12
Apr 2016Why our network needs access to our policy priorities
Here at ONN, we’ve always tried to make sure we let our network know about the issues, policies and projects we are working on. Using our website, social media, annual conference and other engagement opportunities, we share lots of information a lot of the time. However, as we think back on our journey so far we recognize that there is no one place to easily...
Read More
31
Mar 2016Move Over, Dilbert! Introducing The Evaluation Comic Series
For years, no one asked us the question, ‘why doesn’t ONN do a comic series?’ Luckily, however, through our work to develop a Sector Driven Evaluation Strategy, someone finally did. The result is an ONN milestone: our first ever comic series! The evaluation comic series** is inspired by one of the key themes in our conversations with the sector about nonprofit evaluation: when evaluation is undertaken primarily because it is...
Read More
23
Mar 2016There’s an Art to It: Exploring Creative Evaluation
Using art in your evaluation process can help better engage your stakeholders, remove barriers and is a fun, useful process. Guest blogger Helen Yung explores creative approaches to evaluation. When it comes to evaluation, one size never fits all. And, if conventional approaches to evaluation strike you as uninspired, formulaic, or ill-suited for your program or community, there are more creative options to explore. Engaging an...
Read More
10
Mar 2016Raising the Curtain on Accessibility: Resources from the performing arts
Image: Blind patrons among the audience enjoying audio described performance of Bethune at Factory Theatre Over the last year, ONN has been sharing accessibility resources from across Ontario through the EnAbling Nonprofits project. Sharing knowledge and putting accessible practices in place doesn’t just help us comply with accessibility laws, it strengthens our relationships with other nonprofits and our communities. In October, Rose and I joined the...
Read More
21
Jan 2016CRA Winding Down Political Activities Audit Program For Charities
“The results of the political activities audit program have shown that the charities audited have been substantially compliant with the rules regarding their involvement in political activities. In light of these outcomes, the program will be concluded.” – The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Revenue The federal minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has announced that the program established to...
Read More
21
Jan 2016Learning from the Literature: A First Step Toward Developing a Sector Driven Evaluation Strategy
We’ve been amazed by the number of people who are eager to talk evaluation with us. We think this interest arises in part because people understand that evaluation has huge potential to make a difference in the sector. Many of us see evaluation as a way to better explain the value of the work we do. At the same time, we know that people are...
Read More
13
Jan 2016Data-ness
Some years ago, Stephen Colbert coined the term “truthiness,” something that has the aura of truth because it just feels like the truth. When it comes to making a point, numbers have a special appeal, no doubt because they appear to offer objective neutrality. But the accumulation of numbers, the use of data, often merely approximates truth, offering “data-ness” as the numerical equivalence of truthiness....
Read More
17
Dec 2015The Reality of Coalition Building & Systems Change: Reflections on Maytree’s Connecting for Change conference
ast week, The Maytree Foundation kicked off the end to a great year with its conference, Connecting for Change, a day to build thought leadership on systems transformation and poverty reduction. Throughout the day, Maytree set the tone that systems goals must be accountable, measurable, accessible, and reflect lived experiences. Coinciding with Human Rights Day, the positive energy in the room was apparent. Several key...
Read More
15
Dec 2015Stepping Up: Nonprofits’ and Charities’ Role in Welcoming Refugees
he nonprofit and charitable sector has a reputation for stepping up in changing times and in times of need. We value and celebrate inclusivity; we open our doors and our programs and services to all in our communities on an ongoing basis. So the place we find ourselves now with respect to an influx of refugees is really no different – albeit requiring a more...
Read More
10
Dec 2015Unpacking Nonprofit Evaluation: Who is taking the risks and who is making the decisions?
As part of the Ontario Nonprofit Network’s efforts to develop the Sector Driven Evaluation Strategy, we have been collecting feedback from people on some of the issues of concern to them and what a strategy could do to help make evaluation more useful for the sector. This blog post is the first in a series that we will share with you related to a specific...
Read More