A Year in Review: A Look Back on Canadian Giving in 2021

As the year comes to a close, it’s time to look back at the year 2021. After another difficult year and slow progress towards recovery from the pandemic, Canadians came together to make a difference. Canadian charities lead important work to support vulnerable communities and improve all of our lives, and it is no surprise that the pandemic had a huge impact on the Canadian charitable sector.

Many charities have seen an increase in demand for their services, and 42%* of charities are not able to meet the current level of demand. However, Canadians have stepped up to help those in need. As of November 30th, $304 million in donations have been made through CanadaHelps. That is a 6.9% year-over-year increase which is a significant drop compared to the exponential growth seen in year one of the pandemic (116%), and the 21% growth rate we saw in 2019.

Despite challenges, CanadaHelps observed five positive giving trends this year:

More Canadians Made Multiple Donations: Donors making two or more donations on CanadaHelps.org increased by 87.2% versus last year.
Monthly Giving is on the Rise: The number of Canadians that established monthly giving plans increased by 23.6%. Monthly gifts now make up 10.3% of total donations.
More Donors are Leveraging the Extra Tax Benefits of Security Donations: Donations of securities, including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, increased by 52% and have raised 99% more in donations versus last year. Securities represent 7.3% of total donations.
Younger Donors Emerge: Of the 12% of Canadians that have increased the amount of money they donated to charity amid the pandemic, 17% are younger Canadians (aged 18-34) — that’s more than any other age group.
Charities and Donors Demonstrated Great Resilience: Charities launched new virtual and hybrid fundraising strategies to replace in-person events and Canadians responded. Ticketed events this year grew by 49% while revenue from charity walks, runs, and other “thons” increased by 52%.

It is because of generous Canadians that charities are able to do the work they do. As the year comes to an end, there are so many easy ways to make a difference. Consider a Charity Gift Card, make a donation to a Cause Fund through Unite for Change or create a fundraiser on behalf of a charity to celebrate a milestone or special event.

Get inspired and see how Canadians have made a difference so far this year below. Give today!