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Research

Research & Facts
RESEARCH & FACTS

Knowledge development to support your work in the charitable and nonprofit sector

New report
Journey to Impact: Unlocking Purpose through Social Finance. Experiences of Canadian Social Purpose Organizations

Social finance offers enormous potential to help nonprofit organizations address social issues. This new report sheds light on the social finance ecosystem in Canada and highlights the importance of advancing it through a collaborative and inclusive approach. Read the report to understand the enablers and barriers, and to explore - through real-life examples - how and why social purpose organizations engage in social finance.

New Case Studies
How are organizations using social finance?

These 22 inspiring case studies, which are featured in this report, showcase the transformative potential of social finance. Each case study summarizes the organization’s journey, its investment readiness stage, and how social finance has played a crucial role in helping achieve its mission. The case studies provide valuable insights, through direct quotes from participants, best practices, and key lessons. 

Shifting Power Dynamics: Equity, diversity and inclusion in the nonprofit sector

The first comprehensive study to explore what Canadian charities and nonprofits are doing to advance EDI within their organizations. This study provides key insights into the nonprofit sector’s commitment to EDI through an exploration of the topics: how organizations are integrating EDI into their work; the role of equity working groups in advancing EDI; the factors that enable and hinder organizations as they seek to apply EDI principles; and the role of governance and operational leadership in moving this work forward.

Study on diversity and equity in the CSR profession

From the Mind to the Heart, a two-part research series conducted by AgentsC Inc. and Imagine Canada, explores the influence of justice, access, inclusion, diversity, equity (JAIDE) within the corporate community investment profession, and the beliefs, culture, and practices that inhibit or enable equity within corporate nonprofit partnerships. Findings are drawn from a survey of Canada’s largest companies, interviews with diverse professionals, and discussions with young leaders.

Diversity Is Our Strength: Improving Working Conditions in Canadian Nonprofits

This report shows what the nonprofit sector has long known but not had the data to prove: our workforce is incredibly diverse - 77% of workers are women, 47% immigrants and 35% Indigenous and racialized people - but critically undervalued. Our workers face low salaries and difficult employment conditions. Funders, governments, and nonprofit leaders need take actions to improve the working conditions of our workforce.

Canadian Knowledge Hub for Giving and Volunteering

Launched by Volunteer Canada, in partnership with Imagine Canada, Ajah, Association of Fundraising Professionals of Canada, and Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada, this new hub highlights key data sources on giving and volunteering, including Statistics Canada’s General Social Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating (GSS-GVP). Access a wide range of useful insights including key trends to help better understand the nature of giving and volunteering in Canada. 

Trust & Impact: Funders' Perspectives on Unrestricted Funding

Removing restrictions on funding enables charities and nonprofits to be more efficient, which in turn results in more resilient organizations and a greater impact on communities. The pandemic saw a number of foundations and corporate funders across Canada adapt their practices to allow for more flexibility. This new study sheds light on the lessons learned and encourages more funders to think differently by evolving their funding models. 

Sector Monitor: The uneven impact of the pandemic on Canadian charities

Mirroring what is observed in the economy as a whole, the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the charitable sector unevenly. Over a year since the beginning of the crisis, more than half of charities continue to struggle while others are doing better. From drastic revenue declines to demand surpassing capacity, the situation is still precarious for many organizations, which could have an important impact on the communities they serve. Read our third Sector Monitor Survey to learn more.

Partnering for Impact: From Crisis to Opportunity

The time is ripe for companies and organizations to re-examine how they operate and how they collaborate. Partnering for Impact: From Crisis to Opportunity presents case studies of nine compelling partnerships.

How have these partnerships leveraged innovation and technology to scale impact? How do long-term funding commitments drive change? Download the report to find out.

Sector Monitor: Ongoing Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nearly a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began, with a crisis that continues to dramatically shape how charities operate, this report focuses on the health and well-being of the country’s charities, tracking the ripple effects of the global pandemic and its impact on the ability of organizations to continue to deliver services. 

Wake Up Call: Navigating New Pathways for Corporate Community Investment in Canada

2020 has been a year of unprecedented challenges, and the role of business in our communities has never been more important. How can these companies help to build back better? Our latest report answers this and more. 

Multicultural & Newcomer Charitable Giving Study

This national study  -- one of the first in Canada to explore the influence of ethnicity on supporting charities -- offers a glimpse into the enormous giving potential that resides with newcomers to Canada and second-generation Canadians. 

Are Charities Ready for Social Finance?

Investment Readiness in Canada’s Charitable Sector. What are the challenges and opportunities that social finance presents for the charitable sector? Find out in our latest report.

Sector Monitor: Charities & the COVID-19 Pandemic

How has COVID-19 impacted the charitable sector? Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, charities have had to navigate through the impact of physical distancing, mandatory closure of non-essential businesses, and myriad other changes to the operating environment. This report draws on historical Sector Monitor findings from the aftermath of the 2008/09 downturn to provide additional context.

Corporate Community Investment in Canada - Read the 2019 report

Profit, Purpose and Talent: Trends and Motivations in Corporate Giving and Volunteering shows that employees value the community contributions of their employers, and that high levels of community engagement lead to long-term business advantages for corporations.

30 Years of Giving in Canada

Take an in-depth look at the giving behaviour of Canadians in this new report – who gives, how and why – and how these trends are re-shaping the future of philanthropy in Canada.

Beyond Synergy: Charities Building the Future Canadians Want

As a follow up to his Charities, Sustainable Funding and Smart Growth discussion paper, Chief Economist Brian Emmett presents a strategic architecture for government and the charitable and nonprofit sector to address the looming social deficit in Canada.

Charities, Sustainable Funding and Smart Growth

Through a series of scenarios that project the state of the charitable and nonprofit sector in 2026, chief economist Brian Emmett identifies a looming social deficit.

The State of Evaluation
Featured Resource

The State of Evaluation

This national report provides the first comprehensive look at how Canadian charities are measuring and evaluating their work, how they are talking with their funders about evaluation, and what enablers and barriers they are facing.

How does dedicated evaluation funding impact charities? The relationship between funders and funded charities is central to evaluation practice and norms, but what are the implications of funders requirements? How do they help charities further their missions?  We hope this report’s findings will help funders and funded charities better understand the value and challenges of evaluation.
Featured Resource

State of Evaluation in Canada: The Role of Funders

How does dedicated evaluation funding impact charities? The relationship between funders and funded charities is central to evaluation practice and norms, but what are the implications of funders requirements? How do they help charities further their missions?

State of Evaluation in Canada: Health Charities
Featured Resource

State of Evaluation in Canada: Health Charities

How do health charities measure up? A report that highlights how these specific types of organizations evaluate and measure their work compared to other subsectors.

State of Evaluation in Canada: Arts, culture and recreation charities
Featured Resource

State of Evaluation in Canada: Arts, Culture and Recreation charities

How do arts, culture and recreation charities measure up? A report that highlights how these specific types of organizations evaluate and measure their work compared to other subsectors.

State of Evaluation in Canada: education and research charities
Featured Resource

State of Evaluation in Canada: Education and Research charities

How do education and research charities measure up? A report that highlights how these specific types of organizations evaluate and measure their work compared to other subsectors.

State of Evaluation in Canada: Social Services Charities
Featured Resource

State of Evaluation in Canada: Social Services Charities

How do social services charities measure up? A report that highlights how these specific types of organizations evaluate and measure their work compared to other subsectors.

The State of Evaluation in Ontario
Featured Resource

The State of Evaluation in Ontario

An Ontario-specific report that looks at what is being evaluated and measured by Ontario nonprofits and charities and the role and influence of funders on measurement and evaluation.

Unfair or Unwanted? Competition Between Charities and Nonprofit Businesses in Canada
Featured Resource

Unfair or Unwanted? Competition Between Charities and Nonprofit Businesses in Canada

As Canadian charities face a long-term crisis of financial sustainability, they are looking at ways to increase earned income. At the same time, for-profit businesses have become more active in areas once thought to be the unique domain of charities.

CANADA'S EMERGING SOCIAL DEFICIT
Learn more about the crisis facing charities
Young People & Nonprofit Work - May 2017
Featured Resource

Young People & Nonprofit Work

Through a series of interviews with young workers, we gained insights into the experiences, aspirations and challenges these individuals face as they explore a career in the nonprofit sector.

Charities in Canada as an Economic Sector
Featured Resource

Charities in Canada as an Economic Sector

The discussion paper, by Chief Economist Brian Emmett and co-author Geoffrey Emmett, invites Canadians, governments, businesses and communities to not only think of charities as purpose driven but also as an essential component driving Canada’s economy.

Tax Incentives for Charitable Donations in Canada with a Focus on the Stretch Tax Credit for Charitable Giving
Featured Resource

Tax Incentives for Charitable Donations in Canada with a Focus on the Stretch Tax Credit for Charitable Giving

Brian Emmett, our Chief Economist, and Harvey Sims, the former Chief Economist, Privy Council Office for the Government of Canada and Ottawa-based consultant, co-authored a discussion paper about the tax incentives for charitable giving in Canada paying particular attention to the proposed Stretch Tax Credit.

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