Founded in 1984, CAUSE Canada is a Christian-based international aid charity that aims to empower rural and vulnerable communities to overcome poverty. It provides health services to respond to immediate needs and offers education and small business loans to promote long-term development. CAUSE Canada runs programs in Guatemala, Honduras, and Sierra Leone.

CAUSE Canada’s three largest core programs are Health, Education, and Livelihoods.

Health represented 50% of program spending in F2020. CAUSE Canada funds maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) projects in rural areas of Guatemala and Honduras. It provides culturally-sensitive health services and training for local health workers in maternal and child health. In F2020, CAUSE Canada provided 6,614 health services for pregnant women and mothers. In total, it reached 21,547 children through its MNCH programs during the year.

Education was 28% of program spending in F2020. CAUSE Canada runs education programs in Sierra Leone, where it reports that only 21% of women over 15 years of age are literate. Funded through child sponsorships, CAUSE Canada’s Peer Literacy Program pays for tuition, uniforms, and school supplies for girls attending junior high school. In exchange, girls receive training and serve as tutors in basic reading skills for students in first and second grade. In F2020, the program mentored 470 young girls in reading and math. CAUSE Canada also provided 1,536 home visits to students unable to attend school during the year.

Livelihoods made up 12% of program costs. The charity’s Microfinance program provides women entrepreneurs with small loans and business training to help grow their businesses and create jobs for others in the community. In F2020, CAUSE Canada gave loans to 2,563 women-led businesses, including Indigenous farmers in Guatemala and clothing retailers in Honduras. CAUSE Canada also offers apprenticeships and job training for disabled youth in Sierra Leone, reaching 96 people in F2020.

The remaining 10% of program costs included programs run by other international organizations (6%) and PODER programs (3%). 

CAUSE Canada is a small charity, with donations and special events revenues of $643k in F2020. It also received $906k in government funding (42% of revenues) and $280k from international organizations (13% of revenues). Administrative costs are 11% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 7% of donations and special events revenue. This results in total overhead spending of 18%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 82 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

CAUSE Canada has $22k in net funding reserves ($240k in liquid assets less $217k in interest-bearing loans). The charity can cover 1% or less than one week of annual program costs with its reserves. Its loans will be fully repaid during F2021.

Charity Intelligence has sent this update to CAUSE Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 15, 2021 by Eric Zhao.