Mission and Background

Learn about CNFC’s commitment to creative nonfiction and those who write it and read it:

Background

In 2004, Myrna Kostash and Betsy Warland invited a group of writers to discuss the range and potential of this new growing literary genre. They debated the social, cultural and ethical issues that defined and preoccupied creative nonfiction writers in the early twenty-first century. This gathering, held in Banff, Alberta, became the first annual CNFC Conference.

In April 2006, the group registered as a non-profit organization in the province of Alberta. In 2013, we revised our registration to incorporate as the Creative Nonfiction Collective Society, affectionately known to all of us as the CNFC.

In December 2021, CNFC obtained official charitable status as a National Arts Service organization (NASO) under the Income Tax Act (Charitable Registration# 79300 4508 RR001). Funds raised from membership dues and donations, along with grant support from Access Copyright Foundation and Canada Council for the Arts, support CNFC’s mandate.

Mandate

The purpose of the Society is to promote creative nonfiction writing as its exclusive purpose and function on a nation-wide basis by conducting development workshops and conferences, contests and reading events that provide educational and professional development opportunities, facilitate communication and networking among members, editors, publishers and the public at large through a website, newsletter and social media.