{"id":4983,"date":"2025-12-01T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cicp-pcpob\/?p=4983"},"modified":"2025-11-11T14:22:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T19:22:03","slug":"stable-on-paper-strained-in-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cicp-pcpob\/2025\/stable-on-paper-strained-in-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"Stable on Paper, Strained in Practice: The Workforce Crisis in Canadian Charities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\n

\n Stable on Paper, Strained in Practice: The Workforce Crisis in Canadian Charities\n <\/h1>\n \n \n <\/header>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

The Charity Insights Canada Project has been conducting weekly surveys<\/a> of Canadian charities to gain insight into the operational realities they face. One of the clearest patterns to emerge from our 2024 data is: financially stable charities tend to offer better workforce conditions and higher salaries. But that\u2019s only part of the story. Even in the best-case scenarios, many charities with a firm financial footing and no concerns about long-term sustainability still rely on unpaid overtime and face increasing mental health challenges for personnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this analysis, we cross-compare data related to financial stability<\/a>, long-term sustainability,<\/a> salaries<\/a>, unpaid overtime<\/a>, and mental health challenges<\/a> of staff and volunteers gathered across 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparison of Very Stable and Unstable Charities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among charities that describe themselves as \u201cvery financially stable,\u201d nearly half (47%) rely on unpaid overtime. Executive-level staff in these organizations average almost 24 unpaid overtime hours per month, while entry-level staff contribute over nine unpaid hours monthly. Not surprisingly, more than 60% report increasing mental health challenges among staff and volunteers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reliance on unpaid labour is even more severe in less stable organizations. Among charities that describe themselves as \u201cvery financially unstable,\u201d 72% rely on unpaid overtime. Specifically, executive-level staff provide, on average, 63 hours of unpaid overtime per month, while entry-level staff provide 20 hours of unpaid overtime per month. Not surprisingly, nearly 89% of personnel report rising mental health concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although salaries are somewhat higher among very financially stable organizations, entry-level positions still only average $46,697, and executive-level average $79,724. Imagine Canada<\/a> reports that average salaries across the nonprofit sector are 13% lower than the average salaries in the economy. When the number of unpaid overtime hours are taken into account, many of these salaries are based on more than full-time hours as stipulated in provincial labour codes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Full-time Salaries<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Financial Stability<\/strong><\/th>Entry-level positions ($)<\/strong><\/th>Mid-level positions ($)<\/strong><\/th>Executive-level positions ($)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Very stable<\/td>46697<\/td>56566<\/td>79724<\/td><\/tr>
Stable, but with some concerns<\/td>42153<\/td>53152<\/td>73593<\/td><\/tr>
Neutral<\/td>41574<\/td>52610<\/td>68422<\/td><\/tr>
Somewhat unstable<\/td>42175<\/td>53612<\/td>69392<\/td><\/tr>
Very unstable<\/td>42209<\/td>47459<\/td>63413<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(Responses less than $20,000 removed from analysis, as these likely reflected seasonal full-time positions)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contrast in these salaries underscores a troubling reality: financial instability exacerbates workforce strain, but financial stability at an organization doesn\u2019t guarantee fair working conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainability Must Include People<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the nonprofit sector, sustainability encompasses achieving both financial stability and a charity’s ability to fulfill its mission. But healthy sustainability also includes equitable and safe working conditions for staff and volunteers. A charity that achieves financial stability by relying on underpaid and overworked staff and unpaid overtime is not truly sustainable. These charities are surviving at the expense of their workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with the financial stability data, our data on long-term sustainability concerns shows that the charities that rate themselves as \u201cnot concerned\u201d tend to provide higher salaries than those who are \u201chighly concerned\u201d about their stability – but workforce challenges persist, nonetheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Full-time Salaries<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainability Concerns<\/strong><\/th>Entry-level positions ($)<\/strong><\/th>Mid-level positions ($)<\/strong><\/th>Executive-level positions ($)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Yes, highly concerned<\/td>39844<\/td>50539<\/td>65768<\/td><\/tr>
Yes, moderately concerned<\/td>42070<\/td>52223<\/td>69944<\/td><\/tr>
Yes, minimally concerned<\/td>43482<\/td>54415<\/td>75164<\/td><\/tr>
No, not concerned<\/td>44710<\/td>54263<\/td>77570<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(Responses less than $20,000 removed from analysis, as these likely reflected seasonal full-time positions)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among charities that are not concerned about stability, more than half still report unpaid overtime of staff. Entry-level positions provide 12 hours of overtime work on average per month, and executive-level positions provide 32 hours. Nearly 73% of these charities have seen increased mental health challenges among staff and volunteers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our findings raise a critical question: If financial stability and confidence in long-term sustainability don\u2019t guarantee fair compensation and healthy working conditions, what else is at play?<\/del><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Work Culture and Cost-Cutting Myths<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer may lie in the culture of the charitable sector itself. There is a long-standing belief, often unspoken but deeply ingrained, that work in this sector is a calling rather than a career. That it is a \u2018labour of love\u2019<\/a> and should be driven by passion, not pay. This dated and gendered mindset can have harmful consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The keep \u201coverhead\u201d costs low<\/a> narrative has led to a reluctance to offer competitive wages. Donors want to see their money go directly to \u201cthe cause,\u201d not to the people doing the work. But this is a false dichotomy – there is no delivery of charitable programs and services without the highly-skilled workers in the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s Time to Shift the Narrative to Decent Work<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Financial stability and sustainability should be a platform for improving, not just maintaining, working conditions. Charities can use this data to advocate for funding that supports decent wages and benefits and to reform how they build their budgets. Funders and donors must recognize that investing in people is investing in impact. And as a sector, we must challenge the workplace cultural norms that devalue labour and normalize burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information on decent work policies in the nonprofit sector, check out The Ontario Nonprofit Network\u2019s Decent Work Movement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: In all cross-comparison analysis abov<\/em>e<\/em>, \u2018N\/A\u2019 and \u2018Not Sure\u2019 responses are excluded<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n\n \n\n\n
\n

\n Author\n <\/h2>\n\n <\/header>\n \n
\n \n\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

Want to receive our blog posts directly to your email?  Sign-up for our newsletter at the following link, and follow us on social-media for regular project updates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n