Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
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.
Average
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.
82%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 82 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is a 5-star charity with Average Demonstrated Impact. It has an A- Results Reporting grade, which is above average. For every dollar donated, 82 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci's reasonable range.
Founded in 1964, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (BBBSC) supports the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) network of agencies across Canada. It provides funding, staff training, national standards, policies, and a database for agency members. BBBS agencies work with kids who face challenges such as poor living conditions, family violence, mental health issues, difficulties in school, or identity challenges. Through mentorship, BBBS aims to reduce and avoid these risks to improve a child's chances of success.
In 2024, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada provided core services and grants to 85 agencies in its network. The agencies provided mentoring for 33,709 children. The charity reports that 43% of mentees are coping with mental health challenges, 60% report being bullied, and 64% are a child of divorce. Mentor-mentee pairs are formed based on common interests and meet at least twice a month for at least a year. In 2024, BBBSC helped train and support 18,227 volunteer mentors.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada provided 54 education and training events for agency staff. It also provided 4,405 IT support requests for the network.
In 2024, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada granted $3.8m to member agencies. The biggest grants went to BBBS of Toronto ($528k), BBBS of Peel York ($301k) and BBBS of Grand Erie, Halton, Hamilton, and Burlington ($210k).
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Results and Impact
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada reports that for every dollar invested in its mentoring programs, between $18-$23 is returned to society through taxes, higher incomes, volunteerism and charitable donations, based on a study released in 2013.
BBBSC ran a survey of its mentees. The charity reports that:
- 98% of mentees feel their mentor shows them they matter.
- 93% of mentees feel their mentors help them complete tasks and achieve goals.
- 93% of mentees feel their mentors help them connect with new people, places, or ideas.
- 98% of mentees feel their mentors treat them with respect and create opportunities to take action and lead.
- 93% of mentees feel that their mentors encourage them to do their best.
While Charity Intelligence highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada’s results and impact.
Charity Intelligence gave Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada an impact rating of Average for demonstrated social impact per dollar spent.
Impact Rating: Average
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Finances
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada received $3.3m in donations and $2.3m in government funding in 2024. The charity also received $1.8m in fees from its affiliates. BBBSC spent $6.4m on its programs and grants, which is 90% of revenue.
BBBSC spent $212k on fundraising, which is 76of donations, and $782k on administration, which is 11% of revenue (excluding investment income). Total overhead spending is 18%. For every dollar donated, 82 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.
BBBSC has $4.6m in reserve funds (cash and investments). The charity’s reserves can cover annual program costs for eight months. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.
This charity report is an update that has been sent to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on June 30, 2025 by Liam Chapleau.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending December
|
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 11.5% | 10.8% | 8.3% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 6.5% | 8.8% | 8.6% |
| Total overhead spending | 17.9% | 19.5% | 16.9% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 72.5% | 83.1% | 73.5% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 3,287 | 2,982 | 2,960 |
| Government funding | 2,331 | 2,702 | 4,059 |
| Fees for service | 1,807 | 1,236 | 877 |
| Investment income | 280 | 190 | 42 |
| Other income | (604) | 127 | 551 |
| Total revenues | 7,101 | 7,237 | 8,488 |
| Program costs | 2,632 | 3,423 | 4,277 |
| Grants | 3,771 | 3,002 | 3,035 |
| Administrative costs | 782 | 759 | 703 |
| Fundraising costs | 212 | 261 | 254 |
| Total spending | 7,397 | 7,446 | 8,270 |
| Cash flow from operations | (296) | (209) | 218 |
| Capital spending | 0 | 9 | 8 |
| Funding reserves | 4,644 | 5,342 | 5,378 |
Note: 1. Deferred Revenue: Ci adjusted for deferred revenue within other revenue, which was ($607k) in 2024, ($387) in 2023, and $567k in 2022. 2. Deferred Agency Fees: Ci adjusted for deferred agency fees within fees for service, which affected revenue by ($178k) in 2024 and $282k in 2023.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
1 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
1 |
$120k - $160k |
1 |
$80k - $120k |
5 |
$40k - $80k |
2 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2024
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Comment added on August 26, 2025:
Rooted in Impact, Rising Together: A Year of Growth in Mentorship
This past school year has been one of incredible growth, learning, and impact across Big Brothers Big Sisters. With more than 33,000 young people supported by the power of mentoring, and over 18,000 volunteers stepping forward, we are reminded of just how strong our network can be when we come together for youth.
Growing Our Reach
From one-to-one matches to school-based and group mentoring, our programs reached youth in every corner of the country. We saw a growing demand for school-focused mentoring, with thousands of students finding connection, encouragement, and belonging during the school day. In total, 86 agencies delivered programming that stretched further than ever before, while also reporting greater satisfaction with the core services provided by the national office that make their work possible.
Youth Thriving in Schools and Beyond
The outcomes speak volumes. In schools, mentees told us they felt more connected, more committed to learning, and more engaged in their time. Over 80% shared that they grew in confidence, personal development, and belonging through their mentoring relationships.
Career readiness was another big win this year. Young people told us they were finishing what they started, setting and meeting goals, problem-solving with confidence, and building the skills to succeed in their future jobs. The biggest growth came in perseverance, problem-solving, and goal-setting—skills that set them up for success long after graduation.
Spotlight on Specialized Programs
This was also a breakthrough year for two of our focus areas:
Learning and Looking Ahead
As we celebrate, we’re also listening. Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Canada report waitlists for both community-based and school-based mentoring continue to grow. This directly reflects rising youth needs in mental health, belonging, and educational engagement post-pandemic. The young people enrolling in BBBS programs are experiencing more complex issues. We also heard a clear call for more career-readiness support for youth ages 16–24. Volunteer recruitment is not keeping pace with the demand and thousands of children look forward to the day they are matched with a mentor.
The good news? We’re ready. With strong programs, passionate volunteers, and new learnings guiding us, we are rooted in impact and rising together—ensuring that every young person who needs a mentor can find one.
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 905-639-0461