Following Up on the Recommendations for the Task Force on Social Finance
This blog post is the sixth in a series related to the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance. In this series, Task Force members explore ideas and research that will help to catalyze a robust social finance marketplace in Canada.
The Task Force report reflects much of the work that is already taking place in many jurisdictions throughout the country to advance social enterprise and impact investing. The report provides many examples of the growing number of charities, non-profits, co-operatives, and social entrepreneurs are building businesses that address the social and environmental challenges of our time.
More and more, people are learning about the positive role that social finance, impact investing and social enterprise can have for addressing social and environmental challenges.
Here are FIVE ideas for advancing the Task Force recommendations in your community. If you have more ideas and would like to share them, please send an email to taskforce@socialfinance.ca.
1. Engage your political representatives.
Get to know and stay connected with your local municipal, provincial and federal representatives and share with them the report, “Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good”. Let your representative know your organization wants to expand and diversify its financial revenue to better serve our communities. Here is a brief document with direct action for ways the Federal and Provincial governments can advance the recommendations. Tell your representative what barriers your organization is faced with and the opportunities you can help catalyze. Imagine Canada developed a very useful “Election Tool Kit” that can be used when meeting with your MP or MPP.
2. Prepare and schedule a submission to parliamentary committees of the Federal government.
Make a submission to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance House of Commons
- Here is a guideline for the submission of briefs to the Government of Canada committees
- The House of Commons Committees Directorate will post other relevant parliamentary committees once the new session is underway
- Helpful hint for making a deputation; encourage volunteers, members and donors to present the ways the organization makes a positive difference to the community.
3. Become involved with your local networks.
Collective voices have a stronger impact. Strengthen your organizations voice by involving leaders in the business community who are on your boards, are active in the local Chamber of Commerce and involved with other fraternal organizations that care about the well-being of the community sector.
4. Get involved with organizations active in advancing social finance and social entrepreneurship.
There are many networks and organizations that are active in advancing social finance and social entrepreneurship. Below are some examples:
National organizations
Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada, Imagine Canada, Social Enterprise Council of Canada, CedNet, Canadian Cooperative Association, Social Innovation Generation, Ashoka Canada, Canadian Youth Business Foundation, Social Investment Organization, Community Foundations of Canada,National Summit on People’s Centered Economy
Regional organizations in the space are:
Chantier de’l'economie Sociale, Montreal Community Loan Association,
Carleton Centre for Community Innovation, COIN Economie Solidarie de l’Ontario, RDÉE, Ontario Council of Alternative Businesses, Social Economy and Sustainability Research Network, SiG@MaRS, The Wellesley Institute, Ontario Nonprofit Network, MaRS, Centre for Social Innovation, Calgary Chambers of Voluntary Organizations, Enterprising Non-Profits, and many more….
5. Join SocialFinance.ca and stay connected to current news and activities.
such as:
We hope this provides you with some of the ways to get involved and advance the seven recommendations within your communities. Your suggestions and ideas are an important part of building opportunities for social finance to grow. Be in touch by emailing taskforce@socialfinance.ca.
