SickKids Foundation is a 2-star charity. It has a B+ Results Reporting grade, which is above average. The charity holds reserves that can fund program costs for over seven years, outside of Ci's reasonable range. For every dollar donated, 69 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci's reasonable range.

Founded in 1972, SickKids Foundation (SKF) is a charity that raises money for SickKids Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. Its formal name is The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation. SickKids Hospital reports that it has the largest children’s health centre in Canada and that it's the nation’s most research-intensive hospital. In F2025, SKF granted $155.7m, of which 99% went to SickKids Hospital. The charity’s most recent annual report is from F2024. While financial results are from F2025, program results are from F2024.

Research represented 62% of grants in F2024. The charity’s research focuses on cell biology, child health evaluative sciences, developmental and stem cell biology, genetics and genome biology, molecular medicine, neuroscience and mental health, and translational medicine. In F2024, SickKids had a total of 1,908 research staff, including 814 grant-funded staff, 410 project and team investigators, 273 scientists, 249 research operations staff, and 162 core facilities research staff. In addition, it worked with 234 research fellows, 628 research graduate students, 508 research students, 65 clinical fellows and CREMS students (comprehensive research experience for medical students at U of T), 1,335 medical affairs residents and fellows, and 753 clinical and corporate students. The charity did not disclose how many research grants it gave out in F2024.

Patient Care represented 30% of grants in F2024. In F2024, SickKids Hospital had 294,335 ambulatory visits, 229,235 clinic visits, 81,998 virtual visits, and 65,100 emergency visits. It admitted 15,963 total inpatients and provided 103,437 patient days. The Hospital had 283 beds occupied each day, on average, with an average length of stay of 6.4 days in F2024. SickKids Foundation is currently in the midst of a major capital campaign to build a new hospital in downtown Toronto. The charity reports it will build over three million square feet over 15 years. In F2024, the charity completed the construction of its Patient Support Centre, a 22-storey education, training, and administrative tower.  

Education, National, and International programs represented 8% of grants in F2024. The charity helps strengthen Canadian and international health care through this program. SickKids reports it will train 1,500 nurses in Ghana by 2025. The charity is also working to improve early detection of cancer for children in the Caribbean. In Canada, the charity collaborates with other hospitals, such as the Markham-Stouffville Hospital, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario as part of its Kids Health Alliance program.

SickKids Foundation’s audited financial statements use activity-based costing, which is a best practice.

In F2025, SickKids Foundation received $208.1m in donations and special events revenue. The charity spent $155.7m on its grants, which is 45% of revenue, and recorded a surplus of $119.7m (after capital expenses), which is 35% of revenue.

SickKids Foundation spent $58.2m on fundraising, which is 28% of donations, and $7.0m on administration, which is 3% of revenue (excluding investment income). Total overhead spending is 31%. For every dollar donated, 69 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.

SickKids Foundation has $1.7b in reserve funds (cash and investments), of which $773.2m is donor endowed. Excluding donor-endowed funds, the charity’s reserves can cover annual grant costs for seven years and six months. This is outside of Ci’s reasonable range.

SickKids Foundation's $1.7b in cash and investments earned $138.9m in investment income, at a 9% rate of return. Over the past five years the charity's investments averaged a 9% return. 

SickKids Foundation’s audited financial statements report it has committed $86.9m in grants to SickKids Hospital: $29.4m in F2026, $29.5m in F2027, and $28.0m in F2028.

SickKids Foundation runs a lottery. In F2025, it raised $29.9m and spent $25.2m on lottery costs, returning $4.7m net of expenses. For every dollar given to SickKids through its lottery, 16 cents are available to go to the cause.

SickKids Foundation uses external fundraisers. As the charity’s F2025 T3010 filing with the CRA was not yet available at the time of this update, the most recent data on external fundraisers is from F2024. In F2024, SickKids Foundation paid fundraisers $7.0m to collect $27.9m. It costs 25 cents to raise a dollar through external fundraisers in F2024.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to SickKids Foundation for review.

Updated on August 28, 2025 by Liam Chapleau.