Let's Imagine – Details, episodes & analysis

In this special episode of Let's Imagine, guest host Wilfreda Edward, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience (CCNDR), explores how nonprofits across Canada are working to close the digital skills gap.

Over the past 18 months, CCNDR—together with partners Imagine Canada, Blueprint ADE, The Dais, and the Digital Governance Council - led the Futureproofing the Community Service Workforce project. Through research, piloting, and collaboration with nonprofits across the country, the project developed resources and a practical toolkit to help organizations strengthen data practices, build digital capacity, and align staff skills with emerging needs.

Wilfreda is joined by two leaders deeply engaged in this work: Sampada Kukade, Vice President, External Relations and Development at Skills for Change, one of the pilot organizations that tested the toolkit; and Max Palamar, Vice President of Data Capacity and Analytics at Blueprint, who played a lead role in the project's research.

Together, they discuss the toolkit's step-by-step activities that make digital transformation practical, accessible, and aligned with day-to-day nonprofit realities. They share lessons learned from piloting, explore the challenges of building capacity in a resource-constrained sector, and highlight why digital skills are no longer a "nice-to-have," but essential to future resilience.

For nonprofit leaders, staff, and funders alike, this episode offers both insight and encouragement: that strengthening digital capacity doesn't have to mean more work - it's about working smarter, creating sustainability, and building a stronger sector together.

Visit https://futureproof.ccndr.ca/ to explore the tools and start your own journey.

Make sure to check out our full episode list. This episode is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

And read the full transcript here: https://share.descript.com/view/gWVIEJFZOzP 

• In this episode of Let's Imagine, host Bruce MacDonald speaks with Jess Tomlin, CEO of the Equality Fund, about reimagining how philanthropy can truly meet the urgency of our times.

From rising authoritarianism and economic instability to shrinking civic spaces, climate emergencies, and entrenched social injustices, nonprofits and human rights movements are navigating unprecedented challenges. Too often, traditional funding models fall short—delivering short-term, restrictive support when what movements need most is trust, flexibility, and long-term commitment.

The Equality Fund offers a bold alternative. As one of the world's largest organizations advancing human rights and justice, it is reshaping philanthropy by channeling resources and decision-making power directly to the communities leading change on the ground. Central to this vision is a commitment to long-term funding cycles—spanning 10 years, and even aiming toward generational grant cycles—so that movements can build resilience, shift power, and create lasting impact.

For funders and nonprofit leaders alike, this episode is both a challenge and an invitation: to imagine a world where philanthropy doesn't just respond to crisis, but actively builds the conditions for justice across generations.

Make sure to check out our full episode list (https://imaginecanada.ca/en/lets-imagine-podcast).

This episode is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Read the full transcript here: https://share.descript.com/view/fqbXgrblqA8

Dans cet épisode d'Imagine, nous recevons Céline Füri, directrice des politiques et campagnes à Oxfam-Québec. En cette période marquée par les bouleversements et les changements politiques et sociaux, nous discutons de l'importance pour les OBNL de se faire entendre en employant des stratégies de communications et de plaidoyer efficaces. Nous abordons les relations gouvernementales, les communications avec le grand public, qui sont devenues plus complexes, et le pouvoir d'unir ses forces pour provoquer le changement. 

Écoutez et partagez! Découvrez aussi tous les épisodes de notre balado.

Lire la transcription complète ici

Impactful Communication and Advocacy Strategies with Céline Füri

In this episode of Let's Imagine, we welcome Céline Füri, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Oxfam-Québec. In this time of social and political uncertainty and change, we discuss the importance for nonprofit organizations to make their voices heard by employing effective communications and advocacy strategies. We dive into government relations, communications with the general public, which have become more complex, and the power of joining forces to bring about change.

This episode of Let's Imagine was recorded in French.

With rising political uncertainty, misinformation, and growing polarization, advocating for change can feel more challenging than ever. How can nonprofits engage in advocacy responsibly and ensure their voices are heard? In this episode, Kathryn LeBlanc, social impact communications expert and Principal Consultant at LeBlanc & Co Communications, joins us to discuss how nonprofits can leverage communications to accelerate social change. From relying on trusted sources when navigating election-year advocacy to crafting clear, values-based messaging, Kathryn shares tried-and-true insights on how organizations of all sizes can build compelling campaigns that resonate with both decision-makers and the public.

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In 2020, the world experienced a seismic jolt of awareness related to issues of systemic racism in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd.  From global protests to bold declarations by the leaders of governments, companies and nonprofits, there was a deep desire to do better. Four year later, how are things progressing? In this episode, Emira Woods, Executive Director of Green Leadership Trust based in Washington, DC, shares her perspectives as well as insights and learnings from her work. A great example of inclusion in action, Green Leadership Trust is working to build a thriving environmental and conservation community in the United States, with a vision to embed an environmental ethic and shifting practices and behaviors across sectors and institutions.

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Nonprofit organizations have had to navigate a lot of change in recent years—shaping the sector toward increasingly digital experiences and processes. Based on these needs, Blackbaud compiled the results of their annual The Status of Canadian Fundraising survey into a comprehensive benchmark report on how Canadian charities and nonprofits are faring in the current fundraising climate.

Tanya Turschic, Customer Success Manager, and Phil Hunt, Senior Demand Generation Marketing Manager at Blackbaud, join us in this episode to discuss key findings from their latest in-depth survey. They share insights into fundraising trends, digital maturity, and how nonprofits can embrace tech advancements to drive greater impact.

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Joining us in this episode of Let's Imagine is nonprofit leader and author Angie Peters. 

Together we explore Angie's experiences and learnings from working in the poverty reduction space as the CEO of the Toronto-based charity Yonge Street Mission, as a social service provider tackling poverty in the city, and the 3 key elements integral to her organization's approach to systems: lived experience leadership, cross-sector collaboration and creating shared goals. We also discuss managing time expectations and how to frame these insights in ways that can be applied across missions and causes.

Listen to past episodes of the Let's Imagine podcast here

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Community foundations are created to support local community needs, using donated funds from a wide variety of sources. Every community foundation selects their own areas of focus, and how the funds will be invested and distributed within the community.

This episode of Let's Imagine features Danielle Gibbie, Executive Director, and Udloriak (Udlu) Hanson, co-founding member of Annauma Community Foundation, the first community foundation in Nunavut. They join us for a conversation on their foundation's origins, the reasoning behind their innovative consensus-based approach to granting and how this is shifting the power dynamics of traditional philanthropy.

Listen & share! Don't forget to check out our full episode list.

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Joining us in this episode is Dan Pallotta, American entrepreneur, author, and humanitarian activist. His experiences with dysfunction in the nonprofit sector have influenced his work, from his viral TED talk to his most recent project, the Uncharitable Movie. Together, we delve into deeply held perceptions about charities, how they are problematic, and how we can reframe the narrative and move forward. We also explore the potential of creative, breakthrough thinking, unburdened by costs & structure, as a powerful tool for real fundamental change in the nonprofit sector.

Listen & share! Don't forget to check out our full episode list.

Read the full transcript here

Les méthodes et approches éducatives non-autochtones ont contribué à la colonisation des peuples et communautés des Premières Nations, Métis et Inuit. Quelles mesures les organismes à but non lucratif peuvent-ils prendre pour décoloniser les cadres et mettre la justice au centre du dialogue pour les peuples autochtones?

Dans cet épisode du balado Imagine, nous acceuillons Mélanie Valcin, présidente et directrice générale, et Krystyna Slawecki, gestionnaire des programmes de Littératie ensemble - un organisme de bienfaisance national qui consacre ses efforts à améliorer la vie des enfants, des jeunes et des adultes grâce à la littératie. Lors de cette discussion, nous abordons la mission de l'organisme et son lien historique avec les communautés autochtones ainsi que leur démarche en ce qui concerne la vérité et la réconciliation.

Écoutez et partagez! Découvrez aussi tous les épisodes de notre balado.

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