Founded in 1992, Chalice Canada is a Catholic international aid charity focused on child, family and community development. Chalice aims to help poor people in developing countries by sponsoring families and funding community projects, critical needs, disaster relief, and nutrition projects.

In F2019, Chalice Canada spent $23.2m directly on international programs. The remaining $2.3m in program spending was for program office support and mission trips.

Child sponsorship accounted for 74% of program spending in F2019 (includes traditional sponsorship funds as well as special gifts). Special gifts represent funds sent to families of sponsored children meant for specific purposes (birthdays, education needs, housing repairs, or medical requirements). Chalice Canada has 57 sponsor sites in 15 developing countries. It sponsored 51,007 children in the year: 31% in Asia, 28% in Africa, 27% in Latin America, 9% in Ukraine and 6% in Haiti. Chalice recently launched its Family Funding model to better meet the needs of the families it serves. Families of sponsored children now receive financial training, learning how to budget for expenses. Families also have bank accounts where sponsorship money is deposited from Chalice Canada. Families meet with Family Circles (community groups) every month to discuss budgets for the upcoming month and spending in the previous month. Chalice requires that sponsored children’s education expenses are a top priority in family budgeting.

Gift catalogue funds were 7% of program spending in F2019. These funds are sent to sponsorship sites that request funding for specific items. During the year, Chalice sent $495,000 to sponsor sites for animals and farming needs, $408,000 for critical needs, $232,000 for livelihood and nutrition work, $211,000 for community development work, and $326,000 for education, health, and household needs. Projects and programs were 4% of program spending in F2019. Chalice had 31 active water projects in the year. It built or repaired 23 schools and 211 homes, and it reached 55,582 people with skills development training. 

The remaining 15% of program spending was on program support costs, disaster relief, Christmas funds, nutrition programs, grants, critical needs, mission trips, and prayer ministry activities. Nutrition programs served 4,249,175 meals and trained 23,266 caretakers in nutrition provision during the year. Chalice responded to two housing emergencies, 43 medical emergencies, and four other emergencies through its critical needs spending.

Chalice Canada is one of Canada’s largest charities in terms of donations – a Major 100. It received $28.5m in donations and special events fundraising in F2019. Administrative costs are 4% of revenue (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 6% of donations and special events. For every dollar donated to the charity, 90 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Chalice’s funding reserves of $8.1m include $281k in donor-endowed funds. Excluding donor endowments, the charity’s reserves can cover annual program costs at the current level for under four months. Chalice relies on annual donations to fund its operations.

This report is an update that has been sent to Chalice for review. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Report updated on July 30, 2020 by Katie Khodawandi. Results Reporting grade updated on September 9, 2020 by Katie Khodawandi. 

Donors trying to reach Chalice Canada can call its toll free number: 1-800-776-6855