Across the nonprofit sector, organizations are rethinking how they support and train their people. The shift to online learning may have started for convenience, but it brings benefits we now can’t do without: access, equity, and impact.
When Maria signed up to volunteer at a hospice in Winnipeg, she was excited but anxious. She cared deeply about the organization’s mission but worried she didn’t have the skills to succeed. Working with vulnerable people, project management, and fundraising—there was a lot to know. With no money or time to invest in courses or conferences, she hoped she’d learn on the job. And that’s exactly what she did.
When Maria’s supervisor added her to Open World Learning (OWL)’s free online training platform, she levelled up fast. She logged in and enrolled in practical interactive courses designed specifically for nonprofits. Within weeks, she had earned digital badges and certificates. And with every online lesson, her confidence grew along with her impact on the team.
At a nearby nonprofit, Chris was facing a different challenge. Recently promoted to manager, he suddenly found himself leading a diverse team of staff and volunteers. Though experienced in operations, he lacked formal leadership training and wasn’t sure how best to motivate people.
Through OWL, Chris enrolled in courses in nonprofit leadership, HR compliance, Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI for short), and volunteer management. Online learning fit neatly into his packed schedule—he could complete modules at work, during breaks or at home. Very soon, he had racked up professional credits and was applying his skills in real time, bolstering team morale and collaboration.
Maria’s and Chris’s journeys highlight a growing trend. Online professional development is democratizing learning across the nonprofit sector—empowering staff, volunteers, and board members alike.
Learning is No Longer Just for Executives
For too long, professional development has been viewed as a perk for execs who can afford conferences and retreats. Meanwhile, frontline staff, board members, and volunteers—the people powering the mission every day—have been left behind.
As nonprofits pivot to eLearning, that dynamic is changing. Growth is no longer a privilege; it’s a shared opportunity for everyone, regardless of title, location, or schedule. This democratization of learning ensures that people working for and with nonprofits gain the skills and knowledge they need to be effective.
With free online courses, everyone enjoys the same benefits, including:
- Accessibility for all roles: Volunteers and staff across departments, and board members at the governance level all have access to the same high-quality training.
- No travel required: Teams spread across time zones and regions can participate without taking time away from work or stretching budgets.
- Flexible and practical: Courses are designed to fit busy schedules—anyone can just log on, learn, and upskill.
Nonprofits are Operating in a Digital World
The nonprofit world is not immune to the digital transformation reshaping other sectors. Fundraising campaigns now rely on digital channels. Volunteer coordination takes place through apps and online platforms. Even service delivery is shifting toward online models in areas like counselling, education, and advocacy.
Yet many nonprofits have been struggling to keep up with technology. Staff and volunteers are expected to do it all. But without affordable, accessible learning opportunities, burnout rises and retention drops.
Online courses help close this gap. They give nonprofits the ability to train people in digital skills, leadership, volunteer management, and equity—all areas where the sector faces urgent challenges. Because the modules are self-paced, they align with the realities of nonprofit life, where time and money are scarce.
Plus, learners are recognized in ways that make a difference for their future. They earn:
- Certificates that validate learning and demonstrate commitment
- Credits toward accreditation for career advancement
- Digital badges that showcase new skills in real time
For more insights on strengthening your organization’s digital capacity, check out OWL’s free course library, and explore the HR Interval’s section on Digital Adoption for Nonprofits, which highlights tools, strategies, and best practices for building technical skills, managing IT, and integrating emerging technologies like AI responsibly.
Why Nonprofits are Making the Shift
Recent data shows just how urgent the shift to online learning is for nonprofits. Canada’s nonprofit/charity sector is more challenged than ever. It employs about 2.7 million people and contributes roughly 8.2% of GDP—about $192 billion annually. Yet many of these organizations are small and stretched thin: more than 55% have no paid staff, and another 21% have fewer than five employees. While demand for nonprofit services is on the rise, only 13% report their capacity has increased at the same pace.
Meanwhile, traditional supports for nonprofits are shrinking: volunteering rates dropped to 32% in 2023, and total volunteer hours fell to 1.2 billion—nearly 80% less than a decade ago. Giving rates are also declining, with fewer Canadians donating and overall donation amounts slipping after inflation.
At a time when equity gaps persist in pay and opportunity, online learning offers a practical way to create more inclusive workplaces. In nonprofits, training is urgently needed across all levels. With 70% of the nonprofit workforce being women, and racialized employees earning on average 12% less than their non-racialized peers, there are real equity challenges to address. Online learning helps make professional development accessible to everyone, supporting career growth and narrowing systemic gaps by offering accessible courses in DEI and HR Compliance.
All of these challenges—staff shortages, declining volunteering, falling donation participation, increased demand, limited staff, equity gaps—create a landscape where every tool that helps nonprofits build capacity is invaluable.
A Call to Action for Nonprofit Leaders
The nonprofit sector sits at the intersection of rising needs and limited resources. Leaders know they must innovate, but the question is how to do so without overextending overwhelmed teams. Online training allows organizations to build capacity without diverting precious funds from programming, which is often the lifeline of the communities they serve. At the same time, it levels the playing field by giving everyone the tools they need to grow and contribute more effectively.
The future of nonprofits depends on unlocking the potential of people. Every certificate earned, every new skill applied, and every leader developed through online learning strengthens the collective ability of the sector to tackle modern challenges and drive meaningful change.
That’s why OWL partnered with Imagine Canada to launch Building Equitable HR at Your Nonprofit. This free course—available on both HR Intervals and OWL—is designed for nonprofit leaders who want to strengthen equity in their HR practices. From inclusive hiring to equitable policies, it’s a helpful resource every leader should take advantage of.
Through animation, video, and interactive exercises, you’ll learn how to:
- Select the appropriate equity framework for your organization’s HR strategy
- Evaluate your organization’s HR practices and identify barriers to equity
- Establish meaningful equity goals and measurements of success
- Design inclusive and collaborative policy development procedures
- Develop a roadmap for implementing new equitable HR policies and practices
- Effectively communicate equity-based HR policies to your team and stakeholders
Here’s a sneak peak:
To bolster equity at your nonprofit, invite everyone at your organization to take the Building Equitable HR at Your Nonprofit course—and for free access to more nonprofit courses, create an OWL account at join.owl.inc.
This blog post is sponsored by Open World Learning Inc..
