And the winner is...

Brian Postlewait (Mission Possible), Katrina Pacey (Pivot Legal Society), and Samantha Jo Simmonds (Public Dreams) accept their awards.

Prior to the event each finalist received coaching to assist them in putting together their presentations. Thank you to our wonderful coaches: Sandra Wear, President of Tykra Inc; Adam Wilkins, VP Business Development, REV; Gary Yurkovich, BC SVP Partner; and Mike Rowlands of Octopus Strategies.  [Read Mike Rowlands recap of the night here.]

On the big night, the three finalists presented their enterprises and most pressing business challenge to a panel of judges. The judges included Tamara Vrooman, CEO of Vancity; Alanna Hendren, ED of Developmental Disabilities Association; Jon Morris, President of JDQ Systems Inc.; and Jim Fletcher of Northwest Venture Dev.

• Public Dreams - Awarded $2,500 enp grant for technical assistance.

Founded in 1985, Public Dreams Society brings art and celebration to the community by creating participatory events, traditions and rituals that promote healthy neighbourhoods. Public Dreams is the producer of long-running Signature Events, Illuminares Lantern Procession and Parade of the Lost Souls. To help support and develop these community programs and other emerging initiatives, the Society offers full service event management through its mission-based social enterprise.

• Mission Possible - Awarded 50 hours of consultation time with JDQ Systems Inc.

Mission Possible Compassionate Ministry Society recognizes its mandate to be spiritual coaches to the people of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. This means caring for the powerless and the impoverished. It also includes providing hope for those who struggle with addictions, being an advocate for social justice, and bringing comfort to the lonely. Their goal is to provide programs that address long-term solutions to poverty, addictions, injustice and spiritual unrest by creating a climate of unconditional Christian love.

• Pivot Legal Society - Awarded $15,000 grant from Vancity Community Foundation.

The mission of Pivot Legal LLP is to provide quality, affordable legal representation to individuals and organizations, and use its expertise and 100% of its profits to support the public interest campaigns of Pivot Legal Society. Their socially engaged lawyers take a principled approach to the practice of law, combining a strong focus on client service with an engaged sense of social responsibility. The mission of Pivot Legal Society is to take a strategic approach to social change, using the law to address the root causes that undermine the quality of life of those most on the margins.

• Read more about Katrina's experience at the Social Enterprise Dragon's event and her reaction to winning the Vancity Community Foundation grant.

 

This is event was proudly presented by:

• Vancity Community Foundation. Vancity Community Foundation is a public foundation associated with Vancity Credit Union. Building on a cooperative tradition and values, we provide a vehicle for philanthropic giving and developmental support through which people can come together and realize the vision of communities.

• JDQ Systems Inc. JDQ designs, implements and audits business management systems. We write software, manage improvement and IT projects and offer many other services and products that make it possible for companies to thrive and achieve world-class success. Our JUMP! suite of products builds solutions on the foundation of what's already working. Our teamwork results in improved efficiency, revenue growth and cost savings. We have realized highly successful solutions for leading companies.

• Enterprising Non-Profits. Enp, is a unique partnership of foundations, credit unions and government that promotes and supports social enterprise development and growth as a means to build strong non-profit organizations and healthier communities. Enp is a funding program that provides matching grants to non-profit organizations in BC that are interested in starting or expanding a business. The enp funders include: Coast Capital Savings Credit Union, Columbia Basin Initiative Trust, Northern Development Initiative Trust, Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust, Vancity Credit Union, Vancity Community Foundation, Vancouver Foundation, and Western Economic Diversification Canada.
• BC Social Venture Partners. BCSVP is a network of business people pioneering a new model of giving Venture Philanthropy. They connect the power of business with the passion of giving, to drive community solutions with a unique combination of time and money.

The event was also supported by:

• Potluck Cafe and Catering. Potluck is a leader in social enterprise and an inspiring entrepreneurial model for Downtown Eastside (DTES) community economic development and revitilization.  Through its business activities, Potluck has directly improved the quality of life for residents of our DTES community. Potluck operates a fully professional Café and Catering enterprise in the heart of the city serving hundreds of corporate and non profit clients. Potluck is a registered charity whose café and catering revenue is directly invested back into its 4 community social programs that are integrated into its daily operations. 
• Osoyoos Indian Band Development Corporation. The Okanagan First Nation people have lived in this region from time immemorial. The Osoyoos Indian Band people honour the hard working, self-supporting lifestyle of our ancestors by developing our own economy through our business initiatives. Situated in one of Canada's premier agricultural and tourism regions, our 32,000 acres offer opportunities in agriculture, eco-tourism, commercial, industrial, and residential developments. Through leases and joint ventures we have built meaningful business relationships that have created social and employment opportunities for both natives and non-natives in the South Okanagan. The Chief and Council of OIB are business people, and we desire to develop more business opportunities.
• Bullfrog Power. Bullfrog Power, Canada's 100% green electricity provider, offers a clean, renewable electricity choice to everyone in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario-and now-Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. When you choose Bullfrog Power, Bullfrog's generators inject renewable electricity onto your local or regional grid to match the amount of power your home or business uses. Bullfrog's electricity comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impact by Environment Canada under its EcoLogoM program instead of from polluting sources like coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear.