Well, $350 million fund is not really available to NfP's and charities in Canada for critical work

I attended a webinar in 2020 held by the organizations to discuss the funding available to NfP's in Canada during the pandemic. I was so happy to see so many different organizations on the call - from community organizations to large national organizations. This time is different I thought. I know it! I feel it! There's a pandemic! The Feds know that real help is needed and the work is done by the community organizations.

I was wrong. So wrong. I have ALL the respect in the world for the 3 organizations in the world chosen to administer this funding and it totally makes sense that the Feds don't have the resources to administer $350 million in grants.

But the parameters around the funding? Here are some of questions and answers from the end of the webcast. Remember the backdrop. Community organizations do important work (non COVID related) in areas of education, unemployment, camps for kids, homelessness, disease research and prevention, and help the most vulnerable in our society. They have all had their funding decline - because it's redirected to COVID and PPE (the "sexy" thing to fund right now to get press).

So everyone is excited and hopeful that the Feds will come through. We get on the call with these 3 national organizations hoping for answers on how this $350 million will be distributed.

• Question: hi can we apply this funding to programs we already do? (aka, programs have ALREADY been developed to help the vulnerable/address the cause) Answer: Oh no, this is not sustainable / foundational funding. We are looking for you to do a specific project to support people impacted by the pandemic.

• Question: but we already have projects running and our regular work needs funding. Answer: Oh no, this is not funding for operations. This has nothing to do with stabilization funding for the sector (no follow ups here about what the 3 organizations are doing to advocate for core operations funding)

• Question: Okay, it will take us some time to design a project and apply. Answer: Well, the project has to be fast, have a start time and an end date (finite - because no help is forever come on!), and this is all because the Feds are doing a great job of getting this funding out as fast as possible - before July 2020.

• Question: This sounds complicated. Answer: not at all, we are making available to you webinars and an application guide! (if it's not complicated, why all of these things)

I was SO disappointed in listening to representatives from these 3 organizations announce all of the parameters around funding to the not for profits they are serving and advocating for.

This right here my friends, is why the Not for Profit sector CANNOT solve large scale problems and can't even provide the bare minimum services during a pandemic. The government and 3 national organizations who know about the critical (non sexy) services that community organizations are providing, still want to tie their hands and make them jump for money. It's like saying you have $2,000 to come up with the IPhone, but make sure you don't use your current team, don't spend it on the research you are already doing, just all new stuff please and a set start date and end date. It doesn't work!

I could end the article here but that would not be productive. So, my friends who work for the Feds (I appreciate you and the PM), here is what I would ask for:

• provide core funding to not for profits. if there is no more money, change the $350 million parameters and take off all the strings associated with it. Give it to charities with strong leadership doing good work. Make that the assessment.

• be honest if you can't invest more and understand that will have an impact on charities. Maybe you are okay with that economic loss. That's okay too, but just be open about it so charities and not for profits can appropriately plan for lay offs and cutting back on programs and start working on survival if they need to

• treat community organizations who do work day in and day out with respect. They know how to develop programs and deliver them. They do this every day.

To my friends at the 3 organizations administering the funding

• don't fall in to the superiority funding trap of being the big guys against the little guys. I know you got the $, but like my dad used to say - when you want to get to know someone, see how they treat people when they have power

• advocate for the community organizations. make funding easy to apply for and distribute

To my friends who are considering donating to charities including Black Lives Matter movement (clearly, based on the above, the sector needs us more than ever)

• "i want my $ to have an impact and not let it go to some flashy CEO's salary <--- if you believe this - please watch Dan Pallotta's video at and it will be the best 19 minutes you have ever spent

• be inspired and give. if you can't give, encourage others to give

Thank you,

Neha

Original LinkedIn post - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/350-million-fund-available-nfps-charities-canada-charnalia-cpa-ca/