It has been a tough month for charitable organizations, as agencies across the sector, which rely heavily on donations, collectively shed hundreds of jobs and are bracing for the loss of millions in revenue.

Several organizations have announced major reductions in their workforce, as they restructure their bottom line, amid a drastic reduction in donations and the postponement of flagship fundraisers key to their revenue stream.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation cut more than 200 staff (45 per cent of its workforce) and the MS Society of Canada let go of more than 100 people.

“It’s been a really tough couple of weeks for the charitable sector,” said Pamela Valentine, the MS Society’s president and CEO. MS Canada did a mixture of layoffs and permanent cuts, which impacted about a third of its staff.

She said organizations which stage many of their high-profile events throughout the spring and summer months, are now hard-pressed to find alternative means to generate funds.

“We anticipate this has a potential impact of up to $25 million this season,” Valentine said.

Over the last five weeks, the Canadian Cancer Society has adapted many of its cancer support programs and has cancelled in-person fundraising activities.

The pandemic, which Cancer Society CEO Andrea Seale called “the greatest financial challenge that the society has faced in our 80-year history.” will result in an estimated financial loss between $80-100 million out of a total budget of $180 million.

The Cancer Society initially laid off a third of (approximately 300 employees) its staff, but has since started recalling some workers after being approved for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy.

Much-anticipated fundraising events like the Daffodil Campaign and Relay For Life have moved online and teams are reimagining how to best engage supporters in this new environment.

Part of the sector is still waiting to hear more about how the government's stimulus package measures, such as loans and wage subsidies, may benefit the not-for-profit world, said Wendy Wong, vice-president, resource development of Parkinson Canada.

“We still don’t know how we’re going to be assessed,” Wong said. “We still don’t know how hard we’re going to be hit.”

Wong said the charitable sector has collectively lobbied the government for more details about their eligibility.

The revenue decline is deep for others as well.

Many third-party event organizers and donors have already notified Parkinson Canada that they won’t be giving as much, or at all, this season. Parkinson Canada raises about $11.5 million annually.

“In our first month, we’ve experienced a 27-per-cent decline in revenue,” Wong said. “Our hope is that we will be able to recall people.”

Rent for office space is one of Parkinson Canada’s biggest expenses. Wong said landlords are not offering any relief such as allowing them to defer rent.

“Other charities in the sector have tried the same thing and have gotten nowhere,” she said.

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Some organizations like Parkinson Canada, which laid off about 25 people (30 per cent of total staffing), have been trying to find creative ways to salvage some revenue, by changing toward hosting more virtual events.

“We’re looking at how to restructure, in order to respond to this changing world,” she said.

Doug Roth, CEO of the Heart & Stroke Foundation, said the group cancelled or postponed all its events this spring and summer, resulting in an immediate revenue loss of $25 million, Roth states.

He also reviewed the government’s wage subsidy carefully, Roth said.

“At this time, there is no guarantee that we will qualify, and further, it will not be substantial enough to offset losses.”

Roth said it’s a heavy blow for clients who are at higher risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We will continue to fund critical heart disease and stroke research, and collaborate with researchers, clinicians and our partner organizations to understand and address COVID-19 and its relationship to our diseases,” Roth said.

Parkinson Canada is floating contingency plans, like pushing events like its Pedaling for Parkinson’s event, scheduled for June, back a few months.

Wong is also considering back-up plans, like implementing an app that can track cyclists, just in case large gatherings aren’t permitted for several months.

“We’re really relying on new technology,” she said.

MS Canada is doing a bit of the same, by hosting webinars and providing live rehabilitation information sessions and virtual yoga classes. May is MS Awareness Month, and plans are being made to bring communities together through Facebook Live events. Heart and Stroke will fundraise online and through email.