Matching Initiative Provides Lifeline to Non-Profits Devastated by the Pandemic

The Prosperity Project teams up with Accenture, Canadian Medical Association, The Globe and Mail and Magnet to help women and girls by offering professional support and mentoring

TORONTO, April 14, 2021 /CNW/ - A new cross-Canada program will provide hard-hit non-profit organizations (NPOs) with free business expertise, enabling them to continue operations and bolster their in-house skills.

Launched by The Prosperity Project^TM and co-presented by founding partner Accenture (NYSE: ACN), the Matching Initiative supports NPOs that serve women and girls in the areas of skills development, training, employment pathways, crisis counselling and mental and physical health, matching them with professionals – men and women – through online, volunteer engagements.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has hit NPOs on many fronts. According to Imagine Canada's Sector Monitor (2020), approximately 48% of Canadian charities could be forced to shut their doors by the spring of 2021," said Pamela Jeffery, founder of The Prosperity Project, an NPO created to ensure Canadian women are not left behind in the COVID-19 recovery. "These organizations need help now."

The Matching Initiative aims to help NPOs navigate the challenges they are currently facing including reduced capacity, resource gaps, decreased funding and economic uncertainty.

"Canadian women and girls are seeking out these services in greater numbers than before COVID-19. They need the services NPOs offer, but NPOs need support too," said Jeffery. "Through collaboration, we can help ensure that NPOs – and the people they serve – are not casualties of the pandemic."

Magnet^TM, a social innovation platform from Ryerson University, provides the necessary scaffolding for NPOs and volunteers to engage virtually.

All of the professional services are free of charge.

"At Accenture, we are committed to embracing change to benefit our communities. NPOs provide invaluable programs and services that make our communities stronger, which is why we became a founding partner of The Prosperity Project and the Matching Initiative," said Jeffrey Russell, president of Accenture in Canada. "The Prosperity Project recognized early in the pandemic that women would be disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and recent research by Accenture and W20, a part of the G20, shows that over the last year, women's earnings have declined more sharply than men's, unemployment is higher, and women report far higher levels of tension and stress compared to before the pandemic. We must do all we can to ensure an equitable recovery to the pandemic."

In addition to co-presenting partner Accenture, the Matching Initiative is supported by sponsors the Canadian Medical Association and the Globe and Mail, as well as Magnet.

About The Prosperity Project

Launched in May 2020, The Prosperity Project is a volunteer driven, not-for-profit organization conceived by a diverse group of 62 female leaders from across the country – women who have historically made a difference and are committed to continuing to promote positive change as active participants in The Prosperity Project.

The organization was founded and is being led by Pamela Jeffery, founder of the Women's Executive Network and Canadian Board Diversity Council. The Prosperity Project is taking action to explicitly link women and prosperity, underscoring the economic importance of gender equality during the COVID-19 recovery. Specific initiatives include the Rosie Initiative – inspired by the famous "Rosie the Riveter" campaign from World War II – to promote women's workforce participation and advancement; the Canadian Households' Perspective on the New Economy to assess how COVID is impacting the lives of Canadian women and their families; and the Annual Report Card on Gender Diversity and Leadership to track women's – including BIPOC women – representation at the top three leadership levels in Canada's largest organizations.

Visit The Prosperity Project website at www.canadianprosperityproject.ca.

SOURCE The Prosperity Project

Lindsay Ranson, [phone], [email protected]