Over eight months in 2010, the Ontario government consulted with not-for-profit organizations and their representatives on ways that the government could better support the NFP sector. “Participants advised on legislation, policies, structural issues and funding mechanisms. They also contributed ideas on how to better coordinate policy, research and communication with and for the sector.”
Key recommendations from the consultations include:
- Promoting a culture of respect and recognition for NFPs within government and across the province
- Appointing a minister and government department/”coordinating body” to be responsible for, and accountable to, the NFP sector
- Fostering coordination and collaboration via this new department
- Building NFP sector by addressing funding, operational and capacity challenges
- Supporting growth of “tradition of volunteerism”
- Modernizing, standardizing and streamlining interactions between government and organizations
- Reducing bureaucracy and improving access to information
- Investing in social innovation
The Partnership Project is up and running, and one thing organizations should find especially useful is the grants and funding page, which features links to moneys available to NFPs in Ontario. There is also the Partnership Grant Program, which:
Supports projects of one to three years that are aimed at making a significant impact on Ontario’s not-for-profit sector. The grants are aimed at projects that build capacity in the sector in areas such as communications, coordinated service delivery, volunteer management, training and governance.
Take a look for more detail and see what the Partnership Project means for your organization.
Adam Gorley
First Reference Internal Controls, Human Resources and Compliance Editor
