Alberta Conservation Association is a three-star charity. It has an A- results reporting grade, which is above average. For every dollar donated to the charity, 95 cents are available to go to the cause, which is just within Ci's reasonable range; however, the charity does not report fundraising costs.

Founded in 1997, the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) protects fish and wildlife for Albertans to enjoy. Its goal is to maintain wildlife population for Albertans to hunt and fish sustainably. The charity focuses its efforts on four main areas: wildlife, fish, land, and communications.

Land represented 51% of total program spending in F2022. The land program works to restore damaged habitats and protect healthy ones. ACA’s goal is to ensure that all animals have a healthy habitat to live in. The charity added three new conservation sites and expanded two existing conservation sites, totalling to 878 new acres in F2022. ACA manages 37 Landowner Habitat Program Agreements, which conserves 6,715 acres of wildlife and fish habitat.

Wildlife represented 25% of total program spending in F2022. The charity partners with ranches and farms to mitigate the effects of working operations on wildlife habitats, tracks the location and population of animals, and restores water quality by improving wildlife habitat along the shores of waterbodies. The charity captured and translocated 23 wild turkeys to an area suitable for reproducing in F2022. ACA also developed a wildlife tracking app that allows hunters to track populations of animals in specific areas in F2022.

Fisheries represented 17% of total program spending in F2022. Through the fisheries program, ACA conserves and manages fish species populations and habitats in Alberta. The charity focuses on increasing the populations of vulnerable species and improving opportunities for recreational fishing. ACA stocked 122,803 trout into 65 ponds in regions where angling opportunities are limited in F2022. The charity surveyed 89 rivers and nine ponds for information on fish population, distribution, spawning, and water quality.

Communications represented 7% of total program spending in F2022. ACA’s goal is to increase the knowledge and importance of hunting and fishing among Alberta. The charity sent over 1,370 information packages to youth in F2022. ACA’s Kids Can Catch events welcomed 850 adults and children in F2022.

In F2022, the charity spent $1.6m in grants. ACA grants money to support conservation activities that will increase the health of wildlife and fish populations. ACA also funds research projects on wildlife management and graduate students studying biodiversity.

ACA does not use activity-based costing. This means that its audited financial statements do not report any fundraising or management and administrative costs. To find this information, you need to go to the CRA Charities Directorate's website. As such, Ci used the charity’s T3010 filing with the CRA to report on its costs. ACA’s T3010 expenses reconciled with its audited financials expenses. Rather than being incomplete, for best practices, audited financial statements should disclose the financial information donors look for.

Alberta Conservation Association received $529k in donations in F2022. The charity received $15.2m in government funding, which represents 68% of total revenue. The charity received $5.7m of donated land in F2022 and $1.9m in F2021.

Administrative costs are 5% of revenue (excluding investment income). The charity does not report fundraising costs. This results in total overhead spending of 5%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 95 cents are available to go to the cause, which is just within Ci’s reasonable range.

ACA has $10.7m in reserve funds which can cover 71%, or eight months of annual program costs.

Updated on July 19, 2023 by Liam Chapleau.