To start this article, we want to shout out CharityVillage for its support of leaders of volunteering across Canada over the past 30 years, here is to many, many more.
It is no surprise, volunteering is tremendously important in Canada – Billions of hours given annually by most Canadians, making up ½ of all not-for-profits and ⅓ or more of the time given to make social good happen. Much of this is organized, optimized and actualized by a very small but impactful group of people.
Leaders of Volunteering – hopefully this has landed in many of your inboxes!
It has been more than 20 years since Canada last gathered national information about the people who lead and support volunteers. In that time, volunteering and the nonprofit sector have changed significantly. It is time for an updated picture and increased support!
Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada (VMPC), together with TD Mindpower, Rosterfy, Volunteer Canada, sponsored by Better Impact and supported by an amazing group of national distribution partners, are working to connect with volunteer-engaging organizations from coast to coast to coast.
Our goal is, through a data-driven study, to better understand volunteer leadership – to advocate, support and help volunteer engagement and volunteering across Canada.
We have launched the survey: www.vmpcprofessionprofile.ca/ and have it open until the end of the month*.
What you will see in the short shape of the volunteer engagement survey:
- 10 Questions to put the Volunteer Engagement Profession on the Canadian map
- An invitation to take part in a more detailed profile of the professional study (Summer 2026)
Please join us in supporting the Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada (VMPC) to build a modern profile of the Volunteer Engagement Profession – by:
- Having a leader/staff in your organization complete the survey and
- Forwarding this article, the link, or one of the socials to your network of not-for-profit professionals
This survey data will help:
- Define the Scope of the Profession: Who is leading volunteer engagement in Canada
- Develop Industry Standards: How organizations support and invest in volunteering
- Build Measurable Factors: Differences across regions, sectors, and organizations
- Create Needs Assessment: Define where support and resources are most needed
Two major trends hindering volunteering are coexisting in Canada, and investment in volunteer engagement, which starts here, can help change them:
1. Volunteering is declining
- According to Stats Canada, Canada has lost over 900 million volunteer hours annually compared to five years ago
- 45% of charities report they do not have enough volunteers
2. People want to volunteer, but struggle to connect
Let’s enrich volunteering together
This survey starts a ball rolling to advocate. Leaders of volunteering, when supported and trained, each help to elevate thousands of hours of meaningful community contribution annually. With this effort, those who volunteer are better invited, engaged, supported, welcomed, included and set up for success in their volunteering communities and organizations they are part of are also strengthened.
Together, we can support the people who lead volunteering — and build communities across Canada through better supported volunteering.
Thank you for your support!
If you’re still reading – go to www.vmpcprofessionprofile.ca, and complete the survey. 🙂
Deepest thanks from
The Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada
For more info or to further get involved, email:
Adam Janes, CVA
President, Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada
President@VMPC.ca
The views expressed in this article are the author’s alone and do not necessarily represent those of CharityVillage.com or any other individual or entity with whom the authors or website may be affiliated. CharityVillage.com is not liable for any content that may be considered offensive, inappropriate, defamatory, or inaccurate or in breach of third-party rights of privacy, copyright, or trademark.
