Community-based supports and services

Community-based capacity building organizations offer a broad suite of programs and services for non-profits and voluntary organizations.

Community-based partners

  • Enhanced Capacity Advancement Program (ECAP)

    The ECAP helps to advance and strengthen the non-profit and voluntary sector. It provides multi-year operational funding for up to 3 years to Alberta-based non-profit organizations that:

    • build the capacity of other non-profit organizations in Alberta
    • strengthen and advance the capacity of Alberta’s non-profit and voluntary sector as a whole

    Programs and services provided by eligible organizations must be intended for any non-profit organization in the community, and may be offered at a local, regional or provincial scale.

    Find out more about ECAP

    Community-based partners

  • Creative Partnerships Alberta

    Creative Partnerships Alberta introduces donation and investment opportunities as well as capacity building programs to create a climate of social entrepreneurism for Alberta’s non-profits. This will enable the development of new sources of funding, access to business mentorship and assistance.

    Several capacity building programs funded by Creative Partnerships Alberta are offered by community-based organizations. These include:

    • Namada – an online resource navigation tool co-created by Alberta Social Economy Ecosystem Development (AB Seed)
    • UCeed – social impact fund, offered by Innovate Calgary and partners
    • Social Impact Lab Alberta – offered by United Way Calgary and Area, J5, and partners

    Learn more about capacity-building programs

  • Muttart Foundation

    The Muttart Foundation is a registered private charitable foundation. The Muttart Foundation believes that Canada is best served through a strong, independent, and interconnected voluntary sector. For almost 2 decades, the foundation has provided capacity-building funding to both individual charities and to charitable-sector infrastructure organizations – those charities that serve other charities. Currently the foundation’s funding is aimed at the following 2 strategies:

    1. To create, promote or support the organizational, legal and regulatory vehicles to allow the charitable sector to be full players in the development of public policy related to the sector and those it serves.
    2. To encourage the development of leadership at the sectoral level.

    The Muttart Foundation is a champion of increasing and improving the governance capacity of Alberta’s non-profit sector, which is a mutual aim shared by the Community Development Unit. The Government of Alberta works in partnership with the Muttart Foundation on key initiatives such as the Board Development Program and, more recently, the Alberta Non-Profit Learning Centre.

    Learn more about the Muttart Foundation:

  • PolicyWise

    PolicyWise for Children and Families has a wide range of available publications and toolkits to help organizations understand and use data. PolicyWise is also partnering with the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Nonprofit Network on an Alberta Nonprofit Data Strategy.

    •    PolicyWise reports and publications
    •    Alberta Nonprofit Data Strategy

Volunteering and volunteer management

National Volunteer Week

Every year, the UN celebrates International Volunteer Day on December 5. In partnership with Volunteer Alberta, the Government of Alberta offers funding to help Alberta’s volunteer organizations celebrate and recognize the value and power of volunteers in their communities.

Learn more about volunteer week

Volunteer Screening Program

The Volunteer Screening Program focuses on education and training. It provides non-profit organizations with a suite of tools and resources for screening volunteers, including:

  • education, training and resources
  • grants to implement volunteer screening policies and practices
  • Vulnerable Sector Check fee waiver

The Volunteer Screening Program is a unique partnership, funded by the Alberta government and administered and delivered by Volunteer Alberta.

Alberta volunteer centres

Volunteer centres across Alberta provide a variety of programs and services to help build the capacity of Alberta’s non-profit and voluntary sector. Volunteer Centres, connect volunteers with appropriate opportunities within their community.

Learn more and find a volunteer centre near you

Volunteer Connector

VolunteerConnector is a website for connecting volunteers to volunteer opportunities across Alberta. This site can be used to find available opportunities. It can also help organizations recruit volunteers and keep a pulse on volunteerism in their community.

Resources

Contact

Connect with us if you have questions or comments for the various non-profit programs and services. See our contact page for details.