Over the past six years Community Ownership Solutions has developed a solid infrastructure, relationships and partnerships, experience, and reputation.
COS’s infrastructure is solid and relies on a strong board of directors that represents business, labour, educational institutes, Aboriginal organizations, and community CED organizations.
Marty Donkervoort has been involved with COS since its pre-start-up planning stages, and has been its full time General Manager since December 2001. Kaye Grant joined COS in early 2004 on a part-time basis. Consultants take on specific projects to augment regular staffing.
COS also has an Aboriginal social worker, Larry Morrissette BSW, under contract to provide employee support to employees of its social enterprises. COS is also supported by a team of professionals. COS is well equipped with suitable office space and office equipment.
Over the years COS has built up numerous partnerships and relationships. Partnerships include Social Capital Partners, North End Housing Project, Spence Neighbourhood Association, West Broadway Development Corporation and Winnipeg Housing and Rehab Corp. Key relationships include North End Community Renewal Corporation, SEED Winnipeg, and Assiniboine Credit Union.
COS has built up a wealth of experience and learned many lessons over the past six years. For example, the experience operating COS’s first social enterprise, ICR, provided valuable insights into the complexities of working with two bottom lines: a financial bottom line and a social return on investment (SROI) bottom line.
COS has documented many of these lessons in articles and presentations that were made at CED conferences. As a result of this documentation, COS and others are now better positioned to start up new social enterprises.
COS’s solid reputation extends beyond the local community. The organization has been active on the national scene, through presentations at Canadian, and networking at, American conferences. It has assisted CED organizations in Manitoba and other provinces. A number of organizations from other parts of Canada have visited COS to learn from its experience.