Niagara Community Foundation Accelerator
Opens 2024 Nov 7 00:00 (EST)
Deadline 2024 Dec 5 00:00 (EST)
Description

The Niagara Community Foundation and Imagine Canada are pleased to announce the first Ontario-based Accreditation Accelerator program for organizations based in the Niagara Region who want to pursue accreditation through Imagine Canada’s Standards.

The Standards Accreditation Program is designed to support organizations so that they can elevate their practices and demonstrate excellence to their donors, staff team, and partners. Imagine Canada is pleased to partner with the Niagara Community Foundation to help organizations identify and mitigate organizational risk, improve governance practices, promote financial transparency and accountability, and foster a strong workforce.

About the Regional Accreditation Accelerator Program

Successful organizations will receive in-kind assistance to pursue Standards Accreditation through the program. In-kind assistance will provide up to twelve months of free access to the Standards Community, including access to a peer advisor, and a waived Standards application fee. Recipients will also be connected to a supportive network with other Niagara-based organizations in the cohort.

 This program is made possible through the generous support of the Niagara Community Foundation (NCF).

“NCF is proud to continue our strong association with Imagine Canada by providing funding to charities and nonprofits here in Niagara looking to benefit from the Standards Program through the new Regional Accelerator initiative,” states Bryan Rose, NCF Executive Director. “In alignment with our strategic pillar of Excellence, NCF became accredited with Imagine Canada in 2012. As a philanthropic leader in our region, NCF is committed to empowering Niagara charities and nonprofits. Working with Imagine Canada to help these groups achieve this important accreditation not only provides strength and resiliency for the each organization, but adds confidence in and empowers the entire charitable sector throughout Niagara.”

Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria 

The Niagara Community Foundation Regional Accreditation Accelerator is open to charitable organizations and public-benefit nonprofit organizations based in the Niagara Region. Existing Standards Community members who are yet to pay their application fee are also eligible to apply. 

Don’t hesitate to email us at standards@imaginecanada.ca if you have any questions about the program. 

Veuillez noter que le processus de demande pour ce programme de soutien de la Niagara Community Foundation est disponible en anglais seulement. Les organismes qui souhaitent y participer doivent donc présenter leur demande en anglais. Les organismes dont la demande sera retenue pourront ensuite choisir de préparer leur demande d’agrément aux Normes d’Imagine Canada en français ou en anglais. 

How to Apply

We recognize that the accreditation application and the internal practice improvement that goes along with it requires substantial effort for organizations’ staff. To mitigate this and make the program more accessible, we have endeavored to keep the accelerator application process as simple and succinct as possible.

In Stage 1, we invite all interested applicants to complete a 10-minute online statement to help us understand your organization and your interest in applying to the program. The deadline for completing the statement is December 5th 2024, 11:59pm.

APPLY NOW

Expressions of interest will be reviewed for alignment with the program’s goals and eligibility criteria. All applicants will be notified as to whether they are being invited to Stage 2 in the application process. 

Applications that reach Stage 2 will be reviewed by a selection committee. Should we receive more applications than it is possible to fund, the committee will evaluate applicants using the following categories:

  • Rationale: Has the organization strongly articulated how being accredited will impact their ability to deliver on their mission? Have they articulated a strong case for why this in-kind assistance will bolster their efforts? 

  • Approach: Are the project timelines for getting accredited reasonable?  Does the organization have a team with the ability to execute, and strong leaders with experience in operational change? Have they previously attempted to pursue accreditation? (If so, what did they learn?). 

  • Strategy: Does the organization have a vision and plan for social impact? Do they show a desire for learning and continuous improvement? What other organizations does the applicant collaborate with to achieve their mission? 

  • Diversity: Is the staff, board members, and executive team representative of diverse backgrounds? Does the organization specifically focus on supporting marginalized communities?

ABOUT The Imagine Canada Standards

Created “by the sector for the sector,” the Imagine Canada Standards Accreditation is the only national accreditation program that is designed for all Canadian charities and nonprofits. To earn accreditation, organizations must demonstrate excellence in five fundamental areas: board governance; financial accountability and transparency; fundraising; staff management; and volunteer involvement. 

ABOUT The Niagara Community Foundation

The Niagara Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Niagara by helping to connect donors with causes, and communities to resources. In addition to providing funding and resources, the Foundation also created “the Centre of Excellence in Nonprofit Governance” or COE. This six part program offers assistance to organizations to help identify challenges they are facing with respect to their organization’s governance, and management, and to provide expertise and resources to help charities improve their practices in these areas.

Niagara Community Foundation Accelerator


The Niagara Community Foundation and Imagine Canada are pleased to announce the first Ontario-based Accreditation Accelerator program for organizations based in the Niagara Region who want to pursue accreditation through Imagine Canada’s Standards.

The Standards Accreditation Program is designed to support organizations so that they can elevate their practices and demonstrate excellence to their donors, staff team, and partners. Imagine Canada is pleased to partner with the Niagara Community Foundation to help organizations identify and mitigate organizational risk, improve governance practices, promote financial transparency and accountability, and foster a strong workforce.

About the Regional Accreditation Accelerator Program

Successful organizations will receive in-kind assistance to pursue Standards Accreditation through the program. In-kind assistance will provide up to twelve months of free access to the Standards Community, including access to a peer advisor, and a waived Standards application fee. Recipients will also be connected to a supportive network with other Niagara-based organizations in the cohort.

 This program is made possible through the generous support of the Niagara Community Foundation (NCF).

“NCF is proud to continue our strong association with Imagine Canada by providing funding to charities and nonprofits here in Niagara looking to benefit from the Standards Program through the new Regional Accelerator initiative,” states Bryan Rose, NCF Executive Director. “In alignment with our strategic pillar of Excellence, NCF became accredited with Imagine Canada in 2012. As a philanthropic leader in our region, NCF is committed to empowering Niagara charities and nonprofits. Working with Imagine Canada to help these groups achieve this important accreditation not only provides strength and resiliency for the each organization, but adds confidence in and empowers the entire charitable sector throughout Niagara.”

Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria 

The Niagara Community Foundation Regional Accreditation Accelerator is open to charitable organizations and public-benefit nonprofit organizations based in the Niagara Region. Existing Standards Community members who are yet to pay their application fee are also eligible to apply. 

Don’t hesitate to email us at standards@imaginecanada.ca if you have any questions about the program. 

Veuillez noter que le processus de demande pour ce programme de soutien de la Niagara Community Foundation est disponible en anglais seulement. Les organismes qui souhaitent y participer doivent donc présenter leur demande en anglais. Les organismes dont la demande sera retenue pourront ensuite choisir de préparer leur demande d’agrément aux Normes d’Imagine Canada en français ou en anglais. 

How to Apply

We recognize that the accreditation application and the internal practice improvement that goes along with it requires substantial effort for organizations’ staff. To mitigate this and make the program more accessible, we have endeavored to keep the accelerator application process as simple and succinct as possible.

In Stage 1, we invite all interested applicants to complete a 10-minute online statement to help us understand your organization and your interest in applying to the program. The deadline for completing the statement is December 5th 2024, 11:59pm.

APPLY NOW

Expressions of interest will be reviewed for alignment with the program’s goals and eligibility criteria. All applicants will be notified as to whether they are being invited to Stage 2 in the application process. 

Applications that reach Stage 2 will be reviewed by a selection committee. Should we receive more applications than it is possible to fund, the committee will evaluate applicants using the following categories:

  • Rationale: Has the organization strongly articulated how being accredited will impact their ability to deliver on their mission? Have they articulated a strong case for why this in-kind assistance will bolster their efforts? 

  • Approach: Are the project timelines for getting accredited reasonable?  Does the organization have a team with the ability to execute, and strong leaders with experience in operational change? Have they previously attempted to pursue accreditation? (If so, what did they learn?). 

  • Strategy: Does the organization have a vision and plan for social impact? Do they show a desire for learning and continuous improvement? What other organizations does the applicant collaborate with to achieve their mission? 

  • Diversity: Is the staff, board members, and executive team representative of diverse backgrounds? Does the organization specifically focus on supporting marginalized communities?

ABOUT The Imagine Canada Standards

Created “by the sector for the sector,” the Imagine Canada Standards Accreditation is the only national accreditation program that is designed for all Canadian charities and nonprofits. To earn accreditation, organizations must demonstrate excellence in five fundamental areas: board governance; financial accountability and transparency; fundraising; staff management; and volunteer involvement. 

ABOUT The Niagara Community Foundation

The Niagara Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Niagara by helping to connect donors with causes, and communities to resources. In addition to providing funding and resources, the Foundation also created “the Centre of Excellence in Nonprofit Governance” or COE. This six part program offers assistance to organizations to help identify challenges they are facing with respect to their organization’s governance, and management, and to provide expertise and resources to help charities improve their practices in these areas.

Opens
2024 Nov 7 00:00 (EST)
Deadline
2024 Dec 5 00:00 (EST)