March 2012

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In this issue:

Canadian CED Network News

Alberta CED News

CED Tools: MaRS Start-Up Library

Canadian CED News

Job Postings


Canadian CED Network News

Canadian CED Network Webinars Available Online

In case you missed them, CCEDNet’s most recent webinars are available to download on our website.

In January, Myriam Lafrance and Roz Lockyer spoke about how women’s economic empowerment activities are building local economies and stronger communities in Canada and internationally. Our December webinar session looked at how fair trade is strengthening communities in Canada and around the world.

>> Read more


Have you Renewed your Membership?

Renewal notices were mailed to all members in January. If you didn’t get one and think you should have, please contact Stéphanie Cloutier at scloutier@ccednet-rcdec.ca or 1-877-202-2268.

In order to vote in Board elections and at the Annual General Meeting, the deadline for memberships to be in good standing is April 13, 2012.

>> Click here to renew your membership on line or for more information on membership 


Value for Money: Measuring impact and using SROI

Storytelling is an important tool for demonstrating the value of your community organization. But how do you demonstrate the quantitative benefits to funders and policy-makers? A recent article by Kirsten Bernas, a policy advisor at CCEDNet, traces the evolution of Social Return on Investment calculations and highlights the value in translating social outcomes into financial equivalents, while also demonstrating qualitative results.

>> Read the article in SEE Change Magazine

>> Find more information on SROI on CCEDNet's website


Meet our Members

E4C's mission is to limit, alleviate and ultimately eliminate poverty. They seek to accomplish this by offering innovative and collaborative services and programs that provide opportunities for individuals to grow and for community to build capacity. E4C defines its efforts through compassion, commitment, collaboration and connection. >> Visit their website 

Stettle Regional Board of Trade and Community Development

The Stettler Regional Board of Trade is committed to fostering economic, civic, and social growth throughout the Stettler Region. The Board is a voluntary business organization, supported by its member firms to promote the area's economic growth and development. >> Visit their website


Alberta CED News

The Reinvention of Sunnyhill Housing Co-operative

With aging townhouses and dwindling government support, Sunnyhill Housing Co-operative sparked an innovative partnership to help plan its future. This Calgary-based co-operative teamed up with environmental design students from the University of Calgary created the Sunnyhill Futures Project. The result not only benefitted SHC, but also helped set new standards of socially, ecologically and economically sustainable communities for housing co-ops across Canada.

The complete article, written by Noel Keough and Brad Braun appeared in a special series of CCCR’s i4 journal, titled ‘Housing We Can Afford.’

>> Read more


Leadership, Governance and Community Collaboratives Workshop

The Tamarack Institute is hosting a an interactive one day workshop, Leadership, Governance and Community Collaboratives in Calgary on April 19.

Despite the challenges, many communities are beginning to develop innovative solutions to complex problems through collaboration between business, government, non-profit and citizen stakeholders together. This workshop is designed to help participants develop new leadership skills and processes that are needed to create effective cross-sector collaboration.

>> Read more


Entrepreneurial Boomers Workshop

Are you an entrepreneurial boomer? Have you been thinking about starting your own business? This 6 hour workshop will help you crystallize your vision and focus your efforts. 
The workshop leaders, Joy and Shelagh, are true entrepreneurs with more than 50 years of combined entrepreneurial experience. They will guide you through the workshop and share lessons they've learned, tips and resources with you.

This workshop is being held on May 4, 2012 at the King's University College in Edmonton.

>> Read more 


2012 Alberta Co-operative Leadership Awards

The Alberta Community and Co-operative Association and the provincial government’s Service Alberta department are calling for nominations for the Alberta Co-operative Awards. Nominations may be made in any or all of the following five categories:

  • The Co-operative Merit Award
  • Young Co-operative Leader Award
  • Inspiring Young Co-operators Award
  • Co-operative Innovations Award
  • Co-operative Leadership Visionary Award

The deadline for nominations is March 16.

>> Read more


Upcoming enp-Alberta social enterprise workshops

Enterprising Non-Profits – Alberta is hosting two workshops designed for staff, board members and volunteers of organizations that are considering launching, expanding or strengthening a social enterprise. The workshops will help participants learn more about social enterprise and how to gain access to enp grants for business planning projects.

The first workshop event is being held in Sylvan Lake on March 20. >> Read more 
enp’s next stop is in Edmonton on April 30. >> Read more


New report calls for poverty reduction strategy in Alberta

In early February, Action to End Poverty in Alberta and Vibrant Communities Calgary released a new report, Poverty Costs: An Economic Case for a Preventative Poverty Reduction Strategy in Alberta. The report helps demonstrate the underlying structural causes of poverty and brings attention to the enormous resources - between $7.1 billion and $9.5 billion - that Albertans are currently spending to deal with the consequences of poverty.

It concludes by suggesting that Alberta could spend less on poverty by redirecting efforts from poverty alleviation to a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy.

>> Read more


CED Tool

MaRS Start Up Library

Do you know how big your market is? Need the latest trends? Not sure what blogs to read? The Startup Library is a curated collection of resources that help entrepreneurs answer common market-research questions and understand the startup ecosystem.

Built by the research experts at MaRS Market Intelligence, they have selected the "best of the best" in various categories - all designed to help you spend less time surfing and more time doing.

The collection features links to public domain resources from the government, private, and non-profit sectors.

>> Read more 


Canadian CED News

A Budget for the Rest of Us: Alternative Federal Budget 2012

The 2012 Alternative Federal Budget (AFB): A Budget for the Rest of Us, was launched this week by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

What makes the AFB different? It recognizes and proposes preliminary solutions to climate change and rampant inequality. The AFB also proposes innovative public investment initiatives that will help us avoid "a lost decade of high unemployment, depressed incomes, and chronic insecurity. Many of these proposals include CED principles, and CCEDNet is a proud contributor to the AFB report.

>> Download the AFB 2012 (pdf)


Co-operators outnumber shareholders 3-to-1

Did you know that India is home to the largest co-operative member population at 240 million? How about the fact that 70% of Irish people are co-op members? It's all in a new research report, whose key finding is the fact that co-operative members triple the number of shareholders worldwide.

The report, written by Co-ops UK Secretary-General Ed Mayo, also suggests that the co-operative sector is demonstrating growth and resiliency, despite the uncertainties in global markets. Mayo concludes, "Despite the focus of attention on stockmarkets, however, it is co-operative enterprise that touches the lives of more people as owners worldwide."

>> Read more


Defend our social housing - national petition

A coalition of housing organizations across Canada have launched a petition drive to urge the federal government to increase funding for the renovation of existing social housing units and more importantly, to continue to fund the operating subsidies for all the 900,000 plus social housing units across the country. 

CCEDNet has worked closely with our members, including the Right to Housing Coalition, to urge all levels of government to improve the accessibility of affordable and social housing in Canada (see our policy resolution, Affordable and social housing as a part of neighbourhood renewalfor more information).

>> Read more


Save the Date! Funding Policies and the Nonprofit Sector Policy Forum

The Institute for Nonprofit Studies at Mount Royal University will host a policy forum on October 15-16, 2012 entitled "Funding Policies and the Nonprofit Sector in Western Canada".

The purpose of this forum is to examine and profile the context and application of current nonprofit funding policies in each of the four western provinces. Academic researchers will present a contextual analysis of nonprofit funding and senior policy makers, leading academics, and nonprofit executives will have the opportunity to discuss the implications of these initiatives. The forum will be held at Mount Royal University. Registration will begin in the early summer.

>> Contact Kim Warnke at kwarn464@mymru.ca for more information

(Source: ANSER Bulletin, March 2012)


2012 Quebec International Summit of Co-operatives

“An economic giant, but a political mouse.” That’s how the co-operative movement has sometimes been described. How can it become a real sphere of influence in economic and political arenas?

This is the fourth major theme of the Quebec International Summit of Co-operatives, held October 8-11, 2012 in Quebec City. Participants of the Summit will have an opportunity to hear internationally-renowned guest speakers and actively take part in discussions on key ways to increase the influence of the co-operative and mutual model worldwide.

(Source: On Co-op News)

>> Read more


CED Book Club - Businesses With a Difference: Balancing the Social and the Economic

This 2012 book explores how market-based social economy firms such as social enterprises, social purpose businesses, co-operatives, credit unions, and community economic development corporations meet distinct social needs while making money. This book considers whether these types of businesses have the potential for growth in the modern economy. Through international case studies, including comparative analyses, this innovative collection highlights the unique issues that must be addressed when associations are accountable not to investors and shareholders, but instead to ordinary people.

>> Read more 


Job Postings

For the latest CED postings visit the National and Regional job pages on CCEDNet's website

National | AB | SK | MB | North

Positions to post? Send them to breimer@ccednet-rcdec.ca

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