Water First is a 5-star, financially transparent charity. It has an A Results Reporting grade, which is above average. For every dollar donated to the charity, 79 cents go to the cause. 

Founded in 2009, Water First Education and Training Inc. (Water First, WF) works alongside Indigenous communities to address local water challenges. Currently, 13% of Indigenous communities in Canada and 25% of Indigenous communities in Ontario 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 F2023. WF runs three programs: Drinking Water, Environmental Water, and School Water.

A Charity Intelligence 2024 Top 100 Rated Charity.

Water First spent $1.8m (45% of program spending) on Drinking Water in F2023. 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 F2023, there were 39 participants in the Drinking Water Internship program, of which, 14 graduated. The interns worked 24,185 hours in water plants in F2023. The charity reported an 88% graduation rate.

Water First spent $1.2m (31% of program spending) on Environmental Water in F2023. Water First collaborates with Indigenous partners to strengthen local technical capacity in water and fish resource management through training programs. In F2023, the charity provided 985 hours of training to 58 participants. Water First collaborated with communities on 19 projects. Projects range from fish habitat restoration, to water quality management, to climate change monitoring and technical skills training. 

Water First spent $992k (24% of program spending) on School Water in F2023. 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 F2023, Water First delivered 32 multi-day courses that saw 35 students earn a high school geography credit over the summer. In total, these programs reached 1,721 students in F2023.

Water First received $3.7m in donations in F2023. WF spent $4.0m on its programs, which is 89% of revenues. Water First recorded a deficit of $361k in F2023, which means it drew on its reserves to run its operations.

Administrative costs are 9% of revenue and fundraising costs are 12% of donations. For every dollar donated to the charity, 79 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.

Water First has $3.5m in reserve funds (cash and investments, less interest-bearing debt). Its reserves can cover 87%, or ten months of its annual program costs.

This charity report is an update that was sent for review to Water First Education Training Inc. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated on June 3, 2024 by Liam Chapleau.