The inclusion of social enterprises into existing and emerging COVID response programs, services and investments will address both economic and social issues by delivering blended value solutions through their very business activities.
Resources to help you and your social enterprise during Covid-19
Imagine Canada:
https://imaginecanada.ca/en/covid19
Coops & Mutuals Canada: https://us8.campaign-archive.com/?u=aa1dee5512ca3df8d247167a7&id=1aaa96a18d
Buy Social Canada: https://www.buysocialcanada.com/news/social-procurement-and-covid-19
Canadian Housing Co-op Federation: https://chfcanada.coop/housing-co-ops-and-covid-19/
Co-op Workers Federation of Canada:
https://canadianworker.coop/a-message-from-cwcf/
Springboard for the Arts: https://springboardforthearts.org/coronavirus/ (Note –there’s probably many other provincial specific resources for the arts.)
Ontario:https://theonn.ca/resources-covid-19/
Nova Scotia:https://www.csc-ns.ca/covid-19/
A little bit about the Social Enterprise Council of Canada
In the winter of 2007 a small group of social enterprise thought-leaders from across Canada met for a three-day retreat to explore the future of social enterprise in Canada. What emerged was an unincorporated entity named the Social Enterprise Council of Canada, SECC. Those founding members defined SECC as “an alliance of social enterprise leaders who leverage their networks, knowledge and experience in order to build a strong and enabling environment for social enterprise.”
That was over 10 years ago!!! We have accomplished so much in that time!
SECC adopted the following six ‘pillars’ as the foundational components of a supportive ecosystem back then, and still hold these pillars as the core of our being. (Click here for a full description of each of these pillars)
- Expand Market Opportunities
- Promote and Demonstrate the Impact
- Create a Supportive Regulatory Framework
- Enhance Enterprise Skills
- Ensure Access to Capital and Investment
- Animate Networks and Engagement
In 2014 the SECC incorporated as a federal non-profit corporation, in order to create greater capacity for social enterprise practitioners, supporters, intermediaries, funders and thinkers to engage in building the social enterprise sector. We will continue to convene the Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise every 2 years while helping to animate and support the implementation of the six ecosystem building “pillars” through partnership and collaboration with many other valued actors across the country. Notably, SECC will focus our efforts on the first three of these pillars buy promoting social procurement, measuring and capturing the impact of social enterprises in Canada, and working with governments at all levels and other policy makers to ensure that Social Enterprise can and will flourish.
If you are looking for the “Canadian Guide to Social Enterprise, 2nd Edition” which was published by enterprising non profits, you can download it here: the Canadian Social Enterprise Guide.
The following are some of the delivery partners of social enterprise development that remain active in communities across the country, and we encourage you to use the links below to connect with them directly for local support.
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Vancity Community Foundation (British Columbia) vancitycommunityfoundation.ca Established in 1989 under the Society Act of British Columbia, with an initial endowment of $1,000,000 from Vancity Savings Credit Union, Vancity Community Foundation (VCF) was founded with a mandate to enrich the community while building on the values of the credit union. Using community economic development strategies, partnerships, and advocacy, VCF enables community change, capacity building, and well-being. Its strategic focus areas are community owned real estate and social enterprise. |
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Trico Charitable Foundation (Alberta) www.tricofoundation.ca Established in 2008, the Trico Charitable Foundation seeks to promote innovation and capacity in social entrepreneurship in the Canadian context. We do this through education and resources for Alberta based non-profit organizations to evaluate and enhance their social enterprises; our biennial national Social EnterPrize; and sharing learnings with – and from – the local, national, and international social enterprise movement. |
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Social Enterprise Manitoba https://socialenterprisemanitoba.ca/Social Enterprise Manitoba is a network of action by people locally to create economic opportunities that improve social conditions. It is an initiative of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet). Social Enterprise Manitoba is an approach that recognizes that economic, environmental and social challenges are interdependent, complex and ever-changing. To be effective, solutions must be rooted in local knowledge and led by community members. CED promotes holistic approaches, addressing individual, recognizing that these levels are interconnected. |
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CSED (Ottawa and region) http://csedottawa.ca/ The Centre for Social Enterprise Development, CSED, is a not for profit organization that advances businesses and organizations, whose primary objective is to drive systemic social change. Its belief in the power of the social enterprise sector, and its ability to make the world a better place allows CSED to be a leader in social enterprise development in Canada.Recognizing the challenges, and rewards, in scaling social impact through innovative social enterprises, CSED offers a continuum of support including access to technical expertise, coaching, financing, training, social procurement advisory and cross-sector partnerships. |
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The Toronto Enterprise Fund (Toronto and region) torontoenterprisefund.ca The Toronto Enterprise Fund (TEF) is a unique funding partnership of United Way Toronto & York Region and the municipal, provincial and federal governments, whose mission is to be a leader in supporting the development and sustainability of social enterprises that result in improved community involvement, economic participation, and quality of life for people who are socially marginalized. TEF provides seed funding to new social enterprises, and operating grants to existing ones, as well as extensive business development supports to help enterprises start, grow and thrive. TEF manages the Social Purchasing Project, which connects social enterprises to government and corporate procurement opportunities. |
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Common Good Solutions (Nova Scotia and region) http://commongoodsolutions.ca/Common Good Solutions provides training, coaching, technical and consulting services to individuals and organizations looking to create value in the space where smart business and social impact meet. |