New partnership helps two provinces
Lung associations of Nova Scotia, P.E.I. streamlining operations
The Lung Association of Nova Scotia and the P.E.I. Lung Association announced on Nov. 26 they have entered into an agreement, specifically focused on streamlining operations with a shared services approach.
Over the last several years, the charitable sector has gone through significant changes, with many charities coming together to collaborate under various models.
With regards to governance for the P.E.I. Lung Association (PEILA) and the Lung Association of Nova Scotia (LANS), each will remain its own legal entity and have its own provincial board of directors.
After a year of potential alliance discussions that probed into key operational areas, environmental scans, mission alignment and best practices, both boards decided that it was in the best interests of the two provincial associations to work together to increase efficiencies while optimizing the ability to deliver programming and support the organizations’ missions.
Wendy MacIntyre, president of the PEILA board of directors, said the consensus was that in order to make a difference in lung health on the Island, an operational shift was “vital”.
“It was also imperative that governance remain with our board,” she said in a news release.
At a time when several health charities have been leaving P.E.I. due to declining donations, in part because of increased competition for donations, we are committed to doing things more efficiently. All donations to the P.E.I. Lung Association will go towards the mission in P.E.I., but we will now have more capacity to deliver lung health services to all Islanders living with lung disease.”
LANS has been looking for efficiencies wherever possible, especially given the decline in donation revenues over the last number of years. The partnership with P.E.I. will allow both organizations to pool resources.
Robert MacDonald, LANS president and CEO, will assume the role of CEO for P.E.I.
With the help of experienced staff in Nova Scotia and a new full-time co-ordinator in P.E.I., programming on the Island will become more robust.