Founded in 1979, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) works to improve the lives of children and young adults who have been involved with the child welfare system. Children may enter care for many reasons, including if their caregivers struggle with poverty, addiction, mental health challenges, isolation and lack of parenting support network, and ongoing trauma. People who have been involved with the welfare system are eligible for many CAFC programs until the age of 30.

In F2018, CAFC allocated $3.4m to programs that it operated directly, including scholarships and child welfare advocacy. The foundation worked with 77 Canadian organizations with similar missions, granting $8.1m to work focused on education, healing and recovery, prevention, and enrichment.

In F2018, 40% of program and grant spending was allocated to education programs. CAFC reports that less than 50% of youth in care graduate from high school, yet education can be critical in breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty and abuse. Through grants to 29 agencies, 4,089 kids were supported in continuing and completing their education. CAFC awarded post-secondary scholarships to 231 students in F2018.

Healing and recovery programs received 37% of program and grant spending in F2018. Partner agencies supported 7,101 young people to address physical and mental health needs not covered by public funding.

In F2018, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada allocated 14% of program and grant spending to programs preventing children from entering welfare. By working in poor communities, specifically with families in crisis, CAFC partners aim to keep children healthy and living with their parents.

In F2018, the remaining 9% of program and grant spending was allocated to enriching the lives of children. There were 8,365 kids involved in summer camp, sports, or arts projects to help build confidence.

Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada is a large charity with donations and special events revenue of $11.5m in F2018, of which $1.3 were in-kind donations including services and fundraising prizes. Administrative costs are 9% of revenues less investment income. Fundraising costs are 26% of cash donations and special events revenues, or 23% of total donations including goods in kind. For every dollar donated, 66 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

CAFC has funding reserves of $54.2m which could cover 4.7 years of program costs. While the foundation does maintain an endowment fund, Ci has been unable to identify the respective allocations of donor-endowed and funds internally endowed by the board. As a result, all endowed funds have been included in calculating the program cost coverage ratio.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 3, 2019 by Madison Kerr.