Pacific Salmon Foundation

About Pacific Salmon Foundation:

Founded in 1987, Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) works to restore and conserve Pacific salmon populations in British Columbia and Yukon. PSF runs a grants program that funds salmon conservation projects, conducts research to understand the natural limitations on Pacific salmon populations, works with the government to start and maintain strategic salmon conservation programs, and manages watershed initiatives that bring industry, First Nations, government bodies and community groups together in salmon conservation. Since inception, Pacific Salmon Foundation has funded 2,682 conservation, restoration and enhancement projects, totalling $48.3m in project grants.

The Salish Sea Marine Survival Project (SSMSP) is one of Pacific Salmon Foundation’s major research programs, accounting for 39% of total program and grants costs in F2015. PSF started SSMSP to restore populations of three salmon species in the Salish Sea, which is the body of water between Vancouver Island British Columbia. SSMSP funded 33 projects in F2015. As part of its research activities, PSF reports that it tagged around 1,250 Chinook salmon to follow migration patterns and released 20 seals to track seal predation rates on juvenile salmon in F2015.

The Community Salmon Program (CSP) is Pacific Salmon Foundation’s major grants program and made up 22% of total program and granting activities in F2015. CSP funds volunteer and community groups that run salmon conservation and restoration programs in British Columbia and Yukon. Since 1989, CSP has funded over 1,900 projects that have cumulatively restored 1.1 million square meters of salmon habitat.

Pacific Salmon Foundation works with the Canadian government through the Skeena Salmon Program (SKEENA). The program made up 13% of total program and granting costs inF2015. SKEENA’s current focus is to help Fisheries and Oceans Canada with introducing a Wild Salmon Policy in the Skeena Watershed that will improve salmon conservation in British Columbia.

The Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program is Pacific Salmon Foundation’s current program meant to connect industry, government and community groups in salmon conservation. This program made up 5% of total program and grant costs in F2015.

Financial Review:

Pacific Salmon Foundation is a medium-sized charity with total donations and special events revenues of $3.4m in F2015. Government funding of $4.6m accounts for 53% of total revenues in F2015. Founded in 2001, the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund (the Society) is a separate registered charity that manages a grant of $30m from the federal government to fund activities related to supporting Canada’s West Coast salmon. PSF manages annual funds allocated by the Society, which totalled $1.5m in F2015 and is included in government funding. The Society reimburses PSF $100k annually for managing the allocated funds – this fee is included in fees for service.

Administrative costs are 6% of revenues and fundraising costs are 23% of donations. $0.29 of every donated dollar goes toward overhead costs, which falls within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. PSF holds funding reserves of $2.6m, of which $1.6m is restricted cash for specific projects that cannot be used to fund general operations. Excluding restricted cash, the charity’s reserves can cover only 13% of annual program and granting activities.

This charity report is an update that is currently being reviewed by Pacific Salmon Foundation. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 22, 2016 by Katie Khodawandi.