2025 Cortes Social Profit Gathering.
From Edge to Opportunity: Collective Pathways for Social Impact.

On October 14, 2025 the Cortes Island Foundation and Hollyhock hosted the 2025 Social Profit Network (SPN) Gathering, which brought together residents, local leaders, and off-island collaborators. The gathering focused on governance, social enterprise, economic development, community cohesion, and resource sharing, with the intent to foster inclusive, participatory dialogue for both immediate actions and long-term planning.

Two presenters played key roles in framing the conversations:

• Tara Janzen: Shared insights from Shorefast’s experience in community-led development, emphasising local governance, economic resilience, and learning from other models of social enterprise. Tara focused on strategies for internal cohesion, governance structures, and leveraging community resources for sustainable impact, including lessons from Fogo Island.
• Andrew Greer from Purpl: Offered expertise on revenue generation, social enterprise strategy, and investment structures. He discussed practical approaches to diversifying revenue streams, creating investment co-ops, and building sustainable local economies, and shared hands-on advice for nonprofits and social enterprises on Cortes Island.

Governance, Incorporation, and Regional Collaboration

• Governance was consistently highlighted as foundational for community cohesion and effective planning.
• Tara emphasised that communities without clear governance often struggle with internal competition and inefficiency. She cited Fogo Island as an example, where 11 different communities initially competed with each other, and success only came after a strong governance structure was implemented.
• Incorporation was explored both as a practical tool (access to municipal resources, flexibility in budgeting, formal decision-making) and a strategic tool (strengthening identity and internal cohesion).
• Participants debated whether incorporation should focus solely on Cortes Island or include neighbouring islands (Quadra, Discovery Islands) for regional collaboration and shared resources. The idea of a “ferry-based meeting” was suggested as a humorous, practical way to include off-island participants.

Capacity Building and Inclusivity

• While individuals had expertise, overall community capacity was stretched.
• There was a strong desire to increase understanding of local systems, particularly Klahoose governance and engagement processes, and where organisations are stretched or able to support each other.
• Financial, logistical, and structural support (e.g., offering honoraria, funding travel to meet band council representatives) were recommended to enable broader and more equitable participation.
• Indigenous engagement specifics included:
• Offering honoraria for board participation.
• Funding travel for members to engage with the SPN.
• Prioritising listening to elders, youth, and local stakeholders, and approaching collaboration with curiosity rather than imposing agendas.

Economic Development, Social Enterprise, and Resource Sharing

• Andrew Greer discussed strategies for diversifying revenue streams for nonprofits and social enterprises, including guidance on sales, fundraising, and accessing investment capital.
• Creation of local investment co-ops was highlighted as a way to keep money circulating on Cortes Island.
• Circular economy discussions included:
• Mapping local excesses (e.g., surplus apples) and unmet needs (e.g., land access, specialty products).
  • Challenges in production and regulatory barriers, such as pasteurising apple juice or selling pickles.
  • Anecdote: One participant noted that their husband’s handmade pasta thrived economically despite initial doubts about the island market, illustrating potential for niche, high-quality products.
• Creative collaboration was encouraged to overcome scale and regulatory limitations.

Regular Networks and Knowledge Sharing

• There was broad consensus on the need for more frequent, informal gatherings to share knowledge, resources, and strategies.
• Suggested topics included governance, capital and investment, energy, sustainability, regenerative tourism, and social enterprise.
• Structured sharing of offers and needs was encouraged, building a functional network beyond an email chain.
• Participants agreed that rotating locations (e.g., Manson’s, Klahoose spaces, Whaletown) could increase accessibility and engagement.

Values, Vision, and Community Cohesion

• Recurring themes included patience, trust, internal cohesion, and adaptability.
• Tara highlighted governance as both a functional and symbolic foundation for the community, citing Fogo Island lessons.
• Andrew reinforced practical, financially sustainable strategies to support long-term resilience.
• Participants envisioned a community strengthened by:
• Governance structures,
• Collaborative economy,
• Shared learning, and
• Experiential engagement.

Presenter Contributions

• Tara (Shorefast):
• Framed discussions on governance, incorporation, and community cohesion.
• Shared lessons from Fogo Island on resolving inter-community conflict through governance.
• Emphasised experiential learning (canoeing, hiking) as critical for trust and collaboration.
• Advocated curiosity-driven engagement with Klahoose and other underrepresented stakeholders.
• Andrew Greer (Purpl):
• Provided practical guidance on revenue generation, investment co-ops, and diversifying income streams.
• Shared insights on social enterprise, risk management, and sustaining local economies.
• Offered mentorship and support to help local organisations develop financial and operational capacity.
• Used real-world examples of product challenges (e.g., pasteurising apple juice, selling pickles, handmade pasta success).

Practical Next Steps Emerging from Discussions

Governance and Strategic Planning

• Explore incorporation options and governance structures for Cortes Island and regional collaboration.
• Develop strategic plans for social enterprises and nonprofits to reduce risk and optimise impact.
• Community Engagement
• Host conversation cafés and informal gatherings to discuss governance, petitions, and planning.
• Provide logistical and financial support to enable equitable participation, particularly for Indigenous members.
• Economic Initiatives
• Establish local investment co-ops and explore social enterprise beyond tourism.
• Foster a circular economy by mapping local excesses and unmet needs, and facilitate resource sharing.
• Gather and analyse economic data to guide evidence-based planning and investment.
• Network and Capacity Building
• Hold regular SPN meetings around key topics (capital, governance, energy, sustainability, regenerative tourism).
• Encourage participants to share offers, needs, and expertise to strengthen collaboration.
• Experiential Learning
• Organise outdoor activities with organisations like Wave and Range and Hollyhock to build trust, reflection, and community cohesion.
• Use these experiences to complement governance and planning initiatives.
• Regional Collaboration
• Explore partnerships with neighbouring islands to strengthen shared learning and resource pooling.
• Investigate accessible meeting formats for regional participation (e.g., ferry-based gatherings (joke from Andrew))

Conclusion

The 2025 SPN Gathering demonstrated the strength, creativity, and commitment of the Cortes Island community and its neighbours. Through inclusive dialogue, experiential learning, and collaborative problem-solving, participants explored critical issues ranging from governance and internal cohesion to economic development, social enterprise, and regional collaboration.

Tara from Shorefast and Andrew Greer from Purpl provided invaluable guidance, blending practical strategies with lessons learned from other communities. Their insights helped anchor conversations around sustainable governance, financial resilience, and the importance of aligning community values with actionable initiatives.

Indigenous engagement was highlighted as critical. Participants discussed offering honoraria for board participation, funding travel for Klahoose members to engage with the SPN, and ensuring conversations prioritise listening to elders, youth, and local stakeholders. Collaboration was approached with curiosity, aiming to understand local needs rather than imposing external agendas.

The gathering showcased immediate and long-term opportunities: hosting regular dialogue spaces, building local investment structures, fostering a circular economy, and strengthening networks across the islands. Specific anecdotes, such as challenges in producing apple juice or the success of handmade pasta, illustrated practical economic realities.

Ultimately, the SPN Gathering reinforced that the future of Cortes Island and its neighbours depends on combining structured governance, informed economic planning, inclusive Indigenous engagement, and rich interpersonal connections. This foundation will enable the community to adapt, thrive, and flourish together.