United Church of Canada

200-3250 Bloor St W
Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4
Administrator: Richard Bott
Secretary: Michael Blair

Charitable Reg. #:10810 2435 RR0003

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 2/5]

✔+

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.

C-

RESULTS REPORTING

Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.

n/r

DEMONSTRATED IMPACT

The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.

NEED FOR FUNDING

Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.

88%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 88 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About United Church of Canada:

United Church of Canada is a 2-star charity with a below average results reporting grade of C-. For every dollar donated, 88 cents are available to go towards the cause. Its reserve funds can cover four years and 11 months of annual program costs.  

Founded in 1925, the United Church of Canada (UCC) is the largest Protestant denomination in Canada. UCC aims to offer resources of faith, gather people into congregations for the public worship of God, and promote justice worldwide. In 2023, UCC spent $48.3m on its programs and grants. United Church of Canada did not provide a program breakdown for its spending.

In 2023, United Church of Canada reports engaging in 80 activities in the following six different strategic areas: Growth, Justice, Leadership, Common Good, Climate Integrity, and Indigenous Pathways. The charity also reports granting $180k to the 16 United Church Regional Councils associated with UCC. In 2025, UCC plans to launch Then Let Us Sing: a new tab on its website which will make almost all of its music resources, along with 200 new songs and hymns, accessible online. 

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Results and Impact

Ci found that United Church of Canada had many stories but no quantified data. This may not be a complete representation of United Church of Canada’s results and impact. This charity is not yet rated on impact (n/r).

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Finances

To give donors the full picture, Charity Intelligence consistently consolidates related parties where appropriate. In the case of United Church of Canada, United Church of Canada's foundation - its investments and grants - are consolidated with United Church of Canada's operating charity. 

In 2023, UCC received $19.5m donations, and $33.1m in other revenue. Administrative and fundraising costs are 12% of total revenues (excluding investment income). For every dollar donated, 88 cents are available to go towards the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. In 2023, UCC spent $48.3m on program costs and grants which represents 68% of total revenues.

United Church of Canada has $238.7m in its reserve funds. This is enough to cover four years and 11 months of annual program costs. 

Profile updated on July 16, 2024 by Abby Stout.

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending December
202320222021
Fundraising & admin costs as % of revenues 11.7%10.6%8.7%
Total overhead spending 11.7%10.6%8.7%
Program cost coverage (%) 494.2%386.9%451.2%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202320222021
Donations 19,50125,58849,418
Government funding 002,290
Business activities (net) 457429421
Investment income 18,347(11,423)17,283
Other income 33,13535,5807,541
Total revenues 71,44050,17476,953
Program costs - Canada 23,16623,58120,577
Grants 25,14429,88428,663
Fundraising & administrative costs 6,2076,5505,188
Other costs 1,12754891
Total spending 55,64460,56254,519
Cash flow from operations 15,796(10,389)22,434
Capital spending 558233492
Funding reserves 238,747206,831222,175

Note: CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS: Ci consolidated the financial statements from United Church of Canada and United Church of Canada Foundation. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM RELATED PARTIES: UCC reported contributions from related party transactions. Ci removed the grants from the foundation from donations and put the remaining contributions in other revenue. DEFERRED DONATIONS: To report on a cash basis, Ci adjusted for the change in deferred donations. This affected total revenues by $69k in 2023, $98k in 2022, and $103k in 2021. UNREALIZED GAINS (LOSS): Ci adjusted for the unrealized gains (loss) from the foundation. This affected total revenues by $9.4m in 2023, ($4.0m) in 2022, and ($10.3m) in 2021. INVESTMENT INCOME: Ci included investment income below the line affecting total revenues by $3.0m in 2023, $2.1m in 2022, and $2.1m in 2021. Investment income includes changes in fair value of investments and change in payable to annuities, affecting revenues by $7.4m in 2023, ($8.2m) in 2022, and $7.5m in 2021. Investment income is presented net of investment fees and annuity expenses, decreasing revenues and expenses by $1.5m in 2023, $1.5m in 2022, and $2.7m in 2021. FOUNDATION GRANTS: Ci adjusted for grants from the foundation to the operating charity, decreasing revenues and expenses by $1.9m in 2023, 2022, and 2021. Ci also adjusted for transactions from United Church to the foundation impacting revenues and expenses by ($4.0m) in 2023. AMORTIZATION: Ci removed amortization from program and administrative and fundraising costs on a pro-rata basis. INTEREST: UCC included interest in its total revenues. Ci adjusted for this which reduced total revenues by $1.6m in 2023, $608k in 2022, and $274k in 2021.

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 125

Avg. compensation: $128,614

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
0
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
0
$200k - $250k
1
$160k - $200k
2
$120k - $160k
7
$80k - $120k
0
$40k - $80k
0
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2022

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

Comment added on August 22, 2024:

The evaluation the Charity Intelligence gives to The United Church of Canada is, in our opinion, inaccurate.

Charity Intelligence is combining two separate entities, The United Church of Canada, Charitable Registration Number 108102435 RR 0003, and The United Church of Canada Foundation, Charitable Registration Number 863103021 RR 001. The United Church of Canada is celebrating 100 years of existence in 2025, while The United Church of Canada Foundation came into existence in 2002. Both entities have separate governing bodies and separate mandates. To combine them gives donors an inaccurate picture of both.

Donors to The United Church of Canada are funding programs both globally and within Canada through direct grants and through funding of Regional Councils who pass on funding according to local needs. The Strategic Plan, which can be found on the home page of https://united-church.ca,  outlines the plans and direction for the church moving forward. Due to the many individual programs the best way to report results is through stories, which are found at https://united-church.ca/community-and-faith/get-involved/mission-and-service/mission-and-service-stories.

Donors to The United Church of Canada Foundation are creating long term funds and endowments to provide long term support and are using gifts of securities to support their congregations and other registered Canadian charities. Only 25% of the grants the Foundation makes are to The United Church of Canada – the remaining 75% of grants are to congregations, communities of faith and other registered Canadian charities. Further information can be found at https://unitedchurchfoundation.ca.

As long as Charity Intelligence continues to combine these two separate entities, we strongly caution readers to discount their analysis. Instead, please evaluate them based on the information found on the two websites.

Charity Contact

Website: www.united-church.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 416-231-5931

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001