28 Charities Committed to Organizational Excellence Receive Imagine Canada Accreditation
Trustmark Helps Draw Donations as Giving Season Begins
Toronto, December 5, 2019 — Imagine Canada, the umbrella for Canada’s charitable sector, is pleased to welcome the latest cohort of charities and nonprofits, including eight new participants, into its national Standards Program - an accreditation process which helps charities and nonprofits build public trust and bolster donor confidence.
National charities Heart & Stroke and Breakfast Club of Canada, together with BC Children's Hospital Foundation, All Nations International Development Agency, Closer to Home Community Services, Grandview Children's Foundation, Terra Centre for Teen Parents, and Woodstock Hospital Foundation are the newest organizations to join a growing community of Canadian charities and nonprofits accredited by Imagine Canada’s Standards Program - a designation granted following a comprehensive application and peer review process.
“The Standards Program Trustmark is a tangible way to show our donors, the Canadians we serve, and the members of the public alike that transparency, governance, and accountability is at the heart of everything we do. But the impact of the accreditation goes beyond that,” says Yves Savoie, Chief Executive Officer, Heart & Stroke. “The standards are the best and most comprehensive measure available for organizational excellence in the charitable sector. The process of preparing an application provides an invaluable opportunity to improve, refine, and even adopt practices which enhance organizational capabilities.”
In addition to the newly accredited charities, 20 organizations are maintaining their good standing after successfully completing a mandatory re-accreditation process, bringing the total number of organizations currently accredited across Canada to 249.
“The accreditation, which is designed to build Canadians’ trust and confidence in the sector, is awarded upon successful completion of a rigorous, in-depth application process. We are honoured to count these well-deserving recipients in Imagine Canada’s Standards Program community, and proud to join them in celebrating their remarkable achievement.” Bruce MacDonald, President and CEO of Imagine Canada.
Canadian charities from coast to coast to coast, big and small, and devoted to a diverse range of worthy causes have invested in trust and excellence by joining the Standards Program. In doing so, these organizations have increased their organizational transparency all the while contributing to achieving a common goal: strengthening the operating culture of Canadian charities and nonprofit organizations.
“On behalf of all the hard-working staff and volunteers at Breakfast Club of Canada, we are so proud to have earned the Imagine Canada accreditation. It validates how seriously we have taken our mission over the past 25 years to contribute to nourishing students in collaboration with our partners and the funds donors give us for those efforts,” says Renee Merrifield, Chair of the Board of Directors at Breakfast Club of Canada and Kelowna-based entrepreneur.
Created “by the sector for the sector” in 2012, the Standards Program is the only national, bilingual, standards and accreditation program that is designed for all Canadian registered charities. To earn the accreditation trustmark, charities and nonprofits must demonstrate excellence in five fundamental areas: board governance; financial accountability and transparency; fundraising; staff management; and volunteer involvement. Accreditation is a sought-after hallmark of excellence within the sector for funders, donors, sponsors and supporters alike.
We congratulate these organizations on their accreditation, and extend our thanks to the dedicated volunteer peer reviewers for their outstanding contribution to this important work.
Newly Accredited Organizations
All Nations International Development Agency
BC Children's Hospital Foundation
Breakfast Club of Canada
Closer to Home Community Services
Grandview Children's Foundation
Heart & Stroke
Terra Centre for Teen Parents
Woodstock Hospital Foundation
Reaccredited Organizations
Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation
Alexandra Marine & General Hospital Foundation
Bay Area Restoration Council
Canadian Hard of Hearing Association - Newfoundland and Labrador
Crohn's and Colitis Canada
Good Neighbours Active Living Centre
iSisters Technology Mentoring
Junior Achievement of Central Ontario
Northern Lights Health Foundation
Ovarian Cancer Canada
Regina Transition House
Royal University Hospital Foundation
Save a Child's Heart Canada
Save the Children Canada
SOWINS (South Okanagan Women in Need Society)
United Way Elgin Middlesex
United Way of Fort McMurray
Vantage Point
YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka
Youth Science Canada
Visit ImagineCanada.ca to view to complete list of accredited organizations.
Strong Charities, Strong Community
Organizations participating in the Standards program have access to a spectrum of resources at all stages of the process, such as self-assessment tools, volunteer peer advisors from accredited organizations, and online resources to strengthen practices. The peer reviewers’ assessment of policies and practices as well as constructive feedback contribute to elevate accountability, transparency and good governance practices in Canadian charities and nonprofits.
Term of Accreditation and Compliance
Accredited organizations are required to complete full reaccreditation on a five-year basis. Compliance during the accreditation period is monitored through an annual reporting process that requires organizations to submit evidence demonstrating selected standards are being met. Compliance is also monitored through investigation of complaints.
The Standards Program is made possible with the financial contributions from founding and presenting sponsor Canada Life; and generously supported by the Lawson Foundation.
ABOUT IMAGINE CANADA
Imagine Canada is a national charitable organization whose cause is Canada’s charities. Our three broad goals are to strengthen the sector’s collective voice, create opportunities to connect and learn from each other, and build the sector’s capacity to succeed.
imaginecanada.ca | Twitter: @ImagineCanada | Facebook: facebook.com/ImagineCanada
For additional information please contact:
Émilie Pontbriand
Manager, Corporate Communications
epontbriand@imaginecanada.ca