Founded in 1983, Canadian Foodgrains Bank (Foodgrains Bank) is a Christian charity that works to eliminate global hunger. Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 churches and church-based agencies that work in developing countries to meet emergency food needs, and provide long-term solutions to hunger. The charity states that approximately 690 million people around the world experience hunger, 98% of whom live in developing countries. 

Foodgrains Bank runs two main international programs: Emergency Food Assistance, and Long-term Response to Hunger (Agriculture and Livelihoods; and Nutrition). In F2020, the charity ran 107 projects in 34 countries, which reached 865,731 people. By region, it ran 72 projects in Africa ($24m budgeted), 26 projects in Asia ($16m), and nine projects in the Americas ($2m).

In F2021, Canadian Foodgrains Bank granted $17.0m to other agencies to carry out programs related to ending global hunger. The top three grant recipients were World Renew (51% of total granting), ADRA Canada (26%), and Mennonite Central Committee Canada (8%). Through both its partners and work conducted in affiliation with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Foodgrains Bank spent a total of $42.2m on international programs in F2021.

A Charity Intelligence 2020 Top 10 Impact Charity

Humanitarian Food Assistance programs made up 62% of total program spending in F2021. This program provides food and nutrition assistance to people during emergencies, and can take the form of food distributions, special therapeutic foods, or vouchers/cash to purchase food. Foodgrains Bank reports responding to humanitarian emergencies in 19 countries in F2020. The top three crises responded to by spending were the conflict in Syria ($5.0m), conflict and flooding in South Sudan ($4.0m), and Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon ($3.5m).

Long-term Response (Agriculture and Livelihoods; and Nutrition) made up 36% of program spending in F2021. These programs work to address long-term hunger by promoting sustainable agriculture practices, helping people return home after displacement, and working with families to improve their nutrition, particularly for pregnant/nursing mothers and children. The charity approved $13.0m to help families facing long-term hunger and malnutrition in 23 countries, in F2020.

The remaining 2% of spending went to Canadian Foodgrains Bank's Public Policy (<2%), and Public Engagement (<1%) programs. The charity's Public Policy program advocates at the governmental level for change that enables families and communities to better feed themselves. Its Public Engagement program aims to educate and engage Canadians in its mission of ending global hunger.

The output data used above is from Foodgrains Bank's 2020 Annual Report, while financial data reflects its most recent F2021 audited financials.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank received total donations of $15.8m in F2021. It also received $37m in government funding, $10m of which was a humanitarian, early recovery, and development grant the charity deferred. Government funding accounts for 58% of total revenues in F2021. Administrative costs are 5% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 10% of donations. For every dollar donated, 85 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Funding reserves of $61.0m can cover 1.4 years of annual program costs.

­Canadian Foodgrains Bank holds $19.9m in invested funds, $18.8m of which are in short-term investments, and $1.2m in long-term investments. Average return on investment in F2021 was 0.8%, and over the past two years has been 1.2%.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Canadian Foodgrains Bank for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 21, 2021 by Rachel Leteta.