About the Project
Open Hearth is a three-year project that aims to increase the presence of underrepresented women* in leadership and decision-making roles within the nonprofit sector. This project will advance the development of two concepts that were co-designed with women from underrepresented communities as part of the Makeover Project completed in 2023.
*underrepresented women – Indigenous; living with disabilities; members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities; newcomer, Black, racialized, and migrant women.
It will introduce a Women’s NFP (Nonprofit) Mentorship Network and pilot an EDIA (Equity Diversity Inclusion and Accessibility) Culture Change framework and toolkit. The Women’s NFP Network strives to establish an inclusive, safe, interactive, and collaborative mentorship platform, while the EDIA Culture Change framework and toolkit will be designed to help nonprofits instigate and sustain efforts required to make a cultural shift within their organizations. The initiatives will be implemented iteratively, starting with Waterloo Region, Ontario, and engaging Calgary, Alberta and St. John’s Newfoundland.
Women's NFP Mentorship Network
The Women’s NFP Mentorship Network aims to be an innovative platform for mentoring and collaboration. Challenging the conventional mentor-mentee relationship, the network aims to promote a culture of radical equality, where all participants can contribute, and form one-to-one or many-to-many connections.
- Research – Research on existing mentorship programs and best practices, stakeholder consultations with community members for gap analysis.
- First iteration – Co-creation of the Women’s NFP Mentorship Network using design thinking methodology with women from underrepresented communities and participants who conceptualized the framework.
- Rollout – Recruitment of women working in non-profits in Waterloo Region to engage in the Mentorship Network, with the platform being moderated.
- Subsequent iterations and Rollout – The platform will be adjusted based on participant feedback and more participants recruited for subsequent rollout in Calgary and St. John’s.
EDIA Culture Change Framework
The EDIA Culture Change framework aims to provide strategies, resources, and methodologies for organizational cultural change support women leaders and sustain the change.
- Research – Research on existing EDIA services and best practices, stakeholder consultations with non-profits for gap analysis.
- First iteration – Co-creation of the EDIA Culture Change framework using design thinking methodology with women from underrepresented communities and participants who conceptualized the framework.
- Internal training – Project team will receive training on the final EDIA Culture Change framework to support participating non-profits in implementing culture change in their organizations.
- Rollout – Recruitment of non-profits in Waterloo Region to pilot the framework.
- Subsequent Iterations and Rollout – The framework will be adjusted based on participant feedback and more non-profits recruited for subsequent rollout in Calgary and St. John’s.
If you are interested in learning more about the Open Hearth Project, or becoming a project participant,
Tools from the Makeover Project
The Makeover Project, funded by WAGE was implemented from January 2022 to April 2023. It involved stakeholders at multiple levels, including women from underrepresented communities, to address systemic barriers and promote gender diversity in not-for-profit leadership. The project’s results have influenced ongoing efforts to create inclusive environments for underrepresented women, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness and creating resources.
In September 2022, Capacity Canada gathered 13 women from nonprofit organizations in the Waterloo Region to share stories of discrimination and marginalization, highlighting their diverse backgrounds and experiences in decision-making positions.
In March 2023, women from underrepresented communities co-created an early concept solution to mentorship for diverse groups working in the non-profit space. This innovative concept aimed to promote radical equality, self-directed learning, and a safe, interactive, and collaborative environment, eliminating the traditional mentor-mentee relationship.
In March 2023, women from underrepresented communities co-created a concept for existing leaders to think about and map their organization’s transformation toward being a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible culture. The tool compares transforming organizations to nurturing a fire, providing valuable insights for change and adapting elements to fit organizational needs.
Meet the Team!
Liz Dennis
Project Lead
Leading teams in collaborative processes, process coaching regarding design thinking, creative group processes that leverage all participant input, group reflection that facilitates learning and provides a basis for organizational decision making.
Fableeha Choudhury
Project Manager
Fatima Awan
Project Assistant
Fatima Awan is currently a student at the University of Waterloo, studying Political Science, Legal Studies, and minoring in Public Policy and Administration. She has a huge passion for volunteering and community service which has helped her accumulate over 1,000 hours. She was recently awarded the Young Adult – Woman of the Year Award 2021 , Junior Leadership Award and the honorable Principal Award 2020. Fatima has been involved in over five youth committees and initiatives over the past four years. She is involved with City of Cambridge Youth Advisory, Region of Waterloo’s Youth Initiatives, Youth Force, University of Waterloo PART Member, and much more. Fatima has helped create Coalition of Muslim Women – KW first ever Youth Program called Youth Leaders 4 Change and has created the first ever Muslim Youth Council of Waterloo Region.
Hugh Munro
Designer, Capacity by Design
Hugh Munro is currently a design-thinking consultant in Capacity Canada’s Capacity by Design Program. He also continues to teach and consult in the areas of Marketing & Strategy for organizations in both the public and private sectors. Hugh also serves as Marketing Director on the Board for the Kitchener Blues Festival.
Previously Dr. Munro had a long academic career with Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario where he was a Professor in the Marketing Area. As a Professor he taught courses in the areas of Marketing and International Business in Laurier’s graduate and undergraduate programs and also guest taught abroad at a number of universities. His research interests include the commercialization of innovative products and the internationalization of small and medium-sized businesses. While at Laurier he also served in a number of leadership roles including MBA Director, Associate Dean of Business, and Director of the Laurier Trade Development Centre. Hugh received his Ph.D. and HBA degrees from the University of Western Ontario.
Let's start the conversation
If you have any questions, please contact Liz Dennis or Fableeha Choudhury at [email protected] or [email protected]
Funded By
