The Pillar Community Impact Program is designed to strengthen the core business functions of community organizations in support of recovery efforts. Through high-touch support, the Pillar Community Impact Program aims to sustain and deepen the impact of local social impact organizations.
Each successful applicant will receive consulting services equivalent to a value between $2,500 and $10,000. Services offered to program recipients will be customized based on the needs of each organization and may include consulting services, customized workshops, training, governance reviews, individual coaching and more. Participants will also gain access to Pillar’s network of connections and support accessing services to help the further development of their organizations.
Our pilot year of programming was a great success, as we were able to offer support to four organizations with core business function consulting services valued at over $41,000. We also identified ways to support an additional 24 organizations through access to a Pillar membership, working space at Innovation Works, opportunities to participate in our Learning and Development programming, or connections to communications support through our in-kind sponsors. Learn more about our impact here.
Services offered
Successful applicants can choose one of the following services, which will be customized based on an assessment of organizational readiness and needs by the Pillar Community Impact Program team.
Develop an Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Oppression Action Plan
- Includes a stakeholder survey, strategic equity sessions, and a draft diversity, equity and inclusion action plan
- Topics covered may include: brave spaces, anti-racism and anti-oppression, implicit bias training, and equitable hiring and board recruitment
Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Oppression Training for Board and Staff
- Sessions may include: two half-day in-person or virtual sessions; or a half-day session on the board’s role in embedding an equity lens
- Topics covered may include: brave spaces, anti-racism and anti-oppression, implicit bias training, and equitable hiring and board recruitment
Strategic Planning
- Includes a strategic stakeholder survey, two half-day strategy planning sessions, action plan template, and a key indicators tracking template
Communications and Impact Storytelling Organizational Assessment
- Includes an audit of current communications platforms and tactics along with recommendations on best practices and next steps aligned with organizational strategies and objectives
Business Planning
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Focus depends on organizational need, and may include: social enterprise start-up or growth readiness assessment; business coaching for leadership and operations staff, and/or business financial review and investment options analysis
Board Governance Professional Development
- Includes two half-day in-person or virtual sessions for board of directors, and coaching for Executive Director or organizational leader and Board Chair
- Topics covered may include: reviewing board governance models and understanding your governance approach, board fiduciary roles and responsibilities, leading with a strategic lens, the board-executive relationship, the importance of board governance policies, board recruitment and evaluation, risk management, scope and purpose of a strategic plan
Application and selection process
- Applications are now closed
Eligibility
- You are an employee of a grassroots, volunteer-run, social enterprise, advocacy, nonprofit, charity initiative or organization invested in positive social or environmental impact
- You have an operating budget under $1M and have a financial need for core business functions support
- You are located in London, Elgin, Middlesex or Oxford Counties
- You are not related to any employee or board member of Pillar Nonprofit Network
- You don’t have to be a registered charity or nonprofit
- NOTE: by applying to this program, you consent to exploring storytelling/communications activities about your experience for Pillar’s platforms or in the media
- Questions? Email mlcontursi@pillarnonprofit.ca
