World University Service of Canada

1404 Scott Street
Ottawa, ON K1Y 4M8
Executive Director: Chris Eaton
Board Chair: Chris Whitaker

Charitable Reg. #:11930 4848 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 2/5]

✔+

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.

B+

RESULTS REPORTING

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

Low

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.

72%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 72 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About World University Service of Canada:

World University Service of Canada is a 2-star charity. It is financially transparent, has above average results reporting on its programs, and has reasonable overhead costs. However, Ci has given it an impact rating of Low based on demonstrated impact per dollar spent. Before you give, read Charity Intelligence’s report.

Founded in 1957, World University Service of Canada (WUSC) works to improve education, employment, and empowerment opportunities for youth around the world. WUSC’s programs focus on helping youth not enrolled in school and living in poverty, young women facing sexual discrimination in the workplace, young refugees, and other marginalized people.

During F2021, WUSC worked with over 280 partners to reach over 30,000 youth. 67% of those reached were women and 29% of those reached were refugees.

The charity runs three major programs: education, employment, and empowerment. Its signature program, the Student Refugee Program, has helped 2,200 refugees from 39 countries continue their education in Canada since 1978.

In F2021, WUSC provided cash transfers to families to help them send their daughters to school. 5,740 girls and their families received cash assistance. In Uganda, 214 teachers and caregivers were trained to provide counselling to out-of-school learners and their parents. WUSC also supported 234 secondary students in 234 countries including 12 students who were able to begin their studies remotely. 3,433 girls received online extracurricular support.

WUSC also helped 14,000 individuals grow their businesses, access training and services, and improve their lives in F2021. WUSC’s Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) education programs in Jordan, Iraq, and Vietnam delivered online support to 179 learners. In Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Guinea, WUSC trained 5,515 youth and women in entrepreneurship and business development. It also supported 783 existing businesses to help them grow. In these three countries, WUSC supported 361 entrepreneurs through grants.

During F2021, 40 women and their families benefitted from a pilot childcare program in Jordan. WUSC also supported 128 women’s organizations through grants. 137 refugees were resettled to Canada through WUSC’s Student Refugee Program. 45% of these refugees were women. WUSC has 116 university, college, and CEGEP campus partners.

Note: at time of profile update, the latest available annual report was F2021 and the latest available audited financial statements were F2022.

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Results and Impact

In Kenya, 87% of girls who received cash transfers returned to school immediately compared to 76% of all refugees in the country. Overall school attendance for cash transfer recipients in Kenya in the first term back to school was 10% higher than for girls who did not receive cash transfers.

More than two thirds of women who completed TVET online training in Jordan reported high levels of satisfaction. From 2014 to 2019, WUSC worked with partners in Sri Lanka to help employers develop new training programs and approaches. Due to this change in vocational training programming, 403 employers filled 4,081 job vacancies. One third of the vacancies were filled by young women. 90% of graduates found employment following training, up from 22% in 2014.

Charity Intelligence has given World University Service of Canada a Low impact rating based on demonstrated impact per dollar spent.

Impact Rating: Low

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Finances

World University Service of Canada received Canadian cash donations of $1.1m in F2022. Administrative costs are 9% of revenues and fundraising costs are 19% of donations. For every dollar donated to the charity, 72 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. WUSC’s funding reserves of $12.6m include a $69k endowment fund. Excluding endowed funds, the charity’s reserves can cover just over 4 months of annual program costs.

WUSC relies heavily on government funding from Global Affairs Canada to fund its programs. Government funding made up 71% of total revenues in F2022. International donations of $8.3m include $6.8m in aid from the UK and $1.5m in other foreign funding.

Donated goods in kind of $1.9m in F2022 is composed of donated services provided by Canadian volunteers working overseas and is based on the volunteer daily rate determined by GAC and Canadian International Development Agency.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to World University Service of Canada for review. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 29, 2022 by Emily Downing.

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending March
202220212020
Administrative costs as % of revenues 8.7%9.4%7.8%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 19.5%21.6%9.2%
Total overhead spending 28.1%31.0%16.9%
Program cost coverage (%) 36.9%69.7%22.3%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202220212020
Donations 1,0811,0232,291
International donations 8,3067,1459,385
Goods in kind 1,9109554,616
Government funding 28,60722,05124,166
Fees for service 866581
Investment income 0030
Other income 343066
Total revenues 40,02331,27040,635
Program costs - International 34,06521,68026,151
Program costs - Canada 05,0286,016
Donated goods exp 1,9109554,617
Administrative costs 3,4632,9463,150
Fundraising costs 210221210
Total spending 39,64830,82940,144
Cash flow from operations 375440491
Capital spending 49945
Funding reserves 12,62818,6807,241

Note: International program cost figures reported in the charity’s T3010 filing for F2020 and F2021 with the CRA were removed from Canadian program costs and included in international program costs. The charity’s T3010 filing for F2022 was not available at the time of update. Ci backed out amortization from administrative costs. Ci included severance due to restructuring in administrative costs. This affected total expenses by $51k in F2022, $118k in F2021, and $176k in F2020.

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 105

Avg. compensation: $58,139

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
0
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
0
$200k - $250k
1
$160k - $200k
1
$120k - $160k
5
$80k - $120k
3
$40k - $80k
0
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2021

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

No comments have been added by the charity.

Charity Contact

Website: www.wusc.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 613.798.7477 

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001