Non-profits do good, but how good are non-profit workers doing?

Recent report by Future of Good shows that a third of workers are thriving while a third are struggling

This graph was pulled from the report and shows "Percent struggling with wellbeing, by personal employment income"

The non-profit sector provides essential services to Canadians and employs nearly 2.5 million people, many of whom are women. It’s no secret that non-profits face significant struggles, including lack of sustainable funding, and high staff turnover. A recent report from Future of Good, called the 2025 Changemaker Wellbeing Index, aimed to measure how non-profit sector employees are faring

and how they feel about this sector.

The report collected data from 1100 participants and looked at several metrics of wellbeing. Trends from the survey illuminate where the non-profit sector needs work.

On a high note, 93% of those surveyed think that their work had a meaningful impact on their community at least sometimes, and 78% were satisfied with their jobs. However, when it comes to income and wellbeing, the data shows alarming trends. Over one third (36%) of participants reported poor or very poor wellbeing, 30% were food insecure, and 34% reported feeling burned out or exhausted often or always.

This graphic from the report illustrates "average annual salary, by sub-sector, 2021". Whether or not a non-profit is linked to government is an important factor!

The report showed that links to government are an important factor. Government-linked non-profits report poor wellbeing at a rate of 32% whereas 39% of those in community-based non-profits report poor wellbeing, a difference of 7 percentage points.

The data also shows that the arts, culture, and recreation non-profits and social service non-profits are the areas where employees struggle the most. A staggering 49% of workers have poor wellbeing in arts, culture, and recreation non-profits, and 45% in social service non-profits. Wellbeing challenges in the social services are related to burnout and poor mental health, whereas the arts, culture, and recreation non-profits show highest concern in areas of loneliness and job dissatisfaction.

Another important factor that affects wellbeing is, unsurprisingly, income. Poor wellbeing was reported in 50% of those earning less than $25 000 yearly, and 16% for those that earn over $150 000 yearly. Four in ten survey participants responded that they rarely or never have enough left over to save. Additionally, 33% of community non-profits reported being food insecure in the past year.

This graph from the report shows the percentage of workers thinking about leaving their workplace in the next year

The report also highlighted the challenges with talent retention. Data showed that 20% of community nonprofit employees intended on quitting in the next 6 months, with 22% replying that it is a possibility for them. That is nearly 50% of community non-profit workers considering leaving their positions. Compare this to 15% of government non-profit employees indicating their intention to leave within 6 months. Social services show the highest rate of workers intending to quit. To further add to this issue, out of workers that quit non-profits, 70% leave the sector entirely.

This highlights an immense problem for our society. Social services and non-profits in general provide important services that we rely on. Improving job satisfaction in non-profits is not just related to employee wellbeing but also tied closely to financial implications for our social systems.

Other key trends described in the report:

• Pay raises predict job satisfaction and retention beyond every other factor

• Employees have a 20% higher likelihood of receiving a pay raise with formal HR practices in place

• Job dissatisfaction is linked to entry-level, low-income roles

• Women, and younger groups (18-29 years) were more affected by burnout and poor mental health

• Burnout affects 70% of very unsatisfied workers vs. 20% of those very satisfied

• Burnout is higher among those experiencing food insecurity (51%) and those considering quitting (46%)

Age was another strong predictor of wellbeing, with 45% of those under 30 reporting poor wellbeing, compared to 14% in the 65 and older population.

Some strategies discussed to help improve job satisfaction and retention include intentional HR practices around pay, reducing reliance on temporary contracts, and ensuring predictable funding models for non-profit organizations. Employees are more likely to recommend their workplace to a friend when more formal HR practices are implemented, as this makes an organization feel more organized and less chaotic.

It is important to consider this data given the important services that non-profit sectors deliver. Empowering employees through strong organizational and HR practices, and looking after their well-being, helps create a strong non-profit sector that contributes to Canada’s social infrastructure and economy.

The data discussed in this blog post is pulled from the 2025 Changemaker Wellbeing Index, which can be found here (https://futureofgood.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025-Changemaker-Wellbeing-Index.pdf)