How We Work
How we work at the ONN
ONN activates a provincial network to develop and analyze policy, and work on strategic issues through working groups, sector engagement and government relations. We operate as a network (our network guide explains the way we work) and we actively support the development of regional nonprofit networks.
Working groups
Volunteer leaders developing strategies to strengthen the sector and its sustainability
Sector Engagement
Communication channels to notify and share information, a sector-wide annual conference, regional meetings for local mobilization, webinars and other resources
Government Relations
Engaging with multiple provincial ministries to bring sector voices to policy development and decision-making spaces
What we do
As an Ontario-focused network of nonprofits and charities, ONN has our eye on supporting a strong and resilient nonprofit sector. We work to engage, advocate and lead with- and for- organizations working for the public benefit in the province.
We actively convene voices across subsectors (like arts, sports, environmental and social services), focus on areas of agreement and action, experiment, and get work done through informal networks.
We focus on public policy, legislation and systems issues to influence change at the broader level.
What we don’t do
We don’t represent the sector as a single voice, nor do we seek formal consensus by vote.
We also don’t do capacity building for individual organizations, support governance work (e.g. provide governance advice or recruit board members), or focus on specific cities or areas, or subsectors.
Our general rule of thumb is that if an issue or opportunity affects multiple subsectors and multiple regions, ONN will look at what kind of systemic impact we can make, together with the nonprofit sector.
More Information
The story of ONN
ONN: An international ally
ONN is proud to be the first International Ally of the National Council of Nonprofits, the national US network with 25,000-plus organizational members. Learn more about this unique partnership for ONN in our blog post.
