Honouring the Essential Contributions of Women in the Nonprofit Sector

Every year on October 21st

Why This Day Matters

Women power Canada’s nonprofit sector. They make up over 80% 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.

This is not just a sector issue, it is a gender equity issue.

Through the Women’s Nonprofit Network’s Quick Pulse Check survey of 156 women working in nonprofits across Canada, we found:

Mental Health:

34% feel unsupported in their workplace wellbeing.

Public Value:

Only 35% feel their work is valued by the public.

Leadership:

35% say gender has negatively impacted their advancement opportunities.

Gender Bias:

Nearly 2 in 3 (64%) have experienced or witnessed gender discrimination.

Recognition:

Just 24% feel consistently recognized for their contributions.

These findings confirm what many women already know: despite being the backbone of the nonprofit sector, their work is too often unseen and uncelebrated.

What is Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day?

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

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.

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

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

Our vision is to transform how nonprofit workers, especially women, are seen, valued, and supported in Canada.

Stories Behind the Data

Statistics reveal the challenges, but the lived experiences of women in nonprofits bring them to life. When we asked women, “Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience as a woman in the nonprofit sector?”, several major themes emerged:

  • Women in the nonprofit sector describe a “double-whammy of being underpaid”—underpaid both as women and as nonprofit workers. Many report working multiple jobs to make ends meet, sacrificing financial stability despite their passion for the mission. As one respondent shared:

    “I’ve had to work multiple jobs just to pay the bills, even after decades of service. The constant sense of instability is exhausting.”

    Financial insecurity affects long-term wellbeing, retirement planning, and in some cases, pushes talented women out of the sector entirely.

  • While women dominate the workforce, leadership positions remain largely male. Many describe promotions and opportunities as opaque, often requiring women to over-qualify to be taken seriously:

    “I felt like I had to do an MBA to be taken seriously, even though I’ve been leading programs for years.”

    “Backroom deals and promotions without postings left me wondering if my efforts would ever be recognized.”

    This “leadership paradox” highlights the structural inequities that persist even in organizations serving equity-deserving communities.

  • Women of coloyr, Indigenous women, LGBTQ+ women, and immigrant women face additional layers of barriers. Many carry the “lioness’ share of emotional and anti-racism work” while remaining the lowest-paid staff. Tokenism is also a common experience:

    “I was placed in a role because I was seen as agreeable, not because of my leadership potential. Intersectionality is key to understanding women’s experiences.”

    The result is an exhausting, unsustainable combination of underpayment, overwork, and invisible labour.

  • Burnout is pervasive, particularly for women in leadership positions at smaller organizations where they juggle multiple roles. Many report being asked to “continually do and give more without comparable recognition.”

    “I’m stretched across operations, grant writing, finance, and staff support while dealing with increasingly politicized work with fewer resources. It’s exhausting.”

    This systemic pressure threatens both individual wellbeing and the effectiveness of nonprofit missions.

  • Organizational culture continues to favor men in leadership. Women report being “low-balled on salary,” micromanaged, or excluded from decision-making in male-led organizations, while thriving in women-led environments that offer trust and professional support:

    “The boys club still exists. In women-led organizations, I feel trusted and supported. In male-led ones, I am micromanaged and undervalued.”

    These stories reveal the deep structural changes needed to retain and empower women in the nonprofit sector.

How You Can Be Part of Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day

Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day is about more than recognition: it’s about taking action, sharing stories, and amplifying the voices of women in nonprofits. We’ve created a shareable Campaign Kit with ready-to-use social posts, graphics, and messaging to make participation easy and impactful.

Here’s how you can join the movement:

For Individuals

    • 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.

For Nonprofits

    • 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.

For Allies and Supporters

    • Share a public recognition statement or post celebrating women in nonprofits.

    • Sponsor the campaign, contribute resources, or promote WNN’s work.

    • Use your platform to amplify women’s leadership and ensure these contributions are recognized widely.

Together, we can shine a light on the vital work women do in the nonprofit sector. Grab the Campaign Kit and start sharing your stories today!

Organizations Committed to Participating

Be part of the growing network of nonprofits, funders, and allies championing this movement. If your organization is committed to participating, share your logo with our Executive Director, Hailey Rodgers, to be featured as a campaign supporter here.

 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 align with our inaugural WNN Awards celebration, creating a meaningful starting point for this recognition. We wanted to establish a dedicated day to celebrate and honor women across Canada’s nonprofit sector each year, a day to highlight their contributions, share their stories, and inspire lasting cultural change throughout the sector.

  • 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.

  • All campaign resources, including social media templates, graphics, messaging, and ready-to-use posts, are available in the WNAD Campaign Kit.