Equity focused

LEADERSHIP TRAINING
STRATEGIC PLANNING
SYSTEMS CHANGE FACILITATION

About benny

Benny Welter-Nolan is a settler administrator based in Kjipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki (Halifax, Nova Scotia). Their passion for opportunity accessibility and solidarity between equity-deserving communities is informed by their disability, polyqueer and transgender identities. 

They have over a decade of experience managing charitable organizations through major transitions with a background in the cultural sector. As the Executive Director of Visual Arts Nova Scotia, they created a strategic plan and implemented systems change focused on equity, sustainability and connection. They increased the organizations operating budget by over 50%, fundraising more than a half million dollars and successfully advocating for a doubling of operating funding with the province and major funding increases with the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Having served as Co-Chair of The Youth Project, Co-director of Hermes Artist Cooperative, Treasurer of Halifax Crafters Society, Secretary of Eyelevel Artist-Run-Centre, and Treasurer of Wonder’neath Arts Society, they are known for their financial capacity building, equity focused governance and collaborative systems change expertise.

Photography by William Dicks.

  • Benny brought forth a significant shift in the organization's direction focused in equity, sustainability and connection, and rapidly implemented policies and actions to reflect the change.

    - Jocelyn Li, Visual Arts Nova Scotia Treasurer

CHANGE METHODOLOGY

  • Analysis

    Each collaboration begins with connecting to the people working with the organization, and a review of governance, systems, and culture.

  • Implementation

    Teams work with me to co-create goals, timelines, and processes to address gaps in the organization’s behaviour and systems.

  • Adjustment

    Review the implementation of new systems with teams and make adjustments based on the individual needs of each organization.

A values based & equity centred Approach

Shaping Change Leadership Consulting works to address structural inequity and create the conditions for sustaining diverse leadership in the charitable and non-profit sector. We centre anti-racist, anti-oppressive and accessibility frameworks as the foundation of our processes. By focusing on changing the ways we work together, we address the roots of oppression in organizational systems so communities can thrive.

We start with intentional listening to understand the needs of our clients and the communities they serve. We prioritize and seek out the guidance of individuals with lived experience to understand the systemic barriers to their engagement. Our values based strategic planning model takes an equity centred approach with a focus on governance and systems change. This values based, adaptive model uses an impact evaluation matrix to give our clients the focus and flexibility necessary to deliver on mission in changing conditions. We facilitate foundational change through practical and progressive action to better serve a plurality of communities.