Arts Network Ottawa and Ottawa Arts Council are well-regarded cultural funders in the capital. Their merger to expand service offerings comes amid a post-COVID squeeze in the arts sector and heightened anxieties for the survival of small nonprofits.
Canada’s housing crisis spurs new interest in community land trusts. But, the size of the sector and relative obscurity of the land trust structure compared to other non-profit housing models means many interested Canadians don’t understand them well enough.
Technology lending libraries – where community members can borrow hardware and access the internet – are helping to overcome the digital divide. But they are a relatively new type of organization. How can their impact be measured in the short and long term, and how can they continue to advocate for funding?
Rising interest rates are making it more difficult for non-profit landlords to hang on to existing properties or create new ones, reducing the availability of commercial space for charities, non-profits and social entrepreneurs.
Social enterprises often champion inclusion, community, climate and skills development over profits, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t businesses. More awareness of this model could improve market access and increase the availability of financial capital.