COMMUNITY BENEFIT PURCHASING PROJECT (CBPP)—A Case Study

Connecting Social Procurement Resources and Opportunities across Central Ontario

 

Overview

 

In April 2020 the Community Benefit Purchasing Project (CBPP) launched, a partnership project between Ashoka Canada and the Social Enterprise Network of Central Ontario (SENCO) housed at Georgian College. This project was funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and led by Consultant, Elly Green who delivered the project alongside her team and several provincial and national experts.

This two-year project provided resources and training opportunities for social enterprises, diverse suppliers and purchasers in social procurement. The project’s goal was to support the growth of social enterprises and diverse suppliers and provide knowledge and tools for purchasers to both explore and apply new models of community benefit purchasing.

 

Objective

 

To build capacity for suppliers and purchasers in Central Ontario by facilitating connection with one another in collaboration with provincial and national experts, as well as sustainable economic activity & community growth.

This project will connect social enterprises and diverse suppliers with institutions who have purchasing power to create significant social and economic impact in Central Ontario.

Audience

This project was designed for organizations with a social, environmental, or cultural mission, diverse-owned businesses and institutional purchasing representatives.

Community Benefit Purchasing Project Trailer

Roles

 

Lead Consultant -> Elly Green

Data Oversight -> Ashleigh Addison

Support Consultant -> Jenna Stevenato

Process → Outcome

This project was delivered 2020 - 2022

 

Project funding and partnership →

 

Designed and pitched the project with collaborating partners, successfully awarded by funder.

Facilitated all partnership meetings, created and delivered progress and final reports.

 
 

Project activities →

 

  • Regional scan to engage organizations in Central Ontario

  • Creation of a social enterprise and diverse supplier directory

  • Virtual sessions & series’ to connect industry experts with regional participants

  • Cohort support for engaged suppliers and purchasers

  • Production of audio documentary to capture key themes and learnings

 

This project was designed and pitched to collaborating partners, and was then successfully awarded by the funder.

 

Year 1: Information gathering and data collection, knowledge sharing and mobilization →

Year 2: Implementation support for early adopters and highly engaged individuals and organizations →

 

  • 556 people engaged in project activities

  • 84 meetings and events were held

  • 65 social enterprise or diverse suppliers engaged;
    four suppliers received expert coaching to prepare their organization for social procurement opportunities

  • 17 purchasers engaged; within a facilitated Community of Practice, institutional policy and procedures were explored, and a college-wide Purchasing Department was supported through the implementation of two pilots

 

Resources

 
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