Every year in Canada the philanthropic sector is the focus of deep examination and extensive research. These initiatives are often collated into reports which provide valuable insights into our world.
Not all reports have our full attention, however. Not all reports attract coverage or get the exposure and publicity they deserve. These reports are conducted assembled and analyzed by organizations which may serve specific audiences, geographic areas or types of philanthropic missions. Many are examining parts of our sector which feed off the data and the insights to support their missions. The research helps their key audience understand what might be changing and how to address those changes. However, those research reports provide credible, useful and unique research which should be shared among the national collective of more than 80,000 charities, nonprofits and community organizations, and all the associated companies which serve philanthropy.
That’s why Charity eNews will be turning our ongoing attention to shining a light on research which appears each year and we invite our readers to thumb through these reports to consider how the results might impact their decisions for all aspects of their work.
This week, we shine our torch on three more pieces of reasonably recent research that you may not have seen, didn’t know about, or skipped over without realizing it. Some information was released in the recent past. Nevertheless, they remain current and invaluable. Here are the three organizations whose research is highlight in this issue:
- Élisabeth-Bruyère School of Social Innovation, Saint Paul University & Imagine Canada
- IG Wealth Management
- Mental Health Research Canada
Inside the Reports
The Hidden Cost of Funding: How Federal Policies and Practices Impact Nonprofits and Their Communities. Saint Paul University & Imagine Canada.
Federal funding is powerful, but when it doesn’t work well, the smallest nonprofits often carry the heaviest burden – and it costs communities. Communities rely on Canadian nonprofits for essential services, and nonprofits rely on a fluctuating, unstable mix of funding sources to ensure that they are able to deliver. Often, nonprofits are delivering services on behalf of the federal government – services that the government acknowledges that the sector is better equipped to deliver than it is. Despite this, securing and keeping federal funding comes with many strings attached. This report reveals how administrative burdens, short-term funding models, and excessive restrictions are straining the sector – and ultimately, the individuals who depend on it. It also explores how, when federal funding works well, it can support community well-being and change lives.
The report offers a rigorous look at five federal departments – Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC); Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE); Indigenous Services Canada (ISC); Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); and Canadian Heritage (CH) – and the policies and practices that govern their funding relationships with nonprofits. It identifies what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change. The key findings include…
Funder relationships are generally positive – but require significant, uncompensated effort from nonprofits. Three out of four organizations describe their funder relationship as positive, but maintaining this often means investing considerable staff time and energy in relationship-building – capacity that not all nonprofits have equally.
Funder practices have a significant impact on communities. Flexible, multi-year funding, trust-based relationships, and responsive program officers enable organizations to focus on their missions. Short-term contracts, sudden funding changes, and heavy reporting requirements do the opposite.
Administrative burden has a real cost. The organizations we spoke to reported spending 10 to 40 hours per funding application and 10 to 40 hours per month on reporting alone – with the smallest, most under-resourced organizations often bearing the greatest burden.
Federal policy embeds a paternalistic framing of nonprofits. Government-wide financial policies describe funding to nonprofits as “financial assistance,” signal self-reliance as a goal, and explicitly confirm that organizations will not receive 100 percent of the cost of service delivery – creating a structural gap that the sector is expected to absorb.
Communities experience the downstream effects. Staff burnout, program discontinuity, and reduced service capacity are not just organizational problems – they are community problems, particularly for equity-seeking groups who depend on culturally relevant, locally grounded services.
There are clear opportunities for change. From scaling good practices within departments to reforming grant and contribution policies, this report identifies 11 specific, achievable recommendations for federal funders.
REVIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
IG Wealth Management Annual Estate Planning Study: Canadians Value Estate Planning and Charitable Giving… But Actions Fall Short.
While most Canadians recognize the importance of estate planning, the annual IG Wealth Management estate planning study reveals a growing gap between intentions and action – particularly when it comes to incorporating charitable giving strategies. An estate plan includes key components such as a will, named beneficiaries, personal life insurance, a healthcare directive and the designation of a power of attorney. While 84 per cent of Canadians say having an estate plan is important, fewer than half (41 per cent) actually have one. Among those who do have a plan, charitable giving is often overlooked – despite widespread interest in leaving a meaningful legacy. The study, conducted in partnership with Pollara Strategic Insights, also found that: More than two-thirds of Canadians (68 percent) believe in the importance of addressing charitable giving in their estate plans; however, just two-fifths have discussed with a financial advisor, lawyer or notary how charitable gifts should be included in their estate plans. Less than one-third (29 percent) have made a plan with their family and/or executor for managing their charitable giving within their estate or in the event of cognitive decline. The report recommends that Canadians seek out the help of a financial advisor who can help in the design of an effective estate plan and advise on how to integrate charitable giving in it. This study was conducted with an online sample of 1024 adult Canadians between April 14 and 24, 2026. Results from a random sample of this size can be considered accurate to within ±3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Results have been weighted by gender, age, and region, using the latest census data, to be representative of the Canadian population. IG is a member of IGM Financial Inc. You can read more about the results and request a full copy of the report.
READ MORE ABOUT THE STUDY
Mental Health Research Canada: Economic Pressures, Social Connections and Care.
New findings show how people cope with stress and stay connected and how economic pressures weigh on mental health and what happens when they access care. Nearly half of people in Canada say the cost of living is negatively affecting their mental health, while more than half of those who accessed mental health or substance-use support in the past five years say they ended care earlier than planned or needed. Taken together, the findings show how pressures in daily life and experiences within care intersect, with greater challenges among people experiencing more severe symptoms or signs of substance dependence. They also provide insight into how people cope, stay connected and respond to personal stories about mental health. The findings come from the 29th edition of Understanding the Mental Health of Canadians, our ongoing national population polling initiative. Since April 2020, the initiative has tracked mental health across Canada, allowing each edition to examine current concerns while showing how people’s needs and experiences are changing over time. A few of the key findings:
People are relying heavily on everyday coping strategies: Forty three percent of people in Canada say they keep busy or push through on their own when dealing with stress, while 42 percent take time alone or distance themselves from others. Only 11 percent identify seeing a counsellor, therapist or other mental health professional as a coping strategy.
Strong social connections are associated with greater happiness, but mental health challenges can make connection harder; Among people with fewer social connections, 24 percent identify mental health challenges as a barrier to creating or maintaining connections, second only to a lack of time at 28 percent. These findings show an association between mental health and social connection, but do not establish that one causes the other.
Economic pressures are weighing on mental health: 46 percent of people in Canada say the cost of living negatively affects their mental health, while 37 percent report difficulty fully paying household bills and 35 percent report difficulty affording or maintaining stable housing. Broader sources of uncertainty are also having an effect: 44 percent cite global political events and 37 percent cite climate change.
Personal mental health stories can help people feel less alone and encourage them to reach out for support: Among applicable respondents, 68 percent say engaging with personal stories increases understanding and empathy, 65 percent say sharing their own experiences supports healing and 65 percent say hearing others’ stories helps them feel less alone. Among those who had considered seeking support, 51 percent say a personal story encouraged them to reach out. Around one in five say engaging with or sharing personal stories was not helpful, underscoring the importance of safe and supportive environments.
Why does this matter?
Taken together, the findings reinforce a central message: mental health support does not begin or end at the door of the mental health system. How people cope, who they connect with, the economic pressures they experience and whether care meets their needs all form part of the picture. Understanding these pressure points can help shape support that is more accessible, better aligned with people’s needs and easier to continue over time. It also shows why mental health responses must consider both formal care and the social, economic and relational realities surrounding people.
This online survey was conducted among a sample of 4,005 people aged 16 and older in Canada between July 27 and August 10, 2026. This was a blind study, meaning that participants were unaware of the subject matter before beginning the survey. National results were weighted using the most recent census data for gender, age and region to ensure the sample reflects the population.
READ SUMMARIES OR DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT
If you haven’t examined any of these research initiatives, take a few minutes to delve into the summaries of the research and keep an open mind about whether they might reflect concerns or challenges in your own organization. Sometimes the route to change is off the usual pathways and may found in the experiences of fellow philanthropists at institutions which warrant the detour.
Steve Lloyd is the Editor of Charity eNews.
