Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔+
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.
A-
RESULTS REPORTING
Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.
n/r
DEMONSTRATED IMPACT
The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.
NEED FOR FUNDING
Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.
6%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 6 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta:
Junior Achievement Southern Alberta is a 2-star charity. It has an A- Results Reporting grade, which is above average. Its overhead costs are outside of Ci’s reasonable range. The charity’s reserves can cover program costs for just under two years, which is within Ci’s reasonable range. Please read Ci's report before you give.
Founded in 1960, Junior Achievement Southern Alberta (JASA) is a member of Junior Achievement Canada (JAC). The charity offers free programs through schools across southern Alberta that focus on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness. JASA runs four programs: financial literacy, RoboGarden, Company Program, and World of Choices. It spent $1.1m on its programs, used by 61,637 students, in the fiscal year ending in June (F2024), and it did not break down spending by program.
Financial literacy includes five subprograms that introduce financial concepts to different age groups. More Than Money teaches students in Grade four about earning, spending, and saving money. In F2024, 7,947 students took part in the program. Dollars With Sense teaches Grade seven students about debt and personal money management. 4,116 students participated in F2024. Economics for Success, for Grade nine students, focuses on the advantages of staying in school, and what is required in today’s workforce. In F2024, 6,329 students participated in the program. Personal Finance teaches students in Grades nine through twelve about spending wisely, budgeting, saving, investing, and using credit. 2,475 students took part in F2024. Investment Strategies teaches students in Grades seven through twelve how to save and invest for the future. In F2024, 4,547 students took part in the program.
RoboGarden is a platform for students from Kindergarten through Grade nine to learn coding languages like Python or JavaScript. It is offered through schools and 6,332 students participated in F2024.
Company Program teaches students in highschool about how running a company works. In the program, students learn how to initiate, manage, and dissolve a business and learn how to make business plans and budget effectively. In F2024, the program offered 1,236 instructional hours to 477 students.
World of Choices is an event where students in Grade eight through twelve are exposed to career possibilities through presentations, Q&As, and discussions with career mentors. In F2024, 1,375 students attended the event.
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Results and Impact
The Boston Consulting Group assessed the impact of Junior Achievement Canada’s programs. Ci did not find a link to the report, but JASA states outcomes from the report on its website. Participants are three times less likely to spend more than they earn, and 50% more likely to open their own business. 65% of participants said JAC had a significant impact on staying in school and going to university.
The charity reports that JAC creates an annual return of $45 for every dollar spent.
While Ci highlights these results, they may not completely represent JASA’s results and impact.
Junior Achievement Southern Alberta is not yet rated on impact (n/r). This does not affect the star rating.
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Finances
Junior Achievement Southern Alberta’s audited financial statements follow activity-based costing, a best practice. JASA received $784k in donations and $442k in special events in F2024. The total of $1.2m is 69% of revenue. The charity received $325k in government funding and $95k in investment income.
JASA spent $1.1m on its programs in F2024, which is 65% of revenue. The charity ran a deficit of $582k, meaning it drew on its reserves to fund its programs. It spent $786k on fundraising (64% of donations) and spent $499k on administration, which is 30% of revenue. For every dollar donated to the charity, 6 cents are available to go to the cause.
JASA has $2.2m in its reserves (cash and investments). Its reserves can cover program costs for just under two years, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.
Updated on July 3, 2025 by Joshua Leduc. This update has been sent to the charity and changes may be forthcoming.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending June
|
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 29.5% | 19.4% | 15.8% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 64.2% | 38.4% | 25.3% |
| Total overhead spending | 93.7% | 57.8% | 41.1% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 199.1% | 255.0% | 318.4% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $s |
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 783,828 | 1,023,929 | 1,650,648 |
| Goods in kind | 138,631 | 125,741 | 114,166 |
| Government funding | 325,479 | 727,880 | 434,908 |
| Special events | 441,500 | 364,000 | 333,100 |
| Investment income | 95,427 | 63,037 | 9,979 |
| Other income | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total revenues | 1,784,865 | 2,304,587 | 2,542,801 |
| Program costs | 1,082,227 | 1,104,098 | 840,000 |
| Administrative costs | 498,818 | 435,383 | 399,552 |
| Fundraising costs | 786,166 | 532,576 | 501,526 |
| Cash flow from operations | (582,346) | 232,530 | 801,723 |
| Capital spending | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Funding reserves | 2,154,420 | 2,815,297 | 2,674,331 |
Note: 1. Ci adjusted for deferred revenue which affected donations by ($723k) in F2024, ($72k) in F2023, and $780k in F2022. 2. Ci adjusted for deferred contributions which affected donations by ($654k) in F2024, ($83k) in F2023, and $686k in F2022.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
1 |
$160k - $200k |
0 |
$120k - $160k |
1 |
$80k - $120k |
2 |
$40k - $80k |
6 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2024
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
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Tel: 403-237-5252