Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario’s nonprofits have been on the front lines responding to communities. This is detailed in the Ontario Nonprofit Network and l’Assemblée de la Francophonie de l’Ontario’s new report, COVID-19: State of the sector one year later.

The report is based on a survey of nearly 3000 organizations from across the province. It details how nonprofits have adapted to continue serving their communities, the inadequacy of government responses, and opportunities to invest in recovery. Key takeaways include:

1. Almost two-thirds of nonprofits experienced an increase in demands for programs and services while at the same time, half reported pandemic-related losses in revenue.

2. Federal and provincial government supports have been fragmented and inadequate, with only a minority of nonprofits supported by government emergency relief measures.  Smaller organizations and those without paid staff especially were left to their own devices.

3. The experience of the pandemic has been uneven across the sector and regions.

4. A massive number of volunteers have been lost during the crisis.

To address these issues, they are calling on the provincial and federal governments to:

1. Offer a new round of Small Business and Nonprofit Grant;
2. Apply an equity lens to recovery efforts;
3. Support a sustainable and equitable recovery by investing in the low-carbon, women-majority care economy;
4. Invest in workforce development and digital infrastructure to support nonprofit service delivery;
5. Extend the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy.

Read the full report here.