Backpack Buddies
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔+
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.
A-
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 Backpack Buddies:
Backpack Buddies is a 4-star charity with an above-average Results Reporting grade. The charity holds reserves that cover under a year of program costs. For every dollar donated to the charity, 80 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci's reasonable range.
Founded in 2012 and officially named Community First Foundation, Backpack Buddies works to fight youth hunger across British Columbia. The charity reports that one in five kids in BC live with food insecurity and one in seven kids in BC live in poverty. Backpack Buddies sends bags of food to children on Friday afternoons so kids will have enough food to feed them through the weekend. The charity states it costs $25 to fill a bag. Students and schools do not pay to receive bags of food. A typical bag of food includes fresh fruit, veggies, and snacks. Food is non-perishable or ready-to-eat. Backpack Buddies spent $3.9m on its program in F2024.
A Charity Intelligence 2024 Top 100 Rated Charity.
The charity spent $4.7m on all expenses in F2024 and sent out 206,888 backpacks filled with 939,996 lb of food. In F2024, it cost Backpack Buddies $22.5 to fill a backpack and $5 per lb of food delivered. On average, each backpack contains 4.5 lb of food.
In F2024, Backpack Buddies reached 6,100 students across BC through 206,888 backpacks. 3,183 students were in Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast, 2,056 in Vancouver Island, 580 in Southern Interior B.C., and 281 in North B.C.
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Results and Impact
Backpack Buddies sent 939,996 lb of food through 206,888 backpacks to 6,100 students in F2024.
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Backpack Buddies’ results and impact.
This charity is not yet rated on impact. This does not affect its star rating and shows as (n/r).
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Finances
Backpack Buddies’ audited financial statements do not use activity-based costing. Charity Intelligence had to use the charity’s T3010 filing with the CRA to determine program, fundraising, and administrative costs.
Backpack Buddies received $3.8m in donations in F2024 and $373k in government funding (8% of revenue). The charity spent $3.9m on its programs, which is 86% of revenue. Backpack Buddies recorded a deficit of $188k and spent $104 on capital expenditures. This means the charity drew on its reserves to fund its operations.
Backpack Buddies spent $606k on fundraising, which is 16% of donations. It spent $186k on admin, which is 4% of revenue (excluding investment income). For every dollar donated to the charity, 80 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.
Backpack Buddies has $2.0m in reserve funds (cash and investments). Reserves can cover 51% or six months of annual program costs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.
The charity has $354k in commitments over the next two years.
This charity profile is an update that has been sent to Backpack Buddies. Comments and changes may be forthcoming.
Updated on April 25, 2025 by Liam Chapleau.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending March
|
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 4.3% | 3.5% | 4.4% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 15.8% | 11.1% | 8.6% |
| Total overhead spending | 20.0% | 14.5% | 13.0% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 51.2% | 79.2% | 94.9% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $s |
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 3,840,121 | 3,454,819 | 2,782,990 |
| International donations | 153,500 | 0 | 0 |
| Government funding | 373,427 | 394,287 | 7,850 |
| Investment income | 103,175 | (24,799) | (28,657) |
| Other income | 0 | 0 | 8,587 |
| Total revenues | 4,470,223 | 3,824,307 | 2,770,770 |
| Program costs | 3,866,235 | 2,967,383 | 2,147,516 |
| Administrative costs | 186,324 | 133,107 | 123,576 |
| Fundraising costs | 605,555 | 383,037 | 240,223 |
| Total spending | 4,658,114 | 3,483,527 | 2,511,315 |
| Cash flow from operations | (187,891) | 340,780 | 259,455 |
| Capital spending | 103,666 | 83,900 | 212,931 |
| Funding reserves | 1,981,172 | 2,348,822 | 2,037,261 |
Note: Deferred Donations: Ci adjustment for deferred donations within donations was ($31k) in F2024, $106k in F2023, and ($38k) in F2022. 2. Fair Market Value: Ci reported fair market value of investments, which was below the line. This was $95k in F2024, ($27k) in F2023, and ($29k) in F2022. 3. Use of T3010: Ci used the T3010 to report admin, fundraising, and program costs. 4. Amortization: Ci removed amortization from program, admin, and fundraising costs on a pro-rata basis.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
0 |
$120k - $160k |
1 |
$80k - $120k |
2 |
$40k - $80k |
7 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2024
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Comment added on October 9, 2024:
At Backpack Buddies, we believe it is possible for every child in BC to have enough food to eat and that when we promise to provide food for a child, they can count on us for as long as they need us. These two principles guide the use of every dollar we raise. It means that we manage every dollar with great care. We invest in the health of our organization so that good people stay with us for the long term, and we have a stable organization that families can count on to be here for years to come. It means that we invest in fundraising and the care of our donors so that we can continually grow to reach more and more children. We make sure to speak for children that cannot speak for themselves, encouraging governments, large companies, and our communities to support the most vulnerable children. It means we must keep reserve funds on hand so that we can keep our promise to children to support them, as long as they need us, no matter what unexpected financial storms arise. We make sure that every dollar provides food security for children in our program today and helps us reach more children across BC every year. We are proud of Our Five Star, Top 100 Rating by Charity Intelligence, that recognizes Backpack Buddies for living these values every day.
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 604-807-0347