During 2012-2013 I led the needs assessment and feasibility study to explore the creation and purpose of a national service organization called Sistema Canada. This brief post discusses the status of this initiative.
Sistema Canada is in the crucial phase of
securing financing needed to become a fully fledged organization. With a
national feasibility study (PDF report: http://www4.nac-cna.ca/pdf/corporate/SistemaCanada_FeasibilityReport_en.pdf)
complete, a strong vision for the role a national organization will play in strengthening
the Canadian movement, the challenge of start-up is primarily related to not
having that one crucial staff person in place.
While volunteer leadership is mandatory in
Canadian charitable organizations through a board of directors, a lesser
discussed aspect of sustainable organizational development is the crucial capacity
that comes with a first dedicated staff person and how a partner organization
can help achieve that.
It is a chicken and egg scenario where some substantive catalytic funds would fill a major gap. Without legal status in place, charitable
funding is impossible to access directly. Without funding in place, a staff
cannot be hired to drive forward charitable incorporation, prepare proposals
and build all-important relationships. That means any interim fund development is
a volunteer matter. Volunteers skilled in such areas tend to be busy people
working in their day jobs; and in our case, in their own Sistema-inspired
programs.
During the feasibility study, I was that
paid project resource charged by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and the
National Arts Centre Foundation with moving the process forward, collaborating
with the national steering committee (its members volunteered countless hours), seeking
input from all Canadian Sistema programs, providing expertise, building
scenarios and, ultimately, delivering the outcome via a report. With a common vision and mandate agreed upon
by constituents across the country, the next step is to find the right partner
that can provide the needed financial support and help hire an Executive
Director to kick start the organization through fund development for its core
programs.
Since our report was accepted, members of
the all-volunteer national steering committee have been leading the charge and are
working through the challenge of moving Sistema Canada onto sustainable,
scalable footing. Meanwhile, an informal network of program leaders continues
to share their expertise and enthusiasm for Sistema in Canada.
For regular updates on the US and Canadian movement visit http://ericbooth.net/the-ensemble/.
