I recommend the following upgrade to the PTSC-Online Sustainability Plan and request other steering committee members input to assist in filling in the gaps. 

The current sustainability plan contains significant detail on private sector organizations that could benefit from and possibly financially support PTSC-Online's continued operation.  I believe the plan should be upgraded to provide sufficient detail on possible public sector support programs to enable application to the appropriate programs for financial support.  i.e. does PTSC-Online meet the criteria, what is the process, what are the application deadlines, what is the dollar value and duration of financial assistance that is potentially available.  We should also consider the effort required to make application. We have learned from the application to the Policy Development Contribution Program and reporting requirements under this program that the effort can be fairly significant and even when it has been put forth and all deadlines met there may be significant delays in receiving the financial support. 

In addition to formal programs to which PTSC-Online can apply, I believe some Federal departments with responsibility for emergency management may be able to provide financial support if PTSC-Online can demonstrate how it can help a specific department accomplish its own objectives or programs.

I believe all provincial and territorial emergency management organizations are potential supporters. They can be approached individually and collectively through the committees to which they belong.

If an aspect of our program pertains specifically to Ontario the Trillium Foundation may be a potential source of funds.

The sustainability plan look good to me for now.

Here's a list of other associations and industry groups we should contact in addition to the ones you listed. Even if they don't provide funding they should at least join PTSC. FCM has been involved with some of them as part of a pandemic planning working group during the H1N1 outbreak. Others are associations we have met and that we know are always concerned about business continuity, safety and emergency preparedness.

Canadian Gas Association

Canadian Construction Association

Canadian Standards Association

Public Health Agency of Canada

Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors

Canadian Produce Marketing Association

Canadian Center for Emergency Preparedness

Canadian Emergency Management College

Canadian Water and Wastewater Association

Canadian Restaurants and Food Service Association

Information Technology Association of Canada

Canadian Home Builders Association

Canadian Real Estate Association

Canadian Public Works Association

Could we also look at "smaller" financial contributions such as $100.00 (Friends of PTSC) just a thought

Friends of PTSC-Online is certainly an option. We need to schedule a steering committee meeting this month and we can certainly bring up that option.  Anything that will contribute to the finances will certainly help. I originally suggested a contributing member category in addition to the sponsors and was advised it would be beter to pursue either a sponsorship or membership model but not both but Friends of PTSC may be OK.  hanks for the suggestion. 

The sustainability plan has really not been effective because no one has been working on it. We need to revisit it to see if it is still valid.

I have changed my strategy from looking for sponsorships to looking for organizations we can network with to help them accomplish their own goals and objectives. This  has worked well for NFPA Canada and we need to demonstrate how it will work effectively for other organizations then gradually try to turn these into revenue generating partnerships once their effectiveness has been proven. 

I have also received input that small projects which produce either a product or service, similar to the crisis and emergency management project, should be pursued as potential revenue generators. 

I'm happy that NFPA can be the "poster-child" organization that provides mutual benefits.

I'm beating the bushes to find similar relationships, however, word-of-mouth is a very powerful tool.  Perhaps a little peer pressure as well.

To communicate and support the priorities the steering committee identified during the January 2012 web conference I published an article in the Developing PTSC-Online blog and promoted it with social media. Here is a link to the article which received over 460 views and positive support. 

I believe our challenge is now to focus on the three priorities (1) content, (2) partnerships and (3) projects to build our community and then on ways to charge for services which provide a significant service and value to our sponsors / partners / members / viewers to pursue sustainability.