The pandemic: some sources of information and inspiration, and our thanks.
This is very short episode, given where we are in Canada (and around the world) with the CoVid19 pandemic. Good information is really important in an emergency- we have been relying on many of our partners and friends and clients, and our leaders in Canada, for information. The following are some of the great sources of information and inspiration we have been relying on: Ontario NonProfit Network: Supporting Community Response to Covid-19 Canadian Network for the Health and Housing of People Experiencing Homelessness Social Planning Council of Toronto: city, provincial and national sources of information and mental [...]
Impact Measurement Opportunity: Support from Innoweave
We’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with the McConnell Foundation’s Innoweave initiative to pilot a new Impact Measurement coaching stream for nonprofits and charities. Perhaps you already know what you intend to achieve as an organization…you may already have a Theory of Change. Do you need help in measuring the impact you're making? Are there measurement questions you would like to explore or new measures you would like to implement or strengthen? The Impact Measurement program will strengthen your strategy and capacity for impact measurement. The work includes learning and applying key concepts in measurement, making choices about what and how to [...]
People are Thriving – A Measurable Outcome Focus with Angie Peters, CEO YSM
In this episode, Lynn interviews Angie Peters, President & CEO at the Yonge Street Mission (YSM) in Toronto. YSM has identified a focus beyond activities, on outcomes – the results the people they work with are striving for. They have labelled this outcome as "people thriving", and Angie shares the framework they use, based on research, that identifies the key elements and milestones for each element for a person to be thriving. These include elements such as family stability, employment readiness and having a sense of power. They have taken something nebulous and made it tangible and [...]
Beyond Strategic Planning, Strategy is creating value, with Prof. Brent McKnight
In this episode, Lynn interviews Dr. Brent McKnight, Associate Professor in Strategic Management at McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business. Brent characterizes strategy as being about creating value, whether at a for profit (business) or nonprofit organization. Having recently developed an undergraduate course in organizational strategy, Brent shares some early findings of applying business models, such as Five Forces, to nonprofits in developing their strategy. He underscores the importance for nonprofits to think broadly about strategy to create value and make a significant social or environmental impact, and capturing this in a Theory of Change. This is [...]
Lynn on Collective Impact – from United Way Halton & Hamilton’s, This Podcast is Not For Profit
Something new this week - we are excited to share another great podcast with you, this time, with Social Impact Advisors as the guest rather than podcast host. Lynn's interview by Mike Mikulak on the United Way Halton & Hamilton's "This Podcast is Not For Profit" was recently published, where she talks about how and why a collective impact approach works, some of the challenges and joys that come from working this way and shares examples of youth-focused collectives in Kingston and Halton. They also talk more broadly about how being clear about and committed to impacts [...]
Youth Leadership with Tamer Ibrahim of the Laidlaw Foundation
In this episode, Sally speaks with Tamer Ibrahim of the Laidlaw Foundation about Youth Collective Impact, or Youth CI. Tamer is the manager of Youth CI at Laidlaw and also sits on the board of directors at the 'For Youth Initiative': a non-profit organization that has served, inspired and advocated for thousands of teens and young adults in York South-Weston since 1995. Youth CI is a program of the Laidlaw Foundation, in partnership with Innoweave, that helps organizations in local communities across Ontario develop, launch and implement collective impact approaches that directly improve outcomes for youth in [...]