Coming Soon! Community Prosperity Now: A Blueprint
By Alexa Briggs, CCVO Director, Policy & Research
By most accounts, we now have an end in sight to the pandemic. A global crisis that will no doubt be a defining historical moment. There is no clear sense yet of what changes are to come because of this experience but it has exposed and amplified some of the existing inequities, and there is a push to reduce those inequities in a recovery that includes all. Inequities have been particularly exacerbated for: Women; Racialized People; and People Living in Low Income.
As we move into recovery, the nonprofit sector will be crucial, not only in fostering an equitable recovery but also in making sure that communities, all communities, prosper in the future. However, nonprofits are also facing some barriers in limiting our response:
The sector itself has been hard hit and organizations have suffered setbacks.
While nonprofit employees are busy providing for many people in our communities, they are also experiencing ‘compassion’ or ‘care’ fatigue. Giving anything extra right now is a huge challenge. Burnout and fatigue are definitely setting in.
The sector is diverse and broad, and we lack comprehensive data on the sector to be able to communicate our values.
The nonprofit sector has no home in government. Organizations don’t have one specific point of contact and often have to navigate multiple ministries separately, which have their own ways of operating and communicating. British Columbia recently appointed a Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Nonprofits. It’s an important indication that the province is prioritizing the sector and is giving organizations a means to navigate government bureaucracy.
Alberta lacks a priority of focus on the sector in both the recovery plan and most recent budget.
From these challenges of course come opportunities. CCVO’s first order of priority in addressing these challenges that the nonprofit sector is facing is to centre community in Alberta’s recovery and address the gap in the recovery plan and budget.
CCVO made a submission to the provincial government pre-budget with a request for a $350 million investment into a Social Infrastructure Fund. Social infrastructure are assets to society that support the quality of life of a nation, region, city, or neighborhood. These assets support us to create a more resilient, just, equitable, and sustainable society. A Social Infrastructure Investment like the one we are proposing would create 4500 jobs, nearly 3x more than the kind of capital projects in the province’s plan, and in jobs for women and racialized people.
In consultations around our Social Infrastructure Fund ask, we heard that it was a bold ask, but needed. Our report comes out before the end of this month, which includes recommendations for the nonprofit sector; a call for the private sector, the nonprofit sector and governments to work together; and a strong recommendation for an investment in Social Infrastructure in Alberta. We’ve identified four priority areas for investment in the nonprofit sector: Mental Health; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion; Youth Engagement; and Digital Transformation.
This work is the culmination of a year’s work that would not have been possible without all your input, support, and ideas. I hope you’ll enjoy the report and join CCVO in advocating for Community Prosperity Now.