How to successfully partner with charities & NFPs so that everybody wins.

Barrie's business community is full of generous and kind-hearted people looking to make a difference. At this time of year in particular, you will see charitable actions all over social media and the news, but our business leaders are paying it forward year round. There are many aspects to supporting a charity/NFP that are good for your business as well as for the community, and you want to make sure you structure the partnership properly to have the biggest impact. 

During this session, our panel of experts will talk about how to choose a charity/NFP that aligns with your values, building a strong partnership with a charity/NFP, making sure you understand how to properly record donations/contributions, and how collaborating with a charity/NFP can strengthen your marketing strategy.

About our Experts:

Arif Khan, Siva Creative Inc.
Innovation is crucial for future success; whether that is through product evolution, improving processes, exploring far fetched ideas, or designing efficient software solutions. Every business experiences challenges or pain points. These challenges lead us to ask questions such as... "what if.....?" or plant seeds around ideas such as "If only I could .....", or "I wish something existed that would help me...." I love that as the CEO of Siva Creative, I can embrace and walk through these challenges with other business owners, and partner with them to implement wild and crazy solutions - to check off those items on the wish list. 

Peter Sundborg, Barrie Food Bank
Peter has been with the Barrie Food Bank since June 2011, as the Executive Director he is responsible for the overall management and leadership of the food bank. His purpose in life is to serve others, which is a perfect fit when serving those in need and working closely with our volunteers and donors.

Chris Van Niekerk, Powell Jones LLP
Chris provides accounting, financial reporting, compliance and auditing services to the firm’s owner-manager businesses. He works with a diverse client base including retail, manufacturing, car dealerships, and not for profit organizations. He enjoys building relationships with owner-managers and providing solutions in order for owners to put emphasis on operating and growing their business rather than being bogged down with administration.

After graduating from the University of Guelph with a degree in economics, Chris attended York University to complete his accounting courses. He joined Powell Jones LLP in 2008 and earned his CA designation in 2010. Prior to joining Powell Jones, Chris worked with a several Barrie businesses in their accounting departments.

Born and raised in Barrie, Chris and his young family enjoys being part of the community and all the amenities Barrie and area has to offer. Chris is an avid sports fan and enjoys playing hockey, golf and snowboarding.