2017 Capacity Canada Annual Report

Capacity Canada

Annual Report 2017

CAPACIT Y CANADA’S THEORY OF CHANGE

the ideas, people and resources that fuel social innovation

Capacity Canada creating impact for the future Almost a decade since it began, our journey to fuel social innovation by bringing together people and resources has stayed on course.

In fact, we are clearly picking up speed at Capacity Canada thanks to the creation of an array of new programs and initiatives that will enhance the outstanding work of the exceptional people who have dedicated their professional lives to making a difference in their communities.

to be more strategic, courageous and innovative

we can build solutions to complex issues and do more social good

Who could have guessed when it all began in 2009 that our goal of trying to provide non-profit organizations with the tools they needed to have greater impact and capacity build would have such a national reach?

As we continue to provide our clients and partners with top-notch training and knowledge thanks to the collective expertise of our talented faculty members, not once have we lost sight of our mission and vision.

In fact, we have only strengthened our role in the field of social innovation thanks to the continued success of our core programs and events, including MatchBoard, CreateAthon, EvalU and the Manulife Board Governance BootCamps.

We’ve had national success with some of these programs and have revelled in the fact we had a hand in making a positive difference in communities in several provinces.

However, as valuable and impactful as these programs are, standing still is not what drives Capacity Canada.

Change and innovative thinking are what fuel us, and this clearly shows in the development of such programs as CapacityGO and TechMatch.

Add into this mix our new Capacity By Design program, which over the course of the next two and half years will introduce design thinking to numerous non-profit organizations, and Capacity Canada’s role in the world of social innovation is sure to become an even stronger one.

Our exciting journey is far from over.

In fact, it could be just beginning.

Cathy Brothers Chief Executive Officer

Joanna Lohrenz Board Chair, Capacity Canada

Jeanette Bancarz Board Member

Steve Farlow Board Member

Cathy Brothers CEO

Administration CEO Cathy Brothers Director of Operations Andrew Wilding Accounting Kathi Dodson Writer Brian Rodnick Senior Service Designer Matthew Reynolds Government Relations David Drewe Research & Evaluation Jennifer Vasic

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Terry Reidel Board Member

Joe Sehl Board Member

Joanna Lohrenz Board Chair

Executives in Residence

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Megan Conway Pierre Côté Ruth Cruikshank Dianne Fehr Fred Galloway Jo-Anne Gibson Sandra Hanmer Bob King Don McDermott Matt Miller Hugh Munro Lynn Randall Lyn Royce Deborah Senior Stephen Swatridge Moira Taylor Marion Thomson Howell

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Making the right match.

As a busy actuary for Manulife in Toronto, Michael D’Aprile said he was looking for something that not only fit into his schedule but struck a personal chord.

He found what was he looking for this past year thanks to Capacity Canada’s successful MatchBoard program and now serves on the board at the Toronto Cat Rescue.

“With my financial background, I knew I could help (the board),” says D’Aprile, who shares his Toronto home with his wife and a cat named Kali. “I also want to continue to learn for my own development.”

He is one of approximately 160 Manulife employees that have been ‘matched’ with non-profit boards since the program began in 2011.

MatchBoard, which links employees from major corporations, has now been utilized by Manulife workers in Waterloo

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An animated short video is one of many tools Capacity Canada uses to explain the concept of the MatchBoard program.

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Since its inception, 66 learning events lead by experienced Capacity Canada faculty members, such as Don McDermott, have been held and more than 1,200 Manulife employees have participated.

Region, Toronto, Calgary and Montreal.

However, it has also attracted staff at the Kitchener offices of EY (formerly Ernst and Young) and Google Canada, with other corporations, including Scotiabank, expressing interest.

“Don did a great job of outlining of what I could expect being on a board, and he was bang on,” says D’Aprile.

Capacity Canada CEO Cathy Brothers says she’s not surprised the program continues to grow as participants quickly realize how they can benefit both personally and professionally, and acquire additional skills.

Comprehensive training, including oneon-one sessions, is key to the success of MatchBoard, says Brothers.

“MatchBoard has been a true success story for not only Capacity Canada, but for the employees of these great companies and the hard-working non-profits they help out,” she says.

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“ MatchBoard participants have great drive when it comes to wanting to succeed for these nonprofits and our faculty members are more than happy to make sure they reach their goals,” says Brothers. “It’s truly a win-win situation for everyone involved.”

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MatchBoard S tats

With a total of 1,204 Manulife employee participants

Manulife employees have enrolled in the MatchBoard program

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of these employees have been matched to non-profit boards since 2011

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Executives in

residence.

Don McDermott Toronto

Sandra Hanmer Toronto/ Waterloo

Jo-Anne Gibson Waterloo

Pierre Côté Montreal

Moira Taylor Waterloo/ Hamilton

Dianne Fehr Calgary

Deborah Senior Toronto

Andrew Wilding Director of Operations

Capacity Canada’s talented pool of executives in residence and support staff offer an array of skills which have helped make the MatchBoard program a huge success since it first began in 2011. These professionals, who hail from several cities including Montreal, Calgary, Toronto,

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Hamilton, Waterloo and Kitchener, can be credited with making positive changes in many non-profit organizations thanks to MatchBoard.

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A big boost to non –profits The missions of non-profit organizations centre on doing good work in their communities.

Photo Left: Capacity Canada’s Lynn Randall leads a discussion at the Fort McMurray Board Governance BootCamp held in 2017.

Photo Right: Participants representing approximately 20 non-profit organizations gathered in March in Kitchener for a follow-up workshop after taking part last November in Capacity Canada’s largest Manulife Board Governance BootCamp to date.

In effort to achieve this, boards of directors work diligently to make the right decisions and difficult choices to ensure their organizations reach their highest potential. But sometimes, board members need a little guidance and many found it this past year through their participation in Capacity Canada’s Manulife Board Governance BootCamps.

members and top leaders of some fine organizations to achieve great impact in their communities,” said Capacity Canada CEO Cathy Brothers, noting the program continues to modify in order to meet new trends. “We receive wonderful feedback from participants which makes our talented faculty feel proud about the work they are doing.”

“Since 2009, our BootCamps have not only been one of Capacity Canada’s core programs, but a valuable way for board

In 2017, nearly 300 professionals and non-profit workers participated in four separate BootCamp events.

These included a one-day workshop held at The Tannery Event Centre in Kitchener, another at Manulife in Toronto, and a full three-day BootCamp at the Holiday Inn Kitchener-Waterloo Conference Centre in mid-November a few weeks later. The latter was the largest BootCamp held by Capacity Canada to date.

As well, last October representatives from approximately 20 charitable non-profits were in attendance at a BootCamp held in Fort McMurray, Alta. Capacity Canada held a similar BootCamp there in 2015, before a devastating wildfire shook that city to its core and left most of its non-profits looking for ways to regroup.

Many of them continue to rebuild their organizations nearly two years later.

Board Governance BootCamp Faculty

Ruth Cruikshank

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Fred Galloway

Don McCreesh

The visit, sponsored by Suncor Energy Foundation and done in partnership with FuseSocial, a local agency, also saw Capacity Canada board members take part in the training session. The board also toured the Suncor oilsands and the city, which continues to deal with the fallout of an economic downturn in late 2014.

Hugh Munro

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“ The trip was very successful and gave us the opportunity to forge an even stronger bond with the resilient people and dedicated groups that serve that region,” said Brothers. “We are very grateful to our Suncor and FuseSocial friends for helping to make this happen.”

And although the locations of these BootCamps and the participants were different, the underlying message remained very much the same: better board governance is a necessity for growth and innovation in non-profits.

Steve Farlow, founding executive director of The Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship at Wilfrid Laurier University, has facilitated many of Capacity Canada’s BootCamps

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Building on success Photo Top: Representatives from 10 social profits from the Fort McMurray area gathered in March for a followup workshop to the BootCamp they attended last fall. Photo Bottom: Bonnah Carey, Chief Social Entrepreneur, FuseSocial, welcomes Fort McMurray social profits.

including the one at the Tannery, and said it’s vital that board members realize their efforts are valuable.

“Their work matters,” he said, after that one-day workshop. “They must realize how important the not-for-profit sector is overall to Canadian society.”

According to Imagine Canada, the charitable and non-profit sector contributes an average of 8.1% of Canada’s total GDP, more than the retail trade industry and nearly as much as the mining, oil and gas extraction industry. Nationwide, there are more than 170,000 non-profits and charities (just over 2,000 alone in Waterloo Region). As well, the sector employees about two million people and relies on more than 13 million volunteers.

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“ They start a journey,” he said after the KitchenerWaterloo BootCamp in November. “They begin a practice every year looking at what three of four things that ‘we can now start implementing, or do differently’, and continually challenge themselves.”

Manulife acknowledges Habitat for Humanity for Leadership Excellence The board of directors at Habitat for Humanity, Waterloo Region, were recognized for their teamwork in 2017 by being awarded the Manulife Governance Excellence Award.

of the board’s committees. As well, board efficiencies surrounding the meetings themselves and an integrated calendar of board and committee work plans were addressed.

The annual award acknowledges outstanding board work in Waterloo Region’s charitable non-profit sector and was presented at the kickoff reception to Capacity Canada’s Manulife Board Governance BootCamp, held Nov. 16-18 at the Holiday Inn Kitchener-Waterloo Conference Centre. The award included a $5,000 unrestricted prize.

Habitat for Humanity also looked at board responsibilities and started talks on creating concrete annual goals to expand on its Strategic Plan. Also, a new CEO evaluation was created in effort to create timely and measurable objectives for 2017.

And finally, the issue of board development was looked at when the organization held a ‘mini’ board governance BootCamp in June of 2017 with Capacity Canada’s help for all its board and committee members. During this time, a new set of improvement opportunities for the board to implement were identified.

“They have to know they can make a huge difference here,” said Farlow.

Habitat for Humanity was among nine nominations received for the award which is presented to an organization that implements new ideas and concepts to improve overall board performance.

Don McCreesh, chair of the Standards Initiative and a long-time BootCamp facilitator, agreed and said recognizing the need for change is another important step that those working in this sector must take.

Habitat for Humanity took the top prize by identifying gaps and improving four areas in board governance after attending a BootCamp in 2016. These included board restructuring, plus a re-evaluation

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Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region was presented with Capacity Canada’s Manulife Governance Excellence Award on Nov. 16. Left to right; Joanna Lohrenz, Capacity Canada Board Chair, Cathy Brothers, Capacity Canada CEO, Renata Rusiniak, Manager, Corporate Donations, Manulife, Habitat for Humanity VP Jerry Lawlor, Karen Redman, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, Fionna Beardwood, Habitat for Humanity Vice Chair, and Habitat for Humanity board member Dianne Romano.

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719 people participated in EvalU

226 Ontario Non-Profit organizations grew their evaluation capacity through

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measuring the positives Evaluation is an important tool for non-profit leaders to measure their successes.

It is also important to ensure they are taking the right course of action so their organizations achieve their full potential.

Since 2015, Capacity Canada’s EvalU program has been available providing these innovative thinkers with valuable resources centred around the need for regular evaluation to ensure the important work their non-profits accomplish in our communities continues to have impact.

The program, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, wrapped up this year after being utilized by several hundred participants and organizations.

Lead by a team of talented Capacity Canada faculty members and experts, the program featured training sessions, personalized coaching, peer-to-peer opportunities and highly successful EvalU BootCamps.

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training sessions

510

hours of coaching

Photo left: Capacity Canada’s Jennifer Vasic has helped organize the EvalU program for nearly three years.

The program has wrapped up after helping dozens of non-profit organizations understand the importance of regular evaluation. Photo right: Brian Rodnick writes about the many programs offered by Capacity Canada.

“I think the greatest take away for people was, in addition to the impact of and satisfaction with the program’s design and content, some participants highlighted that they appreciated the opportunity to take time and reflect on their practices and what’s possible, which is a luxury in the fast-paced non-profit context,” says Capacity Canada’s Jennifer Vasic, who helped spearhead the program.

As well, Capacity Canada faculty members provided approximately 570 hours of coaching to at least 60 people representing 54 organizations.

“Our commitment to providing those who work in the non-profit sector with the tools they need was more than evident in this amazing program,” says Capacity Canada CEO Cathy Brothers.

Vasic agrees and says the impact the program had was especially evident from among those who participated in the EvalU BootCamps.

In total, more than 200 people representing 129 organizations attended the seven EvalU BootCamps that took place in Cambridge, Stratford, Renfrew, Ottawa, Orillia and Waterloo. In addition, approximately 400 people participated in 16 training sessions, with another 59 people representing 43 organizations participating in peer-to-peer sessions.

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EvalU Bootcamps

“The EvalU BootCamps encouraged them to build cultures of learning and innovation and left most of them feeling like they could apply what they learned in their work,” she says. “Respondents reported EvalU inspired new ideas and plans of action, and that they learned new insights they could apply to their work and feel

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comfortable applying what they learned during the BootCamp.”

Overall, Vasic says participants in the EvalU BootCamps were excited about sharing this new knowledge with colleagues.

“ Many of the respondents shared they really appreciated the facilitators’ guidance, as well as their awareness and ability to adapt to the participants’ needs,” says Vasic.

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How to build bet ter boards “ One must earn trust.

It is never given freely,” said Garnons-Williams.

Photo left: John Evans, United Way Fort McMurray & Community Investment Committee Chair.

Photo right: Wayne D. Garnons-Williams, Senior Lawyer and Principal Director of Garwill Law in Ottawa.

Participants in Capacity Canada’s Board Governance BootCamps are always guaranteed to come away with at least two things.

First, they gain valuable board governance knowledge thanks to a team of experienced Capacity Canada faculty. And second, perhaps even more importantly, they leave the training workshop with ‘nuggets’ of wisdom they can share with the board members of their respective organizations.

That’s exactly what Wayne D. GarnonsWilliams provided in his keynote address at the November 2017 Manulife BootCamp held at the Holiday Inn Kitchener-Waterloo Conference Centre.

About 125 people were on hand at the kickoff event as Garnons-Williams, a

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renowned Canadian lawyer and tribal judge and business leader, not only shared personal stories of growing up as a victim of the ‘Sixties Scoop’ in Saskatchewan and the effect it had on him as a member of Canada’s First Nations, but how trust and communication affected all aspects of his life.

“One must earn trust. It is never given freely,” he said.

Besides trust and communication, participants from about 20 non-profit groups that serve Fort McMurray, Alta., learned that commitment and engagement are also necessary to strengthen the boards of their organizations.

Trust and communication became the resonating theme of the BootCamp as representatives from approximately 20 non-profit organizations spent two full days of intense training.

“Why are these the most important now?” asked John Evans, who gave the keynote address at the BootCamp held in that Alberta city in October 2017. “Because they will drive overall value and impact of the organization in the future and this, I believe, is what will be most important in the ‘new normal.’”

“There are ripples that need to be ironed out through good communication and that communication establishes the relationships which build trust,” said Garnons-Williams, explaining how this can help non-profit organizations fully communicate when it comes to outlining their objectives.

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Evans, a business leader who serves on the boards of the United Way of Fort McMurray and FuseSocial chairs the

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United Way Community Investment Committee, explained the ‘new normal’ refers to not only the physical aftermath of the devastating 2016 wildfire in that community (more than 80,000 residents were forced to flee and at least 2,400 structures destroyed), but the economic downturn in late 2014 which altered the region’s economy.

Evans stressed the need for those who volunteer on boards to follow-through on their commitments in order for the organizations, many of whom continue to rebuild, to grow and prosper.

“If you put your name forward for a volunteer role on the board, then you must engage and support,” he said.

“They depend on us.”

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Connecting families through literacy Jane Tuer is Executive Director of Project READ Literacy Network, which is spearheading the Families First Waterloo Region Project in hopes of providing families wider access to literacy training.

Literacy is an important part of every day life.

But for thousands of people in WaterlooWellington who struggle with low literacy skills, even the simplest of tasks such as filling out a form or trying to decipher a Google map can become roadblocks to living a fulfilling life.

Project READ Literacy Network WaterlooWellington has made it a priority, with help from Capacity Canada, to provide families with even wider access to literacy training through the creation of the Families First Waterloo Region Project.

“Most people know very little about low literacy issues because they fall under the radar,” says Joanne Davis, family literacy manager at Project READ. “People who struggle with low literacy skills have great coping skills. It is also very hard to admit. It could be your neighbour or co-worker.”

According to Project READ, one in four people over the age of 16 in Waterloo-

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Wellington can’t read dosages on prescription drugs. As well, at least 20 per cent of those collecting Employment Insurance and 40 per cent of those receiving social assistance in Waterloo Region fall into the lowest level of literacy.

“The program (GSL) has been around for a long time and we’ve run into barriers,” says Davis. “However, this is changing.”

Thanks to funding support from the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation and an earlier Ontario Trillium Foundation project, Project READ joined forces in the fall of 2016 with Capacity Canada to begin a twoyear journey to develop the Families First Project.

“It’s hard to imagine that close to 50 per cent of people living in Waterloo Region fall into the two lowest levels of literacy and struggle every day,” says Davis.

In effort to change this, Project READ introduced its Get Set Learn (GSL) program 15 years ago. The free eight-week family literacy program is geared towards families, not only helping children but their parents, by improving their skills and confidence and helping to break the cycle of low literacy and poverty.

In collaboration with representatives from a wide range of local organizations, the Families First Project is being developed using design thinking to create a variety of potential outcomes that aim to improve literacy skills in families.

The development of these outcomes has taken on a fluid approach and won’t be fully known until this portion of the project concludes in December 2018.

However, GSL has only been available to those receiving Ontario Works or ODSP with children aged six and under. The Families First Project has been created to scale up GSL in a sustainable way and provide help to more families across Waterloo Region.

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“This project really gives us a sandbox and a playground to test things out,” says Davis.

“What I’ve learned about design thinking is that you sort of test things and learn from what emerges.”

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The second phase of the project will see the implementation of the Families First Project outcomes, which Capacity Canada’s Sandra Hanmer says may take time.

“But some of our idea areas we are looking at are going to be very quick to implement,” she says.

Hanmer says Capacity Canada is thrilled to be part of such an important project.

“Capacity Canada is all about empowering communities and to drive innovation,” she says, adding this project fits perfectly since it is increasing the capacity of literacy in the community.

Davis agrees.

“ We know that literacy has impact on a person’s whole life,” Davis says. “It’s about accessing the world and becoming more civically engaged.”

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Measuring what counts

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A recipe for success Megan Conway is a Capacity Canada Executive in Residence who has helped lead the Measuring What Counts project.

There are 60,000 non-profit organizations working to enhance the quality of life in Ontario communities.

However, in an increasingly complex environment, questions are emerging regarding how this growing sector’s scale and capacity fit in relation to its mission and what is needed to measure and enhance the impact of their work.

In effort to provide an overview of the work of Ontario’s capacity builders, Capacity Canada has created its Measuring What Counts project.

We like to think of it as a ‘recipe of success’ regarding capacity building.

Key ingredients: • 2 heaping tablespoons of drive and commitment from Megan Conway, an expert in non-profit and academic initiatives, and Katherine Scott, vicepresident of research for the Canadian Council on Social Development, to examine such a complex issue.

• 1 large cup of funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to pursue research.

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Mix these ingredients and complete the following steps:

• 3 large cups of literature and studies to review and analyze capacity building and identify the key elements of capacity building.

• 4 or 5 tablespoons of more information from the capacity building landscape which includes identifying infrastructure organizations, sector service groups, philanthropic foundations and funder networks, independent consultants and public institutions agencies.

Have the project team identify the diverse actors working in the capacity building field via a thorough literature review (including materials from the United Kingdom and United States) and conduct more than 50 interviews with key players.

• 2 or 3 big teaspoons of outlining such core concepts as capacity - which includes elements of ability and power – and capacity building itself.

The project team must prepare eight program profiles that explore the work of selected capacity builders in greater detail.

• Pepper lightly with an outline of the principles to guide measurement, including numbers and stories, a mix of voices and perspectives, shared results and common evidence.

Based on the findings from the first two steps, the team can develop a measurement framework to capture the activities of capacity builders and their impact on community wellbeing. And finally, have the draft approach examined by selected evaluation experts.

• Add 35 interviews in the sectors of capacity building, impact measurement and evaluation.

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hen fully cooked several W months later, Measuring What Counts will serve hundreds by providing an overview of the work of Ontario capacity builders, focusing on the key roles played by infrastructure organizations. It also explores what’s needed to measure and enhance the impact of their work in the community and creates a solid measurement framework for identifying and measuring capacity building processes and outcomes.

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a lesson in creativity For the past seven years Capacity Canada’s innovative CreateAthon has provided the non-profit sector valuable design-andmarketing expertise free of charge thanks to the work of Conestoga Collage students and corporate partners Alchemy Systems and Manulife.

At the 2017 event, 18 non-profit organizations and charities from British Columbia to Nova Scotia participated in the 24-hour rebranding ‘blitz’ at Alchemy’s Guelph office. It was the largest CreateAthon to date and left a lasting impression on the dozens of graphic design and public relations students who took part.

“We are really helping these organizations compete,” said Capacity Canada’s Matt Miller, who has helped organize the event since its inception.

“It’s a really cool opportunity to be part of something like this,” said Erynn Hayden, a third-year graphic design student and one of about 50 students that participated.

He said the professional work the non-profits receive, ranging from new marketing tools such as brochures and pamphlets to a redesigned website, is top-notch in terms of quality.

Helping the students, who were divided into teams, were art directors and account managers from Alchemy as well as art

It’s estimated the 2017 event resulted in excess of $200,000 worth of pro-bono design work.

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It has become Alchemy’s major charitable event in Canada.

CreateAthons were developed in the 1990s and are held worldwide.

This year, 50 non-profit groups applied to take part, but there was space for only 18 participants.

CreateAthon is a unique exercise, that not only tests students’ creativity, but benefits a variety of non-profit organizations.

However, besides free design work, CreateAthon also benefits the students and the volunteers who provide their expertise.

directors and account managers from Manulife. There were also several additional freelance art directors who rounded out a number of professionals who volunteered their time and expertise.

“We want this to be an excellent experience for the students. That is one of our core beliefs going into this,” said Terry McGuire, Alchemy’s creative director.

Eighteen non-profit organizations from across Canada benefitted this year from the creative talents of Conestoga College students who participated in Capacity Canada’s annual CreateAthon.

Held in partnership with Alchemy Systems and Manulife, the event resulted in more than $200,000 worth of pro bono design work for these groups. Above, CreateAthon participants are pictured outside Alchemy’s Guelph offices last fall.

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“ I heard from a number of account managers and art directors,” said Miller. “ They said their clients were amazed, overjoyed and gobsmacked by the amount of work they received and the quality.”

For the non-profits that receive the fruits of the design teams’ labour, the calibre of the work speaks for itself.

“Honestly, we were amazed and blown away with all that they’ve done in such a short period of time,” said Donna Fulcher, manager of community participation for Elmira District Community Living, one of the participating non-profits.

Miller said this is typical of the event.

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Community Resource Centre of North and Centre Wellington (CRCNCW): Rebrand and Print Materials

John Baljkas (middle) and Molly Hill (right) from the Graphic Design Department at Conestoga College, along with Capacity Canada’s Matt Miller (left), are part of the creative team that worked hard to make CreateAthon 2017 the success it was.

United Way: Love Where You Live, Give Where You Live, Illustrated Poster

Waterloo Potters’ Workshop: Celebrating 50 Years of Pottery Making Identity

CreateAthon 2017 experienced a 150% increase this year in the number of non-profit organizations that received free design work.

Eighteen teams consisting of Conestoga College graphic design and public relations students, under the guidance of industry professionals, created a wide variety of materials to enhance the important work these groups do in their communities.

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Habitat for Humanity Wood Buffalo: Wildfire Recovery Program Identity

United Way: Love Where You Live, Give Where You Live Billboards

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becomes a game Workshops like Capacity Canada’s Manulife Board Governance BootCamp are a great way to learn new ideas and gather knowledge.

However, once a workshop ends how do participants retain the information they learned?

Thanks to the CapacityGO program based on Axonify’s popular elearning platform, they now have a way to do that and have some fun at the same time.

The Waterloo-based company has been a leader in this new technology which uses brain science and gamification to assist employees learn and retain information effectively using their desktop computers, smartphones or POS system.

The Axonify system offers users daily training sessions in short, bite-sized bursts they can accomplish on their own schedule. It also allows them to track their own scores and compete, in a friendly way, against colleagues.

“I liked the idea it was a game. It makes it much more interesting,” said Jane

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Carol Leaman, CEO and President of Axonify

Tuer, who is the executive director of Project READ Literacy Network WaterlooWellington, and an avid CapacityGO user.

“Axonify brings back that information over time and makes sure people are able to maintain it and pull out that information in the future,” Bresser said. “The content in there is based on what they learned during the BootCamp. It’s really focused on the key points.”

Her appreciation for playing the game after initially hearing about the program while attending our Manulife Board Governance BootCamp in November of 2017 resulted in her being named ‘top scorer’ in a friendly competition Capacity Canada had been running since that time.

Tuer agreed.

“You often walk away from a workshop and if you retain 40 per cent of the information that’s pretty good. This helps you build up the other 60 per cent you forgot.”

“I started playing right after the last BootCamp,” said Tuer. “I played it nearly every day. I only missed one day but noticed that two others had actually played every day.”

Truer said she has encouraged others at her workplace and members of a board that she serves on at another organization to sign on.

Erin Bresser, Axonify’s customer success manager, said she has been impressed with the participation of CapacityGO users.

She noted that many exhibited a 22% growth in overall knowledge, while for some that rate reached 35%.

“I’ve already said we really need to get people on this because the information you get in Axonify is really helpful to just building your skills and knowledge,” she said.

Cathy Brothers, Capacity Canada CEO, said teaming up with Axonify has been a great boost in educating non-profit board members.

She said these numbers show users have retained the information they received at the initial BootCamp.

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“ The results we’ve had with Axonify technology and our CapacityGO program have been phenomenal and we expect to see even more Capacity Canada clients jump on board,” said Brothers.

Photo right: Several participants at Capacity Canada’s Manulife Board Governance BootCamp follow-up meeting in March took home prizes for taking the top spots in our CapacityGO program, based on Axonify’s elearning platform. Front row: Erin Bresser, Aoxnify’s customer success manager; Jane Tuer, Executive Director of Project READ, Elizabeth McFaul, Communications Director, Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre, and Renata Rusiniak, Manager, Corporate Donations, Manulife. Back row: Sara Casselman, Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region; Susan Prange, board member of the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region; Kathy Mortimer, board memberat-large, Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region; Michael Schmitt, President of Supportive Housing Waterloo; Debbie Sommerville, Project Manager/Planview Architect, Manulife; Joe-Ann McComb, Executive Director of Kinbridge Community Association; and Laura Dick, Project READ Board Chair.

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Technology has become an important component in the evolving non-profit sector.

Wendi Campbell is Executive Director of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, the first non-profit in the area that will benefit from our TechMatch program.

He said the non-profits will see the value in this collaborative approach.

“They understand that by involving them in the work, as part of the team, TechMatch increases their digital literacy but also makes the work more meaningful and realistic,” said Reynolds. “Technology professionals are able to meet the people they are helping which isn’t always the case in the corporate world.”

He said the food bank was selected to take part because of the interesting challenges it faces from both a technological point of view and the potential opportunities to impact its community. As well, FuseSocial, a non-profit agency in Fort McMurray, Atla., is also a candidate for future TechMatch sessions.

Tech Match

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TechMatch

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However, it can take a backseat for many small to medium-sized non-profits as they become focused on delivering core services.

To help change that is Capacity Canada’s TechMatch program. First conceived as part of the Google Impact Challenge in 2016, this program, designed by Capacity Canada Senior Service Designer Matthew Reynolds and CEO Cathy Brothers, aims to provide non-profits with valuable technology assistance to build capacity.

“This is not a program which provides traditional IT services pro bono,” said Reynolds. “This is about creating a multidisciplinary team, comprised of skilled professionals from both the technology partner and non-profit organization, to create an attainable and sustainable technology strategy.”

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Brothers said TechMatch benefits not only the non-profits but is a boost for the technology professionals.

Funded by Suncor and Manulife, the program consists of teams comprised of technology professionals from Manulife, along with a few non-profit senior staff and a Capacity Canada facilitator. As part of the program, the first team is now working with the Food Bank of Waterloo Region creating new technology strategies to help it deliver service.

Capacity Canada Senior Service Designer Matthew Reynolds says TechMatch will provide non-profit organizations with valuable technology assistance.

“It is not the case that technology professionals do work for the non-profits; they are not pro bono consultants,” said Reynolds. “Rather, the team will take the journey together, both learning and contributing in equal parts.”

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“ There are so many professionals out there who want to give something back,” Brothers said. “ They just don’t want to fill a hamper at a food bank or serve soup at a shelter. They want to use the talents they’ve got.”

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“There are so many professionals out there who want to give something back,” she said. “They just don’t want to fill a hamper at a food bank or serve soup at a shelter.

They want to use the talents they’ve got.”

Providing these professionals with a way to benefit their communities is one of many goals of TechMatch. Others include allowing non-profits to, as Reynolds describes, ‘climb the digital literacy ladder’ and ensure Capacity Canada will learn new problem-solving methods and how to build cross-industry teams effectively.

“As a facilitator and service designer, my goal is to grab low hanging fruit: how can we create matches that meet those goals and make the world a better place through technology,” Reynolds said.

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leading the way Social enterprise remains a relatively new concept, but Capacity Canada aims to change that.

Over the past year, Capacity Canada brought together a group of for-profit and non-profit partners to promote social enterprise, to learn from each other, and determine the gaps that exist in supporting social enterprises.

Besides Capacity Canada, the group consists of several partners including CBaSE, Communitech, Innovation Guelph, Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement, the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation, Small Business Centre Waterloo Region, St. Paul’s Greenhouse, Velocity Garage and Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network.

In mid-November 2017, this social enterprise collaborative sponsored a special event called ‘Celebration of Social Enterprise’ at Google’s Community Space in Kitchener. Many of its partners were there to meet and network with others in the region’s social enterprise sector.

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“ At some point, one would hope that all enterprises are functioning for the greater good and at that point, you won’t need the designation of social enterprise,” said Anne Toner-Fung, Innovation Group executive director.

Sharing the inspirational path to the greater good his business took was Helmi Ansari, founder of Grosche International Inc. The Cambridge-based company has been doing its part to help others for the last decade by providing water purification systems to thousands of people worldwide in need of safe drinking water. Grosche, which sells infusion teapots, coffee grinders, coffees, teas and kitchen accessories, is a driving local force in social enterprise.

The B-Corporation, which Ansari and his wife, Mehreen Sait, began in their laundry room, now offers approximately 150 products in about 20 countries. A portion of sale from every product funds the Grosche: Safe Water Project.

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Photo left: Capacity Canada’s Sandra Hanmer is leading Capacity Canada’s social enterprise initiative. Photo right: Anne Toner-Fung, Executive Director of Innovation Guelph, right, and Hanmer represent two of many local organizations that are working to promote social innovation.

“We don’t have to sacrifice profit or growth,” Ansari said. “That’s the message of B-Corps. We can actually use the power of for-profit business to be a positive change and make the world a better place.”

Capacity Canada’s Sandra Hanmer, who helps spearhead the social enterprise collaborative, explains that both non-profits and for-profits have a stake in finding new solutions to complex social problems. She sees real progress in the wonderful ways that companies are combining profit and social good.

According to Hanmer, successful social enterprises understand that mission is achieved through profit.

2017 Capacity Canada Keynote Speaker Hon. Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for riding of Waterloo, Leader of Government in House of Commons, and Minister of Small Business and Tourism.

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Suncor gathering

Capacity Canada: 2017 Audited Statement of Operations

The Suncor Energy Foundation is a big supporter of the non-profit sector and community innovation.

This is apparent thanks to The Gathering, which the SEF first held in 2013 to celebrate its 15th anniversary but has become a popular event the foundation uses to assist the non-profit sector strengthen its capacity and promote collaboration.

Held in Banff, Alta., it allows the SEF to bring together the partners it funds, which includes Capacity Canada, and offer them and a variety of community groups the opportunity to share stories of impact and explore collaboration possibilities.

“It brings together thought leaders and funders to listen, learn, contribute, connect and reaffirm our ambitions for the collective work we all do to create positive change,” said Kim Nordbye, manager, Suncor Energy Foundation & Community Innovation.

The second ‘Gathering’ was held in 2014 and targeted not only non-profit capacity building but Aboriginal youth engagement.

Capacity Canada was among the 150 participants that attended the third ‘Gathering’ in 2017 which centred on the theme: ‘Together we create possibilities.’

“We have a very strong relationship with the Suncor Energy Foundation and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to take part in such an important and innovative event,” said Cathy Brothers, Capacity Canada CEO. Nordbye said The Gathering gives participants the chance to combine unique resources and diverse

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perspectives to address complex challenges using a collaborative approach.

“The Gathering also provides an opportunity to collectively deepen our understanding of social innovation and the systems we live and work in while sharing examples, lessons and leadership from the broader field of social innovation in Canada,” she said.

The Gathering has gained steady momentum to the point there is often a waiting list for participants, or attendance is limited to one person from each organization.

“We also provide travel grants to help non-profit participants attend,” said Nordbye, adding the goals for the 2018 event have already been set out.

Among them is to strengthen relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in support of SEF and Suncor partnerships and implementation of the social goal.

“ The Suncor Energy Foundation has such a positive influence on the non-profit sector and I’m so glad Capacity Canada has the opportunity to be part of that,” said Brothers.

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INCOME Donations Fee for Service Grants Interest Income Total Income

2017 2016 $309,152 $403,168 184,503 213,569 557,674 648,452 4,292 5,497 $1,055,621 $1,270,686

EXPENSES Salaries & Benefits Contracted Services Administration Meetings & Conferences Educational Events Technology Marketing & Promotion Professional Fees Gifts to other Charities Amortization of Property & Equipment

$476,741 324,599 46,557 91,733 95,843 32,507 16,136 13,755 5,000 2,878

$571,350 361,809 52,931 123,730 66,844 27,812 21,460 15,608 11,070 9,628

Total Expenses $1,105,749 $1,262,242 Excess (Deficit) of income over Expenses ($50,128) $8,444 Net Assets - Beginning of the Year $138,751 $130,307 Net Assets - End of the Year $88,623 $138,751

Photo left: Fauzia Mazhar, Coordinator Family Centre at Family and Children's Services, is greeted by Capacity Canada Team, Lynn Randall and Jo-Anne Gibson

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Thank you to our supporters Kim Nordbye

Renata Rusiniak

Manager, Suncor Energy Foundation & Community Innovation

Manager Corporate Donations

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Accelerator Centre

KE Lyn Royce

AV Ontario

Joe Sehl

Jeanette Bancarz Alison Boyd Cathy & John Brothers Alex & Trish Brown Dan Calvert Communitech Conestoga College Megan Conway & Cameron Scott Cowan Foundation Deborah Currie

Chris & Lynn Howlett IBM Canada David & Jan Jaworsky Bob King The Kitchener & Waterloo Community Foundation Libro Credit Union Joanna & Ray Lohrenz Lyle S. Hallman Foundation Benjamin Manion Manulife Microsoft David McCammon

Mary D’Alton

AD RE twork

cy Litera

An agency of the Government of Ontario

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Jeff Nesbitt

Mandy Dennison Teresa & Kevin Elop

Ontario Trillium Foundation

Evergreen Digital Marketing Steve Farlow

Project Read Literacy Network

Fred & Beverly Galloway

Lynn Randall

Sandra Hanmer

Terry Reidel

Un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario

Twin City Dwyer Printing Co. Ltd.

Matt & Anita Miller Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration & International Trade

Machelle & Tony Denison Ne

Proje ct

Ruth Cruikshank

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SUPPORTERS

Jason Shim Suncor Energy Foundation Stephen Swatridge Moira & Roger Taylor Steven Taschuk Jane Tuer Tivoli Films Jennifer Vasic Rose Vogt Karin Voisin Rose Vogt Sophia Wang University of Waterloo Wilfrid Laurier University Laura Zinn Vivian Zochowski

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295 Hagey Boulevard Accelerator Centre Waterloo, ON N2L 6R5 capacitycanada.ca Twitter @capacitycanada 519-513-2606 | 866-317-1992