Jane Goodall Institute

About Jane Goodall Institute:

Founded in 1977 by renowned primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall, Jane Goodall Institute established its Canadian arm – Jane Goodall Institute of Canada – in Montreal in 1994. Jane Goodall Institute of Canada (JGI Canada) moved its headquarters to Toronto in 2007. JGI Canada protects endangered chimpanzees and Great Apes, empowers local people to care for their natural resources, and equips young people across Canada to take the lead in becoming agents of change. The charity’s major programs include community conservation, chimpanzee protection, research, and its Roots & Shoots youth program.

F2016 Canadian program costs include Roots & Shoots costs of $219k (23% of total program costs) and communications costs of $248k (26% of total program costs). African project expenses make up international program costs of $498k (52% of program spending), which, from the charity's website, appears to include community conservation, chimpanzee protection and research.

JGI Canada’s chimpanzee protection program defends and cares for the endangered chimpanzee population through its Tchimpounga rehabilitation center and sanctuary, by conserving forests containing chimpanzee habitat, and by increasing public awareness of the endangered chimpanzee population. Located in the Republic of Congo, the Tchimpounga sanctuary and rehabilitation center houses and cares for injured and orphaned chimps that would be vulnerable to the black market in the country. The sanctuary underwent expansion in 2015 and now has 100 times more forest available for chimps to explore. In its 2015 annual report, JGI Canada reports caring for 154 chimpanzees at the sanctuary. 

Through its community conservation programs, Jane Goodall Institute of Canada works in villages near chimpanzee habitats to improve the lives of local people while saving wildlife – the charity’s strategy is to engage community members so that they are less dependent on forest resources and less likely to harm chimpanzees in the surrounding area. The charity works in 20 villages in the Republic of Congo and major activities for 2015 include building seven schools and six new health centers through its Better Beginnings, Stronger Families project. 100,000 people received healthcare at the new health centers, 7,000 kids attended the new schools, and 90,000 people benefited from the charity’s family planning initiative. 18,400 people now have access to clean, safe drinking water because of the project. The charity also worked in western Uganda – with its Sustainable Livelihoods project, JGI Canada replanted and regenerated 122 hectares of land and protected 4 water sources for community use. The charity reports that time spent by women and children collecting water decreased by more than 50% in the area. This project also trained people in sustainable farming practices – JGI Canada states that this led to a 69% increase in crop yields.  

Roots & Shoots is a youth leadership program that teaches students how to solve problems in their community through science-based conservation techniques. In its most recent 2015 annual report, JGI Canada states that over 10,000 students participated and 286 educators enrolled in the program in Canada during the year. There are six Roots & Shoots schools and 600 Roots & Shoots groups in Canada.

Financial Review:

Jane Goodall Institute of Canada is a small-cap charity with total donations of $690k in F2016. Administrative costs are 12% of revenues and fundraising costs are 40% of donations. Per dollar donated to the charity, $0.48 goes towards its programs, which does not fall within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. JGI Canada holds funding reserves of $2.0m, which can cover annual program costs for 2.1 years.

This charity report is an update that is currently being reviewed by Jane Goodall Institute of Canada. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 27, 2017 by Katie Khodawandi.