Maureen Cole is the founder of We R Strategic which offers strategic planning, consulting and coaching services for nonprofits and charities. A retired nurse and hospital administrator, Maureen knows the important place that nonprofits play in rural communities, from helping purchase costly equipment to providing much-needed support for the community to contributing to the economic growth of Huron County. Many residents of the county will rely on nonprofits and charities at some point in their lives and their contributions to the wellbeing of Huron County citizens are significant and remarkable. 

However, many nonprofits struggle to run the day-to-day operations while also creating a unified, strategic, and measurable plan. There is a desire and need for strategic planning that is based on the unique mission, vision, values, and goals of the organization and that each objective is measurable. With the Ontario Non-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) coming into effect in October 2024, many nonprofits are feeling the pressure to ensure they’ve met the new parliamentary rules and regulations to continue their work. Many nonprofits seek outside strategic planning support from large consulting firms, often from urban areas which come with costly price tags and don’t necessarily understand the nuances of rural Ontario. 

Through the Starter Company Plus program and the process of creating a business plan, Maureen began to see that there was a need and space for her business in the market and local community.

“During the Starter Company Program, I was connected with a nonprofit group, looking for direction and I was able to assist them in applying for funding through the community resiliency funding and am now working with them to develop their strategic plan,” said Maureen.

“The Starter Company Plus program definitely helped me create that long-term plan for sustainability for We R Strategic and continues the regular check-ins and coaching. My advice to anyone thinking about starting or expanding a business would be to consult with the coaches at Huron County Economic Development. The team is always available to listen, help research the answer to questions or those bumps in the road you didn’t see coming, and help you navigate through them,” commented Maureen.