TABLE OF CONTENT
- Chairman's Remarks
- Executive Director's Report
- Grants Approved In 1996
- Continuing Projects 1996
- Grant Summary 1996
ANNUAL REPORT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT
The funding priorities of The Counselling Foundation of Canada provide the staff with the opportunity to meet and work with a broad range of agencies and organizations. While each has a unique personality, these agencies and organizations are traditionally characterized by similarities in funding patterns, management issues and the daily challenges associated with responding to constantly changing community needs.
This year, some of those similarities became points of departure. Amongst the many agencies and organizations approaching the Foundation for financial support, three distinct groups could be identified;
- those
experiencing a drastic reduction in the financial resources available
for the purpose of delivering their
programs and services, - those experiencing smaller single digit reductions in the financial resources available to deliver their programs and services, and
- those
experiencing an increase in the resources available
to deliver their programs and services.
A notable majority of the agencies and organizations approaching the Foundation for support were those falling into the first group and were requesting Foundation support to maintain programs which were experiencing a complete loss of financial support. For the most part, these programs represent integral components of infrastructure. That is, programs and services that have been developed to meet broad provincial or regional needs and expectations and are delivered in multiple locations by local organizations. It is difficult to see the effectiveness of investing in individual sites as the systems supporting these programs and services are collapsing.
Other organizations from within this first group of organizations seeking the financial support of The Counselling Foundation of Canada are seizing the loss of financial support as an opportunity to re-define, re-design and seek alternative sources of support and innovative methods of resourcing these programs and services. Many of these new programs and services are designed to respond to the specific needs of a defined consumer community (community as defined in many ways - geographically, culturally, by age etc.).
These truly represent two different approaches to the difficult choices faced by the agencies and organizations The Counselling Foundation of Canada provides support to. Difficult choices - choices which will have far reaching impacts on the communities we live and work in, and, a far reaching impact on innovation and excellence in program delivery.
The second group - those experiencing single digit reductions in financial resources face the challenge of restructuring and shifting resources to ensure the least impact on those they provide service to. Many were looking for bridge support until necessary programming adjustments could be made. The focus here was on maintenance.
Unfortunately, the third group - those experiencing an increase in resources - were a small minority. This may be viewed as a major deterrent to innovation.
In addition to financial support through grants, many agencies and organizations have accessed Foundation staff to improve their technological, fundraising and partnership capabilities. Direct access to the Foundation has been increased over the last year through the establishment of The Counselling Foundation of Canada's website.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean E. Faulds
