Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto is a 5-star charity with Good demonstrated impact. It has above average disclosure with an A- results reporting grade. It holds reserves within Ci’s reasonable range. For every dollar donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto, 81 cents are available to go to the cause. 

Founded in 1913, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto (BBBST) matches children and youth in Toronto with adult volunteer mentors. Programs are delivered across the GTA, often in partnership with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and within Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) communities. In 2025, BBBST mentored 1,607 youths and made 825 new matches. 685 volunteer mentors contributed 38,427 hours. The charity focuses on children and youth facing adversity. Of the families it serves: 64% have a household income under $50,000, 51% are single caregiver households and 15% live in subsidized housing. In the fiscal year ending December 2025, the charity spent $3.6m on its programs. It does not provide a breakdown of how these funds were allocated across specific programs.

In its one-to-one programs, a Little (aged 7-16) is matched with a Big (aged 18+) based on shared interests. The pair meet for eight hours per month in the community. Variations include matches for couples, mentors aged 55+, and an in-school mentoring program with weekly one hour meetings during the school day. In 2025, 882 youths were mentored through one-to-one programs. Since 2020, the charity has served 2,164 Littles and 446 Bigs.

In its group-based programs, adult mentors lead roughly 24 sessions per school year for students in grades 6-8. Sessions cover topics such as bullying, self-esteem, and healthy relationships. Some programs are tailored to specific groups, including boys, girls, Black students, Indigenous students, and 2SLGBTQIA+ students. In 2025, 725 youths were mentored through group programming. Its Pumped for Post-Secondary program reached 170 beneficiaries in the 2025-2026 school year.

BBBST uses line-item costing, meaning its audited financial statements do not clearly separate fundraising, administrative, and program costs. In 2025, since the charity's T3010 filing with the CRA was not yet available to provide additional information, Ci allocated each line item to the bucket that best fit. This likely means program costs are overstated, while administrative and fundraising costs are understated. As a result, the overhead spending ratio in 2025 is likely understated and the cents to the cause figure is likely overstated.

In 2025, BBBST earned $4.0m in revenue, of which $3.2m (80%) came from donations and special events.

Administrative costs are 6% of revenues (less investment income). Fundraising costs are 13% of donations. Total overhead is 19%. For every dollar donated to BBBST, 81 cents are available for programs. This is within Ci's reasonable range.

In 2025, BBBST spent $3.6m on programs, or 90% of total revenue. It recorded a $303k deficit, drawing on its reserve funds. The charity spent $10k on capital projects.

BBBST has $1.2m in net reserves. Of this, $250k is donor endowed. Excluding donor-endowed funds, BBBST could cover 26%, or roughly 3 months of annual program costs.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Big Brothers Big Sisters Toronto for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. Updated on July 21, 2026 by Nick Reszetnik.