Cuso International
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.
B
RESULTS REPORTING
Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.
Average
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.
40%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 40 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Cuso International:
Cuso International is a 3-star charity with an average results reporting score. It has reserve funds to cover program costs for a year and a half.
Founded in 1961, Cuso International (Cuso) aims to reduce poverty and inequality. Cuso works in 16 countries across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America.
Cuso has three focus areas: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Economic Resilience, and Climate Action. In F2022, Cuso spent $19.6m on its programs.
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
In F2022, Cuso International completed a three-year project in Benin. Through the project, Cuso held 4,775 community sessions to raise awareness about female genital mutilation and reached 91,491 people. In Cameroon, Cuso trained 18 queens, spouses to chiefs and kings, to combat child marriage and gender violence. The queens educated 116 people against child marriage and stopped eight child marriages. In F2022, Cuso launched two new youth-focused projects: TechWomen Factory in Cameroon and Talents Pluriels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Economic Resilience
Cuso’s SCOPE program in Colombia finds jobs for women, youth, migrants and other vulnerable groups. In F2022, through SCOPE, Cuso connected over 1,300 people to jobs. Cuso’s SKILLS program in Nigeria trains refugees and host communities in agricultural, fishing, vocational and business skills. In F2022, through SKILLS, Cuso created a training hub for refugees to build skills and reached 2000 men and women.
Climate Action
In Cameroon, a Cuso volunteer provides farmers in 213 rural districts with weather information. This information helps farmers plan their crops which are affected by climate change. This information is provided on the internet and through 40 community radio stations.
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Results and Impact
Cuso International reports that more than 70% of participants in its SCOPE program in Colombia have lasted three or more months at their job. In Nigeria, 75% of the refugees participating in SKILLS have new jobs. Additionally, 6% have small businesses, 88% own their own businesses, and 55% make profits. 85% of people who participated in the agricultural program had high crop yields. In Jamaica, 85% of youth trained through a Cuso project report a positive change in attitude and behaviour. Additionally, 85% reached their personal and career goals.
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Cuso International’s results and impact.
Charity Intelligence has given Cuso International an Average impact rating based on demonstrated impact per dollar spent.
Impact Rating: Average
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Finances
Cuso International received $3.1m in Canadian donations and $4.0m in international donations in F2022. It also received $11.2m in government funding, representing 35% of revenues, and $5.8m in volunteer services, representing 18% of revenues. Within government funding, $11m was received from Global Affairs Canada, and $181k was received from the federal government in the form of subsidies.
Administrative costs are 11% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 50% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 60%. For every dollar donated, 40 cents go to the cause. This is outside of Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. This may be because the charity has included international fundraising costs in its fundraising expense. Since Ci calculates fundraising costs as a percent of Canadian donations, the fundraising ratio presented may not accurately reflect the charity's Canadian fundraising cost.
Cuso has $21.0m in reserve funds which could cover one and a half years of its annual program costs.
In addition to its salaries, Cuso International paid $2.1m in professional and consulting fees in F2022 ($1.5m in F2021 and $2.9m in F2020).
Charity Intelligence has sent this update to Cuso International for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on May 23, 2023 by Kiara Andrade.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending March
|
2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|
Administrative costs as % of revenues | 10.6% | 8.8% | 5.9% |
Fundraising costs as % of donations | 49.7% | 21.4% | 25.9% |
Total overhead spending | 60.3% | 30.1% | 31.8% |
Program cost coverage (%) | 152.5% | 92.1% | 35.9% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|
Donations | 3,089 | 7,011 | 5,922 |
International donations | 3,953 | 0 | 87 |
Goods in kind | 5,816 | 1,073 | 9,932 |
Government funding | 11,216 | 9,310 | 21,910 |
Investment income | 313 | 636 | (134) |
Other income | 7,305 | 0 | 0 |
Total revenues | 31,693 | 18,029 | 37,716 |
Program costs - International | 13,796 | 13,664 | 23,579 |
Donated goods exp | 5,816 | 1,073 | 9,932 |
Administrative costs | 3,312 | 1,521 | 2,243 |
Fundraising costs | 1,537 | 1,497 | 1,531 |
Total spending | 24,461 | 17,755 | 37,284 |
Cash flow from operations | 7,232 | 274 | 432 |
Capital spending | (8,448) | 71 | 103 |
Funding reserves | 21,037 | 12,578 | 8,467 |
Note: Ci reported international donations from Cuso’s T3010 and removed the amounts from Canadian donations. The charity reported deferred donations of $825k in F2022, $2.1m in F2021, and $258k in F2020. Ci could not adjust for the deferred donations as there was no disclosure between government and non-government deferred revenues. Ci reported program costs under international program costs according to the charity’s T3010. Ci reported volunteered services separately from program costs in “donated goods exp”.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
2 |
$120k - $160k |
4 |
$80k - $120k |
4 |
$40k - $80k |
0 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2022
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 613-829-7445