2015 CCEDNet Board elections.

---

Christine Landry     Winnipeg, Manitoba

Christine Landry has been with Community Futures Manitoba, the association of Manitoba’s 16 Community Futures organizations (CFs), since 2000.

As Project Coordinator, she works with the 16 CF offices to strengthen their capacity to assist rural, northern an Aboriginal communities in strengthening their business sector and build capacity for CED. Christine has been actively involved with CCEDNet, sitting on the annual CED Gathering planning committee since 2004. She was also a member of the planning committee for the 2009 National CCEDNet Conference in Winnipeg.

Christine works with Community Futures offices each year to plan their annual provincial conference, which is promoted to CED service providers across the province. She also handles the association’s marketing and communications activities. Recently she was pleased to be a member of CCEDNet Manitoba’s Interim Governance Committee to develop a model for improving communication and efficiency in the Network.

 

---

William (Bill) Ninacs     Victoriaville, Québec

My background includes management positions in the public and private sectors as well as wide experience in the community sector where I helped support service and advocacy groups, worker and consumer co-operatives, and other social agencies.  I have been active in CED for more than 25 years, notably as Coordinator of the first community development corporation in Québec and as Co-Director of the Canadian CED Network.  For more than 20 years, I have been a researcher in the field and on the subjects of empowerment-based interventions, local community development and the social economy, with publications in English and in French.  I have taught at the School of Community Economic Development at Southern New Hampshire University and in the CED program at Concordia University.  Currently I am also Associate Professor at the Université du Québec en Outaouais. 

 

---

Élodie Bedouet    Thunder Bay, Ontario

Élodie is Executive Director of the Association des francophones du Nord-Ouest de l’Ontario in Thunder Bay.  She has worked in CED with francophone communities in Ontario and the Northwest Territories for several years and has a keen interest in social enterprise.  Following graduate work in political science (specialization in international political economy) at the Université de Montréal, she did research for a UN agency in Chile on economic development and education and worked on youth inclusion projects with new technologies in Morocco.

 

---

Elspeth McKay    Ottawa, Ontario

Elspeth McKay joined the Operation Come Home team in December 2007 with over 25+ years of experience as a senior manager in the not-for-profit sector. Elspeth is a dedicated fundraiser and innovator in CED. She has years of experience in developing programs such as supported employment, education, and social enterprise.  Elspeth has devoted her career to imrproving the lives of the disabled and those that are economically disadvantaged. Working collaboratively with a number of private, public sector and social service partners, she provides leadership and consultation to not-for-profit organizations, as well as the federal and provincial governments.

In CCEDNet, Elspeth was a member of the membership committee.  Elspeth is a member of the Alliance to End Homelessness, Ottawa Youth Justice Network and various local networks and coalitions, including chairing the United Way Turning Lives Around Taskforce. 
 

---

Ryan Gibson    Halifax, Nova Scotia

I am keenly interested how we can better use community economic development to enhance rural and northern regions. Over the past ten years I have been working with voluntary organizations, communities, and government on CED initiatives focused on rural development, philanthropy, governance, and public policy. I am an assistant professor of geography at Saint Mary’s University and the past-president of the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation. I have been actively engaged with CCEDNet through a number of board committees and served on the executive. I would like the opportunity to continue my engagement with the Board of Directors to further advance CCEDNet’s mandate, to enhance CCEDNet’s presence in Atlantic Canada, and strengthen our membership engagement.
 

---

This year, the Board election process is using a more proportional system.  With advice on best practices for civil society organizations from the good folks at Fair Vote Canada, we are using OpenSTV for a ranked choice vote according to the Scottish STV model.  We hope you enjoy this step towards a fairer voting system.

How to Vote

All CCEDNet members in good standing are eligible to vote.  To vote, visit https://ccednet-rcdec.ca/en/boardelections2015 and log into your CCEDNet account. Once you’ve logged in, you’ll see the link for the 2015 Board Elections / Élections 2015 au Conseil d’administration.  If you encounter any issues please contact us at info (at) ccednet-rcdec.ca or call 1-877-202-2268.

Don’t Forget to Register for the AGM

Election results will be announced at CCEDNet’s 2015 Annual General Meeting, which will be held entirely online on May 29th. CCEDNet members who would like to participate must confirm their attendance by registering before May 26.

Strengthening Non-Profits workshops will help you to

• Learn skills to make your work more effective
• Meet local practitioners with expertise who can support your work
• Network with others doing important work

---

Build and Grow Your Social Enterprise | May 7, 2015

Are you looking to start a social enterprise? Are you working to help start social enterprise? Or are you someone just interested in expanding your knowledge on social enterprise? This interactive session will explore examples of successful social enterprise across Canada and identify some of the nuts and bolts of how to create a business that will not only succeed along conventional lines but will have social impact.

Additionally, you will receive a hard copy of Enterprising Non-Profit’s comprehensive Canadian Guide to Social Enterprise.

Organizations must attend this workshop to be eligible for an enp-mb Social Enterprise Development Grant.

Learn more and register for Build and Grow Your Social Enterprise

---

Sponsorship Strategies for Today’s Market | May 21, 2015

Let’s face it, funding your organization is becoming more and more of a challenge. Becoming enterprising (see above) is one option to help finance your social mission. Sponsorship is another area non-profits are exploring. But while mainstream businesses are taking corporate social responsibility more seriously, often they are looking for more than just logo recognition.

Chrystal Robert-Macey is an expert in the area of sponsorship. She understands the sponsorship experience from both sides and can help guide you on how to meet the needs and expectations of sponsors while at the same time meeting your needs.

Learn more and register for Sponsorship Strategies for Today’s Market

---

Tools for Effective Community Engagement | June 4, 2015

So you want to be an organization that is community-led. This means you need to effectively engage the community you are working with. But there are many challenges to community engagement, from increased individualization and isolation to growing diversity and distraction. How can you overcome the barriers to effective engagement, and how do you measure your success?

Join Erin Huck from Health in Common to get hands-on experience with community engagement tools and techniques. Erin has vast and ongoing experience in the field and can help you to develop the strategies you need to collectively build and meet community goals.

Learn more and register for Tools for Effective Community Engagement

---

advice_for_help_with_your_personal_finances.jpeg

Also this spring!

Planning for Your Organization’s Financial Sustainability Series | May 5 & 19 and June 2 & 16

Begin creating a sound financial plan that will help your organization in the long run. Over four sessions, learn about innovative tools for identifying financial and non-financial resources and for making strategic decisions around priorities and programming. Strengthen your emerging plan through ongoing feedback from peers in the workshop.

This session is great for executive directors, program managers, or others who do financial planning for organizations.

Learn more and register for Planning for Your Organization’s Financial Sustainability

---

For more information

Contact Nadia Kidwai: n.kidwai at ccednet-rcdec.ca | 204.943.0547

---

Strengthening Non-Profits workshops are presented by Spark, a pro bono matching service of the Canadian CED Network. Financial support is provided by United Way of Winnipeg.    

 

Public sector procurement objectives are quite predictable and intuitive – find savings for other departments to be able to meet their budgets. Why do municipalities, as an example, have a procurement department? The rationale is that supply chain professionals know how to put deals together, can understand the world of competitive bidding and the applicable laws, trade agreements, and principles of buying and are good at dealing with multiple contracts.

The need for municipalities to deliver value for money as it relates to infrastructure investment and operations requires a team approach. Engineers and operational staff design and procurement collaborate by putting their specifications into commercial documents for the private sector to respond to with competitive tension. We measure the performance of procurement by and large as to what the difference was on the budgeted amount and the final out-of-pocket cost. If favourable, the recognition goes to procurement.

This public sector means of doing business is based on the consumption of resources to provide goods and services to the taxpaying stakeholders. It makes sense to do this following best practice. Another concurrent opportunity is also present in each municipality. The ability to affect value on behalf of the taxpayers through procurement by engaging with social enterprises in their community.

Why should procurement take this step outside of its usual mandate and engage with social development? If a municipality is able to create meaningful employment for individuals through social enterprises, the municipality reduces its financial burden related to delivering conventional social services. By creating employment opportunities, procurement can contract for its requisite goods and/or services through social enterprises at very competitive rates meeting two important functions – providing value for money and building social capital.

What is social procurement?

Social procurement is utilizing procurement policies and practices to affect social impact. Procurement can run a competitive process and/or make a direct award to a social enterprise to deliver goods and/or services.

Social impact results in measureable improvements in the living standards of individuals, groups and communities. This is the noteworthy component of social procurement – building the social capital within the community. Society acknowledges that there will always be a requirement to provide food, shelter, clothing, and health services to those who are unable to care adequately for themselves. By removing the stigma attached to charity or conventional social services and providing meaningful work to many individuals who are typically under-employed, procurement can contribute in an important way.

What is a social enterprise?

Social enterprises are the bridge between the under-employed and the public workplace. Social enterprises operate as non-profit organizations to provide work to the under-employed, disenfranchised, or people with other employment barriers. The under-employed often have employment barriers but have the desire and capability of working. They need the opportunity. Many private sector companies are engaged with social enterprises as well.

It is not a zero sum game of taking away business from the private sector and giving work to a social enterprise. Social enterprises complement the private sector. Social enterprises usually have a targeted employee focus such as new immigrants who learn sewing and production skills; or people with mental illness who learn how to assemble and package safety kits. While some social enterprises are started with grants, few rely on those grants to continue operating. Social enterprises must be financially sustainable.

What types of goods or services can they provide?

To name a few – assembly, banners, couriers, cartage, carpentry, catering, custodial, construction, demolition, distribution, drywall, electrical, fencing, graffiti removal, landscaping, packaging, pressure washing, roofing, sewing, snow removal, tile, upholstery, window cleaning, etc.

All of these types of goods and services are required on a daily basis in all municipalities or on a seasonal basis. These contracts may be awarded under competitive bids, direct awards, or pilot programs as part of a larger economic development strategy.

Can the benefits of social procurement be quantified?

The 2013 study by Ernst & Young for Vancouver-based Atira Property Management provides a very good insight into the business case for social impact. Summarily, this report indicates that for every dollar spent with a target employee group, the social return on investment is ~$3.50! This study was based on a target group of 105 employees which had the economic multiplier effect of generating over $600,000 in the local economy.

This study revealed several key facts. Meaningful work represents a society’s values and expanding the opportunities pays dividends. There is a reduction in crime-related costs, reducing housing and shelter costs, less dependence on food banks and social assistance and an improvement in health, quality of life, and employability. Most of the target group’s living expenses are spent locally in the form of taxes and with local retailers which is a redistribution of the wealth to the community.

The message here is that public procurement should work with social enterprises to expand the opportunities to continue this type of success. It’s not that this isn’t being done today – it’s just that there is so much room for expanding the role for supply chain professionals in this area. This implies that how we measure the performance of procurement may need to include social engagement as a factor.

Another quantitative example in the lower mainland is provided through a recent report by Starworks Packaging & Assembly. Starting with 7 employees 15-years ago, it has paid $1.8M in wages and now employees ~45 employees with a payroll of $250K per year. This could be extrapolated to represent a social impact of $750K per year!

Starworks provides services to public and private sector organizations. Starworks offers high quality services at very competitive rates. Their employees are paid at minimum wage rates within a safe working environment. Many of their employees faced employment barriers but were given the chance to show their worth.

Starworks’ employees pay taxes and contribute to the local economy through their living expenses. They support local businesses, arts and entertainment. Their self-esteem improves through the meaningful employment they have and this in turn provides them with a healthier and more independent life style. The attention is on the prevention rather than the cure.

Public procurement should seek input form social service specialists and economists when engaging with social enterprises and when evaluating the competitiveness of their proposals. Being a tax-supported organization, the public entity should explore the many ways to contract with social enterprises which are trying to build and contribute to the community social and economic interests. Social enterprises are helping to reduce operating costs for several branches or levels of government and should be viewed as an asset and not just an expense in terms of fiscal management.

How do I begin to engage with social enterprises?

They operate the same as any small business. They have a need for sales and revenues and welcome the business opportunities afforded by the various levels of government. Holding forums with social enterprises is a great way to find out who they are and what they can do. Reverse trade shows are also another means of contacting social enterprises. Meeting face to face and looking for the mutual benefits is a start.

Buy Social Canada is an organization with a focus on building social and economic development through social enterprises. They have the expertise and contacts to facilitate business partnerships. Buy Social sees the important role which can be played by procurement professionals.

Who are some of these social enterprises?      

The Vancouver lower mainland has many including: CleanStart, The Cleaning Solution, Common Thread, Embers, H.A.V.E., Mission-Possible and Starworks Packaging. They offer a wide range of goods and services.

Does this mean more work for procurement?

I would argue that it is not more work – it is different work. It is less focused on cost savings and more on enabling social value. Juxtaposing social and economic development along with environmental issues, really adds value. As procurement is the conduit between governmental needs for goods and services and the market, it is a natural move for procurement to adopt a more assertive role. The buyer becomes a broker in these situations. Brokering implies finding the right social enterprise to provide the services at competitive rates and capacity and matching them to the specific organizational needs. Brokering can also mean having a portion of the overall contracted goods or services with much larger sales organizations be supplied through social enterprises in local community partnerships.

Social enterprises that have been in business for a while can be treated much the same as other established businesses. They can be measured on price, quality, delivery and service performance. The distinction of the social enterprise is its non-profit business model and its purpose-based mission statement. Social enterprises are not impeded by the need to generate profits neither are they operating to subsidize social services. Social enterprises can be judged on their own merit.

As public procurement is funded directly by taxpayers, for the good of the taxpayers, it makes good sense to look at the ways to provide services through social enterprises to optimize the benefits to the taxpayers. That is buying, into the future.

---

Larry Berglund, SCMP, MBA, has been involved in supply management for 35 years, with experience in the forest industry, public health care, municipal government, university operations, and consulting services. He has taught accredited courses at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, the University College of the Fraser Valley, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and UBC Continuing Studies, as well as supply management courses, seminars, webinars, and workshops for business and professional associations.

Larry writes on a wide variety of supply chain topics including operations management, negotiations, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, inventory management, and strategic management. He also conducts onsite operational reviews. Larry is the principal of Presentations Plus Training & Consulting Inc.