AGM – 2023 Year in Review
10C’s Annual General Meeting held on June 10, 2024 for the 2023 Year in Review.
2023 in 3 words – deepening social infrastructure
Key information presented:
Minutes from the prior AGM in 2023 for year ending December 31, 2022
By-Laws – updated to ONCA compliance
Financial Statements – for the year ending December 31, 2023
Reflections from the Board Chairs
2023 Year in Review Board Report
From Jess Haines, Chair and Belinda Leach, Out-going Chair
In preparing our reflections on this past year, we asked the current 10C Board members to share their thoughts on 10C’s 2023 journey. A common theme in the Board members’ reflections was that 10C continues to play a critical role in strengthening the resilience of our Guelph community. With the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic just now being felt with the end of government pandemic recovery programs and the concomitant rise in inflation, 10C has supported the social connection and business development and growth needed to weather these challenging times. Successful events like the Breakfast Blend, Lunch and Learns, and Gather & Connect series, have fostered business skill development and social connection among our members as well as various businesses and social enterprises.
The Nourish Kitchen continues to support more than 15 food businesses who share the space to create a range of products and services. 10C also offers opportunities for novice cooks to connect and develop their food skills through programs like Super Foodies, a food skills program for kids, or making Canapés with Pi-vate Chef. The Guelph Farmer’s’ Market continues to be a hub of connection and commercial activityization with over 2500 visitors each week with 110 vendors and 23 on a waiting list. Thanks to the creativity and hard work of 10C staff to create these opportunities, the energy at 10C and the Market feels like the “before times” with people connecting and enriching programming being offered.
A second common theme from the Board members’ reflections is the need to continue to create a strong financialeconomic foundation for 10C. To that end, the Board, along with 10C staff, has committed to a focus on fundraising in the coming year. While the 10C Board has always provided strong financial stewardship for 10C and worked directly to support bond investments, having an active role in raising money through sponsorship and donors is new for the Board. To help support this new focus, we are bringing on three new board members with strong financial and fundraising experience. We are looking forward to working with and learning from these members as we stretch ourselves to initiate this new funding stream, starting with sponsorship opportunities for business and individuals. This effort will help secure to 10C’s financial stability and allow for 10C to continue to be a leader in social connection and innovation.
Structural Changes
In 2023, the legal relationships of the parties – being Chalmers Community Services Centre of the United Church of Canada, 10C Shared Space, and 42 Carden Shared Space – changed.
Chalmers Community Services Centre of the United Church of Canada initiated this change. It chose to remain a tenant of 42 Carden Shared Space based on the terms of a lease executed between Chalmers Community Services Centre of the United Church of Canada and 42 Carden Shared Space that year. Chalmers Community Services Centre of the United Church of Canada also remained a lender to 42 Carden Shared Space for its initial $500,000 financial contribution to 42 Carden Shared Space which 42C Carden Shared Space will repay over time in accordance with the terms of a Promissory Note agreed to and signed by all parties. Chalmers Community Services Centre of the United Church of Canada also chose to resign as a member of 42 Carden Shared Space.
2023-2024 Incoming Board of Directors
Jess Haines, Chair (February 2019 – February 2025)
Belinda Leach, Past Chair (March 2019 – March 2025)
Theo Peters, Treasurer (June 2022 – June 2025)
Brent Klassen (June 2020 – June 2026)
Elaine Stavnitzky (June 2022 – June 2025)
Iram Ahmed (June 2022 – June 2025) – on leave
Miriam Foell (June 2022 – June 2025)
Seyi Adaghe (June 2022 – June 2025)
Suzanne Swanton (June 2022 – June 2025)
Brenda Doner (June 2023 – June 2026)
Justin Reid (June 2023 – June 2026)
Meaghan Langille (June 2023 – June 2026)
Peter Tesche (June 2023 – June 2026)
new Director – Kal Termanini (June 2024 – June 2027)
new Director – Jemima Adejo (June 2024 – June 2027)
new Director – Karen Menard (June 2024 – June 2027)
2023 Year in Review Staff Report
By Julia Grady on behalf of the 10C Staff team
After a challenging few years, 2023 marks what has felt like the emergence from the pandemic. At 10C this has meant a doubling of community space users from the previous year and the return of in-person events and gatherings. Regular space use in the form of office rentals, coworking and hot desking also increased by 25% from 2022. We were excited to welcome the community and members back to the space and are reminded of the critical role that 10C plays in providing social infrastructure for creating more equitable and sustainable communities.
https://communityfoundations.ca/investing-in-social-infrastructure-post-covid/“Social infrastructure” includes policies, practices and relationships that enable us to create a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable society, from the grassroots to the global, and spanning healthcare, education, culture and our democratic processes.”
Throughout 2023, 10C continued to activate social infrastructure, including over 40,000 square feet of social purpose real estate in downtown Guelph as well as a suite of programs and partnerships. We see our programs as a portfolio of community development tools, from connection to enterprise development to investment to impact measurement and more. As staff – we often hear from members and the community the value of 10C “being here” to support emerging enterprises, ideas and community movements. We hear you – and are working hard to be a sustainable and reliable steward of social infrastructure in Guelph and across the region.
With committed and engaged staff and board members, 10C worked to develop an updated theory of change and is working to develop new strategies to measure and report on our impact as a whole and within key programs. This guiding document will support strategic decision making, impact reporting and storytelling.
In 2023, 10C celebrated its 15th year, growing from an idea to the multi-faceted organization that we know today. 2023 was the largest financial and programmatic year for 10C – ever. We advanced work within the circular economy through Our Food Future and COIL, developed Harvest Impact as a social lending fund, continued engagement in the Sustainable Development Goals, and supported social enterprises to both diversify their revenue streams and deepen impact measurement practices. We consulted, facilitated, mentored and worked alongside our members and partners in a variety of ways.
Throughout 2023, 10C was underway on a significant capital project at the Guelph Farmers’ Market that would bring greater accessibility and more flexible vendor and community use options to the market. This included new accessible and all-gender washrooms, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and structural upgrades as well as new permanent and rolling vendor booths. Fundraising and planning efforts continue as we look forward to completing the remainder of the project – which includes completion of a shared commercial kitchen, updating the washrooms to all-gender, and activating outdoor space in the back-lot.
Throughout 2023, the Nourish Kitchen continued to thrive and welcomed several new members who have since turned their ideas into successful local food enterprises. Committed to enterprise success, the 10C team has supported Nourish Kitchen members to grow their businesses and revenue streams and create new collaborative opportunities with food as a core theme. The natural interfaces between 10C, Nourish and the Farmers’ Market began to come to life in 2023.
A big part of 10C’s work is connecting locally, while looking nationally and internationally at emerging topics relating to sustainable and just cultural, social and economic development. Top of mind are:
- The role of placemaking in advancing Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, Inclusion and Accessibility
- Community finance as a leader in fair, sustainable local social, economic and environmental transformation
- Social acquisition of for-profit businesses by non-profits, co-ops and charities
- Community land trusts and land acquisition funds for non-profit stewardship of affordable housing, community hubs and more
- The rise of social enterprise as a new norm integrating community wealth building strategies including decent work and social procurement
In 2023, 10C focussed on improving systems and processes, building momentum to drive community based programming and steward social infrastructure. In 2024, we will work to expand bold visions, deepen collective learning and create new openings for community partners to collaborate in creating community change.
In Community – the 10C team