Bird Studies Canada
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Most recent Audited financial statements available on the charity’s website.
B-
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.
80%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 80 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Bird Studies Canada:
Founded in 1960, Bird Studies Canada works to conserve wild birds in Canada through research, public engagement, and science-based advocacy. Bird Studies Canada runs regional, national, and international programs. In its Canada State of Birds 2019 publication, Bird Studies Canada reports that Canada has lost 40-60% of shorebird, grassland bird, and aerial insectivore populations. In the last decade, 80% of bird species identified as threatened or endangered in Canada have been aerial insectivores or grassland birds.
In F2018, Bird Studies Canada’s regional research and conservation programs made up 63% of total program spending. Bird Studies’ Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA) program identifies, conserves, and monitors areas where threatened and endangered birds live. Bird Studies reports that in F2018, half of Canada’s IBAs are being monitored by 6,000 Citizen Scientists, which are Canadian volunteers who track bird populations. Additionally, the Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research program has completed over 130 research projects and trained over 40 young professional wildlife biologists.
Bird Studies Canada used 27% of total program spending on national research and conservation programs in F2018. Bird Studies reports reaching over 28,000 people through education programs and outreach events in 2017. In F2018, thousands of people took part in the Toronto Bird Celebration hosted by Bird Studies Canada.
In F2018, international collaborations made up 10% of Bird Studies Canada’s total program spending. Bird Studies reports participating in 180 international, collaborative Motus tracking projects. Motus is Bird Studies’ tracking system for migratory birds.
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Results and Impact
Bird Studies Canada reports that 54 priority species of conservation concern are currently being tracked, mostly with its Motus system. The charity says that this research will inform targeted improvements to conservation both in Canada and abroad.
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Bird Studies Canada’s results and impact.
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Finances
Bird Studies Canada is a medium-sized charity, with total donations and special events revenues of $2.5m in F2018. Administrative costs are 9% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 11% of donations. For every dollar donated, 80 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.
Bird Studies Canada holds funding reserves of $5.6m, of which $5.1m is donor endowed. Excluding donor endowed funds, the charity’s reserves can cover 2 months of annual program costs.
This charity report is an update that has been sent to Bird Studies Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on June 25, 2019 by Lauren Chin.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending March
|
2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 8.9% | 8.5% | 6.2% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 11.0% | 9.7% | 7.6% |
| Total overhead spending | 19.9% | 18.2% | 13.9% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 13.5% | 18.9% | 16.2% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 2,093 | 1,984 | 2,414 |
| Government funding | 2,084 | 1,942 | 2,168 |
| Fees for service | 247 | 252 | 238 |
| Special events | 382 | 361 | 362 |
| Investment income | 929 | 154 | (72) |
| Other income | 41 | 11 | 50 |
| Total revenues | 5,776 | 4,704 | 5,160 |
| Program costs | 4,201 | 4,116 | 4,447 |
| Grants | 23 | 14 | 19 |
| Administrative costs | 431 | 388 | 326 |
| Fundraising costs | 272 | 226 | 212 |
| Other costs | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total spending | 4,928 | 4,746 | 5,005 |
| Cash flow from operations | 848 | (41) | 155 |
| Capital spending | 14 | 37 | 117 |
| Funding reserves | 5,613 | 5,801 | 5,484 |
Note: Ci used government funding figures from the charity’s T3010 CRA filing and adjusted the amounts out of donations. Ci reported change in fair value of investments in investment income, affecting revenues by $372k in F2018, ($179k) in F2017, and ($475k) in F2016. Ci did not report gain/loss on sale of property, buildings and equipment, affecting revenues by $3k in F2017 and ($1k) in F2016.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
0 |
$120k - $160k |
1 |
$80k - $120k |
7 |
$40k - $80k |
2 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2018
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
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