How we work at ONN

ONN activates a provincial network to develop and analyze policy, and work on strategic issues through working groups, sector engagement and government relations. We operate as a network (our network guide explains the way we work) and we actively support the development of regional nonprofit networks.

Working groups

Volunteer leaders developing strategies to strengthen the sector and its sustainability.

Sector engagement

Communication channels to share information, a sector-wide annual conference, regional meetings for local mobilization, webinars, and other resources.

Government relations

Engaging with multiple provincial ministries to bring sector voices to policy development and decision-making spaces.

What we do

As an Ontario-focused network of nonprofits and charities, ONN has our eye on supporting a strong and resilient nonprofit sector. We work to engage, advocate and lead with- and for- organizations working for the public benefit in the province.

We actively convene voices across subsectors (like arts, sports, environmental and social services), focus on areas of agreement and action, experiment, and get work done through informal networks.

We focus on public policy, legislation and systems issues to influence change at the broader level.

What we don’t do

  • We do not provide one-on-one training, consulting for individual organizations and individuals, and formal education courses or certifications. We recognize areas where others excel, and refer and partner with them to avoid duplication.
  • We do answer questions and direct individual organizations to resources.
  • We do not advocate for individual organizations and their needs/aspirations.
  • We do not advocate for funding for specific organizations eg. more funding for certain services as we can’t possibly pick and choose in our network.

ONN: An international ally

ONN is proud to be the first International Ally of the National Council of Nonprofits, the national US network with 25,000-plus organizational members. Learn more about this unique partnership for ONN in our blog post.

We are grateful to Definity Foundation for being a Connector+.
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