Among countless other impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, starting in the spring of 2020, decreased fundraising for NGOs is being felt significantly by many non-profits, across various sectors.

Informally, I have heard from several very small, new NGOs that they are facing very significant fundraising struggles. Admittedly, for very new NGOs, they do not have historical fundraising or budget data to use as a baseline, so it can not be definitely determined that the pandemic is the cause of their struggles. However, what is clear is that they are bringing in only very limited dollars, and may not survive long enough to test whether their operational model is viable in a non-pandemic world.

Beyond that, various reports/articles that I have come across so far strongly suggest that at least some larger NGOs are cutting programs or staff, or in some cases shutting down an entire national office system (eg WE Charity). More generally, the sector seems to be struggling with a combination of decreased fundraising, combined with either increased needs (eg food banks) or a shut down of services (if they are deemed non-essential, or can’t operate effectively with the new safety parameters eg summer camps).

All indication are, at this stage, that a massive cash influx will be needed if our non-profits, which play such a valuable role in society – locally, nationally and internationally – are to survive through possibly several difficult funding years as a result of this pandemic. In particular, small NGOs, as well as those with vary narrow funding sources pre-pandemic, appear to be at greater risk compared to larger organizations. This is an evolving situation, and updates will be added here as more details become clear.

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Further Reading:

Report – The Imagine Canada Sector Monitor: Charities & the COVID-19 Pandemic details the experiences of charities since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the impact of physical distancing, mandatory closure of non-essential businesses, and myriad other changes to the operating environment.

COVID-19 threatens to devastate Canada’s charities

SECTOR STORIES: 4 Ways that COVID is Impacting Non-Profit Operations:

SECTOR STORIES: Revenue Loss Threatens Survival of Charities and Non-Profits

‘Stand strong’: Charities brace for a lean season as pandemic cuts into donations, volunteer base: Crisis ‘risks hollowing out the charitable sector,’ the head of one charity says (CBC)