Call for Nominations/Expressions of Interest: Standards Council - November 2025

Overview

Imagine Canada works to strengthen charities and nonprofits so they can better serve individuals and communities across Canada and beyond. Through collective advocacy and action, we aim to build a country where communities are fueled by a strong infrastructure and engagement, and where social, economic, and environmental justice can thrive.

A cornerstone of this work is the Standards accreditation, which promotes excellence in five key areas: governance, financial accountability, fundraising, staff management, and volunteer involvement. Organizations that achieve accreditation earn the Imagine Canada Trustmark, a symbol of credibility and public trust that donors and volunteers can rely on.

Standards Council

We are seeking five (5) new volunteer members to join the Standards Council as some of the current members complete their terms. The Council plays a vital role in:

Safeguarding trust in the nonprofit sector.
Ensuring the Standards remain relevant, credible, and practical.
Advising on the Program’s activities, structure, and design.

Volunteering on the Standards Council is not only a way to give back — it’s also a chance to expand your network by connecting with leaders across Canada’s nonprofit sector, gain insight into emerging sector trends and best practices, contribute your voice to shaping standards that impact thousands of organizations nationwide, and sharpen your expertise in governance, accountability, and organizational excellence.

Council members serve up to two three‑year terms, with staggered start dates to ensure continuity. The Council reports to Imagine Canada’s Board of Directors through regular reporting and approval processes.

The Council usually meets 2-4 times a year through videoconference meetings. The time commitment varies, considering leadership opportunities and subcommittee participation, but will likely average 2-4 hours per month. As per CRA guidelines, Council members are not paid or reimbursed for their time, however their travel, accommodation, and other incidental expenses for in-person activities can be reimbursed.

Criteria

We are particularly seeking applicants that meet the following criteria:

Connection to an accredited organization (through employment, Board or volunteer service)
Knowledge or experience with accrediting bodies, including, but not limited to a Standards Program peer reviewer for example.
Skills/Experience – Individuals with demonstrated experience and expertise in nonprofit governance, law, human resources, accounting and/or finance, and an understanding of the evolving digital environment within which charities and nonprofits operate.
Subsectors – Individuals with current or previous experience with mission/cause areas not currently reflected on the Council, including international development and religious organizations.
Geography – You can be located anywhere in Canada, but we particularly encourage applicants from the Atlantic provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick), Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon).
Leadership – Demonstrated experience operating in a consensus decision-making process and experience with change management.

As a national organization representing a diverse sector, Imagine Canada has embarked on an anti-racism organizational change process and is committed to diversifying its pool of volunteers. We particularly encourage applications from Black people, Indigenous people, people of colour, people with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and those with varied areas of expertise and lived experiences.

Call for Nominations/Expressions of Interest

We invite you to complete a short online form, where you can submit your expression of interest along with your resume, by Thursday, December 18th 2025, 11:59 pm ET.

Guidance for completing your application:

We know that applying takes real time and effort, and we're genuinely grateful for your interest in contributing to our work. Finding the right match matters to both of us, so we've designed these questions to help us understand who you are and how we might work together.

We encourage you to use whatever tools help you craft thoughtful responses—whether that's generative AI assistance, feedback from friends, or your own careful editing. What matters to us is that your answers reflect your thinking and experiences.

We read every application carefully (no AI reviewers over here!), and we can tell when someone has engaged deeply with our questions. Specific examples from your actual experience are always more compelling than general descriptions—they help us see not just what you've done, but how you think and work.

Need accommodations to complete the application form? Please reach out to Marie Barone at mbarone@imaginecanada.ca, and we'll work with you to find an accessible approach.

Thank you for taking the time to share your interest with us. We're excited to learn more about you!

Timelines

December 2025-January 2026: The Governance & Volunteer Subcommittee will review all applications and identify a shortlist of candidates based on the priority areas.
January 2026: Imagine Canada’s Board will vote on the recommended shortlist of candidates.
Late January 2026: All applicants, both successful and unsuccessful, will be notified of the nominating decisions.
February 2026: Onboarding activities begin.