4 - Non-Profits in the 21st Century? What do we need for revitalization?

This conversation took place on June 23, 2015: Get the transcript here
In Dialogue 4, we will explore how organizations are navigating difficult funding challenges. What are the new funding models?
Canadian charities and non-profits rely on many sources of revenue. Nearly half of revenues for non-profits (excluding hospitals, universities and colleges) come from earned income sources such as the sales of goods and services. Indeed, the pressure to expand earned income continues to grow in the face of fierce competition for individual and business donations and declining government support. Fifteen years of short-term, project-based funding, with slim to non-existent margins for critical infrastructure, has taken a huge toll on community organizations, and significantly reduced capacity for public communication and research. The inherent instability and power imbalance of Canada’s funding regime has led to a growing divide between large and small non-profits, between non-profits engaged in service delivery versus those involved in the traditional activities of civic engagement and advocacy, and between national and provincial/territorial jurisdictions. What new ways of organizing and funding models are possible for the social sector?
Moderated by
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Professor Ann Dale, is a Professor at Royal Roads University, School of Environment and Sustainability. Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Community Development, Canadian Consortium for Sustainable Development Research (CCSDR), National Environmental Treasure (the NET), HEADTalks
Research panel
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Ilona Dougherty, Youth Advocate, Public Policy Innovator, and President & Co-founder of Apathy is Boring www.apathyisboring.com
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Deborah Irvine, Board Director/Owner, Deborah Irvine Strategic Consulting and former CEO, United Way of the Lower Mainland
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Katherine Scott Vice President of Research, Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD)
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Robert Newell Research Associate, Community Research Connections Program, Royal Roads University
Changing The Conversations
(http://changingtheconversation.ca/?q=node/20#d)