We are very close to launching registration for the 2021 Community Futures National Event. Bookmark this page and watch your inbox for notifications.

In the meantime, celebrate Canada’s history virtually with Northern Lights, the beautiful sound and light show that illuminates the history of Canada onto Parliament Hill. It is really quite stunning, even online!

Watch now

Human Resources Policy & Templates  We have created a sub-category to make it easier to find these documents.

Sign in with your member ID first (if you have trouble or forgot your password, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) and see the image below for the location on the left side navigation bar.

Update from Desjardins –  This document asks about confirming a dependent’s student status. “If you don’t confirm their status, they’ll lose their coverage under your group plan.”

Visit the website here to confirm.

RRRF Report Summaries - These are report summaries for the RRRF. FedDev, FedNor and all of Ontario summaries can be found here. (You need to be signed in with your member ID)

Hopefully by now, you’ve received your CFO masks as a thank you for your incredible work over the past few months.

Since we are back in our office on rotating shifts, we decided to make it fun. Denise Kozachuck (on the right), our Finance and Member Services Officer, suggested the first return to work theme day, “Fancy Pants”, and one of our students, Olivia Vaseleniuck, our Communications and Official Languages Intern (on the left), pitched a “Funky Hat Day”.

(We only stood close for the photo, as we’ve been diligent about office precautions since coming back.)

Have any of your offices started to do ‘theme days’ again?

We’d love to see the photos! Please share. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Resilient Communities Fund is a one-time fund to support the non-profit sector in recovering and rebuilding from the impacts emerging from COVID-19 so they can effectively meet the needs of communities across Ontario.

This fund is providing a flexible range of activities over two deadlines to address the diverse needs of organizations and to support them where they are at in their recovery and rebuilding. 

Request amount: From $5,000 to $150,000

Grant term: up to 1 year

Application Deadlines: September 2, 2020 at 5 pm ET. and December 2, 2020 at 5 pm ET.

Read more and apply here

FedDev Ontario invests $10 million to expand operations and create 57 new jobs in rural southwestern Ontario 

Two renewable fuel producers, FORGE Hydrocarbons and IGPC Ethanol Inc., will scale up to increase productivity and stimulate economic growth.

Parliamentary Secretary, Kate Young, made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages.

Read more

FedDev Ontario announces over $12.4 million to help support jobs and opportunities in Indigenous communities 

This funding includes more than $10 million towards Aboriginal Impact Capital (AIC), a partnership between four Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs) serving First Nations and Métis-owned businesses in southern Ontario (also a Community Futures Ontario associate member).

Read more

The Indigenous-focused initiatives supported by FedNor include $1,500,000 being provided to the Waubetek Business Development Corporation. This provides for five-year operational funding to support strategic community planning, business counselling and information services, as well as access to capital, community-based projects and special initiatives.

The funding also includes $4,910,020 to Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF)/Comprehensive Community Planning (CCP) This is to provide technical and capacity development, and planning support for up to 20 First Nation communities within NADF's service area to undertake a CCP process. This will help communities to realize the full economic benefits from resource development opportunities such as the Ring of Fire.

Read more

“As Ontarian's brace for a potential “second wave” of COVID-19, a University of Guelph researcher wants to know how rural residents have handled the pandemic.”

Read CTV London article

The Oxford Economic Stimulus Fund, administered through Community Futures Oxford, recently announced its first round of COVID-19-related grants. These were awarded to five local organizations in Oxford County, totalling $90,000.

Read more

Prof. Wayne Caldwell (from Rural Planning and Development, University of Guelph) discusses the implications of COVID-19 on rural communities with Ray Bollman, a research affiliate with the Rural Development Institute, Brandon University and the Leslie Harris Centre for Regional Policy and Development, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Watch the video discussion below.

Community Foundations of Canada will open the second round of Investment Readiness funding from September 8 to October 9.

Starting in September, keep your eye out for #FeatureFriday. We will be showcasing one of the many CF client success stories across the province every Friday for the foreseeable future to highlight the hard work of members and of those you have helped. As well, some stories will share how entrepreneurs have shifted business models to accomodate, and to overcome recent adversity.

Make sure you are following us on social media to see all the featured clients! You can click the icons below to follow us if you aren't already.

Here's a sneak peak at our first profile!

An old tradition, made popular during the bubonic plague, is making a comeback.

“Everyone is confined to home for two months and then the government permits a gradual reopening,” the Wine Window Association website reads. “During this time, some enterprising Florentine Wine Window owners have turned back the clock and are using their Wine Windows to dispense glasses of wine, cups of coffee, drinks, sandwiches and ice cream — all germ-free, contactless!”

Read New York Post article

The rural town of Monto in Australia has been impacted by drought for a number of years. Keen to support the community's recovery and renewal, the Monto Magic Tourism Action Group applied for a grant.

With a $60,000 grant, the group kicked off the Monto Arts Trail Project as a way to attract more tourists, improve their local economy and increase overall prosperity.

Read more

“Schitt's Creek is a show about a rich family who have lost all of their fortunes moving to the small town they bought on a whim. Letterkenny is set in rural Ontario and follows two siblings and their extended network. Both shows go beyond caricaturing small-town life, while they play off the assumptions held about these places.”

In the Conversation Canada, Ashleigh Weeden of the University of Guelph and Laurie Brinklow and Maggie Whitten Henry from the University of Prince Edward Island explain how these shows reflect the diversity of small towns by presenting stories that are rich and complex narratives about rural Canadian life.

Read more

The Ontario Nonprofit Network and Assemblée de la Francophonie de l’Ontario partnered on a bilingual survey to understand the impact of the pandemic on Ontario’s nonprofits and charities, and the effectiveness of the public policy and supports provided by the provincial and federal governments. 1,131 nonprofits and charitable organizations in Ontario participated and the findings show that in the face of COVID-19, nonprofits continue to adapt to uncertain economic and political times.

Read the key findings and recommendations

Read the full report

Three of Carleton’s Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership graduate students embarked on a Capstone project, conducting research for the Ontario Nonprofit Network regarding the state of women’s leadership development in Ontario.

“Ultimately, our research demonstrates that becoming an effective woman leader in the nonprofit sector requires more than just a training program. Applying a gender-specific lens, creating a “safe space”, providing quality mentorship and allowing for time to develop as a leader are all essential elements to supporting women’s leadership.”

Read more

Read the full report

This is a resource from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), taken from their research called “How many Canadian businesses are at risk of permanently closing due to COVID-19?”, keep up with the progress as small businesses innovate and make their comeback.

More findings

Read the full report

Human resources is one of the more complicated aspects of running a small business. The complexities of working with people don't fit nicely onto a spreadsheet, yet HR is incredibly important – and employee salaries and benefits make up a huge chunk of your operating expenses.

"As a small business owner you cannot afford to hire the wrong person for your job. Read on to learn about a five-step hiring process that has the power to radically improve your hiring results."

Get the tips here

Indigenous Canada is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), offered by the University of Alberta, the Faculty of Native Studies, exploring Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.

“From an Indigenous perspective, this course explores key issues facing Indigenous peoples today from a historical and critical perspective highlighting national and local Indigenous-settler relations.”

Sign up here

What's Next - Moving Forward with John Swain

Wednesday, September 9th - 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Pre- registration is required

More info and registration

Time Management

Wednesday, September 16th, 2020 - 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Pre-registration is required

More info and registration

Goal Setting 

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020 - 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

Pre-registration is required

More info and registration

Leadership

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 - 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Pre-registration is required

More info and registration

Contact for questions or concerns. 

Elizabeth Crossland, Administrative Assistant

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone:  902-543-1067