Report details how non-profits adapted to pandemic pressures

By: Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Source: TBnewswatch.com

A recent report on the difficulties non-profit organizations faced during the COVID-19 pandemic shows local organizations displayed adaptability. 

“They were very agile. Some even commented that they’re very adaptable, but sometimes to their detriment. Because, in my experience, non-profits tend to over-give as well because they’ve had strained financials for some years,” Caroline Kajorinne, project coordinator with Empower the North, told Dougall Media.

Empower the North’s report details how non-profit organizations dealt with the pandemic and found solutions to funding shortcomings and societal changes.

A public meeting held at the Thunder Bay Public Library on Tuesday brought non-profit leaders together to continue to talk about how the sector has changed since the pandemic.

“A lot of organizations saw the gaps that were propelled by COVID – things like a lack of transportation or maybe even devices to connect to the internet, and things like moving programs online when possible,” Kajorinne said.

“COVID really did underscore the need for core funding for local organizations and more funding opportunity for local organizations here in Thunder Bay.”

The report offered some encouraging statistics, including that although general funding is down, three out of four non-profits still feel they are able to provide services to those in need.

“That does mean that 75 per cent of organizations feel that they are still getting the funding,” she said.

Despite that, there were persisting issues from the pandemic, including the ‘Northern Funding Gap’, as local organizations continue to chase donations from those who don’t understand the unique challenges non-profits face in Northwestern Ontario.

“If you work in non-profit, I think we all sort of understand that there are systemic barriers here, even if it’s simple things like our transportation system is quite vast and doesn’t necessarily operate in a way that helps people get to where they’re going in a very timely way,” Kajorinne said.

She said that non-profits in the north have to deal with these systemic barriers to funders, who are typically from southern Ontario, on the needs of the northern community when it comes to increased costs of delivering services or outreach programs.

The goal of the report is to inform planning, advocacy, and collaboration between non-profits in Northwestern Ontario, in order for their continued survival and success.