On March 6, Pillar CEO Maureen Cassidy shared insights on Pillar’s impact work at a networking event hosted by the London Chamber of Commerce. She emphasized the importance of advancing a shared vision and goals through collaboration, networking, and advocacy.
Maureen highlighted Pillar’s role in supporting nonprofits across London by fostering collaboration amongst the nonprofit, business, and public sectors. She noted the need to strengthen nonprofits through networking, knowledge sharing, and advocacy, particularly in response to funding cuts and governance challenges.
She also discussed Innovation Works, a 32,000-square-foot coworking space that brings together nonprofits, businesses, and social enterprises to foster cross-sector collaboration. She noted the launch of a new community membership program, which offers free memberships to small nonprofits, encouraging networking, training, and advocacy to build a stronger nonprofit sector.
Additionally, Maureen shared insights on Find Your Fit, a recent Pillar initiative designed to help individuals explore board roles. She highlighted the growing difficulty in filling board positions, emphasizing the urgent need for board members and volunteers as many nonprofit organizations face governance challenges due to aging board members. Quoting concerns she often hears, she said, “People come with questions like, ‘How do I fill my board positions?’ Every registered nonprofit in Ontario must have a board of directors, and right now, it’s really difficult to fill those positions.”