This article was originally posted on Future of Good.

Non-profit workers have carried the weight of communities’ biggest challenges for decades, but even the most committed workers can’t carry that weight without support.

“There is a common thread amongst staff who care deeply about their community, about this country, and about the world and that’s part of what draws them to this sector,” said Bruce MacDonald, CEO and President of Imagine Canada.

More than a quarter of non-profit employees say they feel burnt out or exhausted often or almost always, according to new data from Future of Good, in its inaugural Changemaker Wellbeing Index.

“I think this is the reality of operating in a resource-constrained sector. You run into the tension of wanting to better the community,” said MacDonald.

According to MacDonald of Imagine Canada, the COVID-19 pandemic marked a critical tipping point of demand in the sector.

“We thought that it might ease up (after the pandemic), but then we went into this period of prolonged inflation followed by a period of stubbornly high everyday living costs from food to rent and now into a period of potential recession,” said MacDonald.

It’s a perfect storm of instability, he said, with rising demands for services combined with declining revenue and it’s putting immense pressure on organizations.

Despite that pressure, employees still feel their work is important to the communities they serve.

An overwhelming 93 per cent of people surveyed believe their work has a meaningful impact on their communities at least sometimes.

“Regardless of which part of the sector, whether it’s arts, culture, mental health, environment, there is that common thread amongst the staff who care deeply about their community,” said MacDonald.

The non-profit sector employs 2.4 million Canadians making up an important piece of the country’s social fabric, said MacDonald.

If Canadians want strong communities, strong non-profit workers are needed, he said. That starts with putting their wellbeing at the centre of the conversation.

Reviving retention rates

Retaining non-profit workers is a major barrier to wellbeing, according to the index.

Twenty per cent of community non-profit workers say they are likely to quit in the next six months.

The turnover risk is even more extreme in arts, culture, recreation and social services non-profits, where half of workers say they are considering leaving or aren’t sure if they will stay.

That number is five per cent higher than those in governmental non-profit roles, like the health and education sector.

“I think it’s really important that organizations’ leaders are looking at all aspects of what they offer employees,” said MacDonald. “Everything from fair and transparent compensation practices, relevant benefits programs and professional development opportunities.”

“All of the things that are good fundamentals that apply in the private sector, they apply here too.”

Not only are changemakers quitting, they’re leaving the sector entirely, adding to the industry-wide staff shortages.

That data underscores the urgent need for stabilization and retention strategies.

“If we’re not going to offer company cars, stock options, bonuses, dividends, how are we going above and beyond to ensure that the offerings that we have to come and work in this sector, both play to the strengths of the calling and do so in a way that attracts the best and the brightest,” said MacDonald.

Food insecurity

Community non-profit workers make 32 per cent less than the national average, with the average employee earning $43,000 in 2021.

Food banks have become essential to supporting vulnerable Canadians. Now, some of their own employees are relying on the very services they help provide, highlighting the growing financial strain within the sector.

The data found 34 per cent of community non-profit workers are struggling with food insecurity themselves.

The rate increases to 44 per cent among younger employees aged 18 – 29, highlighting a troubling trend for the next generation of non-profit workers.

“If that inequality is getting to such a point that those working in the sector can’t afford food, can’t afford a place to live, etc., that might be that tipping point,” said MacDonald.

“People are now saying, as much as I do have a calling or I want to ensure that the work that I do is truly meaningful, there are economic realities that I have to face.”

According to Food Banks Canada, there has been a 90 per cent increase in food banks nationwide in the past five years.

Unique data collection 

More than 1,100 non-profit workers were surveyed earlier this year in partnership with Common Good Strategies and Environics Research.

“No one’s really tried to do a panel sample like this in Canada before,” said Steve Ayer, the president of Common Good Strategies and research lead for the Changemaker Wellbeing Index.

Typical surveys focus on a single organization and their members, said Ayer, but Future of Good’s data was collected across a wide range of social service sectors.

Ayer said that capturing data from diverse non-profit environments allows for identifying sector-wide trends and helps paint a more accurate picture of their realities.

The goal is to create more targeted and effective solutions.

“We do focus on where the scores are the lowest but, I think, looking at the folks who are thriving and we can figure out how we make more people [reach] that thriving category,” said Ayer.

He said the survey will continue annually, serving as a comprehensive snapshot of the social sector’s wellbeing and providing year-to-year comparisons.

Click here to read the full 2025 Changemaker Wellbeing Index.

This blog post is powered by the CIBC Foundation.

Canada’s nonprofit sector employs over 2.4 million people, the majority of whom are women, to provide critical services and programs that support communities across the country. However, most organizations do not have a dedicated HR department or access to reliable HR data and resources to inform key decisions.

This knowledge gap has serious consequences—particularly as nonprofits adapt to a rapidly digitizing world. The following insights come from a comprehensive report — Canada’s Nonprofit Tech Workforce by the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience — which analyzes the state of tech work in nonprofits. It highlights systemic challenges in hiring, retaining, and supporting digital talent — and outlines why HR leadership and people strategy are more important than ever.

Overview: The Nonprofit Tech Workforce

• Tech roles are underrepresented in nonprofits. Only 0.68% of nonprofit workers are in tech roles, compared to 4.9% in other industries.
• There is a significant wage gap for tech workers in nonprofits. The average income for a nonprofit tech worker is $61,200, compared to $87,300 outside the sector—a 30% difference.
• This gap grows larger for experienced workers: nonprofit tech wages level off after age 35, while salaries in other sectors continue to grow with experience.

Gender: Disparities in Representation and Pay

• Women are underrepresented in tech roles in nonprofits, despite making up 80% of the nonprofit workforce.
• Only 0.3% of women in nonprofits are tech workers, compared to 2.8% of men—making men nearly 10x more likely to work in nonprofit tech.
• Women in nonprofit tech roles earn only 86% of what men in the same roles make.
• The gender pay gap is smaller in nonprofits than in the private sector, but still significant.

Implication for HR:
The nonprofit sector must address internal gender gaps in digital roles and ensure equity in compensation and opportunity. Learn more about implementing fair, transparent, and inclusive hiring and compensation policies.

Education: Different Pathways, Same Inequities

• Tech workers in nonprofits are more likely to have college diplomas or high school education than those in other industries, who are more likely to hold bachelor’s or graduate degrees.
• However, the wage gap exists at every education level. Even those with bachelor’s degrees earn $30,000 less in nonprofits.

Implication for HR:
Nonprofits need strategies to invest in upskilling and support professional development for tech workers. See recommendations and resources for digital upskilling.

Equity: Gaps for Visible Minorities and Indigenous Peoples

• Visible minority tech workers in nonprofits earn on average $3,000 less than white tech workers. In other sectors, this gap is more than $14,000.
• Indigenous Peoples make up just 3% of tech workers in nonprofits and earn on average $7,000 less than non-Indigenous peers.

Implication for HR:
Although the nonprofit sector has made progress in representation, equity gaps in pay and opportunity remain. To address these gaps in pay and opportunity, organizations must prioritize equitable hiring, inclusive leadership, and safe workplaces. Learn more about decolonizing hiring practices.

Age & Retention: Flattened Wages for Experienced Workers

• Tech salaries in nonprofits peak for ages 45–54 but decline sharply after that age in other industries.
• In nonprofits, the salary decline after age 55 is only $3,000, compared to $17,000 outside the sector. While this suggests better wage stability in nonprofits, it also reflects limited growth opportunities.

Implication for HR:
Nonprofits may struggle to retain senior tech talent due to limited advancement. Learn more about strategies for equitable performance management.

Centering People in Digital Transformation

As Canada’s nonprofit sector continues to evolve in a digital world, the path forward must be rooted in people-first HR strategies. The insights from Canada’s Nonprofit Tech Workforce report reveal critical gaps—but also clear opportunities—for nonprofits to build stronger, more equitable, and future-ready teams.

Read the full Canada’s Nonprofit Tech Workforce report by the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience.

To explore more topics on Digital Adoption for Nonprofits, click here.