On May 5, 2026, nineteen nonprofit leaders from the Fair Funding for Nonprofits coalition convened on Parliament Hill to advocate for more equitable and effective federal funding for nonprofits. The ultimate goal? To allow nonprofits to better serve their communities. The 2026 Nonprofit Advocacy Day, organized by Imagine Canada and presented by PearTree Canada, highlighted nonprofit stories and presented concrete policy solutions to create a better future for our organizations, workers, and those we serve.
What we advocated for
Our Hill Day advocacy was rooted in the coalition’s pre-budget submission, which highlights how the group’s recommendations align with the government’s priorities of red tape reduction and modernization. Our framing emphasized that nonprofits are key partners and economic contributors, rather than recipients of financial assistance. Through storytelling, we explained how the effectiveness of nonprofit service delivery is being constrained by the way that federal grants and contributions are being administered.
Specifically, we urged the government to:
- Reduce administrative burden associated with federal grants and contribution for nonprofits by:
- Reforming reporting requirements to focus on impact and meaningful accountability while reducing excessive administrative requirements, and
- Adopting a ‘one partner, one profile’ approach to eliminate redundant administrative work when nonprofits are funded by more than one federal funder.
- Make federal funding for nonprofits more reliable and responsive for communities by:
- Allowing flexibility in how nonprofits move funds between budget lines, and
- Favouring longer funding terms and reducing wait times for funding approvals.
Who was in the room
Our time on the Hill kicked off on May 4 with a Fair Funding for Nonprofits reception in the parliamentary precinct, supported by Miller Thomson LLP. The evening was an opportunity for the sector to connect with parliamentarians and colleagues and discuss why fair funding matters for our communities. Attendees heard remarks from Chi Nguyen, MP for Spadina—Harbourfront and the event’s parliamentary sponsor, and Stephanie Kusie, MP for Calgary Midnapore. Coalition members Anuradha Dugal (Women’s Shelters Canada), Shannon Kindornay (Cooperation Canada) and Bruce MacDonald (Imagine Canada) also spoke, emphasizing the impact of our sector.
During Hill Day on May 5, delegates met with 18 Members of Parliament, Senators and senior civil servants. We also had the pleasure of hosting a roundtable which convened sector leaders and senior ministerial staff from five departments that play an important role in funding for the nonprofit sector: Employment and Social Development Canada; Treasury Board Secretariat; Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Canadian Heritage and Women and Gender Equality.
Middle row - Aisha Francis (Executive Director, Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth), Anny Létourneau, Colette Pepin (Executive Director, Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks), Sarah Kim, Chantal Edwards (Manager of Public Policy, Imagine Canada), Jemima Adejo
Front row - Shannon Kindornay (Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Cooperation Canada), Alexia Richie, Anuradha Dugal, amanuel melles (Executive Director, Network for the Advancement of Black Communities), Ebony Davitt (Policy Advisor, Ontario Nonprofit Network), Bruce Macdonald (President and CEO, Imagine Canada)
Who makes up the coalition
Fair Funding for Nonprofits counts more than fifty active member organizations and more than 1,000 supporters. During our advocacy day, we were joined by delegates representing member organizations from across the country, from Vancouver to Montreal and Charlottetown.
How to get involved
The coalition’s work didn’t end on Advocacy Day. The group has exciting plans to continue to move the needle on this issue throughout the rest of 2026 and into future years. To keep up to date, support the coalition and even join a committee, visit the coalition’s website and sign up to join as a supporter.
