United Way Maritimes 2024-25
Sector Development
Sector Development Across the Region
United Way Maritimes cares about the long-term health and sustainability of the social sector across the Maritimes. Our sector development work focuses on initiatives that support leaders to strengthen their skills, lead effectively and create change in the communities they serve.
Highlights from this year include:
- The regional expansion of both the ED Academy and Board Governance Training
- The successful completion of the East Coast Public Policy Training Institute (PPTI).
- Contributions to the groundwork for a Nonprofit Sector Council in New Brunswick, an essential step to establishing permanent channels for collaboration and advocacy in the sector.
ED Academy
ED Academy, first launched in PEI in 2023, is a 12-month program designed to support new executive directors. Typically, these leaders have less than three years experience. The course covers a range of topics from government relations, to accounting, to succession planning. It offers the tools, mentorship and peer support to help executive directors thrive in their roles and provide the stability and direction their organizations need.
The second PEI cohort wrapped up in March 2025 with 13 graduates out of 18 participants. Feedback was consistently positive with 100% of participants reporting improvements in leadership abilities.
Due to overwhelming interest and positive reception, a regional expansion of ED Academy into Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is underway. Recruitment for these new cohorts opened on December 19, 2024, and within just a few months, we received over 100 applications. The first NS and NB cohorts began in Spring 2025.
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11
Facilitated live, full-day, training sessions
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136
Hours of additional support
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100+
On-demand tools, templates, and resources
Results from Cohort 2 Graduates
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87.5%
report an improvement in their skills and knowledge
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87.5%
Feel an improvement in their ability to plan their year
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100%
Feel the course addressed their professional needs
East Coast Public Policy Training Institute
Delivered in partnership with the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute and NSCC, PPTI brought together 18 nonprofit leaders from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The program aimed to equip participants with the tools to influence systemic change by advocating for public policy that benefits their communities and the social sector.
Running from April to November 2024, participants met monthly for interactive workshops and one-on-one mentorship with public policy experts. This encouraged cross-sector collaboration and idea-sharing with peers. The course guided participants through the entire public policy process, from ideation to implementation.
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18
Participants
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15
Graduates
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7
Faculty and mentors
Board Governance Training
The nonprofit sector is facing significant challenges associated with effective governance. This is due to high levels of turnover in board roles, limited support available for new and existing board members, and a gap in access to governance training. Recognizing this gap, United Way Saint John, Kings, and Charlotte developed a Board Governance Training alongside SL Solutions in 2021 which began training nonprofit boards on an annual basis. In November 2024, United Way Maritimes piloted an expansion to NS and PEI through virtual training.
The program attracted board members at all experience levels, reinforcing the need for accessible governance training. Interest exceeded expectations, and we opened up a second cohort.
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124
Total attendees registered
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10
Years of board experience, on average
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9
Topics covered