Policy Priority Review: A Workforce Strategy
Undertake a labour market study and strategy to stabilize the nonprofit workforce by addressing recruitment and retention concerns.
The gap between nonprofit capacity and service demand continues to grow. As nonprofits across Alberta are asked to do more with less, a strategy that meets our sector’s diverse needs would help sustain services while supporting the people who provide them.
Demand is rising but capacity isn’t keeping pace. In 2025, more than half of Alberta nonprofits reported increasing demand, while fewer than 30% saw their capacity grow. Hiring isn’t a simple solution – nearly 60% of organizations currently operatewith no paid staff at all. Among those that do, 82% say recruitment is difficult or unchanged. Rising operational costs coupled with flatlined core funding has contributed to these challenges. Volunteer recruitment, a critical part of service delivery, tells a similar story.
We are advancing ‘A Workforce Strategy’ to strengthen recruitment and retention, helping organizations build the capacity needed to meet growing demand. This includes improving access to qualified talent and equipping organizations with the tools needed to retain their workforce.
Since becoming a priority in 2023, there has been meaningful progress. A Workforce Strategy Feasibility Study was completed in 2025 in partnership between the Nonprofit Chamber and the Ministry of Arts, Culture & Status of Women. A province-wide volunteer recruitment strategy is underway. Advancements in data collection and appropriate funding have been helping to clarify what resources are needed and where.
The Workforce Strategy Feasibility Study identified several opportunities to help strengthen the sector, including:
Clear pathways connecting candidates to nonprofit careers across Alberta
Shared, sector-wide best practices on salaries and benefits
Centralized hub of labour market information
A key next step identified in the feasibility study is the need for an Alberta Nonprofit Workforce Council. This group would bring together sector and government leaders to guide the strategy and ensure it has a stable, long-term home.
A coordinated workforce strategy would help nonprofits keep up with demand and to sustain the people doing the work – strengthening both organizations and the communities that rely on them.
Now, we want to hear from you. How does ‘A Workforce Strategy’ resonate with your experience? What feels useful, and what doesn’t? Your feedback will help shape this work moving forward.
Read more about the review process and take the first survey here.