Engineers Without Borders is a 3-star charity that is financially transparent. It has an above-average results reporting grade of A- and reasonable funding reserves. Its overhead spending is 47% which is outside of Ci’s reasonable range.

Founded in 1999, Engineers Without Borders (EWB) addresses global challenges through engineering and technological innovation. EWB invests in local businesses and supports innovators across the globe to tackle the root causes of poverty. The charity mainly works in Sub-Saharan Africa but wants to impact communities around the world. There are over 1,000 EWB chapter members at universities and professional institutions across Canada. EWB’s main charitable programs are Investing in Ventures, Investing in People, and Public Education and Awareness. In F2022, the charity spent $1.3m on its programs and in F2023 it spent $1.5m.

EWB has not released its F2023 annual report, so Ci has used the F2022 annual report. The F2023 audited financial statements have been released, which Ci used for its financial review.

In F2022, Engineers Without Borders spent $607k on its Investing in People program, which represents 47% of total program spending. This program works with engineers, university students, and other skilled professionals to create solutions to important global problems. In F2022, there were 27 active Chapters and 343 mission-aligned Chapter actions. EWB hosted its Chapter Leadership Summit in Ottawa and signed on to Cooperation Canada’s Anti-Racist Cooperation statement. In January 2022, it hosted a virtual program for EWB’s xChange 2022: Bridging the Divide, which welcomed 137 registered participants from across its Canadian and sub-Saharan African communities – connecting its members during the isolation of the pandemic.

The charity spent $321k on its Investing in Ventures program, which represents 25% of total program spending. This program involves making long-term investments in small and growing businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa to promote innovation and stimulate economic growth. The charity reports that Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of early-stage entrepreneurship on the planet, with over 250 million people working for small and growing business. In F2022 in partnership with United Social Venture (USV), EWB ran a second cohort of the Canada-Africa Innovation Fellowship (CAIF) program. This program connects young leaders from sub-Saharan Africa and Canada, inspiring them to harness their specialized knowledge and create innovative solutions to persistent problems. Mining Shared Value (MSV), an initiative of EWB, completed an 11-month project with the Ford Foundation, concluding the capacity building work with partner civil society organizations in Peru and Colombia. Additionally, MSV’s Local Content Map was launched as part of the Extractives-led Local Economic Diversification (ELLED) program and MSV released a brief called “Local Mining Supply Chain Preparedness for the Green Transition”.

In F2022, EWB spent $368k on its Public Education and Awareness program, which represents 28% of total program spending. This program involves advocacy campaigns which aim to increase the Canadian government’s funding of local enterprise in Africa. In F2022, the charity launched a digital, multi-year advocacy campaign: Question The System, and ran two virtual Volunteer Day panels.  

Engineers Without Borders had donations of $1.4m in F2023.

The charity received $57k in government funding (representing 4% of revenues) and $357k in venture-generated revenue.

Administrative costs are 3% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 44% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 47%, which is outside of Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. 

Engineers Without Borders has $968k in reserve funds. These reserve funds are the charity’s cash and investments. The charity has six months of annual program costs covered by its current reserves.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Engineers Without Borders for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated on August 13, 2024, by Lily Ferguson.

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