Founded in 1966, Centraide of Greater Montreal (Centraide) raises money to support charities in Montreal and Laval. Its mission is to improve the quality of life in the community and empower vulnerable members to take charge of their lives. Funded charities deliver programs that align with one of Centraide’s four priority areas: Support Youth Success, Taking Care of the Essentials, Break Social Isolation, and Build Caring Communities.

Through Support Youth Success, Centraide of Greater Montreal supports charities that work with youth from early childhood to adulthood, and their families. Taking Care of the Essentials addresses the basic needs of people in Greater Montreal, namely food and shelter. Break Social Isolation funding goes to charities that help marginalized people who struggle with social isolation (seniors, people with disabilities, immigrants, people in crisis). Build Caring Communities funding goes to charities that improve living conditions of local neighbourhoods and encourage volunteer engagement.

In F2020, Centraide reported spending $49.4 million* on agency support, including $44.7 million in grants and $4.7 million in program support. 32% was on supporting youth success, 26% on breaking social isolation, 23% on building caring communities, and 19% on taking care of the essentials. Centraide funded 350 agencies and projects. The ten largest grants totalled $4.9 million, accounting for 11% of total grants for the year. The largest grant recipient was YMCAs of Quebec, which received $1.3m, followed by Community Development Corporation Center-Sud with $545k and Live Healthy Saint-Michel with $514k.

COVID-19 response (as of July 2020)

As of July 2020, Centraide Greater Montreal has distributed over $16 million to more than 550 front-line agencies in Greater Montreal through its COVID-19 response. Centraide reports that 60% of supported agencies are not part of its usual network.

In late March, the Government of Canada chose Centraide of Greater Montreal to distribute $12 million to charities helping vulnerable people affected by COVID-19. This is part of the government’s national, $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) program. Centraide has distributed $7.1 million so far to 202 agencies and projects. The federal government also partnered with United Way of Canada to deliver a $9 million New Horizons for Seniors program in March. Centraide Greater Montreal has distributed $683k to charities running seniors’ programs, including food delivery, social calls, and other social supports.

Centraide created its own COVID-19 Emergency Fund in March. It has distributed $7.1 million to 441 projects. In April, Centraide partnered with large donors to create the Youth Project fund. The Youth Project provides educational and psychosocial support to isolated and marginalized youth. So far, $1.5 million in funding has supported 56 agencies.

* Ci reports $50.3m in total mission spending in F2020, $900k higher than what Centraide reported. Ci included $696k in grants that were deferred in previous years as well as $153k in program costs for research and development in its financial analysis.

Centraide of Greater Montreal collected $58.4m in donations in F2020. It is a Major 100 – one of Canada’s largest charities in terms of donations. Administrative costs are 8% of revenue (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 7% of donations. United Way of Greater Montreal’s overhead ratio is 15%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 85 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Centraide of Greater Montreal has $36.8m in funding reserves, which can cover annual program costs and grants at the F2020 level for almost nine months.

Centraide of Greater Montreal’s audited financial statements disclose Centraide of Greater Montreal Foundation as a related party. The charity received $1.5m in donations ($1.3m in F2019) from the Foundation as well as $18k ($18k in F2019) as reductions in operating expenses.

Centraide’s audited financial statements report grant commitments for the upcoming F2021 year of $39.5m.

This report is an update that has been sent to Centraide of Greater Montreal for review. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on September 24, 2020 by Katie Khodawandi.