Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas and Nonprofit Chamber President + CEO Angie Gélinas officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), establishing a formal framework for collaboration between the Mayor’s Office and Alberta’s nonprofit sector. The agreement recognizes nonprofits as both essential community infrastructure and a significant contributor to Calgary’s economy, creating an ongoing mechanism for dialogue on issues including community and economic development, workforce challenges, policy consultation, procurement, and sector capacity.

Across the province, the nonprofit sector employs more than 314,000 Albertans and contributes an estimated $6.2 billion to Alberta’s GDP each year. Beyond that paid workforce, Albertans donate their time at a scale valued at a further $5.6 billion, and more than half of the province’s nonprofits run entirely on volunteers. In Calgary alone, more than 7,000 nonprofit organizations deliver frontline services, from settlement support and food security to mental health, housing, arts, and recreation. The MOU represents a first-of-its-kind model in Canada for a Mayor’s office, reinforcing a shared commitment to informed decision-making, stronger partnerships, and better outcomes for Calgarians.

Under the agreement, the Mayor’s Office and the Nonprofit Chamber will meet regularly to discuss emerging issues affecting Calgary, identify opportunities for collaboration, and ensure nonprofit expertise helps inform municipal priorities. The Chamber’s role is advisory and designed to strengthen, not replace, the City’s existing relationships with individual nonprofits and networks. The partnership also includes an annual review to assess progress and strengthen future collaboration.

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