With the rapid acceleration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and wide applications, non-profit organizations, like many other sectors, are at a crossroads when it comes to adoption. Imagine Canada recently shared a benchmark report highlighting first snapshots of how Canada’s non-profit sector is using AI of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI).
According to the report, two thirds of organizations (67%) use AI for communications and fundraising, and about half (50%) use it for data and information tasks. Far fewer apply it to internal functions such as strategy, human resources or programming. Organizations using AI extensively are more likely to believe they can apply it across their operations and less likely to view it as overhyped.
Across the sector, the main barriers to using AI are uncertainty and limited hands-on experience. Organizations identifying staff time as an enabler are 6.4% more likely to use AI. Financial resources play a role in getting started but are more important in shaping how extensively AI is applied. This suggests that building skills and shared knowledge may have a greater impact on adoption than financial resources alone.
Are non-profits equipped to complete comprehensive risk assessments for using the new technology? Is organizational policies development catching up with the interests in AI understanding and adoption?
To gain perspective on the state of adoption of AI among Canada’s non-profit sector, Imagine Canada conducted an online survey of charities and non-profits between June 26 and September 6, 2025, receiving 963 responses. Read their full report.