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Sector Performance: Finding Purpose and Driving Impact
The first half of the research focused on nonprofit organizations’ recent performance in order to benchmark how the Canadian nonprofit sector’s performance is trending year-over-year. Importantly, we also wanted to find out what are the biggest motivators for those working in the sector.
Nonprofit professionals want to be part of a positive impact.
Participants were asked to share, in their own words, what they enjoy most about working in the nonprofit sector to identify their core values, motivations, and sources of fulfilment that drive professionals, even as the sector changes.
Making a difference or positive impact is the biggest motivator for those working in the sector, and 58% of all respondents talk about the positive impact of their work. Community and relationship building are also key motivators, and many discuss the sense of purpose and fulfilment they get from their work.
Fund accounting enables organizations to segregate resources by purpose—such as general operations, restricted grants, or donor-designated funds— so every dollar is tracked according to its intended use within one system. No army of spreadsheets to track specific grants and programs.
Fund accounting enables organizations to segregate resources by purpose—such as general operations, restricted grants, or donor-designated funds— so every dollar is tracked according to its intended use within one system. No army of spreadsheets to track specific grants and programs.
Most nonprofits meet or exceed their fundraising targets.
The picture for fundraising targets in 2026 looks encouragingly positive, especially in comparison to the year before. At 73%, vast majority of Canadian nonprofits report they achieved their targets, with 45% exceeding and 28% just meeting them. Only one-fifth of organizations failed to reach their goals, and the last 7% didn’t set goals at all—these nonprofits are more likely to small organizations with revenue of under $1M.
While the data does not delve into how targets are set or their level of ambition, it offers a valuable directional trend when viewed in combination with findings on positive income performance.
Recent income performance shows fewer declines and more stability.
In line with the findings on fundraising targets, when we look at voluntary income performance over the last full financial year, the sector shows signs of resilience and stability. This year, just over one-fourth say their income decreased in comparison to 34% last year. In turn, more charities are experiencing growth at 44% or stability, with 30% reporting unchanged income—up from 25% in 2025.
While the number of those who have experienced growth has remained relatively stable over the last few years—with 42% in 2024, 41% in 2025, and 44% in 2026—these findings indicate positive and stable sector income performance as 74% of participants have either experienced growth or had a stable income performance.
When exploring these findings further, we could identify that most very large organizations—those with an income over $25M—are experiencing growth, at 80%. However, the data also reveals that income growth is not a function of size, and organizations of all sizes have experienced growth or stable performance.
80% Growth
When exploring these findings further, we could identify that most very large organizations—those with an income over $25M—are experiencing growth, at 80%. However, the data also reveals that income growth is not a function of size, and organizations of all sizes have experienced growth or stable performance.
Exceptional gifts are, by far, the main drivers of growth.
When drilling deeper into those 44% of organizations whose income increased in the last full financial year, we can identify drivers behind their income growth. When asked what the main drivers of their organization’s income growth were—selecting all drivers that apply—the vast majority selected exceptional gifts at 69%.
The percentage of participants attributing their growth to exceptional gifts:
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Exceptional gifts as drivers of growth are followed by new or different activity and greater focus on supporter experience, both at 38%, and 34% say their growth was driven by overall donor numbers increasing.
Supporter experience is a much bigger driver of growth this year—only 22% attributed their growth to this in 2025. In turn, in 2025, higher giving values were an important driver of growth, dropping from 34% in 2025 to 26% this year. These findings suggest that these successful organizations are not necessarily focusing on encouraging more people to give, or existing donors to give more, but improving their supporter experience to deepen supporter relationships and drive deeper ongoing engagement and investing in new activities or innovations that open up new avenues for growth.