Posts Tagged: Nonprofit Sector

Can nonprofits influence economic development?

The other day on my way into work I stopped at a new coffee shop here in Edmonton. Besides the good quality coffee and tasty breakfast sandwich, the unique location of Burrow Central Station is what sets this cafe apart. It is the first business of its kind in Edmonton to be located underground, connected…

Nonprofit Experiences: It’s Personal

Our experiences with nonprofits are varied: we may work or volunteer in the sector, or donate to our favourite organizations. Some of us find a sense of community through cultural and religious expression, or enjoy sports, arts, and entertainment through the sector. Our education is often provided by the sector. Perhaps most importantly, the sector…

The New R&D Model: Rip-off & Duplicate

There has been a recent development in the world of electric cars that’s got me thinking about strengths and opportunities in the nonprofit/voluntary sector (NPVS). On June 12, 2014 Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, announced that the company “will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology.”[i]…

Please Sir, May I Have Some Statistics?

I subscribe to The Daily from Statistics Canada and I think you should too! For those wondering what I am talking about, everyday, StatsCan releases a list of up-to-date statistics and data related to a wide range of sectors, as well as economic and social indicators that reflect and affect our lives.  As an employee…

Visual Impact of Capacity Building

As a newbie here at Volunteer Alberta, my experiences with the nonprofit sector have primarily been as frontline staff, working directly with the organization’s clientele or volunteers. Through this lens, it’s easier to see the immediate impact of your work. You can see it through assisting a child in an ABC Head Start classroom, prepping…

The Gathering’s the Thing

I am certain that, had we all been listening carefully, we would have heard a collective sigh across the country on Monday morning. With the dawning of a new day came a dispiriting realization – the Olympic Games have come and gone. Gone are the action-packed lunch breaks, the eager checking of stats, the surprisingly…

Olympic Spirit in the Nonprofit Sector

Once again, Canada, along with the rest of the world, has been swept up in the Olympic Games. For spectators, the Games have taken over our televisions and pervaded our conversations. For Sochi, the Olympic excitement started years ago, with many countries bidding for the 2014 Winter Games in hopes that they would become the…

Is Your Organization Doing Enough Research and Evaluation?

In September 2012, I decided to go back to school part-time and do the Public Relations Program at Macewan University. I will complete my program later this year and I can’t speak highly enough about the program, the instructors and the content. It was also an opportunity for me to explore the for-profit world from…

ECVO Mayoral Forum October 15, 2013

I had the pleasure of attending the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO) Mayoral Candidate Forum on Tuesday. The well organized and attended event had candidates focus on their plans for Edmonton’s nonprofit/voluntary sector should they be elected Mayor. The format was standard, with opening and closing statements, questions chosen from sector submissions, and questions…

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

In early August, the Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) had to temporarily close its doors to owner-surrendered animals. For the first time in their 106 year history, they had too many animals to realistically care for. Within hours of the announcement, the EHS website was forced to temporarily shut down due to a huge amount of…