NLN has a great line-up of events coming this fall. Speed Networking, Appreciative Inquiry, Be a Star Performer (I’ll be co-presenting). So much value for becoming an NLN member. See you at all three!

Vancouver Timeraiser

Thursday, September 22
Part volunteer fair. Part art silent auction. All cocktail party. Connect with great people and great organizations at this hip event. I served on the jury to select the organizations, so I know there are a wide variety of causes and opportunities. See you there!

SFU Volunteer and Community Engagement Fair

Wednesday and Thursday, September 28-29 
If you’re an SFU student, connect with a wide variety of community organizations. Community organizations, get your vibrant staff and volunteers out and connect with keen university students! Join the president’s reception on the Wednesday while you’re there.

From Jack:

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

While young people get turned off by petty partisan politics and disengage except for the simplest act of voting (and often not even that), partisan politics is the system we’ve currently got. There are many ways to impact this system (examples from the outside are those like Leadnow, Apathy is Boring, and Canadian Women Voters Congress).

Today, I challenge you to make change from the inside. This may seem daunting — getting involved with a political party.

But the very first step is easy. Sign up on a party’s website to volunteer (your postal code will likely get your email directed to your local riding), and see where it goes. No commitment necessary. You don’t need to be a member. You can change your mind later.  Heck, sign up for more than one and see what the people are like. Shop around.

Federal Parties

• Bloc Québécois | Forum jeunesse du Bloc Québécois (domain registration expired)
• Conservative Party of Canada | CPC Energy
• Green Party of Canada | Young Greens
• Liberal Party of Canada | Young Liberals of Canada
• Canada’s NDP | New Democratic Youth (based provincially)

BC Parties

• Green Party of BC | (Young Greens in BC are a wing of federal Young Greens)
• BC Liberals | BC Young Liberals
• BC NDP | BC Young New Democrats

Vancouver Parties

• Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE)
• Green Party of Vancouver
• Vancouver Non Partisan Association (NPA)
• Vision Vancouver

I made this step earlier this year. Sent my contact information on a Saturday. Was contacted Monday morning. Met the candidate’s office manager on Wednesday. Met the candidate and a host of other volunteers shortly after. I’m still not a member. Still unsure how far I’ll go with this. But I’m better educated for it, and I’m adding to a slowly building critical mass of strong, educated, passionate and positive voice in Canadian politics. Like Jack did.

Please do it. You may surprise yourself.

(cross posted at www.27shift.com)

Background

As a director of the Canadian Women Voters Congress, I am interested in knowing more about the context of our work helping women achieve success in politics and leadership. We have a visioning day coming up, and part of that will focus on the direction of our educational programming. However, the board will be in a much better position to decide on that direction if we know the breadth of programs offered in Canada that support women’s involvement in the political process. So we wondered: what are other organizations and initiatives doing in this area?

And from there a Research Associate role was created. We’ve interviewed and hired a talented pair of women from the Ottawa and Vancouver areas to lead the project and are still interviewing more for potential involvement. These high impact volunteers are essential to our growth as a strong organization.

The challenge

Vantage Point, a Canadian nonprofit capacity building organization, has been pushing high impact volunteering for years. But the uptake has been challenging. Many organizations are unwilling? unable? unaware? Sometimes reenvisioning the ways an organization has engaged volunteers from its inception is difficult.

Using “I Wonder”

I suggest having a note pad nearby your desk. An actual note pad. A Google Doc. Something to keep track of questions that unexpectedly or otherwise pop into your head. Things you wonder about.

• I wonder if there’s an easier/better way to do _________.
• eg use technology, public speak, process donations
• I wonder what our stakeholders think about _________.
• eg our brand, our events, our strategic priorities
• I wonder how effective _________ is.
• eg our advertising, our volunteer recognition, our mentorship program
• I wonder what other organizations are doing in this area.
• eg the breadth of programs offered in Canada that support women’s involvement in the political process

These are the questions that high impact volunteers can help you answer.

What questions could a high-impact volunteer help you answer? How have you engaged high-impact volunteers to answer them?

Pull Focus Open House
April 26, 2011 | 7pm

In the spirit of grassroots social change, Pull Focus Film School brings together emerging filmmakers, activists, non-profit practitioners, and media innovators in an environment that encourages conversation, collaboration and creative engagement in social change.

The goal of Pull Focus is to empower students to tell stories they care about while raising awareness about many of the amazing and ambitious efforts that are currently being undertaken within the non-profit community.

Pull Focus celebrates its spring program with an Open House on April 26th at 306 Abbott Street in Gastown. Come experience the ‘social change’ spirit, in tandem with the exciting evolution of the local mediascape.

——

Change Through Food Systems
May 3, 2011 | 6pm

From producer to intermediaries to consumers, how can positive change happen through our food systems? We all play a part – let’s talk it out!

Join us as three unique individuals spark a conversation about food systems and have your turn to make connections to new ideas, people, and passions.

Moderator: Anthony Nicalo @tonynicolo – chef; entrepreneur; building first global map of local food @foodtree

Speakers:

• Arzeena Hamir @arzeena – agrologist; coordinator for the Richmond Food Security Society; engaging diverse communities in the food security conversation
• Herb Barbolet – food activist; researcher; author
• Mijune Pak @followmefoodie – food blogger at Follow Me Foodie; facilitating producers and consumers in conscious engagement with food

My reaction? Meh.

This is why.

Volunteers need constant engagement

If organizations are drawing public (or private) attention to their volunteers and thanking them this week only, I bet they are having a hard time retaining volunteers. It’s like a romantic Valentines Day dinner when your partner is an ass the rest of the year. Doesn’t mean much.

Volunteerism doesn’t need awareness-raising

Volunteerism as a concept does not need promotion. Volunteering for specific organizations might. But drawing volunteers to an organization involves more than good promotion. It requires an organizational culture that is attuned to the changes in the expectations and interests of volunteers. I’ve had the opportunity to speak to outstanding people who are meaningfully engaging volunteers through their work – and they have few problems recruiting volunteers, and rarely need to promote.

Volunteer agencies are bad at PR

Yes, #NWV11 has had some traction on Twitter. But really, as someone who is fairly embedded within the nonprofit and volunteerism culture in Vancouver, BC and Canada, I am often surprised how rarely campaigns promoting a spirit of volunteerism reach me. I’m not saying it’s easy – I had the job of promoting engaged citizenship at SFU and it’s was a slow and tough slog. It’s hard when your target market is broad and diffuse. But these organizations are often preaching to the converted, and even then only a very small circle of the converted.

Instead…

Instead, organizations tasked with the promotion of volunteerism should focus on those doing the volunteer engagement. How can you help them succeed in promoting a spirit of meaningful volunteerism within their organizations?

Let’s shift to a place where citizens are clamoring at our doors because we all are offering engaging opportunities that address the realities of the present. Volunteerism isn’t changing. It has already changed.

I think this is for a combination of many reasons. Some logistical: it’s a bit of a pain for university students who live and/or spend the majority of their time NOT in their home riding. Some apathetical: there doesn’t seem to be a direct impact on their lives, and their one vote wouldn’t change anything. Some related to frustration: being so disgusted with the decorum of politics that voting for anyone makes their skin crawl.

Because youth don’t come out to vote like other age groups, the youth vote isn’t targeted (and if it is, it would seem that all the next generation cares about is marijuana and tuition). Sure it might be pandered too, but not properly courted. I used to argue that in order to attract the youth vote, politicians needed to make politics more civil, more engaging. But now, I think I’m with Rick Mercer. Youth need to turnout to vote first. Eventually, the pandering will follow.

It is the conventional wisdom of all political parties that young people will not vote. And the parties, they like it that way.

So please, if you are between the age of 18 and 25, and you want to scare the hell out of the people that run this country, this time around, do the unexpected. Take 20 minutes out of your day and do what young people all over the world are dying to do. Vote.



So which should come first? Young voters turning out? Or civil, engaging, relevant politics? Who owes what to whom?

Discuss.

The Incomplete Thought Series is, well, a series of incomplete thoughts. These are thoughts I have not researched, but which have popped into my head and am interested in discussing. Your incomplete or complete thoughts are encouraged.

Awesome Foundation

Forwarding the interest of Awesome in the universe, $1,000 at a time.

I first heard about Awesome Foundation when a member of the Toronto chapter was interviewed on Q on CBC (Jan 31).

The basic premise is that 10 people (in one city, or around one idea) commit to giving $100 a month. People/organizations with awesome ideas apply online for a $1,000 grant, using possibly the shortest and simplest grant application in the history of the world. The members of the foundation pick one, and give the $1,000, no strings attached.

This project first started in Boston, but has since spread to many other cities, including Ottawa and Toronto in Canada. I’ve submitted a pitch for a Vancouver chapter. Contact me if you’re interested in being a Vancouver chapter donor.

Why this is awesome

Low barrier for grant applicants

No requirements for charitable status or registration as a nonprofit. Super short application. Not a huge waste of resources if the application doesn’t pan out.

Direct impact by donors

The chapter members get to see what awesome ideas are being cultivated in community, and directly support them. While there is no expectation of reporting back by grantees, smart grantees will follow up and invite granters to connect with the awesome project further.

Growth of social capital

Not only are chapter members giving directly, they are being exposed to and potentially connecting with a broad range of awesome within their communities. And the resulting relationships may go beyond financial. Some chapters try to help runners-up with connecting them with in-kind donations instead of money. Money is not the only philanthropic commodity with value – connections can be just as important.

The n0t-as-awesome side

Not just for community

This isn’t really a bad thing, but it’s important to note this isn’t just about warm fuzzy community stuff. It’s about awesome stuff. This might mean an idea from a band, a researcher, a business. Which, on the awesome side, encourages innovation and awesomeness from the community sector. The bar gets raised for everyone.

Pooh-poohing operating costs

While not disallowed, “maintenance fees for established charities and foundations” are said not to generally be chosen. I see how these sorts of things aren’t sexy and awesome, but they are most important in order to strategically and sustainably move social change forward. But that’s not the focus of this foundation, awesome is. Other donors and foundations play the operational funding role.

No charitable status

While tax benefits aren’t the only reason people donate, it is one of them. Currently the Awesome Foundation isn’t actually a registered charity, and therefore cannot provide tax receipts for donors. However, if the chapter members did choose a project proposed by registered charity, I suppose they could arrange a tax receipt through the organization directly.

Diverting money from other organizations

One could argue that members of the Awesome Foundation may be shifting money to this project from somewhere they are already donating, thus leaving their former recipients that much worse off. This could very much be likely. I would also argue that members likely give when they weren’t already giving, or giving more than they had before.

Next Gen Philanthropy

Younger donors have expressed interest in generating ideas and strategy, being connected to organization leadership including board members, and being generally more engaged. Gala events and golf tournaments aren’t going to cut it for much longer when it comes to cultivating donors.

While many young people have more time to give than money, there are also many young professionals with less time, but more money. What a great way to engage money and minds for good, with little time commitment.

I think the Awesome Foundation presents an example of how currently existing organizations could act as incubators for innovative giving. I’d love to see community organizations have their own next gen philanthropic circles. No more stuffy catered events. More genuine engagement with ideas and leadership. The fact that the Awesome Foundation was even founded points to the fact that there are people with money to give who aren’t satisfactorily being engaged.

Thursday, February 10, 2011
6pm-8pm
Doors at 5:30pm
Network Hub – 422 Richards Street (3rd floor)
FREE

How can public space be a vehicle for change?
How do we use public spaces? Protect public spaces? Interact with public spaces?
How should we?

Speakers

• Gordon Price – Director, The City Program at SFU
• John Richardson – Founder, Pivot Legal Society
• Public Dreams Society staff member
• World Cafe dialogue to follow

Register on Meetup.com
(and to be notified of future Change Through ______ events)

March 4 and 5th, 2011
9am – 4pm
Downtown Vancouver
Registration for one or both days possible
Early registration ends Friday

A two-day “unconference” intended for those involved with or interested in the Canadian nonprofit sector. The aim is to cross-pollinate ideas and innovations in order to better serve the community.

From what I understand, the focus of this event is about bringing action to innovation. If you have an innovative idea, come here to workshop it and help get yourself to implementation.

Register through npinnovationcamp.eventbrite.com/

Image Credit: ephotography

I believe social change happens on three main levels.

1. It includes actions that fill immediate needs. Food banks. Shelters. Child care. Chaining yourself to an old growth tree.
2. It includes projects that provide ongoing support or awareness raising. Groups for single mothers and survivors of abuse. Employment programs. Bike to work weeks. Farmers markets.
3. It also involves changing legislation, infrastructure, and societal norms that are barriers to some balanced utopia where people, animals, and environments are free from persecution and exploitation.

The first two are where nonprofits and charities thrive. But for all the money, effort and talent that is poured into these actions, I feel that little progress beyond the anectodal has been made.

I believe that real progress, real change, happens because of the third. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) agrees:

Through their dedicated delivery of essential programs, many charities have acquired a wealth of knowledge about how government policies affect people’s lives. Charities are well placed to study, assess, and comment on those government policies. Canadians benefit from the efforts of charities and the practical, innovative ways they use to resolve complex issues related to delivering social services. Beyond service delivery, their expertise is also a vital source of information for governments to help guide policy decisions. It is therefore essential that charities continue to offer their direct knowledge of social issues to public policy debates.

But this is where the voice of charities and nonprofits are restrained.

Lobbying – an action used by industries and companies to advocate for self-serving policies, programs, tax incentives, etc  - is fairly unrestricted by government. Save registration requirement for lobbyists which acts to increase the transparency of lobbying efforts, industry organizations and individual companies can lobby to their hearts desire if they can get the ear of a minister, elected official, or other senior public servants.

However, this does not hold true for those advocating for charitable efforts (defined in Canada as the relief of poverty, the advancement of education, the advancement of religion, or other purposes that benefit the community, a definition that comes from a 1891 British legal ruling with roots even 300 years earlier). Registered charities in Canada are only able to spend 10% of their resources on political activities, which include “explicitly communicat[ing] to the public that the law, policy, or decision of any level of government in Canada or a foreign country should be retained…, opposed, or changed.” Charities with less than a $200,000 operating budget can dedicate more resources, on a sliding scale to 20%. Note that the percentage isn’t just $, it’s also people (including volunteers), space and other physical resources.

The CRA states that one main reason applications for charitable registration may be rejected is that “the organization seems to be devoting too many resources to political activities.”

It should be noted, however, that nonprofit organizations (those that are not registered as a charity, but as a society – e.g. under the BC Society Act) are able to dedicate as many resources as desired to political activities. However, these organizations do not receive the same tax benefits as charities (e.g. the ability to provide tax receipts for donations) and are not eligible to apply for a majority of foundation and government grants (which often require charitable registration numbers).

Overall, while lip service is given to the value nonprofits and charities can provide in policy change, the voice is restrained. We wouldn’t want the sounds of progressive social change to get too loud.

IMPACS, an organization that lasted briefly over the turn of the millennium, was working hard to analyze the law, dialogue with charities and nonprofits across Canada, and suggest alternatives to the current regulatory system. At a recent event in Vancouver, I met with a variety of individuals interested in this topic, and I decided to dig a bit further to get as much IMPACS documentation as possible. Thanks to Justin Ho over at United Community Services Co-op in Vancouver, here are the results for you to review if you are interested. Of particular practical use is the Election Took Kit. Si vous voudriez les documents en francais, envoyer-moi.

• The Law of Advocacy by Charitable Organizations: The Case for Change
• The Law of Advocacy by Charitable Organizations: Options For Change
• Let Charities Speak: Report of the Charities and Advocacy Dialogue
• Charities: Enhancing Democracy in Canada
• Helping Charities Speak Out: What Funders Can Do
• Charities and Democracies: Election Kit
• Charities and the Federal Lobbyists Registration Act
• Tax Policy, Charities and Democracy in Canada: A Summary of the Problem and Remedy

Impacts of the regulations on ethnocultural organizations:

• The Law on Charity and Advocacy: Current Issues and Possible Solutions (AMSSA)
• Ethnocultural/Ethnoracial Advocacy Groups, State Funding, and Charitable Tax Status (Luther, 2001)
• How the Law of Charities and Advocacy Can Be Changed To Better Serve Immigrants and Refugees (OCASI, 2001)

Letters to government ministers and committees:

• Letter to Minister of National Revenue re CCRA draft on political activities (Feb 2003)
• Letter to Minister of National Revenue re CRA decision on political activities (Oct 2003) (English)
• Brief to the Standing Committee on Finance (Sept 2005)

I’m trying to find out what current action (if any) is being taken on this issue. I sent a message to Michelle Gauthier, Vice-President, Public Policy & Outreach at Imagine Canada on December 5 to find out it it’s on their radar, but I haven’t heard back. If you are a charity wanting clarity, contact me or visit the CRA website. If you are interested in digger further with me, let me know.

Did you recently vote for your favourite charity so that they could win funding through an online contest?

You suck.

Unless you actually sacrifice something for the causes that you pat your back on for clicking for, you did no favours and deserve no credit.

If this is actually a cause that is of importance to you, you need to spend time, talent or money. Volunteer. Attend a fundraising event. Write a letter to your MP or news editor. Donate. Even better, donate monthly.

Raising awareness is important, but not when the actual cause gets lost.

I challenge those who changed their profile picture to cartoons to donate or volunteer with orgs who fight child abuse (the original purpose of the profile pics). Here are 3 to start:

http://www.justiceforgirls.org/
http://kidshelpphone.ca/
http://www.fsgv.ca/

Update: I added the phrase “If this is actually a cause that is of importance to you” in order to be clear that this post is directed at those that actually are patting themselves on the back. I stand by my position, but added this for clarification

Update 2: This is me shaking my head at “you suck” as an eloquent choice of words to express myself. As hard as it may be to believe, I am, incredibly, not in high school anymore.