Save the Date

Honouring the Essential Contributions of Women in the Nonprofit Sector

October 21, 2026

Access the Campaign Kit (more to come!)

Why This Day Matters

Women power Canada's nonprofit sector. They make up over 70% of the workforce, delivering essential care, leadership, and innovation that touch every community across the country. Yet their contributions remain undervalued, their labour invisible, and their leadership underrecognized.

Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day (WNAD), held every year on October 21, is a first-of-its-kind national recognition day created by the Women's Nonprofit Network (WNN). 2026 marks its second year.

This day is about:

Acknowledging the contributions of women who hold communities together through their work in nonprofits.

Challenging the lack of recognition and resources faced by women in the sector.

Driving cultural change so that nonprofit work is valued as the critical infrastructure it truly is.

Amplifying voices and stories of resilience, leadership, and social impact.

The Research: The State of Women’s Wellbeing in Nonprofits

Released September 22, 2026 — in partnership with YMCA WorkWell

In 2026, WNN partnered with YMCA WorkWell to find out how the women in this sector are actually doing. What the data shows:

  • Financial precarity is the norm, not the exception. Almost 2 in 3 women (62%) reported at least one indicator of financial precarity in the past year — 43% living with ongoing financial instability, 33% forgoing retirement savings, 29% delaying or skipping medical care because of the cost.

  • Burnout is widespread. 38% experienced burnout often or extremely often in the past three months. Three in four (74%) experienced it at least sometimes.

  • Commitment isn't the problem. Support is. 82% said their organization's mission resonates with them. Only 40% felt their wellbeing had been supported at work over the same three months.

  • The caregiving that disrupts work least is the one that burns people out most. 44% of women caring for an aging parent, partner, or adult child with a disability reported frequent burnout, against 30% of women caring only for young children — even though childcare disrupts the workday far more.

The women holding up Canada's nonprofit sector are doing it without the recognition, support, or security the work demands.

The finding at the centre comes from YMCA WorkWell's national data on nearly 14,000 nonprofit employees: women are as committed to their missions as their male colleagues, and consistently worse supported. The gap holds even after accounting for role, department, and tenure.

The report doesn't stop at the numbers. It includes practical starting points for organizations that want to do something about what it found.

How To Take Part

WNAD is about more than recognition: it's about taking action, sharing stories, and amplifying the voices of women in nonprofits. Our free Campaign Kit has ready-to-use social posts, graphics, and email copy, so participating takes minutes.

Together, we can shine a light on the vital work women do in the nonprofit sector.

Celebrate the award winners

Follow along as we recognize and share the stories of this year's WNN Award recipients. Help us celebrate the women making an extraordinary impact in communities across Canada.

Share the research

Help amplify new insights about the experiences of women in nonprofits and spark conversations about burnout, wellbeing, recognition, and leadership across the sector. Access the report here.

Use the Campaign Kit

Our free Campaign Kit includes ready-to-use graphics, social media posts, and email copy to help you participate in just a few minutes. Access it here (more to come!).

Follow and engage on social media

Follow WNN on LinkedIn and Instagram, engage with campaign content, and help spread awareness by sharing posts throughout the campaign.

 FAQs

  • Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day (WNAD) is a national day created by the Women’s Nonprofit Network (WNN) to celebrate, recognize, and amplify the essential contributions of women working in Canada’s nonprofit sector. It is a day to acknowledge their leadership, dedication, and impact while advocating for equity, recognition, and systemic change in the sector.

  • October 21 was chosen to coincide with Women’s History Month, creating a meaningful starting point for this recognition. We wanted to establish a dedicated day to celebrate and honour women across Canada’s nonprofit sector each year. This is a day that highlights their contributions, amplifies their stories, and inspires lasting cultural change throughout the sector. This day is also recognized in conjunction with our inaugural WNN Awards.

  • Women make up over 80% of Canada’s nonprofit workforce, yet their contributions are often undervalued, under-recognized, and underpaid. WNAD highlights these inequities, encourages organizations and individuals to take action, and fosters greater public awareness about the critical role women play in sustaining communities and advancing social impact.

  • WNAD recognizes women inclusively, welcoming anyone who identifies as a woman, including cisgender women, transgender women, and gender-diverse individuals who experience similar systemic barriers in the nonprofit sector. Intersectional experiences are central to the campaign.

    • Share a tribute, your own story, or a recognition post using #WomenInNonprofitAwarenessDay.

    • Post leading up to and on October 21 to build momentum.

    • Tag @womensnonprofitnetwork so your story is amplified by the WNN community.

    • Celebrate a colleague or mentor who inspires you and highlight their contributions publicly.

    • Host a mini-event, recognition moment, or internal spotlight for your team.

    • Feature women leaders on your website, social media, or newsletter.

    • Use the Campaign Kit to schedule posts leading up to and on the day.

    • Partner with WNN to amplify the campaign nationally and inspire other organizations to take part.

  • Currently, WNAD is a national initiative in Canada. However, organizations and allies outside Canada are welcome to participate and show support using the same tools, messaging, and hashtags.

  • WNAD centers intersectionality by recognizing that women experience compounded barriers based on race, ethnicity, Indigeneity, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability, and other factors. The campaign highlights diverse voices, stories, and challenges to ensure inclusivity and representation across the nonprofit sector.

  • Allies, both individuals and organizations, can:

    • Share public recognition posts celebrating women in nonprofits.

    • Promote the WNAD campaign on social media, newsletters, and networks.

    • Sponsor or support initiatives that advance gender equity in the nonprofit sector.

    • Help amplify women’s leadership and contributions through platforms, mentorship, and resources.