The non-profit social sector plays a critical role in the social well-being of our region. This applied research project will explore key characteristics, financial and human resources, organizational capacity, social innovation, and organizational connections in the Columbia Basin-Boundary non-profit social sector. The research is an important first step towards enabling evidence-based decision-making by our regions’ colleges and Columbia Basin Trust in efforts related to strengthening the sector. The research will provide individual non-profits and the region as a whole with benchmark data against which to compare experiences and characteristics. In addition, the research will explore collaborative networks and highlight examples of innovation in the region’s non-profit social sector. There is an interest and need for organizations to innovate and collaborate, and there is a readiness and record of success in the region's social sector.