Canadian Lutheran World Relief is a 5-star rated charity with Good demonstrated impact. The charity has best practices in financial transparency and an average results reporting grade. 

Founded in 1946, Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) is a Lutheran international aid charity that aims to respond to the causes of poverty and suffering. CLWR runs four programs: Humanitarian Response, Food Security and Livelihoods, Educations and Skills, and Refugee Resettlement.

Canadian Lutheran World Relief is one of the 15 partner charities that make up Canadian Foodgrains Bank. In F2023, the charity received $3.0m from Canadian Foodgrains Bank to run its international aid programs.

The Humanitarian Response program is CLWR’s largest program, accounting for 63% of its overall program spending. The program focuses on providing immediate support to communities that have faced catastrophes. In F2023, CLWR’s Humanitarian Response programs operated in Canada, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Pakistan, South Sudan, Uganda, Ukraine, and Venezuela. In F2023, CLWR repaired 8 homes in BC after flooding, and provided baby supplies to 5000 families fleeing Ukraine. It also provided menstrual health supplies to 5,272 displaced women and girls in Myanmar. Overall, CLWR served 210,344 people with its Humanitarian Response programs.

The Education and Skills program is CLWR’s next largest program, accounting for 20% of its overall program spending. The program works to promote gender equity and provide access to education to underserved populations. In F2023, CLWR ran Education and Skills programs in Nicaragua and the West Bank. CLWR refers to its programs in the West Bank as its GRIT project. It organized 133 events to promote opportunities for women, and provided school meal programs In five communities. In F2023, 250 children received daily tutoring from CLWR. Overall, 20,250 people benefitted from CLWR’s Education programs.

The Food Security and Livelihoods program is CLWR’s third largest program, accounting for 11% of its spending. CLWR states that after decades of decline, global hunger is rising again. CLWR works with Canadian Foodgrains Bank to provide food to families and improve farm production. In F2023, CLWR provided 10 adult literacy groups for at-risk refugees. It trained 690 family farms in new farming techniques. Overall, 8,380 people benefitted from CLWR’s Food Security programs.

The Refugee Resettlement programs accounted for only 6% of CLWR’s overall spending. In F2023, CLWR resettled 220 refugees.

Canadian Lutheran World Relief received $6.6m in individual donations in F2023. It received a further $3.0m in contributions from Canadian Foodgrains Bank, for a total of $9.1m in donations (after adjusting for changes in deferred revenue). It also received $7.0m in government funding after deferred adjustments, which was 43% of its overall revenue. Administrative costs are 2% of revenues, and fundraising costs are 12% of donations, for a total overhead spending of 14%. For every dollar donated, 86 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

CLWR has $16.4m in reserve funding, meaning that it can cover F2023 levels of spending for one year and three months.

Charity Intelligence has sent this update to Canadian Lutheran World Relief for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 25, 2024 by Ben Dobozy.