Ducks Unlimited Canada

PO Box 1160
Stonewall, MB R0C 2Z0
CEO: Brian Gray
Board Chair: Kevin Harris

Charitable Reg. #:11888 8957 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 5/5]

✔+

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.

73%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 73 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About Ducks Unlimited Canada:

Ducks Unlimited Canada is a top-rated, 5-star charity with an above-average results reporting grade. The charity has reasonable overhead costs and is financially transparent. 

Founded in 1938, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) works to “conserve, restore, and manage wetlands and other habitats for North America’s waterfowl.” DUC says that wetlands are one of the most important ecosystems on the planet, but up to 70 percent of wetlands have been lost in settled areas of Canada. Ducks Unlimited Canada is affiliated with the US-based Ducks Unlimited, and the two charities collaborate on some projects. In Canada, Ducks states it has influenced 195.2 million acres of land, conserved 6.6 million acres and completed 11,826 habitat conservation projects since 1938.

Ducks Unlimited Canada’s spending on conservation programs includes habitat conservation (83% in F2021), revolving land (9%), research and education (4%), education and communications (2%), and industry and government relations (2%). DUC’s habitat conservation projects include work with wetlands, grasslands, water, waterfowl, wildlife, and Canada’s Boreal.

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Results and Impact

Ducks Unlimited Canada reports that it secures important at-risk wetlands, restores those that have been damaged and drained, and manages the areas under its care. DUC conserved a total of 451,747 acres of habitat and positively influenced 7 million acres of habitat across Canada in F2021.

While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Ducks Unlimited Canada’s results and impact.

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Finances

Ducks Unlimited Canada has donations of $18.3m in F2021. Administrative costs are 6% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 21% of donations. Ducks Unlimited's overhead spending is 27%. For every dollar donated, 73 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Ducks Unlimited has funding reserves of $188.6m, which can cover 2.6 years of program costs at the F2021 level.

Charity Intelligence has discussed this report with Ducks Unlimited Canada. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Profile updated on June 17, 2022 by Lin Zhu.

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending March
202120202019
Administrative costs as % of revenues 6.1%7.4%7.3%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 20.5%40.3%45.1%
Total overhead spending 26.6%47.7%52.4%
Program cost coverage (%) 262.9%245.5%273.2%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202120202019
Donations 18,27619,00019,060
International donations 36,96735,40639,042
Goods in kind 992563573
Government funding 12,17412,9759,071
Fees for service 20,97419,98814,922
Investment income 32,560(7,069)13,421
Total revenues 121,94380,86396,089
Program costs 71,74966,47565,362
Administrative costs 5,4096,4846,004
Fundraising costs 4,94410,17112,079
Cash flow from operations 39,841(2,267)12,645
Capital spending 9,375480830
Funding reserves 188,646163,177178,581

Note: Ci considered the received donated goods-in-kind as part of the charity revenue, which affected revenue by $992k in F2021, $563k in F2020, and $573k in F2019. Ci also adjusted non-cash pension and post-employment benefit expense and depreciation and amortization affecting expenses by $822k in F2021, $877k in F2020, and $3.2m in F2019.

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 288

Avg. compensation: $103,646

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
1
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
4
$200k - $250k
4
$160k - $200k
1
$120k - $160k
0
$80k - $120k
0
$40k - $80k
0
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2021

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

About Ducks Unlimited Canada

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is one of the largest and longest-standing conservation organizations in North America. From coast to coast to coast, we’re creating landscape-level change by impacting millions of acres of the most important and at-risk habitats. We know the value of what we’re conserving — and our results speak for themselves. Since our inception in 1938, we’ve conserved more than 6.6 million acres of natural habitat and influenced 195.2 million acres more.

Conservation is about more than nature. It’s about people, too. DUC finds effective and creative ways for people and wild places like wetlands to thrive together. In addition to the 400+ talented, dedicated DUC employees who make conservation happen across the country, we partner with all who depend on and appreciate the landscape. We’re proud to be the place where those who believe in the power and importance of the natural world rally together — and realize meaningful results.

Our approach

DUC brings together the people, places and conservation approaches needed to build a sustainable future.

  • We’re getting to work on working landscapes. Our partnerships with agriculture and industry are finding new ways of balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability.
  • Science and innovation are powering our efforts. We’re engaging the brightest minds and leveraging the latest technology to adapt to a changing world.
  • We’re supporting Indigenous-led conservation as a way to bring about bold, transformative change and demonstrate reconciliation in action.
  • Our nature-based solutions are making communities more resilient and more liveable. By sharing our conservation expertise with cities, towns and municipalities, we’re helping create lush green landscapes and lucrative green jobs.
  • We’re raising a new generation of conservation leaders through our education and advocacy efforts. Students, teachers and elected officials are gaining conservation knowledge and first-hand experiences that will help them shape the future.

Our financial commitment

Making the most of every charitable dollar is a responsibility we take seriously. That’s why DUC is committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability, transparency and trust. By directing funds in ways that produce the greatest conservation impact, every donor can take pride in knowing that they’re making a difference in their backyard — and beyond. Our goal is to invest 80 percent of our expenditures in habitat conservation annually. In the 2021 fiscal year, DUC invested 90 percent in habitat conservation.

For more information about DUC’s conservation results and impact, visit ducks.ca/annualreport

Charity Contact

Website: www.ducks.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 1-800-655-DUCK (3825)

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001