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Alberta Non-profit Voluntary Sector Initiative (ANVSI)

ANVSI is a collaboration of the government and the non-profit voluntary sector to build healthy, active communities.

Overview

The Alberta Non-profit, Voluntary Sector Initiative (ANVSI) was established in 2007. ANVSI is an ongoing collaborative forum for government and non-profit sector representatives to:

  • build awareness on the important role of the non-profit and voluntary sector
  • provide input on key government policies
  • identify and address key issues affecting the sector

Governance

The ANVSI is administered by the Leaders’ Council that includes:

  • 3 deputy ministers from ministries which have the most frequent and broad interaction with the sector:
    • Arts, Culture and Status of Women
    • Seniors, Community and Social Services
    • Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction
  • 6 sector representatives who were recruited through an open screening process, based on their knowledge, skills and networks in the sector

The Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women provides ongoing secretariat support for ANVSI.

Initiatives

ANVSI provides leadership on a number of collaborative initiatives in support of the sector and individual non-profits. The working groups and sub-committees are:

  • Volunteerism Working Group – Comprised of representatives of government, the non-profit sector and the private sector. The ANVSI Volunteerism Working Group was tasked with identifying important issues and opportunities impacting volunteerism.
  • Alberta Non-profit Data Strategy – ANVSI provided early and ongoing support for the development of Alberta’s Nonprofit Data Strategy, helping to identify key issues and opportunities and to secure initial funding of the project. (additional/alternative content to come pending new initiative going forward)
  • Charitable Gaming Model Review – ANVSI has provided valuable input into the review of Alberta’s Charitable Gaming Model, ensuring that nonprofit and charitable organizations continue to have fair, equitable access to this important funding stream.
  • Data Strategy Committee and Labour Market Information Working Group – While not initiated by ANVSI, both working groups connect to ANVSI priorities and work, and report activities and progress to the Leaders’ Council. ANVSI serves as an effective forum for the sharing of information and resulting in improved market information to aid the sector in identifying and addressing workforce issues.
  • COVID-19 Community Intel – Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, stakeholders on the ANVSI Leaders Council served as a touch point for government, providing valuable situational analysis and input into COVID-specific program development.
  • Bill 53: Service Alberta Statutes Amendment Act – ANVSI worked with sector stakeholders in support of the passage of Bill 53: Service Alberta Statutes (Virtual Meetings) Amendment Act. Prompted by COVID-19 impacts, changes to the Act now allow non-profit organizations and societies to conduct annual general meetings and votes online unless specifically prohibited by the organization’s bylaws.

Read more about other recent Government of Alberta initiatives to support the non-profit sector.

Resources

Profiling the non-profit and voluntary sector in Alberta

The ANVSI led the development of a paper that explores the core functions of the non-profit /voluntary sector. It outlines the history of sector and government relationships. This paper includes statistics about the sector, and examples of how non-profit organizations improve the quality of life for Albertans in every community.

Profiling Volunteerism is the ANVSI’s follow-up of the successful Profiling the Non-profit/Voluntary Sector in Alberta paper. This paper is a comprehensive look at the sector, incorporating secondary research and feedback obtained through targeted engagement with non-profit sector stakeholders.

Profiling Volunteerism provides facts about volunteerism in Alberta, volunteer trends and information related to the value of volunteerism for non-profit organizations, communities and volunteers themselves.

Contact

Connect with us if you have questions or comments for the various non-profit programs and services. See our contact page for details.