How does a national non-profit—with a volunteer board spread across the country—find a board portal that’s intuitive, affordable, and keeps their data secure with Canadian data storage?
BioTalent Canada is a national non-profit organization based in Ottawa that serves as a catalyst for growth in Canada’s bio-economy. Established in 1997, the organization provides labour market research and employer support programs for the federal government. With a 15-member volunteer board that spans the country, BioTalent Canada relies on effective governance to support its mission.
See why BioTalent Canada switched from Boardable to Aprio. Download the full case study.
The challenge: finding a Canadian board portal that fits how their board actually works
For five years, BioTalent Canada used Boardable to manage their board materials and meetings. Over time, however, the board portal platform proved to be more frustrating than helpful. Support levels declined, new features were launched with bugs, and some tools added complexity without delivering real value for board administration.
With rising geopolitical concerns and the uncertainty of US tariffs looming, BioTalent Canada made an organization-wide decision to choose Canadian software wherever possible.
“We made a decision as an organization to move everything we could into a Canadian company, with Canadian data storage,” explains Daphne Jaques, Manager, Executive Support at BioTalent Canada. “That led me down the path of finding a Canadian product.”
The solution: Canadian board software that doesn’t compromise on flexibility, value, and support
As a non-profit organization with a volunteer board, BioTalent Canada needed board management software that balanced strong features with simplicity and value. Key requirements included document management, surveys, easy meeting setup, and cross-platform access—all without a steep learning curve for board members who already have full-time executive roles.
Jaques narrowed the field to two Canadian board portal software options: DiliTrust and Aprio. While both offered comparable functionality, DiliTrust’s pricing was less flexible, and the board software felt less intuitive from an administrative perspective.
Aprio stood out for its flexible per-user pricing, built-in training for board members, and user-friendly design that directors and administrators found easy to use.
“What I loved about Aprio is that it’s clearly designed by someone who actually runs a meeting. It’s obvious and intuitive,” explains Jaques.
The impact: simplified non-profit board management for BioTalent Canada
Since switching to Aprio, BioTalent Canada has experienced more efficient board operations and better time management. Daphne can now build meetings in stages, gathering materials over time before publishing everything to the board—much better than having to complete everything at once. Templates for recurring agendas save additional time, and the Zoom integration works seamlessly for their virtual meetings.
For a volunteer board made up largely of C-suite executives spread out across the country, accessibility and simplicity matter. Board members can view materials on their laptops, tablets, or phones from wherever they are, making it easy to stay prepared.
Key benefits in switching to Aprio’s non-profit board management software include:
- Time saved with intuitive meeting preparation and templates
- Easy transition to new portal
- Peace of mind with Canadian data storage
- Flexible licensing and affordability—add users as needed
- Quick, helpful customer service
“The customer service has been fantastic, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Aprio to somebody else,” explains Jaques.
Download the full case study to see exactly how BioTalent Canada made the switch and what they’ve gained from moving to a Canadian board portal.