Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador (CSCNL) is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Capacity Canada to champion greater equity in nonprofit leadership.
Building on a 33-month Open Hearth project launched by Capacity Canada in July 2024, together, we’re launching the Open Hearth project here in Newfoundland & Labrador. This is a bold initiative designed to increase the presence of underrepresented women and gender diverse individuals in leadership and decision‑making roles across the nonprofit sector.
Through this partnership, CSCNL will lead the delivery of two transformative initiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- A mentorship network to support and uplift underrepresented women and gender diverse individuals through an innovative platform for mentoring and collaboration, challenging the conventional mentor-mentee relationship. Two cohorts will be launched across the province.
- A culture‑change framework supporting nonprofits committed to building workplaces where belonging and inclusion truly thrive through strategies, resources, and methodologies to support women and gender diverse leaders and sustain the change. The culture-change framework process will be launched in the Spring.
“We’re honoured to partner with our wonderful colleagues at Community Sector Council Newfoundland & Labrador (CSCNL) to bring Open Hearth to St. John’s and communities across Newfoundland & Labrador. This work is rooted in community wisdom — supporting underrepresented women and non‑binary people who have long carried leadership in our sector, often without equitable access to decision‑making spaces. Together, we’re building a mentorship network and a culture‑change approach that strengthens belonging, connection, and the conditions for more people to lead — right here at home.” – Cathy Brothers, CEO, Capacity Canada.
“We are excited to be partnering with Capacity Canada to bring the Open Hearth mentorship project to Newfoundland and Labrador. In our province, approximately 70% of the community sector is staffed by women and gender diverse individuals. Meanwhile, our research suggests this group holds just 62% of executive positions and earn approximately 23% less than their male counterparts. We need to work together to close the gap by uplifting sector voices, rebalance statistics with lived experiences, and co-create the conditions for a thriving, equitable community sector.” – Colin Corcoran, CEO, CSCNL
Open Hearth builds on two concepts co‑created with women from underrepresented communities during the 2023 Makeover Project — ensuring the work is grounded in lived experience, community insight, and real sector needs.
Join us on February 17, 2026, 1pm, for a 45-minute virtual session highlighting the benefits of both initiatives and launching the mentorship application process.
For more information, contact:
Christine Snow, Open Hearth Local Program Manager, CSCNL
Fableeha Choudhury, Open Hearth Project Manager, Capacity Canada
Learn more: https://capacitycanada.ca/open-hearth/
To register for the February 17, 2026 information session, please click here.
