A new sector campaign, led by Imagine Canada, aims to highlight the charitable and nonprofit sector’s value by showing how all Canadians benefit from nonprofit services
Those of us in the sector, we already know. We know that there are 170,000 nonprofits in the country, offering a wide range of services to millions of people every day.
We know that close to 3 million of us, the nonprofit workers, keep this ecosystem going. I don’t have to tell you that nonprofits and charities are present in every community, helping Canadians thrive. From health care, after-school programs, shelters, mental health supports, newcomer services, animal welfare, arts & culture, 2SLGBTQI+ supports, amateur sport and recreation, hospice & palliative care, and more, we not only support individuals, we enrich their lives.
Nonprofits form this invisible social web that provides day-to-day services that everyone benefits from. But this work often goes unnoticed, as we know all too well. This lack of awareness creates a ripple effect on the perception of Canadians and how the general public interacts with us.
Together, we can change that, and our latest research has provided the blueprint on how to get there.
The results showed that the majority of Canadians consider the services delivered by charities and nonprofits essential to our collective well-being. Not nice to have, but essential. A large proportion of Canadians are also aware of the growing needs for nonprofit services. On the flip side, however, few say they know someone who has benefited from these services: 41 percent on average, and as few as 34% among Canadians aged over 60.
That’s where there’s a discrepancy: our impact can be harder to see because, as this data suggests, most people have a limited understanding of the range of services nonprofits provide. Many simply don’t know that the services they’ve come to rely on are in fact delivered by nonprofits. That assumption is reinforced by 18 percent of respondents who were unsure whether anyone they knew had used a nonprofit’s services.
In reality, as we know in the sector, nonprofits benefit everyone. Even when we don’t see it.
I can’t help but think of the reality show ‘Love is Blind’ (bear with me!). Canadians already consider us essential; there’s an appreciation and the beginning of connection, all without seeing us. But to grow and nurture that bond, we need to take this relationship further. We need that big reveal, and that’s where Imagine Canada’s ‘You’re Already Part of it’ comes in! The campaign has been designed to do just that: to reveal the sector to Canadians, and importantly, to unveil the many ways they are all already part of it, even if they don’t yet realize it.
The campaign’s goal is to build a strong, lasting connection and sense of belonging so that Canadians see us for all we are and feel part of the nonprofit ecosystem. This initiative is timely, as volunteering and donation trends are troubling. We can’t ignore the fact that the generosity of older generations, which our sector has relied on for many years, isn’t guaranteed to be passed down to younger generations. We can’t support what we don’t see, understand or feel part of, and shifting that is what the campaign will focus on.
Now’s the time to act to reverse the trends. Here are three ways you can leverage the campaign as an organization, nonprofit professional, or ally:
Spread the word on social
On average, Canadians spend 1 hour and 53 minutes[1] on social media every day. That seems like a lot, but let’s be honest, I probably do it too. Here’s a way to go beyond doom-scrolling and put some of that time to good use: follow the campaign’s Facebook and Instagram accounts and like and share posts! It can go a long way to spread the word. Why not invite your friends, family, and colleagues to follow and participate as well?
Show how you’re part of it
Storytelling is a big part of this campaign. Whether or not you work in the sector, sharing a story on social media about how you’ve been impacted by the work on nonprofits is powerful and will help others see how they too are already part of the nonprofit sector. You can also create your ‘I’m already part of it’ badge on www.alreadypartofit.ca and use it as your social media profile picture or in your email signature.
Complement your organization’s marketing
We understand that many organizations plan campaigns in the fall and during Giving Season – that’s why we’ve designed the campaign to complement your work, not compete with it. Nonprofits can leverage the campaign’s assets by customizing them with their logos and images. We’ve created a guide and toolkit which includes social media graphics, website banners, social media posts, cool stickers and badges, and a fact sheet; use the assets you want on your website, at an event, and more!
This campaign is a unique opportunity for all of us in the sector to come together with a clear message to show Canadians how nonprofits are woven into their everyday lives. Be part of it by amplifying the campaign’s message and help us create those aha! moments when people realize that the daycare their children go to or the museum they’ve visited recently are nonprofit organizations.
Help us make that big reveal and show Canadians that they are already part of it!
Imagine Canada would also like to thank our Presenting Partner, BMO, for their generous support in making this initiative possible.
Émilie Pontbriand is the Director, Strategic Communications & Brand at Imagine Canada, overseeing communications, marketing and branding initiatives. Before coming to Imagine Canada, Émilie was the Director of Programs & Communications at the National Media Awards Foundation. Prior to working in the charitable sector, she worked in the music industry for several years as the Marketing Manager for Celinedion.com. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and a certificate in Political Science from Laval University, as well as Public Relations and Translation certificates from the University of Toronto SCS. Pontbriand
[1]source: https://madeinca.ca/social-media-statistics-canada/
