The Alex
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔+
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.
A-
RESULTS REPORTING
Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.
Fair
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.
96%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 96 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About The Alex:
The Alex is a 3-star charity. It has fair demonstrated impact, meaning Charity Intelligence has found its programs to have below average impact and results. The charity has low overhead spending and is financially transparent.
Founded in 1973, The Alex (Alexandra Community Health Centre) addresses the health and social needs of low-income Calgarians. The charity recognizes that housing, nutrition, and community involvement all impact health. By focusing on preventative care, The Alex works to avoid costly health crises.
In F2021, The Alex allocated 50% of spending to health programs. People visited The Alex’s Family Health Centre to access doctors, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. Calgarians aged 12 to 24 can visit the Youth Health Centre, and the Seniors Health Center serves the older population. The Alex operates health buses which provide healthcare at local shelters, dental work at elementary schools, and social support to kids in high school and on the Tsuu T’ina Nation reserve.
Housing programs received 31% of spending in F2021. People using the housing programs are chronically homeless, often because of mental illness, physical disabilities, or addiction. The Alex housed 372 people at the Prelude and Abbeydale homes in F2021.
In F2021, the charity allocated 19% of its spending to support services and community programs. The Alex operates a Community Food Centre that delivers emergency food, necessities, and counselling sessions. In F2021, there were 39,421 healthy meals served and sent home with clients.
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Results and Impact
In F2021, the charity's covid-19 isolation program helped isolate 1,016 people, which reduced the high risk of transmission of covid-19 by people experiencing homelessness. The Alex's Community Food Centre distributed 39,421 meals, $102,000 in grocery cards, and $17,124 worth of produce. It also provided 833 counselling and support sessions.
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of The Alex’s results and impact. Charity Intelligence has rated The Alex as Fair impact based on demonstrated impact per dollar spent.
Impact Rating: Fair
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Finances
In F2021, Alexandra Community Health Centre has $16.6m in donations. The Alex received $15.9m in government grants, representing 49% of total revenues.
Administrative costs are 2% of revenues, and fundraising costs are 2% of donations. This resulted in overhead costs of 4%. For every $1 donated, 96 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.
The Alex has $4.6m in funding reserves, of which $585k is donor-endowed. Excluding donor-endowed funds, the charity's funding reserves could cover program costs for less than two months. This indicates a need for funding.
This charity report is an update that has been sent to The Alex for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on June 22, 2022 by Lin Zhu.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending March
|
2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2.8% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| Total overhead spending | 4.2% | 3.9% | 5.0% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 12.8% | 16.3% | 48.1% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 16,607 | 15,041 | 12,839 |
| Government funding | 15,876 | 9,910 | 9,607 |
| Investment income | 204 | 269 | 161 |
| Other income | 0 | 0 | 933 |
| Total revenues | 32,686 | 25,221 | 23,541 |
| Program costs | 29,855 | 22,962 | 20,679 |
| Grants | 1,341 | 1,419 | 1,436 |
| Administrative costs | 587 | 462 | 646 |
| Fundraising costs | 391 | 309 | 282 |
| Total spending | 32,175 | 25,152 | 23,043 |
| Cash flow from operations | 511 | 69 | 498 |
| Capital spending | 399 | 651 | 246 |
| Funding reserves | 4,586 | 4,560 | 11,210 |
Note: The charity reported an additional $6.9m in F2021 and $5.8m in F2020 in government grants on its T3010 that we cannot reconcile. Ci used the charity’s T3010 filing with the CRA to allocate program, fundraising and administrative costs.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
1 |
$160k - $200k |
3 |
$120k - $160k |
3 |
$80k - $120k |
3 |
$40k - $80k |
0 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2021
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
This comment has been previously added by the charity and may not reflect the current profile:
Since 1973, The Alex has provided thoughtful, comprehensive care to vulnerable Calgarians. With clinical and social components included in almost all of our programs, The Alex tackles tough health and social issues head-on, and our preventative, cost-effective approach saves taxpayer dollars by moving people from poverty to stability and from crisis to wellness. The Alex serves a community with complex health needs, often the result of issues such as poverty, trauma, homelessness, or addiction. At The Alex whole health is the goal – and you can’t be healthy if you are hungry, or isolated, or experiencing mental health struggles.
Navigating a complex system of service-providers can be challenging for those who need the help the most. This is why we offer an extensive scope of services all under one roof reducing the need for our community members to have to find the time and resources to go elsewhere. We also know effective care means being in the right place at the right time, so programs like our Community Food Centre and Seniors Health Centre are nestled in the heart of their communities, and our mobile units travel across the city to identified areas of need.
At the heart of every Alex program is a rigorous evaluation process, ensuring that our services are meeting the needs of our community, and moving the needle on their health and wellness. We know our approach works, because we have seen the transformation of thousands of lives. Building community, treating people with dignity, and supporting their paths to wellness – these are all fundamental values of The Alex. Together, we are changing health, and changing lives.
To learn more or to find out how you can support, visit www.thealex.ca.
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 403-520-6453