Women power Canada's nonprofit sector. New national research finds more than one in three are questioning their future in the sector.

FOR IMMIDEATE RELEASE

A new report from YMCA WorkWell and the Women's Nonprofit Network (WNN) raises questions about the future of a sector millions of Canadians rely on every day.

Barrie, ON, October 7, 2026 — Women make up 70% of Canada's nonprofit workforce. New national research from YMCA WorkWell and the Women's Nonprofit Network (WNN) finds that while women remain deeply committed to the organizations and communities they serve, more than one in three are questioning either their future in the sector or their future with their current organization.

The report, The State of Women's Wellbeing in Nonprofits, examined the experiences of women working across Canada’s nonprofit sector, from burnout and financial security to caregiving responsibilities at home.

Women make up the majority of Canada’s nonprofit workforce. They also report the harder experience of it. Twenty-four per cent reported experiencing burnout often or extremely often, compared to 15 per cent of men. Nearly two in three reported at least one indicator of financial precarity in the past year. Three in five were caregivers at home, and 69 per cent of them said those responsibilities affected their experience at work.

For the researchers, the question was what sits behind those numbers.

“The easiest explanation would be that women are simply concentrated in different roles. So we tested that assumption, and it didn't hold up. Women were reporting more strained experiences regardless of role. That tells us this isn't just about job function. It's about the broader experience of being a woman working in the nonprofit sector.”

— Dr. Dave Whiteside, Director of Insights, YMCA WorkWell

For WNN, the findings raise concerns not only about workforce wellbeing, but about the sustainability  of Canada's nonprofit sector.

“The nonprofit sector depends on women. What this report tells us is that many of the women powering it are carrying more than should reasonably be expected of any one person. Communities across Canada rely on nonprofit organizations every day, and nonprofit organizations rely on women. If we want a strong nonprofit sector in the future, we need to start supporting the women holding it together.”

— Hailey Rodgers, Founder & Executive Director, Women's Nonprofit Network (WNN)

The findings arrive just weeks before Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day on October 21, a national recognition day created by the Women's Nonprofit Network.

WNN is encouraging organizations across the sector to share the report, use its findings to start conversations about women’s wellbeing at work, and mark October 21 as an opportunity to identify one meaningful action they can take to better support women in their workplace.

The full report is available at ymcaworkwell.com/nonprofit-womens-wellbeing. Campaign resources and participation information are available at womensnonprofitnetwork.com/wnad.

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About the Women’s Nonprofit Network (WNN)

The Women’s Nonprofit Network (WNN) is a Canadian registered nonprofit and a community of more than 8,000 women across the Canadian nonprofit sector, built around leadership, connection and well-being. WNN created Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day and presents the annual WNN Awards. womensnonprofitnetwork.com 

About YMCA WorkWell

YMCA WorkWell is the workplace well-being and culture arm of the YMCA of Three Rivers, partnering with purpose-driven organizations across Canada to make workplaces better through data-driven insights and leader coaching. Nonprofits make up nearly three quarters of YMCA WorkWell’s partners. ymcaworkwell.com 

Media contacts

Hailey Rodgers, Founder & Executive Director, Women’s Nonprofit Network (WNN)  ·  executivedirector@womensnonprofitnetwork.com   ·  613-302-2275

Dr. Dave Whiteside, Director of Insights, YMCA WorkWell

dave.whiteside@ymcathreerivers.org - 519-933-7872

Notes to editors

1.   Publication date. The State of Women’s Wellbeing in Nonprofits was published on September 22, 2026. This release is issued ahead of Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day on October 21 and is not under embargo.

2.   Workforce figure. The 70% figure is from Imagine Canada, People First: A Portrait of Canada’s Nonprofit Workforce (April 2025).