Social Enterprise Impact Assessment

Call for Expressions of Interest

Vancity Community Foundation would like to identify individuals in Metro Vancouverwho can provide technical assistance to social enterprises to improve their performance monitoring and reporting systems using the Demonstrating Value Framework.

Description of Services:

The Demonstrating Value Initiative (DVI) is a not-for-profit initiative based at the Vancity Community Foundation that aims to improve monitoring, assessment and reporting practicesin the social enterprise sector (social, cultural and environmental businesses).

The Demonstrating Value Framework takes social enterprises and other community-based organizations through a defined yet flexible process to:

• Gaina clear picture ofcritical information needs for managing and reporting on social enterprise performance;
• Developa Performance Snapshot to more effectively communicate and use informationfor management, planning andfundraising.
• Improve the organization's capacity to collect and use information by helping them to optimize current monitoring systems, and to introduce new systems where needed.

For more information about theframework and tools see:

DVI seeks both individuals who can facilitate the DV Process with social enterprises and who can provide specialized technical support.

1. Facilitating the DV Process with Social Enterprises

DVI is seeking Technical Assistance Providersto assist social enterprises to develop a performance snapshot. This typically involves up to 30 hours of work per social enterprise.Specific tasks include:

• Facilitating a workshop or series of meeting with stakeholders in the social enterprise to help them define their information and reporting needs, and how they can meet them. This encompasses data needs that relate to understanding and communicating their business performance, social and/or environmental mission impact and their organizational sustainability.
• Synthesizing the workshop or meeting results.
• Developing recommendations for follow-up work to improve or develop monitoring systems
• Working with the social enterprise to design a Performance Snapshot – a management tool that summarizes the enterprise’s performance and value.
• Coordinate/support implementation of monitoring system recommendations and snapshot development

1. To provide specialized technical support.

As organizations move through the DV process, they may identify specific monitoring and reporting information or tasks for which they require additional and more specialized technical support. We are seeking to develop a roster of individuals who are able to assist social enterprises with a variety ofspecialized tasks. These areas include:

• Data collection and management
• Developing and/or adapting template-based data collection and management tools (e.g. customer satisfaction web surveys, database design etc.)
• Recommending and sourcing prepackaged systems (e.g. CRM systems)

• Financial Accounting
• Design and set-up of accounting systems and reporting
• Recommending enhancements to existing accounting systems and/or recommending and sourcing accounting software
• Cost accounting for social enterprises
• KPI identification / Business Performance measurement

• Social, Economic and Environmental Impact Assessment
• Helping groups to articulate their impact using Theory of Change, Logic Model or other mapping tool
• Indicator development
• Measuring local economic impact
• Non-monetized valuation

• Reporting
• Communications/Marketing
• Interactive reporting development (e.g. using Xcelcius, or other reporting software)
• Designing custom reports (e.g. using Crystal reports or other software)

Knowledge and Skills

The following skills and experienceare desired

Experience and/or knowledge of program evaluation and performance measurement processes, methods, and issues.

Experience with and/or knowledge of social enterprise, mission-based businesses, the non-profit sector, and/or community economic development.

Facilitation experience.

Understanding of basic business development.

Proficient computer skills, particularly MS Word, MS Excel, some knowledge of MS Access.

Strong analytical, writing and research skills.

Ability to create and maintain good working relationships with clients

Specific training and/or experience related to specialized tasks noted above (if you are submitted in response to one or more of the specialized skills)

Process

At this time we would like to identify independent contractors with knowledge and experience relevant to:

• facilitating the DV Process
• providing specialized technical assistance

If you are interested in being considered, please complete the following form and e-mail it to us, along with your CV. We will contact prospective contractorswho demonstrate a strong fit with our skill needsfor an interview to explore how we can work together.

Please e-mail to:

Garth Yule

Project Lead, Demonstrating Value Initiative

Vancity Community Foundation

510 – 815 West Hastings St., Vancouver, BC

Name

Organization (if applicable)

PhoneE-mail

What type of support would you like to offer?

□ GeneralDV Process Support

□ SpecializedServices

1. Data Collection and Management

1. Financial Accounting

1. Social, Economic or Environmental Impact Assessment

1. Reporting / Communications

Have you worked with social enterprises previously? If not, what type of organizations do you normally work with? (Business, non-profit organizations, government)

Typical rate ($/hour) ______Note: We can only consider rates up to $40 (due to budget constraints)

Please attach your CV