CCVO Email Bulletin from June 30, 2006

In this email bulletin from the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations you will find resources and news items for and about the voluntary sector.

New Resources

New NSNVO Alberta Report and Key Recommendations Report

On June 29, Imagine Canada released a series of new NSNVO subsector and regional profile reports, including a profile of Alberta’s voluntary sector. They have also released a report with key recommendations on what government, businesses and organizations can do to strengthen the capacity of the sector to better serve Canadians. Visit  Nonprofitscan.ca to see all the reports.

VoluntaryGateway.ca Has a New Look & New Resources

The Voluntary Gateway portal website offers information and resources for board members, staff and volunteers deal with issues such as sustainability and finance, funding, marketing, policy planning, human resources, board governance, volunteer management, and more. Services include online forums, email newsletter, news headlines from across Canada, and links to others across the nation.

Insurance Toolkit Website Online

A new website based on the “Insurance Toolkit for the Voluntary Sector” is now online at www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca/insurance. The website content is based on the Insurance Toolkit that CCVO developed for the Alberta Voluntary Sector Insurance Council. The toolkit is also available in PDF format.

Survey Reveals Cost of Screening Volunteers in Alberta

A recent survey commissioned by Volunteer Alberta suggests that Alberta's voluntary sector is facing escalating costs because of growing demands for volunteer screening. Survey results indicate that in 2005, the voluntary sector spent more than $1 million on Police Information Checks (PICs). Visit the Policy Channel website to download the full report.

Special Services for the Sector

Need Design Help? Try ACAD’s Public Design Service- Deadline Aug. 15

For a small honorarium, your nonprofit can work with students from the Alberta College of Art & Design's Public Design service to design brochures, advertising, posters, websites, signage, logos, newsletters and more. Visit ACAD's website for more details about how to apply.

Pro Bono Legal Work for the Sector

Pro-Bono Students Canada at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Law provides free legal assistance to charities and nonprofits. Law students who are interested in doing volunteer work are matched with non-profit agencies, government organizations and other public interest organizations. Visit the Faculty of Law's Pro Bono Student website for details about how to apply.

Funding Opportunities

Understanding the Early Years Initiative- Deadline Sept. 29

Human Resources and Social Development Canada has issued a second Call for Proposals for the Understanding the Early Years (UEY) initiative. Deadline for proposals is September 29. The initiative helps give Canadian children the best possible start in life. It provides families and their communities with information on their young children and the factors that influence children's development as well as the existing programs and services that support them. For more details about how to apply, visit the Understanding the Early Years website at www.sdc.gc.ca

Community Sports Programs for Aboriginal Girls- Deadline Aug. 8

Team Spirit: Aboriginal Girls in Sport is a national project designed to increase community sport opportunities for Aboriginal girls and young women (ages 9-18). The program is seeking proposals from organizations across Canada to develop and implement multi-year community sport programs for Aboriginal girls and young women. The deadline to apply is August 8.  Visit http://caaws.ca/onthemove/e/aboriginal/communication.htm for details.

News

Federal Treasury Board Creates Panel to Advise on Grants and Contributions Programs

On June 6, the Treasury Board of Canada announced the creation of an independent blue-ribbon panel to recommend measures to make the delivery of grant and contribution programs more efficient, while ensuring greater accountability. The panel includes representatives from public, private and nonprofit sector. To read the full details, visit the Treasury Board Online

Albertan Nonprofit Feels Effects of Worker Shortage

This article from the daily Herald Tribune in Grand Prairie investigates how Alberta’s hot economy is negatively affecting a local art group’s ability to offer their program.  Visit the Herald Tribune online to read the full story