David Larsby and Cathy Barr, Imagine Canada
In late April 2010, Imagine Canada released Volume 1, Number 1 of a new publication: the Sector Monitor. They state in the introduction that the goal of this report is to “provide relevant and timely information on the issues facing the charitable and nonprofit sector.
The report is based on feedback received in surveys from charities and nonprofits across Canada. Based on this information, Imagine Canada has created a baseline measurement for tracking trends identified across the sector. Some of the trends highlighted in this report include:
- Almost half of Canada’s charities are having difficulty fulfilling their mission because of the economic downturn.
- 22 percent of Canada’s charities admit that they are at risk of shutting down.
- More than a quarter of leaders expect to have difficulty covering expenses within the next year.
- Leaders of charities and nonprofits are optimistic that things will get better.