{"id":4303,"date":"2025-02-27T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cicp-pcpob\/?p=4303"},"modified":"2025-02-21T15:43:52","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T20:43:52","slug":"between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cicp-pcpob\/2025\/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place\/","title":{"rendered":"Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Charities\u2019 Biggest Concerns and Priorities in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Charities\u2019 Biggest Concerns and Priorities in 2025\n <\/h1>\n \n \n <\/header>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

Over the past few weeks, Canada has been plunged into political and economic turmoil. The resignation of Prime Minister Trudeau and the new U.S. president Donald Trump\u2019s tariff threats have deepened uncertainty across the country. For charities already struggling with financial pressures, these disruptions make long-term planning even more challenging. Duke Chang, CEO of CanadaHelps, recently warned<\/strong><\/a> that with looming tariffs, an unresolved Canada Post labor dispute, rising cybersecurity risks, and an upcoming federal election that could reshape government funding, 2025 is set to be another year of instability.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since launching this project two years ago, we have started each year by asking charities about their outlook, top challenges, and priorities for the year ahead. As we enter 2025, their responses reflect heightened uncertainty. Compared to our 2024 survey<\/a>, this year\u2019s findings (Survey 3.02.1, February 2025)<\/a> reveal a sector grappling with declining optimism, mounting financial insecurity, and growing concerns about economic uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just madness<\/em>\u201d: Fading Optimism and an Overwhelming Sense of Economic and Political Uncertainty<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The charitable sector appears to be experiencing a decline in optimism, though confidence levels remains high. In early 2024, 76% of charities expressed optimism about the future; by 2025, that number had dropped to 71%, while pessimism doubled from 5% to 10%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the most striking shift this year is the sharp rise in global economic uncertainty, which has emerged as the second largest challenge for charities. In just one year, concerns about global economic conditions have surged from 21% to 55%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some leaders remain hopeful due to strong community trust or stable funding agreements: \u201cMy outlook is optimistic relative to other cultural organizations in my region. We are in an enviable position of having core costs covered through a contribution agreement with a crown corporation that supports our flagship program. Funding is uncertain for other areas of programming, but we know we can keep the lights on.\u201d <\/em>However, for many, the outlook is increasingly grim. The majority of organizations express concerns about the economic climate, political instability, and the sector\u2019s growing financial fragility:<\/p>\n\n\n

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