Sensity is pleased to announce we are one of the successful applicants funded by the Government of Canada’s new Investment Readiness Program.
We received $18,000 to help establish a social enterprise that will provide management and leadership training specifically for Sensity, other deafblind organizations, community groups and the broader non-profit and charitable sector, to ensure their long-term sustainability. It will be known as the Sensity Leadership Institute.
Our project is part of the Investment Readiness Program funded by the Government of Canada's Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy.
Sensity is proud to participate in the #IRPProject and would like to acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada, the Oakville Community Foundation and the Brant Community Foundation.
The IRP funding is being used to create the curriculum for the Sensity Leadership Institute. Sensity has engaged consultant Paula MacLean, CEO of MacLean Management Consulting Services Ltd., Learning for Leaders and Silver Creek Press, to help develop the curriculum.
Round 1 of the IRP was highly competitive. Across Canada there were more than 1,350 applicants, with 257 successful projects sharing $8.9 million in funding. The most common groups being served by applicants include people experiencing low incomes, youth, women, Indigenous peoples, and people living with a disability.
Sensity applied through the Brant, Halton & Peel Partnership, a consortium of six community foundations and Sheridan College which operates EDGE – the Entrepreneurship Discovery Growth Engine. The Partnership’s first allocation supports 23 social purpose organizations (SPOs) with $715,550 in non-repayable capital to improve their capacity to invest in innovation, participate in the social finance market and access new investment opportunities. SPOs include charities, non-profits, co-operatives, hybrid social enterprises and mission-focused for-profits that are advancing a social, cultural, or environmental mission.
“We had a significant number of organizations apply for limited funds. We are pleased to be able to support SPOs whose revenue-generating proposals have positive environmental and social outcomes across the Region,” Wendy Rinella, CEO of the Oakville Community Foundation, the lead partner for the Brant, Halton & Peel Regional Partnership, said in a media release.
“Sheridan is proud to participate in this groundbreaking social enterprise initiative,” said Dr. Janet Morrison, President and Vice Chancellor of Sheridan. “Helping people explore entrepreneurship and changemaking is a core part of our identity, and we’re delighted to acknowledge the diverse and impactful groups represented in the first round of funding.”
IRP is the first stage of the Government of Canada’s 10-year, $800-million commitment to fund social innovation and social finance across Canada. This stage will help these organizations grow and build their capacity to accept future investment and generate a return for investors while having a positive impact on their community.
Sensity was one of two organizations in Brant to receive IRP funding. The other was the Raw Carrot Soup Enterprise.
