The Giving Report 2025: Trends Every Nonprofit Should Know
The State of Giving in Canada
What the latest data means for Canada’s nonprofits
Earlier this month, we were invited to attend the pre-release launch of the CanadaHelps 2025 Giving Report as a partner.
This is the eighth edition of The Giving Report, which looks at the period between 2018—2024 to understand how giving has evolved during a period shaped by crisis and transformation. The pandemic and a series of major national and global disruptions have influenced how Canadians give and which causes receive support.
The latest report, now publicly available, offers critical insight into how Canadians are giving — and how nonprofits can adapt.
Here's what we learned and why it matters.
Canadians gave a record-breaking amount in 2023, but not without challenges.
2023 marked the strongest year for charitable giving in over a decade, with over $12.8 billion donated—a $1.35 billion increase over the previous year and the highest total ever recorded. For the first time since 2010, the number of Canadians who gave also increased, rising by 95,000.
However, the proportion of Canadians who donate continues to decline slowly, now down to 16.8%, reinforcing a worrying long-term trend: fewer people are giving, even though more money is being raised.
Wealthy donors are driving the growth, but the base is shrinking
Donors earning over $1 million represented 59% of the growth in giving from 2022 to 2023 and 21% of total giving overall. Meanwhile, those earning under $60,000 gave significantly less. In 2023:
The top 5% of earners (those making $150K+) gave 49% of total donations
Canadians aged 65+ made up 35% of donors and gave 50% of all donation dollars
The takeaway? Canada's charitable sector is becoming increasingly reliant on a small, aging group of high-income donors—raising sustainability concerns.
Online giving is growing fast — and going local
Digital donations through CanadaHelps hit $482 million in 2024, up 7% from the previous year. This was supercharged by events like the Canada Post strike and the federal extension of the charitable tax deadline.
But the real standout trend is local giving:
Donations to local and regional charities have more than tripled since 2018, from $34M to $107M
Local causes overtook health as the top online giving category in 2024.
This reflects a powerful shift: donors want to see tangible, community-based impact.
Giving to Indigenous-led charities surged 416% — but still under 1%
Giving to Indigenous-focused causes rose 416% from 2018 to 2024, the fastest growth of any category. This peaked in 2021, following national awareness around the legacy of residential schools. In 2024:
Indigenous charities received only 0.8% of total donations through CanadaHelps
September (Orange Shirt Day) and June (National Indigenous Peoples Day) were major giving months.
Growth is encouraging, but the share of total giving remains disproportionately small relative to the population and need.
Timing, flexibility, and digital readiness make all the difference
Organizations that pivoted quickly in the face of disruption—such as moving from mail to online during the Canada Post strike—were rewarded with increased donations. For example:
Online giving through CanadaHelps grew 24% in January and February 2025 alone
Gifts of securities grew by 39% in 2024, reaching $57.6 million
Monthly giving hit a record $86.9 million, now making up 18% of all online donations.
These shifts signal a new era where digital resilience isn't optional—it's a must.
Donor profiles are evolving — are you adapting?
Environics Analytics identified key donor segments, each with different motivations:
Wealthy families (50+, $200K+ income)
Give across causes, especially health, education, and arts
Value legacy and civic duty
Suburban and rural families (35–50, middle income)
Personally motivated by direct impact
Support social services, animal welfare
Downtown donors (25–45, urban, progressive)
Younger, globally minded
Support environmental and Indigenous causes
Respond best to peer influence, not authority
Knowing who your donors are—and how to speak to them—is more important than ever.
Takeaways for nonprofit leaders
Invest in digital infrastructure. Expect disruption and ensure you're ready for it.
Don’t ignore small gifts. Engage younger or lower-income donors through accessible monthly giving.
Tell local stories. Emphasize connection, proximity, and impact.
Tap into data. Use tools to understand donor values and behaviours, not just demographics.
Diversify revenue. Don’t rely solely on major donors—build a broad, engaged base.
What’s next?
The 2025 Giving Report paints a complex but hopeful picture. While we face a shrinking donor pool and deepening reliance on older, wealthier Canadians, we also see emerging opportunities in local giving, Indigenous reconciliation, and digital transformation.
At The Good Growth Company, we help nonprofits make sense of these shifts and prepare for what’s next. If you’re looking to build resilience in your fundraising, storytelling, or donor strategy, we’re here to help.
