Social enterprises across Ottawa are proving that market-based solutions can deliver powerful community impact while strengthening organizational resilience.
With support from the Ottawa Community Foundation, the Centre for Social Enterprise Development (CSED) has released the Ottawa Social Enterprise Needs and Opportunities Survey Findings Report.
Drawing insights from 70 local charities and non-profits, this report establishes a vital baseline on the current economic footprint, operational challenges, and growth opportunities within Ottawa’s social enterprise ecosystem.
Economic Engine & Community Driver
The research highlights how social enterprises are playing an indispensable role in the community:
- $41.9 Million Earned Revenue: Responding social enterprises generated nearly $42M in revenue during their last fiscal year.
- 376 Full-Time Jobs Created: Beyond direct community services, these social enterprises fuel local employment—with 57.4% operating as grassroots ventures (employing 1 to 5 staff members).
- Revenue Catalyst: For 90% of respondents, earned revenue is essential to long-term sustainability. More than half derive 75% or more of their total revenue through sales.
Unlocking Untapped Potential
Based on the report, the three best ways to unlock the full potential of Ottawa’s social enterprises are:
- Expand Market Access and Leverage Social Procurement
- Business-to-Consumer (44.6%) and Business-to-Business (43.3%) channels drive the vast majority of local social enterprise sales, while government purchasing represents just 12.1% of activity. Unsurprisingly, operators identified marketing and sales and market expansion as their highest-priority support needs.
- Action: Create stronger connections between social enterprises and corporate/public buyers by expanding social procurement initiatives, facilitating buyer-seller networking, and delivering hands-on support for marketing and sales execution.
- Provide Flexible, Early-Stage Financing and Seed Capital
- Capital constraints continue to hold ventures back. Limited funding is cited as a major barrier by 26.7% of current operators and an overwhelming 81% of organizations in the startup pipeline.
- Action: To move promising ventures from concept through launch, Ottawa needs flexible seed capital models, early-stage grants, and financing pathways designed specifically for mission-driven businesses to navigate start-up and stabilization costs.
- Build Business Capacity and Hands-On Advisory Supports
- Limited staff bandwidth is the single largest operational obstacle for both current enterprises (35.3%) and emerging ventures (81%).
- Action: Equipping leaders with tailored, one-on-one business coaching, tailored training workshops, and peer-learning hubs will build organizational capacity—allowing teams to optimize business models, build sales readiness, and drive profitability without risking burn-out or mission drift.
Ready to dive deeper into the data?
Explore the full report, complete with key insights and recommendations:
🔗 Read the 2026 Ottawa Social Enterprise Survey Findings Report