2011 Annual Report

2011 Capacity Waterloo Region: Champions of Social Change

Champions of Social Change

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What if we surround the people that tackle our social issues with the best tools and support they need to bring their innovative ideas to life?

Capacity Waterloo Region is partnering with business, non profits, and foundations to support the big issues of society...and it’s working.

Vision / Mission / Values Changing lives through courageous community organizations Bringing together the ideas, people and resources that drive social change Accountability, Innovation, Entrepreneurship Optimism, Collaboration, Respect, Championing

In 2006, then University of Waterloo president, David Johnston, had a vision: that our region should be as good in social innovation as it is in technological innovation.

Together, we’re making that vision a reality and setting a world-class benchmark for the entire country.

Right here in front of us is the opportunity to support our non-profits to bring bold, courageous solutions to our community.

We can reshape the way we take care of each other.

Capacity Waterloo Region is the catalyst.

You are the agents of change.

Together we can create a better future.

Driving innovative solutions TO social challenges and Opportunities n

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Accomplishments Building leadership capacity of community organizations to achieve their visions and missions n

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“ I will be meeting with my board

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executive ASAP to begin looking at all of our governance from start to finish. The tools that I’ve taken from this program will be invaluable – Board Boot Camp participant”

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Board Governance Boot Camps have helped more than 200 Board Chairs and Executive Directors from diverse organizations tackle issues which have the greatest impact on their board effectiveness and governance.

New peer to peer groups are connecting 150 non-profit leaders to each other in areas including: Social Innovators, Executive Directors, Social Ventures, H.R. Professionals, and Emerging Leaders.

One-to-one coaching and mentoring is providing critical connections and supporting more than 100 Executive Directors/CEO’s in their decision-making on a wide variety of topics.

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A pilot Chief Technology Officer in Residence program provided technology advisory services to 20 organizations.

The Venture4Change summit gave 130 people an opportunity to explore common social venture interests.

A new storytelling and evaluation framework and training is in development to increase the sector-wide ability to tell strategic stories of organizational and program impact.

Our Change Agent Series gave 140 people an opportunity to learn from successful social entrepreneurs.

Building enabling environments that champion social change n

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Mentoring programs have matched 25 Executive Director mentees with experienced and skilled Executive Directors. Additionaly, 20 non-profit leaders were helped in the area of financial mentoring.

Innovative educational and strategy building events have helped more than 900 non-profit leaders learn about issues areas such as: Storytelling Skills & Strategies, Fundraising, Strategic Alliances, and Partnerships & Technology Planning.

ross-sectoral partnerships are constantly being C forged, drawing the best people and ideas from across sectors. Our Accelerator Centre location gives us invaluable opportunities to connect with business.

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A corporate social responsibility summit brought together more than 100 business leaders together.

Social finance events exposed more than 80 entrepreneurial individuals to new ways of thinking about funding non-profits and social ventures. apacity building knowledge is being shared C within the non-profit sector, including a partnership with the University of Waterloo on the Wood Buffalo Community Building Project in Fort McMurray, Alberta.

A Social Venture Research Study for Waterloo Region was published, identifying key needs and characteristics of local social ventures.

Several keynote presentations have been delivered by our Executive Director in Residence at local, provincial and national forums.

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STRONG START Last year, Capacity Waterloo Region played matchmaker between nonprofit and technology and the successful result was organization-changing.

Through a pilot technology program, Capacity Waterloo Region brought together Strong Start, an early literacy organization, and Chris Howlett, a technology advisor with Waterloo’s Accelerator Centre. “ I knew enough about technology to know we could improve,” says Machelle Denison, Executive Director. The organization was growing and systems that worked before were no longer sufficient. “ I wasn’t going to invest any more time or effort in the way we were doing things. I was completely open to any help and I rushed to Capacity Waterloo Region with open arms!” “ I think you had reached the limits of what you could do,” adds Chris. It was a frustrating time, knowing that by having people work on the right things, and tap in to the power of technology, programs could be enhanced and accuracy and security improved.”

Chris pointed Strong Start in the right direction and participated in planning and an RFP process. Last month, the organization launched Site Source, just one product of this successful marriage. The web-based tool is a bridge between Strong Start and the hundreds of site coordinators who run its programs in schools and community centres across the region, and beyond. Site Source is just the beginning of a fresh look at how technology can ensure limited resources are put to their very best use, that children and volunteers are engaged and supported and that vital data is current and accurate.

Client Stories “ The most innovative people are in the not-for-profit field – because they want to change the world.”

– Cathy Brothers

THE BOARD GOVERNANCE BOOT CAMP The Board Governance Boot Camp was all, if not more, than he hoped it would be, says Warren Spires, previous Executive Director of the Kitchener and Waterloo Humane Society. It was exactly what he needed to help his board move in a more strategic direction and fulfil its full potential.

Changes were immediate, beginning with a strategic, non-operational focus to board meetings. He says it was vital that the board chair was there to learn along with him – a key principle of the boot camp model – and to hear the same message of what it takes to be a top Canadian organization.

Recently, the humane society participated in the Boot Camp once again with its new Executive Director, Jack Kinch, and his board chair, Lisa Hoffman. It’s a testament to the value the organization sees in strengthening its board governance, and in the training itself.

With half of all homes in Waterloo Region having a pet, and our population growing rapidly, the humane society will play a key role in building an understanding of the role animals play in our lives. How the board and organizational leadership strategically plan for the future will shape its impact.

Financials

Revenue $300,000 $300,000 $250,000 $250,000 $200,000 $200,000 $150,000 $150,000 $100,000 $100,000 $50,000 $50,000 $0 $0

2010

2011

2012

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2010 Foundations

2011 Government

2012 Donations

2013 Fee for Service

Events

United Way

Foundations

Government

Donations

Fee for Service

Events

United Way

Expenses

$350,000 $350,000 $300,000 $300,000 $250,000 $250,000 $200,000 $200,000 $150,000 $150,000 $100,000 $100,000 $50,000 $50,000 $0 $0

2010 2010

2011 2011

2012 2012

2013

2014

2013

2014

Staffing

Administration

Programs

Marketing

Staffing

Administration

Programs

Marketing

“ Being in a small not-for-profit, we rarely have the time or resources to sit and think about our current technology situation and where we would like to be. I valued the allotted time to do this. Having a mentor at the table was fantastic. Huge added value!”

– Technology planning workshop participant

Corporate, Foundation & Government Donors Astley Family Foundation Bank of Montreal Box 10 Art Show & Sale Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation Cowan Foundation Gore Mutual Foundation Government of Ontario IBM Lyle S. Hallman Foundation Manulife Financial NRC-IRAP Ontario Trillium Foundation Regional Municipality of Waterloo Research in Motion The Kitchener & Waterloo Community Foundation United Way of Kitchener-Waterloo & Area Wallenstein Feed Charitable Foundation

Partners Accelerator Centre Communitech Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre Laurier Business & Economics University of Waterloo

Thank you to our supporters

Individual Donors Don Bourgeois Steve & D’Arcy Farlow Roger & Cathy Farwell Fred Galloway Tim Jackson & Jane Arnold Bruce Martin Kathie Must Moira & Roger Taylor Ingrid Town Janet Passmore Vivian Zochowski

In-Kind Accelerator Centre Communitech Matt Miller The Waterloo Networking Company

STEERING COMMITTEE Tim Jackson Steve Farlow Terry Reidel Stephen Swatridge

Fundraising Committee Bob Astley Mandy Dennison Steve Farlow Joseph Fung Tim Jackson Dave Jaworsky Hulene Montgomery

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www.capacitywr.ca

www.capacitywr.ca Cathy Brothers

Andrew Wilding

Jennifer King

Tanya Darisi

Executive Director in Residence

Director of Operations

Advisor, Storytelling Initiative

Advisor, Research & Evaluation

cathy@capacitywr.ca

andrew@capacitywr.ca

jennifer@capacitywr.ca

tanya@capacitywr.ca

Accelerator Centre 295 Hagey Boulevard Waterloo, ON N2L 6R5 519-513-2606 info@capacitywr.ca Twitter @capacitywr