Charities, and the people who work with them as paid staff and unpaid volunteers, are often the unspoken heroes of our society. From accessible community programming to education to creating art and culture activities, charities help nourish people’s minds, bodies, and souls. With over 86,000 registered charities across Canada helping to support Canadians, you would think that usable, current, and diverse data on charities would be readily available. However, this is something that is generally lacking in Canada, until now. Thanks to the CICP and their recent charity data conference, we have a much better grasp on the current climate of charities in Canada.

What is the CICP?

The Charity Insights Canada Project (CICP), or Projet Canada perspectives des organismes de bienfaisance [PCPOB], is a groundbreaking organization that aims to fill the gap of collecting, interpreting, and distributing up-to-date trends about and for Canadian nonprofits. The 5-year initiative is led by faculty of Carleton University’s Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership program. The objective of the CICP is to:

  • Inform Canadian charity stakeholders through weekly data collection on the sector
  • Build long-lasting charitable infrastructures
  • Strengthen the relationship between the sector and policymakers through evidence-based data, broadening our collective understanding of the sector in Canada

The CICP’s Data Summit

The CICP held their first annual Data Summit at Carleton University on November 9th, 2023. The conference sought to reflect, analyze, and focus on the future of the Canadian charity sector through information gathered from CICP’s weekly data collections with participating charities. Missed this consequential event? The full-day conference is available for free here.

Short on time? We’ve got you covered! Here are 5 key takeaways from the Data Summit, highlighting the trends you should watch for in 2024.

1. Effects of COVID-19

It is no surprise that CICP found COVID-19 to have significant lasting effects on the sector. When asked about the most significant effects of COVID-19 on their organization, the top 4 answers from respondents included:

  • Staff burnout and turnover (43%)
  • Increased demand for services (37%)
  • The shift to digital work operations (32%)
  • Challenges with volunteer retention and recruitment (31%)

 Another key issue relates to operating costs, with 60% of respondents seeing either an “increase” or “major increase” in service provision costs to fulfill their mission due to inflation. In fact, 75% of respondents identified operating costs as a serious long-term threat to charities in Canada.

2. In-demand skills

Another key finding shared at the Data Summit was the importance for nonprofit staff and volunteers to have both hard and soft skills.

The 4 top hard skills most frequently mentioned were:

  • Nonprofit-specific skills
  • Marketing and PR
  • Administration
  • Specific skills related to social and community services.

In contrast, the 4 top in-demand soft skills were:

  • Conscientiousness
  • Communication
  • Initiative
  • Adaptability

3. Indigenous relations

In CICP’s mid-year report (2023), they note that, while 59% of respondents reported collaborating with Indigenous communities and/or organizations to better incorporate Indigenous people and ideas into their work, still much work and research is needed to understand the dynamic between charities and Indigenous people.

4. Digital fluency

The need for digital fluency was another theme that surfaced, especially relating to advertising, marketing, and PR. This contrasts with digital literacy, as digital fluency is not only how to use technology, but why we use certain technologies. Digital fluency allows us to more readily compare, contrast, and adjust technologies accordingly.

5. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DEI is a prevalent topic across Canada, not just in the charitable sector. When asked if organizations were pursuing DEI initiatives, 80% responded yes, 8% responded no, and 12% said the initiatives were not applicable. Interestingly, the organizations that responded no often cited “organizational constraints” as the reason.

What does this mean for Canadian charities?

  • Need for ‘balanced specialists’. The CICP identified that workers with a blend of soft and hard skills, especially self-management, will be essential in the new world of work.
  • Increased digital fluency. CICP emphasized that data literacy is a human right. Therefore, more accessible programs, including those at libraries and within the K-12 education system, should be adopted.
  • More accessible data on charities. CICP is advocating for more documentation, data collection, and data transparency from organizations. CICP argues that more data can help stakeholders better understand and advocate for improved charity policies and programs.
  • Better Inclusion. As always, an emphasis should always be on diversity and inclusion, including regarding gender, DEI, and Indigenous relations. Hiring people who represent the communities they serve, ensuring equal gender pay, and creating more opportunities to work with Indigenous communities are all positive steps.

Final thoughts

The CICP’s Data Summit and recent reports offer a diverse range of data on Canadian nonprofits, the extent to which cannot be fully expressed here. We encourage you to check out the recording of the event, or visit the resources below for more information.

To follow the CICP’s weekly and monthly survey reports related to current trends in the sector, click here.

Suggested CharityVillage Resources

CICP references

Charity Insights Canada Project (CICP). https://carleton.ca/cicp-pcpob/
CICP Data Summit 2023 (November 9th, 2023). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_sX6f2SLcU&list=PL8m6HlB-cRG_jk-Tmcew-EQnsOJyp3sCy
State of the Canadian Charitable Sector Mid-Year Report (2023). https://carleton.ca/cicp-pcpob/wp-content/uploads/CICP-Mid-Year-Report-EN.pdf