Strengthening a Culture of Philanthropy: The case for cultivating communities, connection and shared purpose to drive mission impact

In 2025, the non-profit landscape is rapidly evolving with industry leaders sounding alarm bells for the future of philanthropy in Canada. <b>The number of donors across the sector is shrinking</b>, volunteer support is critically low, and organizations unable to diversify their revenue streams face dire consequences to their ability to deliver impact.<b>The cause, says the research, is disconnection from community.</b> Canadians who feel disconnected to each other, unattached to community, and lonely are at an all-time high. A 2024 CanadaHelps report states that from 2013 to 2022, <b>there was a 40% drop in the number of Canadians who reported having six or more close friends.</b> That disconnection is making a tangible impact on charities – from giving, to a lack of volunteers, to a workforce facing incredible pressure.It’s the reason that Global Philanthropic Canada has delved deeply into investigating the path forward for Canadian non-profit organizations. Through research, surveys and in-depth interviews with fundraisers and volunteers across the country, Global explores the critical importance of building a community within our organizations and offers practical insights for nurturing a culture that meaningfully engages stakeholders, ultimately supporting your philanthropic growth.Data for this report was collected between October and December 2024 through a combination of fieldwork surveys with fundraising organizations, desktop research and in-depth interviews with philanthropic volunteers across multiple sectors throughout Canada. We contacted all sizes and sectors of philanthropic organizations - from education, health care, arts and culture-focused, environmental, international development, social services, gender advocacy and protection, technology and innovation, recreation, scientific, political and faith-based organizations.