Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides is a 3-star charity. It is financially transparent, has overhead spending within Ci's reasonable range, and has average reporting of its results for donors. It has large funding reserves which could cover over four years of annual program costs. 

Founded in 1983, Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides provides Dog Guides to Canadians with disabilities at no cost. The foundation operates Dog Guides Canada, a training school and charity that connects clients with disabilities to specialized Dog Guides. Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides has two training facilities in Ontario: one in Oakville and another in Breslau.

Dog Guides receive specific training to meet the needs of their clients. Training lasts four to six months, with each dog receiving one-on-one support from a qualified trainer. Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides reports that raising, training, and partnering a Dog Guide takes nearly two years. The charity offers seven Dog Guide programs: Canine Vision (for the blind or visually impaired), Hearing (for the deaf or hard of hearing), Autism Assistance (for children on the autism spectrum), Service (for those with medical or physical disabilities), Seizure Response (for those with epilepsy), Diabetic Alert (for those with diabetes), and Facility Support (for professional agencies that support victims with trauma).

Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides reports that it had 1,030 active clients in F2021. Additionally, the foundation supported 300 foster families raising future guide dogs. In F2021, Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides bred 54 dogs, including 19 poodles, 18 labrador/golden retrievers crosses, ten labrador retrievers, and seven golden retrievers.

In F2021, 35 people graduated with their dogs, compared to 84 in F2020. This results in a total operating cost per graduating team of $151k in F2021 and $63k in F2020. 

Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides had total donations and special events revenue of $6.0m in F2021, compared to $4.4m in F2020 and $5.7m in F2019. Administrative costs are 16% of revenues (less investment income), and fundraising costs are 11% of donations and special events revenue. This results in total overhead spending of 27%. For every dollar donated, 73 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending.

The charity has $16.3m in funding reserves, of which $1.5m is donor endowed. Excluding donor-endowed funds, the charity could cover 449% or just under four years and six months of

its annual program costs with reserves. 

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on August 5, 2022, by Sydney Olexa.