On May 5, 2020, Karen Ball assumed the role of president and chief executive officer for the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO), based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, following her predecessor’s departure. With board approval of the 2021–2024 strategic plan, Ball and her team were preparing for a board meeting on January 10, 2021, to present their options to diversify revenue streams and leverage social enterprise opportunities. Since the strategic plan’s approval, however, considerable change had occurred. Alberta’s economy was in a significant downturn, while the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) was making a devastating impact on the province, including the nonprofit sector. As Ball finalized her analysis, she had to determine and present to the board the option or combination of options that would best address CCVO’s new strategic direction.
On May 5, 2020, Karen Ball assumed the role of president and chief executive officer for the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO), based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, following her predecessor's departure. With board approval of the 2021-2024 strategic plan, Ball and her team were preparing for a board meeting on January 10, 2021, to present their options to diversify revenue streams and leverage social enterprise opportunities. Since the strategic plan's approval, however, considerable change had occurred. Alberta's economy was in a significant downturn, while the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) was making a devastating impact on the province, including the nonprofit sector. As Ball finalized her analysis, she had to determine and present to the board the option or combination of options that would best address CCVO's new strategic direction.
Windmill Microlending, was established in 2004 by a group of community activists who saw the need to help Canadian newcomers restart their careers. The organization offered microloans to help pay the costs of reaccreditation and training. The organization’s first chief executive officer was hired in February 2017, and by September 2017, she had formulated a new vision for the organization that would address three goals: growing the number of clients and the number of loans, increasing clients’ success and their job placements, and maintaining the loan repayment rate. She also needed to address whether Windmill Microlending should expand into other cities and provinces and how to diversify the organization’s funding sources and revenue streams to generate more operating revenue and loan capital to support the required growth. She needed to present her vision and strategy at the next board meeting and ensure the board was onside.
Windmill Microlending, was established in 2004 by a group of community activists who saw the need to help Canadian newcomers restart their careers. The organization offered microloans to help pay the costs of reaccreditation and training. The organization's first chief executive officer was hired in February 2017, and by September 2017, she had formulated a new vision for the organization that would address three goals: growing the number of clients and the number of loans, increasing clients' success and their job placements, and maintaining the loan repayment rate. She also needed to address whether Windmill Microlending should expand into other cities and provinces and how to diversify the organization's funding sources and revenue streams to generate more operating revenue and loan capital to support the required growth. She needed to present her vision and strategy at the next board meeting and ensure the board was onside.