The CharityVillage Virtual Conference and Awards brings together professionals within the Canadian nonprofit and charitable sectors and provides an opportunity for organizations to be recognized for their mission, purpose, community and recruitment initiatives.
The 2023 panel discussions explored trending topics in the sector including workplace mental health, rebuilding trust in the nonprofit sector, Artificial Intelligence, an overview of the state of the sector, and volunteerism. The panels featured subject matter experts and sector leaders providing critical insights related to the challenges and opportunities that nonprofits and charities face today and into the future.
Thank you again for joining us at our third annual CharityVillage Conference and Awards!
As we head into the close of 2023 and start looking ahead to 2024, what are some of the key trends we should be aware of? This year continued to bring tremendous challenges to the sector, with organizations struggling with the recruitment of staff and volunteers, declining donations, and a rise in demand for client services, all while attempting to prioritize important workplace mental health and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. At the same time, revolutionary changes in some areas, such as artificial intelligence and philanthropy, are setting up the sector for massive future change. To kick off the this year’s conference, we’ve gathered a group of Canadian sector experts to delve into these themes so you can enter 2024 with confidence and purpose.
Artificial Intelligence. It’s everywhere in the news these days, but what does it really mean for nonprofit organizations? And given that nonprofits often lag behind on new technology due to lack of funding and capacity, is it even likely that organizations can embrace it? Join this panel of experts as they discuss what AI might offer the sector and why it must be used responsibly. They’ll also showcase case studies of Canadian organizations that have successfully used AI technology.
As we come close to a year since society’s reemergence from the challenges and hardships of the pandemic, how are nonprofit sector employees doing when it comes to workplace mental health? Have organizations and leaders better learned how to support their staff? In this panel discussion, mental health experts will provide some insight into burnout in the sector, suggest strategies for individual employees, and offer tangible solutions for organizations to create psychologically healthier workplaces.
As Canada faces rising levels of polarization and deep declines in public trust, we want to know, has the nonprofit sector been impacted? According to data from the Environics Institute, only 50% of Canadians have trust in charities and their leaders, down from 72% when they last asked Canadians about the topic in 2009. What does this mean for the nonprofit sector, in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion, client service, fundraising, and recruiting staff and volunteers? Join sector experts as they explore these themes and more.
Is the nonprofit sector facing a volunteer crisis? Recent research suggests this is the case, with upwards of 65% of Canadian nonprofits now facing a severe volunteer shortage. Alongside what has been called an HR crisis, this lack of volunteers has led to the cancellation and suspension of critical programming and, in some cases, the closure of entire organizations. How can organizations proactively address this challenge? In this panel, volunteer management experts will offer tips and strategies for volunteer recruitment and retention, as well as suggestions for how to take your volunteer program successfully into the future.
As nonprofit organizations increasingly shine a stronger light on diversity, equity, and inclusion within their work, are they successfully implementing initiatives that create meaningful change? For many organizations, knowing where to start or how to take the next step in their DEI programming can be challenging. We’ve gathered a panel of experts in the field to provide you with tangible solutions and strategies to help you and your organization center equity in your workplace and programming, as well as in the sector as a whole.
