register for the empower tomorrow program

As a subject that has to be sought out, many people don’t know where to start. These learning sessions are intended to make financial literacy accessible to more people in the 2SLGBTQ+ community.  Participants will learn about various financial management strategies and techniques that can allow them to thrive rather than simply survive.

Designed and facilitated by Mikki Bradshaw, an activist, artist, and educator for 35 years and a business owner for 10 years. They started their personal financial journey in 2016. They have since done research and taken action to be well on the way to being completely debt free, as well as building their knowledge in financial literacy, and finally start building towards retirement.

Tuesday, January 21 5:30 to 8:30:

• Session 1: Introduction to Financial Literacy
  • Objective: Establish the importance of financial literacy in nonprofit organizations.
  • Topics Covered:
    • Overview of financial literacy and its relevance to nonprofits
    • Key financial concepts: income, expenses, assets, liabilities
    • Types of nonprofit funding (grants, donations, etc.)
    • Financial management basics: why it matters for sustainability

Thursday, January 23 5:30 to 8:30:

• Session 2: Understanding Nonprofit Financial Statements
• Guest Speaker :  Mitchell Wronsky from WKE CPA Inc, CCBI partner 
  • Objective: Teach participants how to read and understand nonprofit financial statements.
  • Topics Covered:
    • Balance Sheet (Statement of Financial Position)
    • Income Statement (Statement of Activities)
    • Key terms: assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses, net assets
    • Assessing organizational health using financial statements

 Tuesday, January 28, 5:30 to 8:30:

• Session 3: Budgeting for Nonprofits
• Guest Speaker:  Jack-Aude Pichette, CCBI Founder & General Coordinator
  • Objective: Develop practical skills in creating and managing budgets.
  • Topics Covered:
    • Importance of budgeting for decision-making and financial health
    • Creating a nonprofit budget
    • Operating, project, and restricted fund budgets
    • Common budgeting pitfalls and challenges

    Thursday, January 30, 5:30 to 8:30::

• Session 4: Cash Flow Management and Planning
• Guest Speaker :  Audrey-Anne Lemieux, CPA, Financial Advisor (to be confirmed)
  • Objective: Teach participants how to manage cash flow effectively.
  • Topics Covered:
    • What is cash flow, and why is it important?
    • Creating cash flow statements and forecasting cash flow
    • Strategies to improve cash flow in nonprofits

Tuesday, February 4, 5:30 to 8:30:

• Session 5: Funding and Sustainability
• Guest Speaker :   Nadia Duguay, Executive Director of the Béati Foundation and a co-founder of Exeko. René Bernal, the Massimadi Foundation
  • Objective: Explore strategies for fundraising and long-term financial sustainability.
  • Topics Covered:
    • Nonprofit fundraising strategies: grants, events, individual donations, crowdfunding, Networking
    • Developing a diversified funding strategy
    • Tracking and managing donations and grants
    • Ethical considerations
    • Transparency

    Thursday, February 6 5:30 to 8:30:

• Session 6: Reporting and compliance 
• Guest Speakers:   Jack-Aude Pichette, CCBI Founder & General Coordinator

            Wysline Denis, Director of Development, l'Ordre des CPAs du Québec & Nicolas Handfield, Notary, Juste Humain

• Objective: Ensure participants understand the concept of year end closure, annual reporting and who is involved as well as the ramifications of incorporation and legal reporting obligations.
• Topics Covered:
  • Closing your year end
  • Annual Financial Statements: to audit or not to audit financial statements, what is an auditor, what an auditor can and cannot do.
  • Incorporation, tax-exempt status and its implications
  • Compliance for charities and nonprofits in Quebec (CRA, Revenu Québec, and other regulatory bodies) (T3010, T2CO17)

Tuesday, February 11: Financial Management for Leaders

• Session 7: Financial Management for Board Members and Leaders
• Guest Speaker : Coop Populus
  • Objective: Empower nonprofit board members and leaders with tools for effective financial oversight.
  • Topics Covered:
    • The role of the board in financial oversight and governance
    • Understanding financial statements and key performance indicators (KPIs)
    • Risk management and financial decision-making
    • Best practices for creating financial policies and controls

    Thursday, February 13:

• Session 8:  Organizational action plan
• Guest Speaker :  Growing A.R.C, Éloi Thivierge 
  • Objective: Participants will be able to use time in class to create their own organizational plan taking into consideration the elements learned in the previous sessions noted below or focus on one of these topics and create their own strategic plan, report, policy, structure or process.
  • Topics Covered:
    • Budgeting
    • Cashflow
    • Funding
    • Sustainability
    • Compliance
    • Financial management
• Networking and Open Forum: Participants share ideas, insights and resources.