Reinventing Good: Why the Non-Profit Sector Must Disrupt Itself Now

What if we built the social impact sector for today’s world? 

In Charlie Mackesy's illustrated classic, "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse", the mole says to the boy 'One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things'. It’s a truth we all instinctively know, yet seldom take the time to truly reflect on. For most of us, this phrase resonates deeply. However, before we can exercise this freedom, we must first 'see things' as they truly are.

Have you ever been so attached to something or someone that you couldn't see them any other way? Until one day, you realized that a different perspective was the only 'right way' to see?  

I grew up learning in companies like GE Capital, where data, process, financial rigour, integrity, and operational excellence were at the heart of our work. I then joined Element Fleet Management, a company where an entrepreneurial drive to grow and scale was key to success. Throughout this journey and other experiences along the way, digital and technology were always at my core. 

When I entered the non-profit sector, I found it perplexing that it was defined primarily by a tax designation, and even more so, by what it was not: “for-profit”. I knew the sector needed a refocus on its true purpose: to do social good and operate as a “for-impact” sector. I also observed good people striving to achieve the most impact they could, but being constantly  hampered by outdated ways of thinking and working. I saw a opportunity to redefine “social impact”, drive operational excellence and financial rigour, and recruit and retain, the best talent possible. 

At World Vision Canada , we recognized that transforming how we engage supporters and empower those we serve could be synonymous with harnessing the latest digital tools, data analytics, and technology. This led to us embarking on our digital transformation and early adoption of AI along with a shifting to new Agile ways of working with a resolute focus on using data to deliver real impact.  

Simply put, we saw the sector not for what it was, but for what it could be. Not as a sector 'doing the best with what they have,' but as a sector of purpose-driven individuals committing their lives and sacrificing to work – and I might add, often below market wages - for causes they deeply believe in.  

But here’s a question I still ask: are we truly leveraging our best to give our best to those who deserve our best? 

Embracing Innovation means Embracing Impact 

We are now living in an era where shifting political and economic dynamics, combined with a persistent lack of innovation in Canada, have challenged our national identity and the very vibrancy of our country.  

We’ve heard time and time again about Canada's position near the bottom of OECD growth rankings over the last decade. Yet, within this landscape, we have a profound opportunity to revitalize the social impact sector – which represents over 8% of Canadian GDP – and to position it as a powerful source of innovation.  

This revitalization can embody the very Canadian values I learned as the child of immigrants in this great country: a bold commitment to doing good, to showing up, and to helping others. Throughout our history, Canadians formed a unique cultural mosaic and an identity as agents of peace and compassion. We find ourselves again in a time when we need to bravely re-evaluate who we are and what we can achieve in the world as proud Canadians.

In the for-impact sector, this can look like simultaneously embracing our role as innovators who drive our economy and leading by example for the world.

Embracing the Untapped Potential All Around Us

Consider the groundbreaking MIT genome mapping project as a powerful illustration. This initiative brilliantly leveraged the collective intelligence and resources of scientists, private individuals, and institutions worldwide to decode the human genome. 

The traditional approach to genome sequencing typically required 4 hours and 30 minutes with an accuracy of 72%. When a dedicated research team of experts tackled the task, leveraging advances in technology, they reduced the time to 54 minutes and 55 seconds, achieving an accuracy of 77%. However, a crowd-based approach – drawing on contributions from non-experts – achieved the sequencing in an astounding 52 seconds with an accuracy of 80%. This dramatic enhancement in both speed and accuracy demonstrated the transformative impact that crowd-sourcing and collective intelligence can have on delivering solutions and accelerating advancements in quality and efficiency.  

I am compelled to ask: how do we leverage this “power” in new ways - and draw on the immense potential of collaborative efforts and willingness of people to help others - to reinvent how good is done today and into the future? 

Why and How We Must Transform  

As a sector we find ourselves in a conundrum: rising costs, lower donor loyalty, shifting supporter expectations, and declining trust demand innovative, fresh approaches, but we must invest in a new kind of structure in order to thrive in a fast-paced, digitally driven world. We need not only to inspire people, but also to equip and empower them with the right capabilities to create and deliver great outcomes.

Once we start to look at the for-impact sector in this way, it’s clear there are many reasons to think differently: 

1. New generations demand digital-first, meaningful, and personalized experiences tied directly to measurable impact with even more humanity; let’s help them do good smarter and faster. 
2. Our volatile and shifting political, economic and technology landscape is reshaping our reality at an accelerated place, demanding that we’re proactive and strategic.  
3. It’s becoming ever more difficult to achieve impact through models invented in the last century, so we must unequivocally state that disruption is required — we can no longer settle for small incremental improvements. 
4. Advances in AI and digital capabilities empower us to reinvent how good is done globally, and efficiently. 
5. Perhaps most importantly of all, people need help. We must embrace a growth mindset and never give up on people; our worldview can be one of abundant potential, and not scarcity. 

What if we exercised that same freedom Charlie Mackesy pointed to—not just in how we react, but in how we reimagine how good is done? I truly believe that one of our greatest freedoms is how we reimagine things.

It’s time to reframe our perspective—not just on the good that’s being done, but on what’s possible when we choose to see, build, and pursue it differently. This time let’s imagine it in a way where we fully leverage digital, data, technology, and artificial intelligence to make a massive impact.

If any of the above resonates with you, or ignites an inspiring vision as you personally contemplate the future of doing good, please click here to stay connected and/or join this journey to share ideas of “what could be?”