CanadaHelps has published the results from the first-ever Digital Skills Survey on Canada’s charitable sector. The survey, which provides critical baseline data on the digital health of Canada’s charitable sector, was designed to understand the current use of technology, as well as assess potential barriers to the adoption of digital technology and advancement of digital skills. More than 1,400 Canadian charities responded to the survey between February 2 to 14, 2021. Key findings from the survey reveal that charities are lagging in digital adoption and investing in digital technology, with small charities falling the furthest behind. The report calls for governments and funders to better understand the operational needs of charities as a fundamental step to ensure the sector’s survival. The Digital Skills Survey is available for download here.

Key Findings:

  • One in three charities believe that they’ll soon find it harder to continue their work if they don’t improve their digital capabilities.
  • There is a major skill gap, with the majority of charities rating their digital skill level as “fair” or “poor.”
  • Small charities are most vulnerable to the digital skills gap: 58% of charities with less than $100,000 in annual revenue (50% of all charities) have no plans to integrate digital into everyday activities; this percentage is more than double that of larger charities.
  • The majority of charities believe digital adoption is important, yet more than two thirds of charities indicate that adopting digital technology is a lower priority.

The report reveals that the barriers to digital adoption in Canada’s charitable sector are significant. More than 55% of respondents say they either don’t have enough funding or the skills, expertise, and knowledge for greater use of digital tools. In response to questions pertaining to experience using software and digital tools, the majority of charities revealed that they only use software for general office operations and financial reporting. Fewer charities use software and digital tools for applications such as websites, email marketing, digital accessibility, and project management tools – applications that are more likely to support fundraising and capacity building. Most charities rated their digital skill level as fair or poor, highlighting a significant skills gap. More than 40% of respondents acknowledged they require help to understand the benefits of software and digital tools.