Ontario Nature

214 King Street West, Suite 612
Toronto, ON M5H 3S6
Executive Director: Caroline Shultz
Board President: Otto Peter

Website: www.ontarionature.org
Charitable Reg. #: 10737 8952 RR0001

Sector: Environment

Operating Charity

Charity Rating

Subscribe now for charity ratings

Results Reporting

Grade: B-

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

Financial Transparency

Most recent audited financial statements available on the charity's website [Audited financial statement for most recent year]

Need for Funding

Funding Reserves Program Costs

Spending Breakdown

Cents to the Cause

♦	♦	♦
			95¢



			75¢
			avg
			65¢


			50¢

2016	2017	2018

For a dollar donated, cents funding the cause after fundraising and admin costs, excluding surplus.

Full-time staff #22

Avg. Compensation $58,144

Top 10 Staff Salary Range

$350k +	0
$300k - $350k	0
$250k - $300k	0
$200k - $250k	0
$160k - $200k	0
$120k - $160k	1
$80k - $120k	3
$40k - $80k	6
< $40k	0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2018

About Ontario Nature:

Founded in 1931, Ontario Nature protects plants and animals through conservation, education, and public engagement. Ontario Nature has more than 150 member groups across Ontario. In total, these groups have over 30,000 members and supporters. Ontario Nature has six programs: Citizen Science, Nature Guardian’s Youth Program, Endangered Species, Boreal, Greenway, and Nature Reserves.

Ontario Nature gives the public a way to contribute to nature protection projects in their community by submitting the animals they see to the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas. This reporting allows Ontario Nature to watch animal populations and movements. The Nature Guardians Youth Program gives children the opportunity to learn about the environment. Ontario Nature’s goal is to inspire the next conservation leaders in Ontario.

In Ontario, the number of plants and animals at-risk of disappearing every year is growing. Ontario Nature campaigns for laws to be made to protect these plants and animals. Ontario Nature also calls for the protection of northern Ontario’s boreal forest. Its goal is to save the forest and the animals that live there. Ontario Nature calls upon the government to create stronger environmental protection laws in southern and eastern Ontario. Overall, more than 70% of southern Ontario’s wetlands have been lost. Ontario Nature campaigns to create natural reserves that provide habitat for plants and animals as well as reducing the effects of climate change.

Results and Impact: Ontario Nature’s work to ban hunting snapping turtles was successful. In 2017, the provincial government banned all hunting of these animals. In F2018, Ontario Nature held a BioBlitz to celebrate the launch of its new app. This campaign led to 6,483 new submissions to the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas. In F2016, Ontario Nature’s youth guardians’ programs held 9 planting events that led to almost 2000 pollinator-friendly plants being planted.

Financial Review:

Ontario Nature is a medium-sized charity with $2m in donations in F2018. Ontario Nature’s administrative costs are 12% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 20% of donations. For every dollar donated, 68 cents goes to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. Ontario Nature has $2.8m in funding reserves. This will cover program costs for 17 months.

Ontario Nature spent $5k to raise $17k from external fundraisers in F2018. The cost per dollar raised was 27 cents (33 cents in F2017).

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Ontario Nature for review. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated May 24, 2019 by Stefan Tetzlaff.

Financial Ratios Fiscal year ending February	2018	2017	2016
Administrative costs as % of revenues	11.8%	8.2%	10.8%
Fundraising costs as % of donations	20.1%	17.6%	17.0%
Program cost coverage (%)	142.8%	162.6%	141.9%

Summary Financial Statements All figures in $s	2018	2017	2016
Donations	1,954,121	2,466,631	2,355,528
Goods in kind	15,000	725,000	200,000
Fees for service	182,854	151,844	135,251
Investment income	198,596	208,587	(78,041)
Other income	29,343	33,187	40,110
Total revenues	2,379,914	3,585,249	2,652,848
Program costs	1,968,207	1,804,265	1,656,178
Administrative costs	257,973	275,699	294,273
Fundraising costs	392,434	433,700	399,870
Cash flow from operations	(238,700)	1,071,585	302,527
Funding reserves	2,810,098	2,933,829	2,349,381

Note: Ci reported unrealized investment gains in investment income, increasing total revenue by $147k in F2018, $149k in F2017, and ($285k) in F2016. To report on a cash basis, Ci backed out amortization pro-rata from program, administrative and fundraising costs. Ci reported public relations and communications in program costs, and rental properties in administrative costs.

Comments added by the Charity:

No comments have been added by charity