July 2023 Edition

Set yourself up for success: Register for Board Governance BootCamp!

Capacity Canada’s highly anticipated annual Board Governance BootCamp will be held on November 28th, 29th and 30th at the Bingemans Conference Centre in Kitchener. This year, you will have the flexibility to choose a governance track for the entire three-day BootCamp! Those new to boards and experienced directors will have a choice to take the Advanced Course, while those new to board governance can opt for the Governance Essentials Track!

The BootCamp schedule is now posted on Capacity Canada’s website.

Learn More & Register Today!

Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence in the non-profit world

What’s exciting? This year’s Board Governance BootCamp features two keynote speakers – Steven Woods and Eldon Sprickerhoff. Both have a depth of knowledge in Board Governance and are recognized as world leaders in the fields of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Steven Woods

Co-founder of three software and services companies based in the United States (Quack.com, Kinitos, NeoEdge Networks), Steven Woods has worked in software development, research and technical leadership for more than 30 years. A partner & CTO at Inovia and former lead at Google Canada, Steven brings decades of entrepreneurial and engineering experience to this year’s Board Governance BootCamp. He will share his insights and experience on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on Board Governance during his session on November 28th (Tuesday). Eldon Sprickerhoff The pioneer and inventor of Managed Detection and Response (MDR), Eldon Sprickerhoff,

is a prominent figure in the field of cybersecurity. As the founder and chief security strategist of eSentire, a leading MDR provider, Eldon has been at the forefront of proactive cybersecurity solutions. One of the keynote speakers at the Board Governance BootCamp this year, Eldon, will speak about Non-Profit Cybersecurity & Governance on November 29th (Wednesday).

Interested in learning more about our speakers? Visit our website for detailed information and profiles.

Opportunity to Sponsor our BootCamp!

Capacity Canada’s Board Governance BootCamp will bring together over 200 non-profit boards and CEOs from across Canada to learn more about effective governance and organizational change. Sponsor support will play a vital role in delivering one of the best and most exceptional governance learning opportunities in the country. Since our first Board Governance BootCamp in 2009, we have had more than 1,000 non-profit board members, CEOs and Executive Directors attend our BootCamp from organizations of all sizes. This year, the theme of the BootCamp is the Board’s responsibility for strategic foresight and establishing and nurturing culture. Sessions will include Governance Essentials & Advance tracks and Non-Profit Cybersecurity & Governance. You can learn more about the agenda and speakers here. Please download the sponsorship package by clicking on the button below. We would love to have you join us as a sponsor this year. We greatly appreciate your support in making the Board Governance BootCamp a resounding success.

Download Our Sponsorship Package

Using Organizational Assessments to Enhance Impact

With the wonderful support of the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation, Capacity Canada is excited to roll out a new service that provides facilitated organizational assessments. Non-profit organizations benefit from unbiased, data-driven insights into strengths and weaknesses in key areas and functions. EDs and CEOs use these insights to energize staff, board, and other stakeholders on opportunities to enhance their impact – and attract more support. As a facilitated service, your team will benefit from proven tools, experienced guidance, and added objectivity and creativity. In addition to a report, Capacity Canada will facilitate a workshop to help your leadership team focus on the most critical priorities to move forward and co-create a work plan so they can move forward with shared confidence and commitment. We are currently in a pilot period and enrolling agencies for Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 engagements.

Gen Z on Boards- Apply Today!

Capacity Canada presents an exciting new initiative designed for young individuals from aged 18-24 in the Waterloo Region. Thanks to the generous funding from the Astley Family Foundation, we introduce the Gen Z on Boards project, aimed at empowering youth by providing coaching, mentoring, and training in board governance. Additionally, participants will be matched with non-profit boards that align with their community interests. The comprehensive courses and training, valued at over $3,500, will be free of cost for the selected candidates.

Applications are now open until September 1, 2023, and we have only 15 spots left! This is an incredible opportunity for participants from diverse backgrounds to gain valuable skills, make a difference in their communities, and unlock their leadership potential.

Apply Today!

Don’t miss out! Capacity Canada’s Design Collective is coming to Calgary on October 18, 19, 2023

Organizations that want to increase their capacity to address complex challenges can apply to send two staff from their organization to learn about human-centred design thinking and receive coaching and mentoring to apply it to an issue of importance to their organization. This nine-month professional development program is a no-cost opportunity due to the generous support of Suncor Energy Foundation. Applications to join the Calgary cohort will be accepted until September 15, 2023.

Apply Today!

Don’t miss out on your chance to be part of CD4SG!

Applications for this year’s Creative Day for Social Good (CD4SG) are now open! What’s even more exciting? We will be back in person on October 19th and 20th in the Community Room at Google’s office in Kitchener, Ontario! Capacity Canada, in partnership with Intertek Catalyst, Conestoga College, HIM&HER, Google, and the creative community, will donate design and

marketing work to 10-12 chosen non-profit organizations from across the country through CD4SG. Students will receive guidance from teams of art directors, writers, account managers, and other creative professionals as part of CD4SG. Last year, more than $100,000 worth of pro bono work was created! Participating non-profits received marketing materials, including but not limited to branding (visual identity, logo creation or revision, brand guidelines, etc.), development of a public awareness/marketing campaign/fundraising campaign support (social media strategies and content, fundraising materials, video, marketing campaigns, etc.).

Apply Today!

Master the art of Board Governance with ModernBoard!

Are you a new board member or planning to join a board but don’t know where to start? Or are you someone looking to gain experience and expertise in board governance? With ModernBoard, you will have access to unique and comprehensive online training from non-profit board governance experts. Registration opens on July 24th for the two-course training module that includes multi-media guidance through video lectures, reading materials, and journaling opportunities to reflect on your personal experience with board roles, responsibilities, and more! In addition to accreditation from Capacity Canada, you will also earn a micro-credential in partnership with Conestoga College’s continuing education program! Over 304 participants have successfully completed a ModernBoard course since 2020. Reviews of this course are consistently positive with comments such as ” I highly recommend this course and the precursor- Essentials of Board Governance – to board members. It has certainly expanded and informed my understanding of what an effective board can be and this last section on exploring trends has been more helpful. – Lori Trumper

Learn more about the program  here!

Makeover Project Concludes Successfully!

Capacity Canada is grateful to the Government of Canada’s Women and Gender Equality division for providing us with resources and support to carry out an innovative partnership with Profound Impact and six Waterloo Region non-profits; namely, Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region, Coalition of Muslim Women, SHORE Centre, Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, and the YWCA of Cambridge. The Makeover Project, aimed at identifying barriers limiting women from underrepresented communities in the Waterloo Region from stepping into non-profit leadership roles, culminated after 15 months of operation. Through engaging a diverse group of relevant stakeholders, including women from underrepresented communities, the project co-created solutions and tools for making systemic change. The project outcomes – the Environmental Scan of Waterloo Region, which is a Journey Map to help organizations recognize and address barriers to leadership, and a virtual mentoring network concept and cultural transformation tool – will help organizations develop policies and practices, supporting them in their goals for greater inclusivity and equality. The solutions and tools can be accessed here. At the end of the project, the findings and tools were disseminated, and selected participants shared their experiences and takeaways that culminated in a webinar titled ‘Amplifying Voices, Driving Change: Building Inclusive Organizations’.

Why join our MatchBoard program?

Capacity Canada’s MatchBoard program pairs employees with non-profit boards that align with their passions, personalities, and professional skills – all while building their capacity to serve in governance roles. MatchBoard is focused on providing a positive experience and winning fit for both the employee and their selected non-profit board. Thierry Leroux-Demers from Manulife, based in Montreal, wanted to volunteer his time and joined Capacity Canada’s MatchBoard program. The program helped him identify his values and connect them to causes in his community. “Maulife’s strong community presence enhances my feelings of purpose and of belonging,” says Thierry. Today, Thierry is a board member at Chez Doris, a charity that provides shelter and support to help vulnerable women in Montreal reach their potential.

Learn more about the program on our website.

Nominations open for Capacity Canada’s Social Innovation Award!

Nominations for Capacity Canada’s Social Innovation Award are now open. The award is intended to recognize a recipient in one of the following categories:

Individuals (specific person or small group of people)
Organizations (include for-profit, non-profit or public sector organizations)
Communities (municipality, ethno-cultural community, etc.)

We have opened this award to businesses and municipalities as well, which allows for greater diversity in range of models and approaches that might be deserving of receiving the award. Letters of Nomination can be submitted to [email protected] by October 23, 2023.

Learn More

Support Capacity Canada

Each year, we help non-profits from all across Canada with Board Governance training. We are always grateful for our non-profit partners, community leaders, and their support. We are also grateful for the ongoing generous support of Suncor Energy Foundation and the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation. Your financial support will help Capacity Canada bring together the ideas, people, and resources that fuel social innovation. To donate, visit our website.

July 2023 Edition