2016-17 ANNUAL REPORT ACGC MISSION AND OBJECTIVES ACGC Mission and Objectives The Alberta Council for Global The objectives are to be achieved in Cooperation (ACGC) is a coalition the following ways: of voluntary sector organizations located in Alberta, working locally • to consistently reflect in all ACGC and globally to achieve sustainable policies, activities and services, human development. the principal philosophies embod- We are committed to international ied in the Council’s Mission and cooperation that is people-cen- Development Principles; tred, democratic, just, inclusive, • to facilitate effective member and respectful of the environment networking and capacity build- and Indigenous cultures. We work ing both internationally and towards ending poverty and domestically; achieving a peaceful and healthy • to coordinate and support mem- world, with dignity and bers’ activities in an effective full participation for all. manner; Members of the Council pursue • to provide leadership on issues of these goals through supporting concern to members; global citizenship programs and participatory projects with inter- • to provide members with rele- national partners. vant and effective services; The Council’s goal is to support • to be an effective advocate and the work of its members through representative to government networking, leadership, informa- agencies and the public for inter- tion sharing, training and coor- national development concerns dination, and representing their on behalf of the membership, and interests when dealing with gov- to keep member organizations ernment and others. The objec- informed as to important shifts in tives of the Council are to promote Canadian foreign policy. and mobilize greater Albertan par- ticipation in assisting international development. 04 ACGC ANNUAL REPORT ACGC ANNUAL REPORT 2016-2017 Board and Staff Members 2016-17 Board Members Chair: Directors: Anne Fanning Jamie Charlebois Danielle Gibbie Keiskamma Canada Foundation Center for Affordable Water D. Keith MacDonald Foundation and Sanitation Technology Vice-Chair: (CAWST) Bill Howe Carrie Rowlandson Edmonton Public School Board Calgary Board of Education Thomas Coldwell Contents Mennonite Central Rebecca Kresta Treasurer: Committee Alberta Engineers without Boarders (EWB) Fredda Cherlet Nafasi Opportunity Society Nina Delling Elizabeth Roden United Nations Association Operation Eyesight 02 Board and Staff Members in Canada (Edmonton) and Secretary: MacEwan International Patti McIntosh 04 Message from the Chair of the Board Junior Global Citizen Club Wendy Fehr CAUSE Canada and the Executive Director Director at Large: Peter Schalk 06 Building Sector Capacity Sombrilla International Development Society 08 Engaging Government Staff Members 10 Public Engagement Executive Director: International Development 12 International Development Week Heather McPherson Week Coordinator: Leslie Robinson 14 ACGC Communications Program Manager: Leah Ettarh Social Media and Technology Coordinator: 16 Partnership Government Relations and Denby Jorgensen Community Outreach Coordinator: 20 Auditor’s Report and Financial Statement Chelsea Donelon Bookkeeper: Noelle Jaipaul Shaun Devine 22 Members Val Wiebe Major Events Coordinator: ACGC Interns: Marie-Audrey Girard 24 Thank You! Jesus Grisanti National Public Engagement Wai Ki Chan Officer – EQWIP HUBs: Katie MacLean Richie Assaly Heather Magusin 02 ACGC ANNUAL REPORT 2016-2017 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHAIR Letter from the Executive “Ours can be the first generation to end poverty – Director and Chair LEFT: Anne Fanning, Chair, ACGC Board of Directors and the last generation to address climate change RIGHT: before it is too late.” - Ban Ki Moon Heather McPherson, ACGC Executive Director to see the impact this new source of focus in our annual Top 30 Under 30 of directors with a strong Chair can ac- funding will have on SMOs in Alberta Magazine, workshops, lecture series, complish. Whether managing human The past year has been a time of great op- and across the country. and a section on the ACGC website de- resources during times of crisis or re- portunity at the Alberta Council for Global voted to the SDGs and ways to work to- viewing strategic planning and policy Cooperation. We are delighted to share Funding opportunities in Alberta have wards the achievement of Agenda 2030. needs, the ACGC board has been exem- the exciting successes and changes that seen similar improvements over the This year ACGC had a very strong focus plary this year, meeting regularly and have taken place within ACGC, as well as past year. International Development on developing even better, more robust consistently providing insight and sup- within the international development and Grants through the Community relationships with our members, our port to ACGC staff. global citizenship communities in Alberta, Initiatives Program (CIP), which have partners, and our sector. ACGC under- in Canada, and around the world. provided assistance in meeting local Overall, the 2016-2017 year was filled took a number of innovative initiatives needs in developing nations through with increasing opportunities, in- to prioritize partnership and collabora- the support of sustainable community creased impact, and the feeling that At the national level, a key opportuni- tion including consultations, new part- development projects since 1974, have there is hope in the air for a renewed ty took place from May 18 to July 31, nerships, training opportunities, and seen improvements made to the pro- commitment to international solidarity 2016, when the Minister of International facilitating networking events. gram guidelines, application form, and and global citizenship efforts locally, na- Development and La Francophonie, final reporting forms as well as a signif- Finally, a key focus of ACGC’s work this tionally, and globally. We are thrilled by the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, icant increase in the amount of funds year focused on engaging youth as what we have been able to accomplish launched the International Assistance available. ACGC submitted a briefing global citizens. ACGC was able to reach together this year and we look forward Review and consultation process. It was note in 2015 making several of the rec- whole new populations of youth direct- to what we will be able to do together the first opportunity in over a decade Using the feedback gathered from our small and medium-sized organizations ommendations we see in the revised ly, or via training for teachers and youth in the coming year. Thank you to every- for civil society to voice its opinions on members, ACGC contributed to the (SMOs) to conduct their work. format, and feel that our recommenda- leaders. one for the support and commitment what Canada’s role in the world should International Assistance Review in three We now have significant research that tions were heard at the provincial gov- to ensuring our work is people-centred, look like. ACGC engaged in extensive ways: by writing an ACGC submission Within the Council, we continue to be points to the crucial role SMOs play ernment level. There is no doubt that democratic, just, inclusive, and respect- consultations with our membership summarizing the recommendations extraordinarily fortunate in the com- in international development and these changes have been felt abroad. ful of the environment and Indigenous as part of the International Assistance from our members, and by contributing mitment and calibre of ACGC staff and public engagement across Canada. In many of the small organizations we cultures. As always, we work towards Review process. We held in-person to submissions from the Inter-Council board. The past year presented some Specialized, well-connected, and flex- represent, we have seen significant in- ending poverty and achieving a peace- consultations in both Edmonton and Network and the Canadian Council for unexpected staffing challenges; despite ible, SMOs directly reach and engage creases to the effectiveness of projects ful and healthy world, with dignity and Calgary with opportunities for remote International Cooperation. obstacles, however, ACGC staff mem- with Canadians. They operate in our cit- as a result of increased CIP funding. full participation for all, and we are hon- participation, had an online survey bers were able to manage and excel. Also at the national level, the Inter- ies and communities, and their impact oured to be able to work towards that for our members, and participated in Closer to home, ACGC used the New staff members have been brought Council Network commissioned a stretches beyond our borders to reach goal with our members and partners. two high-level consultations hosted by Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on and are highly skilled with extensive research paper on the value, roles, the most vulnerable in our world. Global Affairs Canada (GAC), including as a lens through which our program- experience working within their areas and contributions of small and me- Sincerely, partnering with GAC on their high-level After sharing our research extensively ming engaged Albertans and increased of expertise, including design and com- dium-sized Canadian civil society or- consultation in Calgary focusing on the across the country, and particularly at capacity within our sector. Some of the munications, education, and govern- Anne and Heather ganizations in the development con- topic of responding to humanitarian the federal level, Minister Bibeau an- ways ACGC was