Centraide Outaouais is a 4-star rated, financially transparent charity. Centraide Outaouais has an average results reporting grade and its overhead spending is outside of Ci’s reasonable range. The charity has $2.6m in reserve funds, which can cover a little over a year of program costs.

Founded in 1979, Centraide Outaouais (United Way of the Outaouais) aims to improve the lives of people in the Outaouais region by collecting and distributing money to local charities. The charity’s four main granting programs focus on: Supporting Youth Success, Providing the Basics, Ending Social Isolation and Building Supportive Environments.

These four programs granted to a network of 88 agencies and nine programs and partnerships in F2022. Centraide Outaouais reports helping 70,000 people in F2022.

Supporting Youth Success – 31% of program spending

Centraide Outaouais helps prevent school dropout, supports youth leadership, and helps youth and families in crisis. In F2022, the charity supported 10 youth centres, attended by 7,608 children. Centraide Outaouais’ Back to School program provided 1,842 children with school supplies. 17 thrift stores participated in the program to provide school supplies at a reduced cost. The charity reports that since the Back to School program started, it has helped 46,957 children from 22,000 families. In F2022, the charity provided warm clothes to nearly 1,400 children through its Snow Suit Fund. In total, 42 organizations focused on supporting youth in Centraide Outaouais’ network helped 22,437 people, a 26% decrease from F2021.

Providing the Basics – 24% of program spending

Centraide Outaouais assists those in distress and in need of food, shelter and employment. In F2022, 52 organizations in Centraide Outaouais’ network helped 41,147 people with these needs, a 36% increase from F2021. This includes 24,624 people who received groceries.

Ending Social Isolation – 24% of program spending

This program aims to end senior isolation, promote the inclusion of people with disabilities, support the integration of immigrants and refugees and help people in crisis. In F2022, 42 network agencies helped 17,387 people. This includes 1,244 newcomers who received settlement assistance. 

Building Supportive Environments – 21% of program spending

Centraide Outaouais aims to help disadvantaged neighbourhoods and support community organizations. 21 agencies helped 2,736 people, including nearly 2,000 people who participated in block parties organised by agencies.

Centraide Outaouais is a financially transparent charity. Its audited financial statements are publicly available on its website.

Centraide Outaouais has donations of $4.2m in F2022. Administrative costs are 12% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 24% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 36%. For every dollar donated, 64 cents are available for programs. This falls outside of Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Centraide Outaouais has $2.6m in reserve funds, which could cover 105% or just over a year of annual program costs.

In F2022, Centraide Outaouais granted $2.3m to local agencies. The charity’s T3010 filing does not report who the grant recipients were for F2022.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Centraide Outaouais for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.  

Updated on July 4, 2023 by Victoria Allder.

Tel: 819 . 771 . 7751