Founded in 1979, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) works to improve the lives of children and youth in the child welfare system. CAFC states that young people in government care are 37% less likely to graduate high school, 200 times more likely to experience homelessness, and 18 times more likely to demonstrate suicide-related behaviours. According to the charity, as many as 82% of children in care have been diagnosed with special needs. CAFC tailors its work to three main groups: children and families at risk, children and youth in care, and youth transitioning out of care.

In F2021, CAFC granted $9.2m to youth transitioning out of care, representing 52% of total grants and program spending. The charity states that roughly 2,300 Canadian youth “age out” of the child welfare system each year and are required to leave government care. These former foster care kids are more likely to suffer from alcoholism, drug abuse, and depression as adults. Additionally, youth from care earn an average of $326k less income throughout their lifetime. To combat these barriers, CAFC provides employment services, post-secondary scholarships and awards, mental health resources, housing support, and life skills development. CAFC collaborated with 60 agency partners to support 11,671 youth transitioning out of care in F2021. 

In F2021, CAFC granted $6.4m to children and families at risk of entering the  welfare system, representing 37% of total grants and program spending. The charity reports that 235,000 children and youth across Canada are at risk of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Children often enter care because their parents are struggling with poverty, domestic abuse, mental health issues, or addiction. CAFC aims to prevent children from separating from their families and entering the welfare system through early intervention programs, health and wellness support, and financial support. In F2021, CAFC partnered with 60 organizations to support 36,156 children and families.

CAFC granted $1.9m to children and youth in care in F2021, representing 11% of total grants and program spending. According to the charity, over 63,000 children and youth in Canada live in foster homes, institutional settings, or with extended family because of neglect, abuse, or abandonment. CAFC helps these children access the resources and supports they need to succeed in school, such as tutoring, mentoring, extracurricular activities, technology, eyeglasses, and transportation. In F2021, CAFC collaborated with 43 partners to help 11,043 children and youth in government care.

Recent News: In F2021, CAFC launched its Covid-19 Response Program. The program supports youth and families in child welfare through individual grants and grants to partner organizations. In F2021, the charity distributed grants to 70 child welfare agencies across Canada, including 22 Indigenous-serving organizations and 31 organizations supporting Black populations. The charity reports that the program served over 37,000 children, youth, and families.

In F2021, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada received total donations and special events revenue of $18.9m. The charity had a 24% return on investments from F2020 to F2021, with investment income representing 37% of total revenues. Administrative costs are 5% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 9% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 15%, compared to 30% in F2020. This decrease is mainly due to the $7.1m increase in donations and the $2.6m increase in government funding from F2020 to F2021. For every dollar donated, 85 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

CAFC has $69.2m in funding reserves, of which $12.8m is donor endowed. Excluding donor-endowed funds, CAFC could cover 327% or three years and three months of annual program costs with reserves.

In F2020, CAFC granted to 67 organizations, including $3.2m to Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST). Disbursements to CAST made up 51% of total grants reported in the charity’s CRA T3010 filings in F2020. In F2021, CAFC allocated 20% of grants relating to child welfare programs to CAST, indicating that it may be dispersing its grants more widely. In F2021, CAST reported $165m in total expenses and stated that it served 644 children and youth in care. This results in total cost per child of $256k, although it is important to note that the organization likely runs other programs.

Charity Intelligence sent an update of this report to Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 28, 2021 by Sydney Olexa.