The Halton Learning Foundation (HLF) helps to eliminate financial barriers to education for public school students in Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville. HLF collaborates with the Halton District School Board to assist Halton students and support various school programs. The charity reports that about 1 in 10 students of the Halton District School Board live at or below the poverty line and encounter financial barriers that make it difficult for them to regularly attend or fully engage in school. The HLF supports students and schools through emergency funds, student subsidies, scholarships and school grants. The charity’s office is in Burlington.

HLF reports in its 2017 annual report that it granted $235k to schools in F2017. These grants allow schools to purchase additional equipment and fund educational programs in five key areas: arts & music, media literacy, environment, physical education, and mental health. In F2017, it reports to have supported 35 schools. Within these schools, it supported 25 mental health programs, 23 physical education programs, 18 arts and music programs, 14 media literacy programs and 9 environmental programs.

The charity reports to have spent $185k on its Eliminating Barriers program in F2017. This program is an emergency fund that provides immediate financial support to students and families in need. This fund supports students’ basic needs and subsidizes school activities to allow kids to fully participate in school. In F2017, HLF reports that 1,004 students received food, clothing, school supplies and other necessities.

HLF partners with companies and individuals to offer scholarships, bursaries and other awards to help students of the Halton District School Board continue their education beyond high school. The charity reports to have spent $55k on scholarships in F2017. HLF states that 83 students received a scholarship or bursary in F2017, 18 more students than it reported in its F2016 annual report.

The Halton Learning Foundation is a Small charity with donations of $635k in F2017. Administrative costs are 20% of revenues and fundraising costs are 1% of total donations. For every dollar donated, $0.79 goes towards its programs and grants, which falls within Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending. The charity holds total funding reserves of $1.0m, which include $211k of donor-endowed funds. Excluding donor-endowed funds, the HLF’s funding reserves can cover 1.2 years of annual program and grant costs.

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

Updated on August 9, 2018 by Derek Houlberg.