NPO Spotlight: Capacity Canada
At 180 Degrees Consulting, we strive to help non-profit organizations achieve their goals and want to use our platform to highlight Capacity Canada, an organization in our community that strives towards the same goal. As a collective, we can make a positive impact on those in need and this begins with learning about those who lead the change.
What does Capacity Canada do and what are some of their initiatives to support non-profit organizations?
Capacity Canada is a charity founded in 2009 that helps non-profit organizations reach their full potential through a number of programs they offer. These programs provide the resources necessary for non-profit organizations to strengthen and develop key skills that will enable them to thrive. Below is a brief description of Capacity Canada’s areas of focus in the programs they offer:
- Social Innovation Within the Community
Capacity Canada recognizes that fostering an environment that encourages collaboration fuels innovation and creativity. Their program, Creative Day for Social Good, opens the door for nonprofits to learn all about branding, storytelling, marketing and public relations. By learning how to create these materials and having access to reusable templates, nonprofits can continue to apply that branding and storytelling magic to get their name out there. Large nonprofits that Capacity Canada has worked often do not have the budget to reach more people which makes creative day a great opportunity to help them achieve this goal. This event partners with the design and public relations students at Conestoga College allowing them to gain real world experience.
2. Board Governance
Having a strong board of directors is a foundational element to any organization. At Capacity Canada, there are a few board governance programs that help facilitate training of the boards at nonprofit organizations. The executives in residence (EIRs) at Capacity Canada specialize in the field of board governance and visit the boards at nonprofits to train them. This course typically runs over three days either virtually or in person where nonprofits and EIRs can go over the nonprofit’s bylaws and frameworks under the Not-for-Profit Act regarding board governance. There is also Capacity Canada’s Board Governance Boot Camp where many nonprofit attendees are welcome. This camp also runs over a period of three days where individuals can learn from keynote speakers, interact with other nonprofits, and further their knowledge of board governance. For individuals who have attended the boot camp before, Capacity Canada offers advanced classes that explore other topics like diversity in the boards. Finally, Capacity Canada offers their Modern Board course that is fully virtual.
3. Strategic Planning & Design Thinking
Being thoughtful and strategic while planning can help organizations work through challenges faster and mitigate them. Capacity Canada has two EIRs that specialize in the strategic planning & design thinking field that work with nonprofits over a six to eight week period. During this time the EIRs will establish a plan to determine how to solve an issue and also prototype to determine the most effective plan of action. Creative Day for Social Good also ties into this core area as it can help nonprofits with challenges regarding branding and marketing.
Capacity Canada exists to challenge and support the Staff and Board leadership in non-profits to achieve new heights of innovation, change and social good. Its priority in capacity building is bringing about profound change.
What are some of Capacity Canada’s greatest achievements in the past few years? And what are some challenges Capacity Canada is currently facing?
Capacity Canada has overcome one of its greatest challenges, which was the development of a diversified and innovative Business Plan to attract top Team Members and provide high-quality capacity-building programs. The Covid-19 pandemic was another challenge they overcame. As all events were held in person in the past, they had to adjust to the virtual environment.
Is there anything that Capacity Canada wishes more people knew about their organization or the issues they are trying to solve?
Capacity Canada wishes that more people knew what they did outside of the individuals who have worked with them before. They have several programs available that cover important topics such as board governance and strategic planning and they are often flexible and can offer these classes virtually. Having the knowledge of what Capacity Canada has to offer will help the organization’s goal for outreach in their community.
How can young people like us help or contribute to Capacity Canada, and why is it important?
Capacity Canada has a program called Gen Z on Board completely funded by the Astley Family Foundation that strives to gain the youth’s perspective in their board governance training. They recognize that the community needs fresh new ideas for board governance and they observe that students and the youth thrive in this area. The youth help the world become new and that is why their involvement is so important in moving towards a brighter future.
The team at Capacity Canada is passionate about what they do and love making an impact in communities.
Want to learn more?
To learn more about Capacity Canada please visit https://capacitycanada.ca/.
Thank you Alison Beveridge, Director of Public Relations for connecting and taking the time to do the interview with us!
