News & Updates

New BC Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program

The newly announced, BC Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program will provide fully-funded provincial grants to support economic resilience, tourism, heritage, and urban and rural economic development projects in communities impacted by COVID-19.

New BC Arts Council Funding to Develop and Enhance spaces

BC Arts Council funding is available to develop and enhance spaces that support the work of B.C.’s arts and cultural practitioners. https://www.bcartscouncil.ca/program/arts-infrastructure-program/

 

SPRE @ the Real Estate Institute of BC webinar Oct 21st

SPRE's Jacquie Gijssen and Jennifer Johnstone, CEO/President of Central City Foundation to be featured in Oct 21st REIBC webinar "SPACE for COMMUNITY: Understanding the Real Estate Challenges Affecting the Not-for-Profit / Social Purpose Sectors. We'll be looking at the issues facing non profits and social enterprises and the upcoming SPACE for COMMUNITY Survey launching October 1st--a proud partnership between SPRE and REIBC.

 

join the SPRE Collaborative and make a difference

SPRE is a working Collaborative of funders and investors based in British Columbia who collectively seek to improve the real estate situation for non profits, social enterprises and the artist community. Interested in joining SPRE? Any agency, foundation, government body that provides either space for the sector and/or funding for infrastructure is welcome. Connect with us here if your organization would like to be a part of the amazing Colalborative that is SPRE. Note there is an annual fee, and funders and investors must demonstrate a substantive committment to social purpose real estate.

Associate Members: Are you a related business, agency or allied professional from the fields of real estate, architecture, planning, development, etc? Consider joining as a "SPRE Associate Member". We are just in the starting phase of getting this new program going--a great time to demonstrate your committment to social purpoese real estate! 

SPRE @ the Phoenix Group for Social Purpose Real Estate Discussion - Sept 30

SPRE's Jacquie Gijssen and Central City Foundation's Jennifer Johnstone pleased to be presenting to the Phoenix Group of professionals involved in real estate, law, finance and development. Sept 30. Link here for more info.

Let's Talk Amalgamation Do's and Don'ts in Deciding the Future of Your Organization Sept 9

Law for Non-Profits Weekly Lunch and Learn presents legal implications and best practices with charities lawyer Margaret Mason.

Imagine Canada Updates on Federal Programs

Check Imagine Canada’s early alert newsletter for updates on Emergency Commercial Rental Assistance Program and a registration required teleconference on the Emergency Wage Subsidy August 18 2-3 EDT. 

A Look at the Impact of Loss of Faith Spaces on the Not for Profit Sector in Toronto

John Lorinc investigates COVID driven loss of faith owned properties and the impact on not for profits in Toronto.

Federal Capital Assistance Call for Proposals to Black Organizations

Proposals accepted until July 27th The Supporting Black Canadian Communities Call for Proposals (CFP) provides capital assistance to Black organizations in Canada to build capacity to better fulfill their missions, and better serve Black communities in Canada.

Not-for-Profit organizations that are Black-led, can apply for up to $100,000 for equipment purchases for work or community spaces, and/or renovations or retrofits of existing workspaces or community spaces to improve their functionality.

Land for Community Benefit Forum

"Land for Community Benefit in a Post Pandemic BC is an opportunity to shift the discourse, the power and ultimately the system towards a fairer, more equitable place. A place that provides space for community—all communities—all peoples". Jacqueline Gijssen, SPRE Project Director  

With the Housing Research Collaborative, SPRE is proud to have hosted 70 leaders in this dynamic Forum. Hit "more" to go to the Forum notes and 'big ideas summary'.

"In 2018 HRC + SPRE  came together to consider our overlapping interests (housing, space for not-for-profits and social enterprises) and what we might do to move the dialogue forward beyond the current status quo. 

With the assistance from a multifaceted advisory committee, and a crystalized understanding of how the Covid19 Pandemic was in fact “daylighting” the real estate market’s systemic failure to support community needs for access to space—we moved to bring our members and issue specialists together in this Forum. 

We see opportunity, but also risks to spaces for community—not-for-profits, housing, and the equally impacted small business community (which we are delighted to have present).   

Whether you approach from the crisis in tenant and landlord situations, land owning agencies considering debt mitigation via disposal of capital assets, or the private sector looking for new acquisitions— protecting land for community benefit has never been more critical. 

But we cannot move an inch forward without acknowledging the additional trauma and harm being inflicted on peoples of colour (in particular Indigenous, Asian and Black peoples) and others suffering as a result of systemic imbalances of power. 

We recognize this community, here today, works hard to make the world a better place. But we must do more. By standing up and holding ourselves, our organizations and others accountable. By acknowledging we all (in some way) work in a system based on attainment and control of power. Real estate has been demonstrably biased against peoples of colour, or differences in gender, faith, ability, economic standing, from the first settler period onwards. 

Land for Community Benefit in a Post Pandemic BC is an opportunity to shift the discourse, the power and ultimately the system towards a fairer, more equitable place. A place that provides space for community—all communities—all peoples. Let us be bold as we move forward." Jacqueline Gijssen, Project Director SPRE

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