Building Community in Challenging Times: Trends in Canadian Nonprofit Giving

The Small Nonprofit

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In this episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria welcomes Nicole from Canada Helps and Sam from Apathy Is Boring to discuss the latest trends in giving and civic engagement. They dive into findings from Canada Helps' 2024 Giving Report, exploring the challenges nonprofits face in engaging donors amid rising disconnection, financial stress, and generational shifts. Together, they share actionable insights on how charities can adapt and foster community impact despite these trends.

Key Topics Covered:

• 2024 Canada Helps Giving Report highlights
• Youth engagement and civic participation
• Impact of economic challenges and wealth inequality on giving

Quotable Quotes:

• “Giving is a form of civic engagement, right? It's a way of sharing... And so when you look at it in that broader framework, you've got, obviously, the treasures, the giving, the philanthropic sort of contributions that citizens can make to issues they care about.” – Sam Reusch
• “When you are cultivating your donors or your supporters in any sort of way, how can you get those community activations and build that community? It doesn’t need to be an extra project... but it can be built into the work you’re already doing.” – Nicole Danesi

Actionable Tips:
➜ Leverage monthly giving: consider encouraging monthly donations to provide stable, recurring support.
➜ Highlight impact: show donors exactly how their contributions make a difference in their community.
➜ Engage young people on their terms: tap into platforms like TikTok to connect with younger audiences and address their interest in accessible, transparent impact.
➜ Focus on community connections: creating opportunities for meaningful interactions between donors and beneficiaries can boost engagement, especially in an increasingly disconnected world.

Resources Mentioned:

• CanadaHelps Giving Report (2024)
• CanadaHelps Website
• Apathy is Boring Website
• Apathy is Boring: The FEED
• Apathy is Boring Resources
• Apathy is Boring's 20th Anniversary

Connect with Us:

• Connect with Maria Rio
• Connect with Nicole Danesi
• Connect with Sam Reusch

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Coming Next Week:

Join us next week as Kimberley Mackenzie shares her expertise on how prioritizing team well-being can transform your nonprofit, prevent burnout, and create a resilient, values-driven culture.

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