Mennonite Central Committee Ontario is a top-rated five-star charity with an excellent results reporting grade and reasonable overhead spending. The charity is financially transparent and has funding reserves that can cover less than a year of program costs.

Founded in 1967, Mennonite Central Committee Ontario (MCC Ontario) is a Christian charity that provides aid to people in vulnerable communities. MCC Ontario is one of five provincial divisions of Mennonite Central Committee Canada (MCC Canada). MCC Canada works with Mennonite Central Committee U.S. to form Mennonite Central Committee International (MCC). MCC works with local churches across the globe to provide basic necessities and peacebuilding training to people. MCC Ontario’s main charitable programs are Refugee Resettlement, Restorative Justice, and Poverty. In addition to its own programs, it provides funding to MCC Canada for its programs. In F2021, MCC Ontario spent $12.0m on programs.

In F2021, the charity spent 78% of total program spending on MCC Canada programs. MCC Canada’s three main program areas are Sustainable Development, Disaster Response, and Peacebuilding. Sustainable Development aims to increase people’s long-term access to food and water, education, and healthcare. Disaster Response provides aid to meet the immediate needs of individuals in conflict or disaster areas. The Peacebuilding program involves teaching conflict resolution strategies through local church partners. In F2021, MCC Canada supported 92 education projects, 84 food security projects, 80 health projects, 67 disaster relief projects, and 72 peacebuilding projects.

MCC Ontario spent 6% of total program spending on Refugee Resettlement in F2021. MCC Ontario sponsors refugees and works with churches, municipalities, and neighborhood associations to welcome newcomers to the province. It reports that it has been active in sponsoring refugees from the Middle East in recent years. In F2021, the charity helped 215 newcomers establish their lives in Ontario.

The charity spent 5% of program spending on Restorative Justice in F2021. This program focuses on reintegrating people who have gone to prison into the community and addressing the needs of those who have been impacted by crime. In F2021, 69 formerly incarcerated people were supported to move back into a community.

In F2021, MCC Ontario spent 5% of total program spending on its Poverty program. The Circle of Friends initiative has a group of two or three volunteers meet each week with a person who is transitioning from homelessness to independent living. The aim is to create a network of support for the homeless to help them manage their needs and plan for the future. The remaining 6% of spending was allocated to other small programs.

In F2021, Mennonite Central Committee Ontario received $14.9m in Canadian donations and fundraising revenue. It received $2.6m in government funding (14% of total revenue) and $453k in business activity income (2% of total revenue). 

Administrative costs are 5% of total revenue excluding investment income. Fundraising costs are 5% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 10%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 90 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

MCC Ontario has $1.9m in net funding reserves ($9.7m in liquid assets less $7.8m in interest-bearing debts). The charity’s net funding reserves can cover annual program costs for around two months.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to MCC Ontario for review. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 22nd, 2022 by Arjun Kapur.