Canadian CED Network

LITE (Local Investment Toward Employment)LITE (Local Investment Toward Employment), a member of the Canadian CED Network, funds Winnipeg initiatives that directly create jobs, or leverage new jobs, and that include skill development for inner city residents who are unemployed or underemployed. Individuals participating in these initiatives face multiple barriers to full employment (for example, at-risk youth, single mothers, ex-offenders, etc).

LITE divides their funding between Purchases (mostly of Christmas hamper goods) from inner-city co-ops and social enterprises (about 50%), and Grants to charitable initiatives (about 50%).

Eligibility Requirements:

In order to receive funding from LITE your organization must be:

  1. Based in Winnipeg
  2. A registered charity with a charitable number.

LITE’s disbursement criteria ensures that they pursue their mission “to promote community economic development by supporting inner-city initiatives in Winnipeg that build capacity and provide jobs.”

Selection Criteria:

Recipients are chosen based on the following criteria:

  1. How well the project fits with LITE’s mission statement and the guiding principles of Community Economic Development (CED)
  2. How much the project contributes towards directly creating jobs, leveraging new jobs (such as through funding a coordinator position), or funds job-skill development. What they don’t fund are things like tools, supplies, and other capital.
  3. How strongly the project creates sustainable and long-term employment.
  4. How well the project addresses multiple barriers to employment.
  5. How sustainable the project would be without LITE funding.

Apply now for LITE’s CED Grant

Download a Project Budget template
Deadline: April 10, 2017

SOURCE: LITE (Local Investment Toward Employment)

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downtown farmers marketBuilding on a 2015 Winnipeg Public Service recommendation to explore opportunities for improving food production and security in Winnipeg, Food Matters Manitoba collaborated with community organizations, local businesses, public health experts and city planners to create the Winnipeg Food Council. Although, as an organization, we have been working towards a municipal food policy council for nearly a decade.

In consultation with the City of Winnipeg’s Urban Planning Division, we hosted a series of conversations last summer to identify food policy priorities and provide recommendations on the structure and role of the proposed food council. In anticipation of the public service report and vote at city council, we initiated an email and postcard writing campaign, engaging Winnipeg residents to share their support for the proposed food council with their city councillors and mayor. We also organized delegations to present to Winnipeg City Council in favour of the prosed food council. Delegations included CCEDNet Manitoba, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and Canadian Diabetes Association Manitoba

The motion to create a Winnipeg Food Council was passed at City Hall on February 22nd.

Together, Winnipeggers took a major step towards intentional and informed municipal food policy and a more equitable and sustainable food system in our city. Nine years after the first Food Matters Manitoba discussion of a potential Winnipeg food council, we have finally arrived.

From here, The Winnipeg Planning, Property and Development department will have 120 days to select members, using an open application process and standardized assessment tool. Their recommendations will then be brought before council for approval. If all goes according to plan, we will have a working Winnipeg Food Council by the end of summer. As a city, we are proud of the step we have taken and look forward to policy developments that aim to sustain the health and prosperity of people in Winnipeg, and the land and people that feed them.

Rob MoquinRob Moquin is passionate about all things food, and is on a mission to learn everything he can about it. Starting out with several years of culinary experimentation in his youth, he moved on to earn an honours diploma in Culinary Arts from Red River College and, after much negotiation, was finally entrusted with his mémère’s elusive tourtière recipe. While earning his master’s degree from the Natural Resources Institute, Rob expanded his knowledge of food through participatory research on community-building through gardening, and by engaging local governments, institutions, and service organization in food systems analysis. He is thrilled to continue his learning process at Food Matters Manitoba, and apply his knowledge to positive food policy developments in Manitoba.

*The opinions expressed in blog posts are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of CCEDNet

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se bannerOntario Centres of Excellence (OCE), in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Development and Growth (MEDG), will host the third Social Enterprise Zone and Pitch Competition at Discovery 2017 on May 15 and 16.

Twenty-four Ontario-based companies will be invited to exhibit their social innovation on the Discovery show floor. This will build broader awareness of the companies that exist in this niche market, provide exposure to potential private investors, and engage the entire innovation ecosystem.

Successful applicants will receive a complimentary 6×8 foot booth, two attendee passes, and travel costs covered if outside the GTA.  This exclusive opportunity gives you access to experts, industry, government funders, investors, engaging keynote speakers, fascinating panel discussions,  networking opportunities and an opportunity for face-to-face meetings with sector experts.

As well, the Pitch Competition will provide a platform for five- eight of the showcase companies to pitch during Discovery for a $25,000 award, including a $10,000 award from MEDG, a $5,000 award from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and a $10,000 legal-services package from Norton Rose Fulbright to assist with the further development of their business. Participation in the Pitch Competition is completely optional. However, we encourage any business applying for the Social Enterprise Zone to consider this incredible opportunity to further expand the development of your company.

Eligibility 

  • We are looking for early and growth stage, Ontario-based social enterprise ventures that meet the following criteria:
  • Incorporated: Canadian Incorporated for-profit, not for-profit or cooperative organizations
  • Revenue: Currently generating revenue with a growth-oriented scalable business model
  • Impact: Demonstrable, measurable social/environmental impact in sectors including, but not limited to, clean technology, health and wellness, education and social technology, food and consumer products and impact real estate
  • Capital: Companies should have raised in the past, or are planning to raise investment capital within the next 6-12 months

Read more on the application process here

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Alternative Federal Budget 2017: High Stakes, Clear Choices

More and more Canadians are feeling the impact of inequality in their daily lives. That’s why we’re urging the federal government to table a budget that makes good on its promises to reduce income inequality and drive inclusive growth. The Alternative Federal Budget 2017: High Stakes, Clear Choices proves there is a clear path to a more equal and sustainable future.

This year, the Alternative Federal Budget (AFB) proposes a federal budget that takes decisive action on what matters to Canadians: creating jobs, reducing income inequality, lowering poverty levels, closing unfair and expensive tax loopholes, and getting the economy moving. The measures in this year’s AFB would lift a million Canadians out of poverty, double economic growth to 5.4%, and, at its peak, result in 460,000 new jobs, bringing Canada’s unemployment rate down to 6.4%.

Specific to community economic development (CED), the AFB proposes the following:

Community Infrastructure Transfer

Action: Create a stable, sufficient and longterm local infrastructure transfer worth $5.4 billion a year. The transfer will be administered by a new National Community Development Agency made up of representatives from all levels of government and tasked with removing obstacles to the smooth transmission of public resources, including through the following measures:

  • Developing mutually agreed upon, streamlined project approval criteria incorporating transparency, new reporting mechanisms, and independent fund-specific auditing;
  • Identifying common goals across provinces and providing specialized services to municipalities;
  • Developing and co-ordinating a National Transit Strategy and a National Sustainable Municipal Asset Management Plan;
  • Creating an ongoing outreach strategy to promote codevelopment of public policy with all levels of government, stakeholders, and civil society partners;
  • Developing and co-ordinating a National Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy to bring former industrial sites back to productive community and economic use; and
  • Assisting municipalities in the development and implementation of Community Climate Change Strategies

Supporting Community Enterprise

  1. Social purchasing
    Action: Adopt a social procurement policy including the implementation of social value weighting in all federal requests for proposals and contracts
    Action: Include community benefit agreements in federal development projects, as proposed in Bill C-227, a private member’s bill currently before the House of Commons.
  2. Access to existing business support
    Action: Expand the capacity of and access to existing SME services through the Canadian Business Network and other federal business development programs. This should be coupled with education about the programs for government officials to ensure a level playing field for alternative forms of incorporation. (Cost: $10 million per year for five years.)
  3. Access to capital
    Action: Provide a tax credit of 30% on Community Economic Development Investment Funds (CEDIFs) to accelerate their development across Canada. (Cost: $15 million per year for five years.)

CED Policy Framework and Lens Action

Action: Develop and implement a federal CED policy framework to be modelled on the one introduced by the Manitoba government. The framework will include a CED lens—a series of questions to help departments assess the degree to which they are incorporating CED principles into government initiatives

Neighbourhood Revitalization Program and Fund

Action: Establish a federal Neighbourhood Revitalization Program and Fund to support a CED approach in targeted urban and
rural communities in need of physical, social, economic, and cultural revitalization. (Cost: $100 million per year for five years.)

Find out more in the report and related materials, available below:

Source : Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

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The Canadian CED Network’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held online on June 7 at 2:30pm Newfoundland, 2pm Atlantic, 1pm Eastern, 12pm Central, 11am Mountain, 10am Pacific 

2017 CALL FOR BOARD NOMINATIONS

CCEDNet is a democratically governed organization led by a Board of Directors that is elected by our members.

Nominations are currently being sought for four positions on CCEDNet’s Board of Directors. CCEDNet members with energy and a vision for the CED movement in Canada are encouraged to submit their candidacy. The deadline to submit nominations is April 18, 2017.

For more information: 2017 Call for Nominations (pdf and Word)

2017 CALL FOR RESOLUTIONS

Members are invited to submit resolutions that will be presented at the Annual General Meeting.  All resolutions must be submitted to CCEDNet at no later than April 18, at 5:00 p.m. (ET).

Sponsors of resolutions will be contacted no later than April 26. At that time, sponsors will be notified that their resolution will be presented at the AGM or that the resolution has been rejected because it does not fulfill the requirements.

For more information: 2017 Call for Resolutions

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Impact ConstructionCreating a better future requires smart investments today. But that can be difficult when government, organizations and individuals are struggling to pay the bills. The demand for Choices for Youth’s services has increased by 70 per cent over the last four years, and that trend is sure to continue. Many not-for-profit and government organizations are facing similar demand trends. 

In economic times such as these it is hard to invest in the future. So, we all have to make the resources we have work harder. For years Choices for Youth has been using social enterprise to do just that.

Impact Construction, which started as Train for Trades in 2008, has employed over 100 at-risk youth and has completed 140 construction projects, including 120 energy efficiency retrofits on low-income housing. More than that, it has provided vulnerable youth with the opportunity to complete their education, gain experience and realize their potential through continuing to post-secondary education or gainful employment. The success of this program can be measured not only by what it has achieved, but what it has avoided. The trajectory of many vulnerable youth can include future involvement with police, justice, child protection and the health-care system. Having an education, a job, and regular support changes the trajectory of a young person’s life and reduces the demands on the already stretched government systems. That’s smart money.

Impact Construction would not have reached this level of success without the expertise of BUILD in Winnipeg, which the program is based on, and the support of Hibernia Development and Management Company, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, the City of St. John’s, Carpenters Millwright College and countless others. They all share the belief in the potential of youth and the value of a program that achieves multiple positive outcomes for many stakeholders. This is the social enterprise model, or what some call the solutions economy — a shared vision among many stakeholders and partners with a commitment to invest in positive impact.

Project SucseedWe have continued to expand our social enterprise model through partnerships with Enactus Memorial. Choices for Youth has been proud to construct and promote the hydroponic units for Project Sucseed. This program addresses food security in our province and in northern communities across the country. Again with Enactus Memorial, we recently opened YourTurn Boutique, a stylish and socially conscious boutique clothing store in the heart of downtown.

With more ideas in the pipeline we look to build upon the success of these social enterprises, all of which have four benefits: they provide youth with training and meaningful employment; are a direct benefit to society; create a reduction in demand for justice, child protection and health services; and have the potential to financially support the other work of Choices for Youth.

Many organizations across the province and country are taking this approach to their work. Stella’s Circle operates the Hungry Heart Café, Clean Start and Trades Helper programs. The Autism Society operates The Pantry Café and Catering, and The HUB operates a print shop as well as offering catering services. There are opportunities in every aspect of the economy including local food, business services, construction, manufacturing and energy efficiency, just to name a few.

As a consumer, consider supporting social enterprises like these with your wallet. Not only are you buying local, but you’re supporting a whole lot of good. As policy makers, think about how everything from procurement to cross-department collaboration can support the growth of social enterprise in the province.

Now, more than ever, we need to come together, design the future we want, and make smart investments.

Originally posted by jonduke.ca on January 31, 2017, reposted here with permission

Jon DukeJon Duke is a strategically minded marketer. He brings this mindset to his role as Senior Director, Integrated Marketing, for m5 where he works with m5’s offices throughout Atlantic Canada. Previously he held roles as Senior Director, Client Service, m5 and  Director, Business Innovation at group m5 along with progressive account roles at the agency.

Jon hails from an island just as rugged and determined as he is. He’s an avid adventurer, enjoying hiking on the East Coast Trail and kayaking in Bonavista Bay. In 2012 Jon took a break from his role as an agency ad man to travel. His adventures on four continents are featured on the Huffington Post and Duke’s Travels.

He serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Choices for Youth, a not-for-profit dedicated to restoring hope in the lives of at-risk youth. Jon is a member of the Board of Directors for the Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union, serving over 22,000 members.  He is also a #winteraction ambassador and supports the Association for New Canadians and East Coast Trails Association. Jon is a alumni of 21Inc, 40 Under 50 Leaders for Atlantic Canada, Memorial University, Paderborn University (Germany), #NYLIS, and Canada World Youth program.

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The Award for Co-operative AchievementThe Award for Co-operative Achievement is a prestigious award that recognizes an inspiring achievement by a Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) member and creates a lasting legacy. The Award champions co-operative principles, co-operative housing and CHF Canada by celebrating our values in action.

If your housing co‑op or another member organization has a success story to share, consider nominating it for some national recognition! April 1st is the deadline to nominate your co‑op (or another co‑op) for CHF Canada’s Award for Co-operative Achievement with a plaque and $2,500 to be presented on stage at the 2017 Annual Meeting in Niagara Falls.

Last year, at the 2016 AGM in Hamilton, Unified Saint John Housing Co-op was honored with this award. After four years of community consultations and meetings, eight Saint John area co‑ops merged to form the new co‑op with 252 units of affordable housing about 400 members. The new co‑op benefits from economies of scale. Unified Saint John also benefits from a larger pool of households for its elected leadership.

Criteria

To be honoured with the Award for Co-operative Achievement, a co-op must fulfill one or more of the following criteria:

  • Exceptional commitment to the values of the international co-operative movement
  • Outstanding achievement in co-operative governance and/or management
  • Dedication to social change, community development and/or environmental sustainability
  • Significant engagement of young co-operative members or those members from underrepresented groups (diversity), or support of aging in place measures

How to Apply

The deadline for applications is April 1st. The winner will be honored at CHF Canada’s AGM and rewarded $2,500. For more information, please contact Cynthia Mitchell, Program Manager, Member Engagement, at 1-800-465-2752 ext. 226, fax 613-230-2231, or email .

Apply for the CHF Canada Award for Co-operative Achievement

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Co-operate Now 2017: The co-op business bootcampThe BC Co-operative Association (BCCA) is excited to announce that they are now accepting applications for this year’s Cooperate Now program.  Cooperate Now will be held May 4 – 7, 2017 in Vancouver, BC.

What is Co-operate Now?

Co-operate Now is a 3-day intensive co-operative business education program. Co-operate Now provides information on what makes the co-operative model a unique and powerful form of social enterprise, and how to build a competitive and socially impactful local business.

Through Co-operate Now’s interactive workshops, students connect with leaders from the vibrant co-operative sector in BC, including the BC Co-op Association, Vancity Credit Union, Mountain Equipment Co-op, the Co-operators Insurance Agencies, CCEC Credit Union, the BC Libraries Co-op, Modo, and many others. These leaders take students through the micro and macro levels of building a co-operative enterprise, and provide the information needed to consider co-operation as a business strategy. Students also build valuable connections to BC co-ops to support their own start-up co-op.

Interested?

Applications are now open and will be accepted until the class is full (deadline April 28).  Class size is limited to ensure an environment of engagement and dialogue.  

Apply to Cooperate Now

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Co-operate Now 2017: The co-op business bootcampThe BC Co-operative Association (BCCA) is excited to announce that they are now accepting applications for this year’s Cooperate Now program.  Cooperate Now will be held May 4 – 7, 2017 in Vancouver, BC.

What is Co-operate Now?

Co-operate Now is a 3-day intensive co-operative business education program. Co-operate Now provides information on what makes the co-operative model a unique and powerful form of social enterprise, and how to build a competitive and socially impactful local business.

Through Co-operate Now’s interactive workshops, students connect with leaders from the vibrant co-operative sector in BC, including the BC Co-op Association, Vancity Credit Union, Mountain Equipment Co-op, the Co-operators Insurance Agencies, CCEC Credit Union, the BC Libraries Co-op, Modo, and many others. These leaders take students through the micro and macro levels of building a co-operative enterprise, and provide the information needed to consider co-operation as a business strategy. Students also build valuable connections to BC co-ops to support their own start-up co-op.

Interested?

Applications are now open and will be accepted until the class is full (deadline April 28).  Class size is limited to ensure an environment of engagement and dialogue.  

Apply to Cooperate Now

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SECC Canadian Conference on Social EnterpriseThe Social Enterprise Council of Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNET) in Manitoba,  welcomes you to Winnipeg from May 10-12, 2017 for the 6th Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise (CCSE2017)

This national conference is designed for social entrepreneurs and supportive organizations and individuals. If you are operating a social enterprise, providing support to social entrepreneurs, offering social finance opportunities, purchasing from social enterprises, or building capacity in social enterprise policy and networks anywhere across Canada, you will find this conference both valuable and interesting.

This particular conference is designed with the social enterprise practitioner in mind. A full day is devoted to thematic discussions held in social enterprise locations across the Winnipeg region, and hosted by local social enterprise partners. These discussions will be facilitated by expert facilitators from the Social Enterprise Council of Canada and other social enterprise support organizations.

Register for the Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise 2017

Early bird rates in effect until April 7th

Topics for off-site discussions include the following:

  1. Aboriginal/Energy
  2. Construction/Trades
  3. Arts
  4. Environment
  5. Retail
  6. Employment for marginalized populations
  7. Shared Spaces
  8. Food Production/Distribution
  9. Policy

For more information, visit secouncil.ca

Past Conferences:

In early 2015, the fifth Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise was co-hosted with Pillar Non Profit in London, Ontario, and over 350 attendees participated in more than 40 workshops and social enterprise tours in the region. There were dinners hosted by social enterprises, and more than 20 exhibitors during this three day conference.

“This conference has catapulted me in the right direction for my business.”  

Past national conferences have been held in Calgary, Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver.

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Regional diversity grantsCHF Canada wants to support diversity projects in your community. How do you promote and celebrate diversity?  Are you working on a special project that involves diversity? Do you have plans for a new project?

CHF Canada will fund innovative diversity initiatives at the regional level to help keep diversity issues a high priority for housing co‑ops and federations. CHF Canada invites member federations and co‑ops to apply for regional diversity grants. The deadline for applications is March 31st. Find out more in the regional diversity grant brochure.

This is YOUR OPPORTUNITY to share your project with other co-op members and LEARN more about other worthwhile activities making CHANGE across Canada. CHF Canada invites member federations and co-ops to APPLY for regional diversity grants.

SEND YOUR APPLICATION

By mail, fax or email to:

CHF Canada 225 Metcalfe Street, Suite 311 Ottawa, ON K2P 1P9
FAX: 613-230-2231
EMAIL:

The deadline for receipt of applications is MARCH 31ST.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions or would like to talk about applying for a grant, please contact:

Emily Doyle Program Manager, Special Projects
PHONE: 416-209-8205
EMAIL:

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SEP Collage Created by the Trico Charitable Foundation in 2011, the biennial Social EnterPrize celebrate and advance leadership and excellence in social entrepreneurship in Canada. Social enterprises are organizations, for-profit or not-for-profit, that blend the social and the entrepreneurial by using business models/markets to solve social problems.

“There is a growing number of truly amazing Canadian social enterprises, but the sad reality is those efforts are but a drop in the bucket compared to the social challenges the world faces”, said Dan Overall, Executive Director of the Trico Charitable Foundation. “We hope the enhanced prize money will be a clarion call to the best and brightest so that we can: a) help truly extraordinary examples of Canadian social enterprise get to the next level of impact and b) analyse the ‘how to’ of their journeys so as to inspire and empower multitudes of Canadian social enterprises, would-be social entrepreneurs, and those who seek to help them.” Dan Overall

Overall says the Trico Foundation reads almost every publication that covers social enterprise, and has found the studies they commissioned on their Social EnterPrize recipients to be the some of most useful resources in helping the Foundation advance its work (the studies are undertaken by post-secondary institutions that are local to the recipients). He points to the Foundation’s recent article, “Building on Getting Beyond Better: Rethinking Social Entrepreneurship”, as an example in this regard.

The 2017 edition of the Social EnterPrize will honour two of Canada’s leading social enterprises. Each of the recipients will receive:

  • NEW: $100,000 prize money for each recipient;
  • A video profile; and
  • An in-depth profile in a case-study undertaken by a Canadian post-secondary institution.

The awards will be formally presented during Global Entrepreneurship Week; the week of November 13, 2017; in Calgary (specific date TBA).

Key application information:

See Videos & Case Studies of previous recipients.

Source

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