Community Initiatives

 Are you ready to take control of your financial future?

Join us for our 'Empower Tomorrow' program, where we aim to equip you with essential financial literacy skills through our interactive and informative program.

 3 Unique Modules, Each 24 Hours Long  

Explore crucial financial topics in our 4-module session.

NOTE: The sessions are split over two days, with the Saturday session continuing where the Friday session left off. Attendance at both is recommended for a full understanding of the material. 

SESSION 1 - What is Financial Literacy?

  October 4th (6:30pm-9:30pm) & October 5th (1:30pm-4:30pm) 

• Importance and implication 
• Saving and budgeting strategies
• The 75/15/10 rule
• Understanding assets and liabilities and debt 

              (With Guest Speaker Doug from 4Pillars Debt Consolidation Montreal)

• Various ways to manage money and maximize tax savings

SESSION 2 - Taxes

 October 11th (6:30pm-9:30pm) & October 12th (1:30pm-4:30pm) 

• Creating a foolproof financial system

              (With Guest Speaker Shanthony Exum)  

SESSION 3 - Different forms of investing

 October 18th (6:30pm-9:30pm) & October 19th (1:30pm-4:30pm) 

• Compound interest in Canada
• Getting started with investing 

              (With Guest Speakers from various financial institutions offering different investment strategies)

• Tax implications of various investments

SESSION 4 - Looking at Investing outside of the Box within Communities

 October 25th (6:30pm-9:30pm) & October 26th (1:30pm-4:30pm) 

• Infinite Banking
• Real estate investing
• Mortgage note investing
• A Community Listed Financial Fund
• The Partner Distribution Approach

This program will cover similar information as Module 1 but tailored specifically for Freelance Artists and Entrepreneurs. 

• Tailored financial advice and resources
• Extensive session on tax tips and community fund building
• (Possible Guest Speakers)

Session 1 : Introduction to Financial Literacy, Budgeting, Mindset & Compound Interest  

November 19th & 21th 2024, from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.

• Introduction (Nov 19)
• Why is Financial Literacy essential for this group (Mikki Bradshaw, Nov 19)
• Budgeting for the One Man Band and beyond (Mikki Bradshaw & Jack Aude Pichette, Nov 21)
• Mindset & Compound Interest (Mikki Bradshaw, Nov 21)

Session 2: Debt & Credit, Strategic Planning, Assets & Liabilities 

November 26th & 28th 2024, from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.

• Debt & Credit ( With Guest Speakers Doug 4pillars Mtl & Florence MicroCredit Mtl, Nov 26)
• Strategic Planning for Artists ( With Guests Speaker Val Bah, Nov 28)
• Assets and Liabilities: Solo enterprise edition (Mikki Bradshaw, Nov 28)

Session 3: Taxes, Freelance Boundaries & Business Registration 

December 3rd & 5th 2024, from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. 

• Taxes: What do I do with this? ( With Guest Speaker Ems Aubin, Dec 3)
• Four Freelance Boundaries and Registering as a business entity even if you are an artist (possible guest speaker Shanthony Exum, Dec 5)
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Session 4:  Investments & Presentation of an Entrepreneur Project (L’Étage) 

December 10th & 12th 2024, from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.     

• Why and how to continue to invest in and outside of yourself financially (Mikki Bradshaw & Guest Speaker Laura Whiteland, Dec 10th)
• Q & about Artist Incorporation, Registration and Related tax planning (With Guest Speaker Mike Niro Founder and Tax Hero at Creative Taxes Inc, Dec 10th)
• L’Etage Entrepreneur Project ( With Guest Speaker Nicolas Handfield, Dec 12)

NOTE :  This program is designed to empower artists and entrepreneurs in Montreal with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate their financial lives confidently. By the end of the eight days, participants should feel equipped to manage their finances effectively and strategically plan for their futures. 

 Empower Tomorrow - Module 3: 

Financial Literacy for Grassroots and Non Profits organizations.

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 2𝙎𝙇𝙂𝘽𝙏𝙌𝙄𝘼+ 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙌𝙏𝘽𝙄𝙋𝙊𝘾 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨  

This module is specifically designed for grassroots groups and nonprofits, providing practical tools and knowledge to strengthen their financial capacity and ensure their sustainability. Module 3 is co-developed between CCBI and Mikki Bradshaw and will be facilitated by Mikki Bradshaw, Ems Aubin and Jack Aude Pichette  

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.

CCBI is facilitating this community-focused initiative designed to provide low-income self-employed individuals with the tools and resources needed to navigate the world of self-employment taxation. This program is here to open doors to fiscal empowerment, offering education and ongoing support.  

WealthBeyond is an ongoing multi-funder program focusing on the economic disparities in 2SLGBTQ+ communities that lead to back taxes, fees and penalties, loss of credits and deductions, government support programs such the Canada Child Tax benefit and Disability credits as well as ineligibility for community volunteer income tax programs.