COVID-19: Resources for Canadian Social Innovators

March 26, 2020
Reading List, Social Innovation

The COVID-19 global pandemic is forcing Canadian nonprofits, social enterprises, and social innovation practitioners to quickly adapt to a new reality.

Recognizing that the current scenario is particularly challenging for the most vulnerable people in our society, we believe that we, social innovators, are needed like never before.

To help us all navigate these turbulent times, and to find knowledge and strength to support our communities, we’ve put together a list of resources for Canadian social innovation organizations.

Let us know if you have further resources by sending it to comms@sicanada.org. We’ll keep updating this page on a frequent basis.

Trusted Information Sources

–World Health Organization: Information, news, and updates about COVID-19 worldwide.

–Government of Canada (English) / Gouvernement du Canada (Français)

–Flatten the Curve: Flatten the Curve is a collective effort of people, including scientists and health experts to deliver reliable information reviewed by specialists.

–Sifting Through the Coronavirus Pandemic: Learn the skills that will make a dramatic difference in your ability to sort fact from fiction on the web (and everything in between).

Financial Resources

–Emergency Community Support Fund: The ECSF is a $350M investment by the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable populations who are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19.

–Canadian Business Resilience Network: In partnership with the Government of Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce established the Canadian Business Resilience Network to help Canadian businesses navigate the COVID-19 reality and prepare for recovery.

–Resources for Canadian Businesses: The Government of Canada is taking action to help Canadian businesses as COVID-19 is affecting them, their employees and their families.

–Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses: On March 18, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a new set of economic measures to help stabilize the economy during this challenging period.

–CSI Supports: Resources and guidance by the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto.

Resources for Indigenous Peoples

–COVID19 Resources for Indigenous Peoples (Indigenous Climate Action)

–Highlights from A Covid-19 Fireside Chat with Indigenous Health Professionals (Yellowhead Institute)

Working Remotely

–Tamarack Institute’s Guidelines for Working Remotely: The Tamarack Institute operates as a remote organization, and we have created this guide to build a sense of understanding and awareness of what it means to work remotely.

–COVID-19: How Nonprofits Can Establish Effective Telecommuting Practices: TechSoup Canada has put together a round up of recommendations and resources to help support the nonprofit sector during the transition to remote work.

–Plan to work remotely during COVID-19: useful resources list: List of resources and articles on how to quickly move your organization online curated by Mars.

–5 Communications Questions All Nonprofits Should Ask Themselves During This Coronavirus Pandemic (Forbes)

–Leading Groups Online: A down-and-dirty guide to leading online courses, meetings, trainings, and events during the coronavirus pandemic by Jeanne Rewa and Daniel Hunter.

–A Guide for Working (From Home) Parents: Tips on how to manage working and caring for children during physical-isolation.