How Long Should a Nonprofit Keep Participant Records?

Why keeping everything is a risk

It feels safe to keep every record forever. In practice, information you no longer need is a quiet liability: it can be lost, seen by the wrong person, or requested in ways you did not plan for. Privacy principles across Canada point the other way, toward keeping personal information only as long as you have a reason to.

A retention schedule turns this from a worry into a routine. It also keeps your data cleaner, which helps every time you report to funders. Children's records deserve the strictest version of this habit, because what you never collected is what you never have to protect.

What sets your retention periods

There is no single number for how long to keep records, because different rules pull on different documents.

• Financial and charity records. The Canada Revenue Agency sets retention expectations for books and records, and registered charities have specific obligations. These are federal and apply regardless of province.

• Funder agreements. Grants often require you to keep supporting records for a set number of years after the funding period. Check each agreement.

• Privacy principle. For personal information that no rule requires you to keep, the guiding idea is to retain it only as long as it serves the purpose you collected it for.

Where these overlap, the longest applicable period usually governs that particular record.

Building a simple retention schedule

A retention schedule is just a list: record type, how long you keep it, and what happens next. It does not need to be elaborate.

1. 1

   List the kinds of records you hold, such as registrations, attendance, consent forms, and financial receipts.

2. 2

   Note the rule or reason that sets each period, if any.

3. 3

   Write down the retention period and a disposal method for each.

4. 4

   Review the schedule once a year, and whenever a funder agreement changes.

Disposing of records safely

When a record reaches the end of its period, dispose of it in a way that matches how sensitive it is. Shred paper. Delete digital records fully, including backups where practical. Keep a brief note of what you disposed of and when, so your practice stays consistent.