Powering the future of volunteering, with Megan Conway

In 2020, the world experienced a seismic jolt of awareness related to issues of systemic racism in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd.  From global protests to bold declarations by the leaders of governments, companies and nonprofits, there was a deep desire to do better. Four year later, how are things progressing? In this episode, Emira Woods, Executive Director of Green Leadership Trust based in Washington, DC, shares her perspectives as well as insights and learnings from her work. A great example of inclusion in action, Green Leadership Trust is working to build a thriving environmental and conservation community in the United States, with a vision to embed an environmental ethic and shifting practices and behaviors across sectors and institutions.   Read the full transcript here Listen to past episodes here

Nonprofit organizations have had to navigate a lot of change in recent years—shaping the sector toward increasingly digital experiences and processes. Based on these needs, Blackbaud compiled the results of their annual The Status of Canadian Fundraising survey into a comprehensive benchmark report on how Canadian charities and nonprofits are faring in the current fundraising climate. Tanya Turschic, Customer Success Manager, and Phil Hunt, Senior Demand Generation Marketing Manager at Blackbaud, join us in this episode to discuss key findings from their latest in-depth survey. They share insights into fundraising trends, digital maturity, and how nonprofits can embrace tech advancements to drive greater impact. Read the full transcript here Listen to past episodes here

Joining us in this episode of Let’s Imagine is nonprofit leader and author Angie Peters.  Together we explore Angie’s experiences and learnings from working in the poverty reduction space as the CEO of the Toronto-based charity Yonge Street Mission, as a social service provider tackling poverty in the city, and the 3 key elements integral to her organization’s approach to systems: lived experience leadership, cross-sector collaboration and creating shared goals. We also discuss managing time expectations and how to frame these insights in ways that can be applied across missions and causes.   Listen to past episodes of the Let's Imagine podcast here   Read the full transcript here

  Community foundations are created to support local community needs, using donated funds from a wide variety of sources. Every community foundation selects their own areas of focus, and how the funds will be invested and distributed within the community.   This episode of Let’s Imagine features Danielle Gibbie, Executive Director, and Udloriak (Udlu) Hanson, co-founding member of Annauma Community Foundation, the first community foundation in Nunavut. They join us for a conversation on their foundation’s origins, the reasoning behind their innovative consensus-based approach to granting and how this is shifting the power dynamics of traditional philanthropy. Listen & share! Don’t forget to check out our full episode list. Read the full transcript here

Joining us in this episode is Dan Pallotta, American entrepreneur, author, and humanitarian activist. His experiences with dysfunction in the nonprofit sector have influenced his work, from his viral TED talk to his most recent project, the Uncharitable Movie. Together, we delve into deeply held perceptions about charities, how they are problematic, and how we can reframe the narrative and move forward. We also explore the potential of creative, breakthrough thinking, unburdened by costs & structure, as a powerful tool for real fundamental change in the nonprofit sector.   Listen & share! Don’t forget to check out our full episode list. Read the full transcript here

Les méthodes et approches éducatives non-autochtones ont contribué à la colonisation des peuples et communautés des Premières Nations, Métis et Inuit. Quelles mesures les organismes à but non lucratif peuvent-ils prendre pour décoloniser les cadres et mettre la justice au centre du dialogue pour les peuples autochtones?   Dans cet épisode du balado Imagine, nous acceuillons Mélanie Valcin, présidente et directrice générale, et Krystyna Slawecki, gestionnaire des programmes de Littératie ensemble - un organisme de bienfaisance national qui consacre ses efforts à améliorer la vie des enfants, des jeunes et des adultes grâce à la littératie. Lors de cette discussion, nous abordons la mission de l’organisme et son lien historique avec les communautés autochtones ainsi que leur démarche en ce qui concerne la vérité et la réconciliation. Écoutez et partagez! Découvrez aussi tous les épisodes de notre balado.   https://share.descript.com/view/g2qtEW2Tdv2 

Non-Indigenous instructional methods and approaches have contributed to the colonization of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples and communities. What steps can organizations take to decolonize frameworks and center justice for Indigenous people in the nonprofit sector? In this episode of Let’s Imagine, we’re joined by Mélanie Valcin, President and CEO, and Kristen Miller, member of the board of directors of United for Literacy - a national charity focused on improving the lives of children, youth and adults through literacy. Together we dive into the organization’s mission and its historic relationship with Indigenous communities, as well as their approach to truth and reconciliation.  Listen & share! Don’t forget to check out our full episode list. This episode is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Read the full transcript here  

In a study from the Environics Institute, Future Skills Centre, and Diversity Institute, findings showed that nonprofit sector workers are less satisfied with their jobs than workers in either the public or private sectors. This dissatisfaction is exacerbated by lower salaries, precarious employment, and part-time contracts - just a few of the challenges facing today’s sector workers. Joining us on this episode are Laura McDonough, Associate Director, Insights & Knowledge Mobilization at the Future Skills Centre, and Steven Ayer, President and Founder of Common Good Strategies, and the author of the report. Together, we further explore the findings of the report and discuss the solutions to improving the situations of nonprofit workers. Listen & share! Don’t forget to check out our full episode list. This episode is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Looking for HR resources? Visit HRIntervals.ca to learn more about Decent Work practices and access free resources created specifically for nonprofit organizations. Read the full transcript here

Two major interconnected challenges the nonprofit and charitable sector is facing today are changes to the way volunteerism is working - a shift from formal to informal and the lack of data to inform program design and decision-making to improve the work of organizations in serving our communities. With our guest Megan Conway, President & CEO of Volunteer Canada, we discussed two major initiatives led by Volunteer Canada that aim to help address these challenges: the National Volunteer Action Strategy for Canada and the Canadian Knowledge Hub for Giving and Volunteering.    Listen & share! Don’t forget to check out our full episode list. Read the full transcript here

On this episode of Let's Imagine, we welcome Paul Taylor, co-founder of Evenings and Weekends Consulting to discuss the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in board governance, and why many organizations struggle to actualize these principles. We also delve into the concept of decent work, the intersection of board governance with the promotion of decent work practices, and the role of board members in facilitating fair employment practices.   00:45 The Birth of Evenings and Weekends Consulting 02:37 Racial Justice and Board Diversity 05:36 Challenges in Achieving Diversity and Inclusion 08:55 Equity Benchmarking Study Insights 13:22 Advancing Decent Work Practices 17:12 Role of Board Members in Prioritizing Decent Work 18:26 Closing Remarks   Read the full transcript here