Get Involved

Ways you can advance the seven recommendations from the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance.

On April 27th, the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance held its first webinar. Task Force members, Nancy Neamtan and Tim Brodhead were joined by 100 people from across Canada. Attendees wanted to know ways they can get involved in advancing the recommendations.  Below are some suggestions and useful links.

Five suggestions for advancing the recommendations.

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”.

2. Prepare and schedule a submission to parliamentary committees of the Federal government.

3. Become involved with your local networks and take advantage of learning opportunities.

4. Join SocialFinance.ca and stay connected to current news and activities

5. Attend events such as:

• CEDNet Regional Conferences
• Social Enterprise Council of Canada annual conference
• fiess2011   
• The Task Force report back on December 13th

These supporting documents provide you with a deeper dive.

Engage your political representatives. 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 these are the barriers your organization is faced with and these are 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.

Make a submission to the Government of Canada's Standing Committee of Finance

• This summer 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.

Get involved with Canadian networks and organizations active in advancing social finance and social entrepreneurship.  Below are some examples:

Imagine Canada, Social Enterprise Council of Canada, CedNet, Chantier de’l'economie Sociale, Canadian Cooperative Association, Social Innovation Generation, Ashoka Canada, Canadian Youth Business Foundation, Social Investment Organization, Community Foundations of Canada, Calgary Chambers of Voluntary Organizations, Carleton Centre for Community Innovation, Community Opportunity and Innovation Network of Peterborough, Economie Solidarie de l’Ontario, RDÉE, Montreal Community Loan Association, Ontario Council of Alternative Businesses, Social Economy and Sustainability Research Network, Shareholder Association for Research and Education, Social Economy Research Hub, Social Venture Exchange, SiG@MaRS, The Wellesley Institute, Ontario Nonprofit Network, MaRS, Centre for Social Innovation, Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada, SEDI,  National Summit on People’s Centered Economy, and many more….

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.

We hope this provides you with some of the ways to 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.

Contact: For more information about the Task Force on Social Finance, please email (taskforce@socialfinance.ca).

SocialFinance.ca is pleased to serve as the online repository for information and discussions about the Task Force.