Investing in People in Prince Edward Island
written by Kathy Mueller, Canadian Red Cross
They come together on a warm spring day, seven staff and volunteer board members from the PEI Coalition for Women in Government, to attend a workshop on how to develop strong messaging and advocacy practices. As a non-partisan non-profit dedicated to advancing women’s leadership in the political, civic, and democratic life of Prince Edward Island, the organization wants to ensure its messages are not just heard but will resonate.
This training is one of several the Coalition has been able to offer its members over the past year, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF), a one-time $400 million investment to support community service organizations as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Post-pandemic, Sarah Outram, the Coalition’s Executive Director, says they found it more challenging to attract and retain volunteer board members and staff. They applied for funding through the CSRF to offer an in-person, professional development program for current and new personnel. That investment has paid dividends.
“Organizations like ours need the funding and capacity to invest in their people. I cannot stress
that enough,” explained Outram. “The visible impacts from this funding have
been a more cohesive working group. Our operations are running more smoothly. We’re
able to create a more solid foundation that we can grow from and then expand the
services that we’re able to offer.”
The PEI Coalition for Women in Government equips women and gender diverse groups with the skills and training needed to take on, and keep, leadership roles in the political sphere.
Aside from the messaging and advocacy workshop, the Coalition used CSRF funding to implement creative care, created plans for organizational sustainability, and held board governance training. Outram says this investment not only resulted in board members feeling appreciated and valued, it also helped them better understand the regulations and policies that must be adhered to when running a non-profit. “Our volunteer board members feel more confident in their roles,” explained Outram.
“More motions are being brought forward and ideas are flowing. These trainings are
helping to build a stronger community at the Coalition which, to me, is the most
important aspect.”
“I want to thank the Red Cross and CSRF program. I want to stress the importance of investing in your people for non-profits. If you don’t show appreciation to your staff, whether through helping with phone costs or parking spaces, those accessibility needs, you cannot retain valuable people, those good folks who really want to make a difference.”
The Community Services Recovery Fund was a one-time $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support community service organizations, including charities, non-profits, and Indigenous governing bodies as they focused on how to adapt their organizations for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Community Foundations of Canada, alongside the Canadian Red Cross and United Way Centraide Canada, supported close to 5,500 community service organizations through the Community Services Recovery Fund.