Bow Valley Non-Profits

The Bow Valley is home to a diverse collection of not-for-profit, charitable, and grassroots organizations. This website acts as a central resource hub. Featuring capacity building resources such as funding and training opportunities. You’ll also find a list of over 225 organizations, updates and more.

Bow Valley Non-Profits Summit
Nov 28/29, 2024

Networking & Keynote Speaker Event
Sponsored by Banff Canmore Foundation
Date: Thursday, Nov 28th
Time: 6:00-8:30 pm
Location: artsPlace in Canmore

Networking & Workshops
Sponsored by: Wim & Nancy Pauw Foundation
Date: Friday, Nov 29th
Time: 8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Location: Rocky Mountain Resort in Banff

Organized by the Town of Canmore & Town of Banff.

***** SCROLL DOWN FOR EVENT DETAILS *****

  • Visit www.Banff.ca/register
  • Click on “Courses” in the top toolbar
  • Scroll down to find the “Bow Valley Non-Profit Summit” under “Workshops and Events”
  • Select “Register Now”
  • Or – register via phone at 403-762-1251 
Questions? Contact Laura Wellmann: [email protected] or Jessica Labonte: [email protected]

Please note:

  • This event is for local groups and organizations who serve the Bow Valley.
  • Pricing for this event has given consideration to the variety of available funds for professional development organizations may have. Please select your registration fee based on your group/organization’s budget.
  • We kindly request you limit registration to a maximum of 3 attendees per group/organization, to allow for increased access to this opportunity at this time. If space allows for additional registrations, we will communicate this at a later date.

Keynote Speaker – Nov 28, 2024
Sponsored by Banff Camore Foundation

Darcy Riddell, PhD., has been working on transformative change and sustainability for over 25 years, advancing land and forest conservation, innovating philanthropic practice, and training thousands of Canadian social and environmental leaders in social innovation, changemaking and leading in complexity. 

She has led programs at Makeway and McConnell Foundation, and facilitated multi-sector change initiatives, and is currently the Partnerships and Strategy Lead for RAD Network (Restore, Assert, Defend), advancing Indigenous-led conservation through climate finance and nature-based solutions.

Darcy is passionate about supporting people and communities to reach for transformative impacts, while deepening our humanity in the process.

What Was I Made For?  Going Beyond Roles and Getting to What Really Matters in Our Work

What do we do when the old ways stop working?  Many people are experiencing that the work we do to provide social supports, invest in positive change, and protect the people and places we love, are threatened by changing contexts, often beyond our control. We have entered a time where breakdown is as common as progress, and this means we need to rethink how we make change.  Darcy will share practices for how we can write a more conscious story of changemaking for ourselves, our communities and the wider world of which we are a part, drawing on insights from decades of working with leaders in systems change and social innovation.

Speakers & Workshops – Nov 29, 2024
Sponsored by Wim & Nancy Pauw Foundation
 

Local Heroes: Engaging and Retaining Volunteers in the Bow Valley – Presented by Kathy Arney, KEA Canada

Join us for an interactive session, exploring volunteerism in the Bow Valley! Through sharing and discussion, attendees will learn tailored strategies for recruiting and retaining volunteers in their organization.

See volunteerism through a different lens and build your organizational skill set for crafting meaningful volunteer experiences.

Amplifying Your Cause: Strategic Storytelling for the Modern Nonprofit – Facilitated by Kathy Arney, KEA Canada

Is your organization struggling to communicate its value and relevance? Are you looking to leverage the communication tools you have for greater results? Come along to this panel discussion as we hear local experts delve into techniques to tell your story in ways that resonate with donors, volunteers, and communities. 

Panelists

Kristy Wolfe
A digital storytelling facilitator, podcast host, photographer, medical mom, and Wolfe Pack Warrior. Kristy brings a unique perspective on how to craft and share authentic, powerful stories that cut through the noise.

Jason Thompson
A lifelong storyteller who specializes in building confidence, clarity, and conviction for leaders through strategic storytelling, Jason amplifies his perspective from over two decades of working in the film/tv/video game industry and will share his insights on how to harness storytelling as a tool for deep and impactful emotional connection.

Jenny Spurr (Perch Communications)
A seasoned communications strategist, community connector, and storyteller who has worked with over 40 nonprofits across Canada. Jenny has uncovered the secret to standout storytelling, and she’ll help us understand what it takes to truly engage and inspire our audiences.

Beyond Collaboration – The Process and Possibilities of a Non-Profit Merger

Presented by Mike Grogan – Integral Org.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African proverb

Non-profit organizations are experienced at working together collaboratively. Partnerships between organizations can have substantial benefits such as amplified community impact, increased service ability, enhanced visibility, accessibility and operational efficiency.

Join us as we unpack the different ways non-profit entities can strategically come together and hear the story of the recent merger of Calgary SCOPE Society and Care Human Services.

DEI in the Non-Profit Landscape
Presented by Makaylah Rogers & Jenna Wray, Scale Naturally

Come together to better understand your unique role to create more inclusive and equitable environments in the non-profit sector. Hear stories of lived experience from those in marginalized groups, confront the fear of “getting it wrong” and be inspired to champion inclusion efforts within your organizations. Walk away with actionable strategies and next steps to improve sense of belonging and well-being of marginalized groups.

Bow Valley Non-Profits Report 2023

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2023 Bow Valley Non-Profits survey and engagement events in Canmore and Banff. The intent was to increase understanding of supports and resources that may be required as well as gain a “snapshot in time” of the overall health of our local non-profits and community groups in terms of current human, financial and operational resources.

Stay tuned for future opportunities! A date will be announced for the next set of Collective Events, a chance to network and share ideas.

Based on the data collected and the themes identified through the survey, key recommendations include:

  • Increase training workshops and website resources related to priority areas identified: fundraising, succession planning, board recruitment, and grant writing.
  • Create online and “guide type” resources related to topics of interest.
  • Investigate options for the sharing of centralized resources and assets and research to further understand the specific types of space and equipment required by non-profits and community groups.
  • Create opportunities and vehicles for nonprofits and community groups to connect for information-sharing purposes and ideas generation on collective opportunities to advance relevant issues.
  • Given the large percentage of organizations dependent upon fundraising for their operations, identify key supports including, sharing of fundraising ideas, access to upcoming grant information and other funding opportunities and models.
  • Host opportunities to dig deeper into the themes identified in the survey.

If you have any questions, please contact, Laura Wellmann, Town of Canmore at [email protected], or Jessica Labonte, Town of Banff at [email protected].

Number of Bow Valley Non-Profits (BVNP)

Number of Non-Profit Resources

Images from the Bow Valley, Alberta

Bow Valley Non-Profits Canmore Banff young adults & cascade
Bow Valley Non-Profits Canmore Banff young adults & cascade
Bow Valley Non-Profits Canmore Banff young adults & cascade
Bow Valley Non-Profits Canmore Banff young adults & cascade
Bow Valley Non-Profits Canmore Banff young adults & cascade
Bow Valley Non-Profits Canmore Banff young adults & cascade
“As I stepped into a new role in the non-profit world, the BVNP Speaker Series gave me manageable amounts of information to think about on a variety of topics. Each of the speakers were generous with their time and many I have ended up connecting with following the sessions. This is an invaluable resource. Huge thank you to the Town of Canmore and the Town of Banff for the foresight.”
Kristy Wolfe Stories

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