Non-Profit Community Identifies Crisis In Manitoba, Calls on Political Parties to Make Commitment
WINNIPEG, MB: Fourteen associations representing hundreds of community non-profits across Manitoba are shedding light on a sector increasingly in crisis. They are calling on political parties to commit to enacting three recommendations if they form government in October 2023.
Community non-profits face multiple competing challenges that threaten their ability to carry out essential services for Manitobans: ongoing pandemic impacts, the rising cost of living, budgetary pressures, access to funding, and needing to do more with less. At the same time, community non-profits are on the frontlines, supporting communities through complex social and economic needs.
Staffing is at a crisis. Inadequate wages and burned out staff leads to high rates of turnover, retirement, and retention challenges. Frozen provincial funding has not kept pace with inflation. Few organizations have multi-year agreements. Annual increases are not included for those that do.
Without community non-profits, more Manitobans would go to bed hungry, lack access to services that support their well-being, and miss out on vital social and cultural connections. Community non-profits are crucial for our communities, economy, health and well-being. As grassroots organizations often with volunteers on boards or supporting staff teams, they provide services that governments depend on at a cheaper cost.
There are almost 4000 community non-profits in Manitoba, with $3,972,866,394 in revenue and employing almost 55,000 people in the province.
A 2020 Manitoba and Winnipeg Chambers of Commerce survey[1] identified that community non-profits have been deeply impacted by COVID-19 with specific needs for re-opening, recovery, and stability.
Despite these significant barriers, the work of community nonprofits continues to create positive outcomes such as climate resiliency, addressing poverty, supporting jobs and employment, connection through arts, cultural, sports, and recreational programming, developing communities, and supporting demographic groups with specific needs.
Given this reality, participating groups are calling on all political parties to support these collective recommendations to fully harness the significant contributions of community non-profits in Manitoba.
Media Contact
Michael Barkman, Canadian CED Network – Manitoba Network Manager
204-797-0128 | [email protected]
*Non-profit leaders are willing to share their stories with media to highlight the crisis they are facing. Please contact Michael Barkman for more information.
Recommendations
1. Provide multi-year, predictable, sustainable funding with cost of living increases for community nonprofits receiving provincial funds.
Why? Short-term funding with no inflationary increases that arrives late in bank accounts leads to unnecessary financial stress, uncertainty, and potentially less effective community services. Stable funding agreements would let nonprofits focus on their work achieving strong outcomes.
2. Establish a permanent ‘home’ in government for community non-profits and strengthen systems of collaboration between government and representative associations.
Why? With increased communication and a clear understanding of who is in charge, community non-profits’ role in Manitoba’s economic and social development can be fully harnessed and the development and implementation of provincial policy will be more effective.
3. Resource a sector-led Manitoba Community Non-Profit Strategy with a provincial approach to address the challenges facing community non-profits.
Why? Manitoba is desperately in need of a plan for addressing worker wellbeing, wages, and sick leave, better data collection about non-profits, a provincial approach to non-profit training and shared services, and support for the development of a provincial non-profit association.
About Manitoba’s Community Non-Profits
Essential roles include: social services, cultural programming, housing, childcare, health, arts & culture, sports & recreation, environmental conservation, climate action, employment, education, public policy advocacy, research, public education & awareness, capacity building, and more.
| Region[2] | # of Organizations | Revenues ($) | Employment |
| Manitoba (all) | 3,767 | 3,972,866,394 | 54,380 |
| Urban | 2,495 | 3,504,107,951 | 43,286 |
| Rural | 1,272 | 468,758,443 | 11,094 |
Beyond the services provided, community nonprofits are a significant contributor to the economy and labour force. However, the average community nonprofit salary was only $34,252 in 2019.[3] Many community non-profits offer limited or no pension or benefits plans.[4]
Endorsing Associations
- Abilities Manitoba
- Brandon Community Wellness Collaborative
- Coalition of Manitoba Neighbourhood Renewal Corporations
- Canadian CED Network – Manitoba
- Creative Manitoba
- Family Violence Consortium of Manitoba
- Manitoba Association of Community Health
- Manitoba Association of Newcomer-Serving Organizations
- Manitoba Child Care Association
- Manitoba Eco-Network
- Manitoba Non-Profit Housing Association
- Manitoba Possible
- Volunteer Manitoba
- Winnipeg Indigenous Executive Circle
Full background document available here: https://tinyurl.com/t983hjya
[1] Survey available here from the Manitoba and Winnipeg Chambers of Commerce here.
[2] Data courtesy of Workplace Education Manitoba.
[3] 6 CANSIM tables 36-10-0650-01 (2019) and CANSIM table 14-10-0340-01 (2019). Data includes both full-time and part-time jobs/employees.
[4] On average, community nonprofits are supported chiefly through government, United Way local chapters, foundation and corporate funding, donations and membership fees, and earned income activities. “Get to Know Manitoba’s Non-Profit Sector”. https://www.imaginecanada.ca/sites/default/files/Datasheet-MB-2022.pdf