Water First is a 5-star charity. It has an A- Results Reporting grade, which is above average. Its overhead spending and reserve funds are both within Ci's reasonable range.

Founded in 2009, Water First Education and Training Inc. (Water First, WF) works with Indigenous communities to address local water challenges. Currently, 15% of Indigenous communities in Canada are affected by drinking water advisories. Water First's programs focus on education, training, and collaboration. Since its founding, Water First has worked with over 90 Indigenous communities. Water First spent $4.0m on its programs in F2024. The charity runs three programs: Drinking Water, Environmental Water, and School Water.

Drinking Water represented 49% ($2.0m) of program costs in F2024. The Drinking Water Internship Program is a 15-month paid training program. It helps young Indigenous adults gain the skills, certifications, and confidence to pursue a career in water treatment. In F2024 there were 33 participants in the program, 11 of which graduated from the program. Water First spent 26,425 hours training the interns. Using Water First’s Drinking Water program costs and pro-rated overhead costs, it cost Water First $59,504 per program participant in F2024.

Environmental Water represented 32% ($1.3m) of program costs in F2024. Water First collaborates with Indigenous partners to strengthen local technical capacity in water and fish resource management through training programs. In July 2024, the charity began an Environmental Water Internship, following a similar style to its Drinking Water internship. In F2024, Water First provided 2,833 training hours to 51 program participants. Using Water First’s Environmental Water program costs and pro-rated overhead costs, it cost Water First $25,056 per program participant in F2024.

School Water represented 20% ($800k) of program costs in F2024. Water First delivers STEM-based water science programs to K-12 students in Indigenous communities. The goal is to motivate students to consider careers in the local water field. Water First instructors promote environmental conservation and create space for Indigenous Knowledge keepers to share insights. Students visit local water bodies and wastewater treatment plants and learn about their roles in protecting water resources. In F2024, Water First reached 1,725 students across 22 Indigenous communities. The charity delivered 46 water science courses and students earned a total of 21 credits in F2024.

Water First’s audited financial statements use activity-based costing. This is a best practice.

Water First received $4.9m in donations and $812k in government funding in F2024. The charity spent $4.0m on its programs, which is 57% of revenue. Water First recorded a surplus of $2.1m, which is 30% of revenue.

Water First spent $563k on fundraising, which is 12% of donations, and $432k on administration, which is 6% of revenue. Total overhead spending is 17%. For every dollar donated to Water First, 83 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.

Water First has $5.7m in reserve funds (cash and investments). These reserves can cover 1 year and 5 months of its annual program costs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Water First for review.

Updated on June 10, 2025 by Liam Chapleau.