For many nonprofits and charities, revenue diversification happens when a crisis strikes such as the loss of a primary funder or investor. But, if nonprofit organizations can be strategic and proactive in their revenue diversification, they can mitigate this risk. At Volunteer Alberta, our leadership team has been working hard to diversify our funding. So,…
“What do you want to do when you graduate?” September means a few things: green leaves and grass begin turning yellow and gold, the wind is a little crisper, pumpkin-spiced drinks are back, and of course, students are back in school. As a recent grad, I reflect on my post-secondary and employment journey often. The…
Has the belief that youth can change the world disappeared? Nowadays, people seem more pessimistic than ever towards youth – that youth today are more apathetic and consumed by their phones and social networks. As a result, a lot of people tend to overlook how to motivate youth to participate. But, 4-H Alberta still believes…
Everyone’s volunteer journey is unique. When you ask volunteers why and how they started, their stories are often different. Recently, we interviewed two Edmonton volunteers who are attending NextGen’s volunteer recognition event City Jam to give us insight into how they started volunteering and why they give back to the Edmonton community. How long have…
Volunteers are integral to the nonprofit sector. Many nonprofits/charities, events, festivals and more, would not be possible without Albertans selflessly devoting their time to our communities and causes. But many nonprofits struggle with getting volunteers in the door and finding volunteers who are the right fit that will also come back to volunteer. Fringe Theatre…
What is social innovation? Social innovation – we hear this buzzword used a lot by the sector, but what does it really mean? Social innovation pulls from a variety of sectors and disciplines – social services, anthropology, human ecology, project management, systems thinking, etc. – to address complex, social issues at the root cause. At…
Volunteers needed is a common phrase and challenge that nonprofits know all too well. With the lack of data on Alberta volunteerism since 2013 and the migration to the digital age, Alberta nonprofits have been left in the dark on how to reach volunteers today, especially youth. But, thanks to Propellus, Calgary’s volunteer centre, Alberta’s…
Youth engagement has been a hot topic in the nonprofit sector and community for the last several years. Nonprofits want to know how to reach young people and keep them engaged. Especially when it comes to getting young people at decision-making tables to support succession planning for the nonprofit sector. But, youth engagement goes beyond…
In Alberta’s nonprofit voluntary sector, usually, our top priority is social good. We try our best to make our communities more vibrant, safe and overall better places to live for all Albertans. But, while we have good intentions, we may not always realize the unintended risk that comes with the work we do. Risk for…
Growing communities and risk mitigation Sometimes, our communities can grow faster than we can establish appropriate policies to meet the needs of those joining and participating with our nonprofits. When we can’t keep up with the increasing changes, this can put our organizations and communities unintentionally at risk. Volunteer screening helps foster safe communities and…