Black Health Alliance is a 3-star charity. It is financially transparent and has a B- results reporting grade which is below average. Its overhead spending is 30% which is within Ci’s reasonable range. Its reserve funds can cover program costs for more than six years, which is above Ci’s reasonable range.

Founded in 2000, Black Health Alliance (BHA) provides a platform for Black communities to discuss and dismantle systemic barriers affecting their health and well-being. It uses its platform to influence government policy and improve health outcomes for Black communities across Canada. According to the charity, people of Caribbean, and East and West African origin in Ontario have a 60% increased risk of psychosis. Black Canadians are almost two times more likely than White Canadians to be treated badly or with less respect. It reported frequent experiences of discrimination are linked with a greater chance of obesity and lower self-rated health.

BHA appears to run two main programs: Community Projects, and Research and Advocacy. In the fiscal year ending March 2024 (F2024), it spent a total of $1.1m on its programs. The charity does not provide a spending breakdown on its programs. At the time of this update, the charity's most recent published program report was from F2022. Most of the information below comes from that old report. 

Community Projects aim to improve the current system of services available to Black communities in Ontario. Its main project is Pathways to Care (PTC), which has run programs such as the Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth, the Black Enhanced Youth Outreach Worker Program, and education panels and workshops. In F2022, 123 individuals participated in PTC workshops and webinars.

Research and Advocacy focus on producing high quality research, data collection and analysis on the health and well-being of Black communities. The charity uses this research to influence government policy and community-based changes. In F2022, 126 Black residents participated in 23 focus groups in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, London, and Windsor.

In F2022, BHA conducted 36 knowledge products, which consist of research articles, educational presentations, workshops, and newsletters.

Charity Intelligence found little information on these metrics for F2024.

Black Health Alliance’s audited financial statements follow line-item costing, which is not a best practice. This means Ci referred to BHA’s T3010 filings with the CRA Charities Directorate to report program, administrative and fundraising costs.

BHA received $1.0m in donations in F2024, which is 45% of total revenue. This is a 25% decrease from the $1.4m donations in F2023. In F2024, it received $930k in government funding, which is 40% of total revenue. It spent $1.1m on its programs in F2024, which is 47% of revenue. BHA recorded a surplus of $777k (34% of revenue) in F2024.

BHA spent $179k on fundraising costs, which is 17% of donations. It spent $275k on administrative costs, which is 13% of revenue. BHA has total overhead spending of 30%. For every dollar donated to BHA, 70 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

BHA has $6.9m in reserve funds (cash and investments). BHA’s reserve funds can cover 644% or six years and five months of its annual program costs. This is not within Ci’s reasonable range of 3 years or less.

In F2024, BHA had investment returns of 2%. It is 55% invested in cash and 45% invested in guaranteed investment certificates (GICs). Its investment returns have averaged 1% over the last four years.

This report is an update that has been sent to Black Health Alliance for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. Updated on June 6, 2025, by Leah DeFrancesco.