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Website visits exceed 512,600 making Charity Intelligence donors’ “go-to trusted source for information on Canadian charities”. It has become one of the most visited charity websites in the world.

, the , and said Charity Intelligence is “a leading source of information on the real-world impact of Canadian giving” and “the most complete and accurate information about charity finances in the country”.

Currently, we have impact analysis completed on 203 charities – 547 to go! We believe Charity Intelligence is the world’s most used, most relevant impact analysis of charities. Charity Intelligence’s remain the most popular post with donors.

In 2019, we updated 457 charity reports so you have the most recent and relevant information to make your giving decisions. From this, we repeated the .

A new website to handle more visits, with a modern, more engaging layout so you can better find information on charities, whether using a desktop or a smartphone.

As 2019 comes to an end, many, many thanks to all of you. Ten years ago most said doing charity research was pointless, “who cares”, “who takes the time to research a charity”. Well, hundreds of thousands of Canadians care passionately about their giving, being informed, and giving for impact.
Your support makes charity research, ratings and reports happen – and helps transform Canadian giving.
Best wishes for 2020,
Your Ci Team
 
If you find Charity Intelligence’s research useful in your giving, please consider . Being entirely funded by donors like you maintains our independence and objectivity to help Canadians be informed in their giving. Canadians donate over $17 billion each year. This giving could achieve tremendous results. We hope Charity Intelligence’s research helps Canadians give better.

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It has been nearly a week now and we are still stunned in disbelief, shock and sorrow over this tragic loss of Canadian lives. 57 Canadians were killed in what is apparently an error, a missile shot down an airplane taking off from Tehran airport, filled with many Canadians flying home.
Our Iranian community is strong. But even the strong need help in times of tragic loss. Families of the victims will likely have significant costs traveling to Iran to claim the remains of their loved ones, grief counseling, and support.
What does Canada do next? Our flags hang at half-mast. We hold vigils. We hug our Iranian community. We walk through pain together. There will be a fight for justice, but this will likely take years of inter-government negotiations.
For those wanting to show support through donations, there is the Canada Strong fund.  
Canada Strong fund replicates the Toronto Strong fund that raised money for the victims of Toronto’s van attack and Danforth shooting in 2018.
It’s very important donors understand what donations will go towards. For the Canada Strong fund, it clearly states “All donations will be granted to those affected.”
Toronto businessman, Mohamad Fakih, CEO of Paramount Fine Foods will personally cover any administrative costs so that all donations go directly to the family of victims. #_ftn1″ name=”_ftnref1 [1]
It will be administered by Toronto Community Foundation, although will be national in scope. Lawyers from Dentons Canada will provide oversight. Hopefully auditors too.
 To  https://torontofoundation.ca/canadastrongcampaign donate online to Canada Strong fund.
 
Regionally, there is also a  https://www.gofundme.com/f/36x3n-memorial-fundraiser?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1 gofundme honouring the 27 Edmonton students lost. Money will pay for a funeral in Edmonton, a permanent memorial and any excess funds will fund scholarships to university students. 
Other gofundme pages are apparently being blocked for containing the word “Iran” that triggers automatic shut downs.
 
“do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world… So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally.” L.R. Knost 
#_ftnref1″ name=”_ftn1 [1] Chris Fox, “ https://www.cp24.com/news/canada-strong-fund-launched-to-raise-money-for-families-of-victims-in-deadly-plane-crash-1.4764788 ’Canada Strong’ fund launched to raise money for families of victims in deadly plane crash” CP24
 

On January 22, Australian Red Cross gave an https://www.redcross.org.au/news-and-media/media-centre/media-releases/statement-on-response-22-jan update on its plans to spend the $115 million in donations received. While the Daily Mail’s headline of 10% budgeted for administrative costs drew knee-jerk reactions, criticisms about delays in distributing aid are valid. In disaster response, speed matters.
Australian Red Cross response has been painfully slow. It began raising donations in July 2019 and only 6% has been paid out.

Skeptics quip that “the cheapest form of charity is just handing the money out”

In the May 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire response, Canadian Red Cross got 30% of donations received out to victims in the first 30 days. Working with Canadian banks, Canadian Red Cross did an initial direct cash transfer on Day 5. With additional donations, it distributed a second cash transfer on Day 25. Through corporate partnerships, Canadian Red Cross e-transferred a total of $75 million to more than 38,000 registered households in less than 30 days.
 “We are keen to get the money out but we also need to make sure it’s getting where it’s needed. We must manage the money so we are not scammed … we want to make sure we are protecting donors’ funds.”
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“This is not in the spirit of what Australians gave that money”,
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Charity Intelligence’s recommendations and articles on the coronavirus pandemic. 

Last updated: May 4, 2020 
Charity Intelligence’s top picks for covid-19 response:
padding-left: 30px; https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/657-covid-19-picks Top-rated Canadian frontline charities
padding-left: 30px; https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/654-doctors-without-borders-coronavirus-response MSF – Medecines Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders
padding-left: 30px; https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/655-farm-radio Farm Radio International 
https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/652-giving-for-covid-19-prepare-a-plan Giving for Covid-19 Response: Prepare a plan. Many charities are fundraising for COVID-19 responses. For intelligent giving, make a plan so your giving can do the most good. The international choices are clearer. Charity Intelligence recommends Doctors Without Borders and Farm Radio International. 
https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/650-like-toilet-paper-hoarders-some-charities-unnecessarily-filling-reserves Like toilet paper hoarders, some charities are fundraising despite having years of reserves to weather the coronavirus pandemic, March 24, 2020 
https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/651-finest-hour Finest hour: Bill Gates and other philanthropists first responders to coronavirus
 
 

Hoarding by the richest charities leaves less money for charities that need it. Stop it.

 
Like hoarders of toilet paper, some rich charities have years of reserves to weather the coronavirus pandemic. Yet these charities are launching fundraising appeals for a coronavirus response. “Never let a good crisis go to waste” when one can raise money may be their thinking. But donations are not like toilet paper. It isn’t as simple as more will be on the shelves tomorrow and there will be enough for all. The pool of donation money is finite. Hoarding by the richest charities leaves less money for charities that need it.
On the other hand, many frontline charities need donations to provide critical frontline services.
Canadians are rightly motivated to give in this time of need. Yet before giving, Canadians must check a charity’s current reserves. Does it have years already stockpiled?
Every Charity Intelligence report shows you this information. On each charity report there is a line item in the Financial Ratios section called Program cost coverage. This shows a charity’s need for donations. It shows how much money a charity has as a percent of the costs to run its programs for a year. For example, 50% means half a year – enough money to run its programs for half a year. 500% means a charity has enough money to run its programs for 5 years.

In this current example, this charity has 684.4%. That is 6.8 years of cash and investments – think 6.8 years of toilet paper – and yet it just launched a coronavirus fundraising campaign.
Charities with large reserves should think about using them. Excess donations over the years are stocked up for a rainy day. Maybe this year and next are those rainy days?
 
In 2012, the CRA Charities Directorate updated its guidance against unnecessary fundraising. Yet this practice has been going on for years without penalty. As such, to make sure donations go where they are needed, donors need to do their own homework.
Please before giving, on Charity Intelligence’s website https://www.charityintelligence.ca/component/charities/?k=&Itemid=101 search the charity’s name and check its program cost coverage ratio to make sure your donation goes where it is needed.
 
For more  https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/649-coronavirus-intelligent-giving Charity Intelligence articles on intelligent giving for Coronavirus:
https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/653-charity-intelligence-s-top-pick-coronavirus-response Charity Intelligence’s top pick charities for the covid-19 response: recommendations for donors
 
Additional articles:

For charities: https://www.canadiancharitylaw.ca/blog/if-your-canadian-charity-has-assets-reserve-and-you-dont-have-a-reserve-fund-policy-you-should-stop-fundraising/ If your charity doesn’t need funding, stop fundraising.
Mark Blumberg’s Canadian Charity Law has a terrific overview for charity directors to review their compliance with Charities Directorate regulations regarding excessive reserves:
 
 
 
 
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The information in this report was prepared by Charity Intelligence Canada and its independent analysts from publicly available information. Charity Intelligence and its analysts have made endeavours to ensure that the data in this report is accurate and complete but accepts no liability.
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