Bruce Trail Conservancy
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.
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.
90%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 90 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Bruce Trail Conservancy:
Bruce Trail Conservancy is a 5-star rated charity with best practices in financial transparency. It has above average accountability to donors as seen in the A results reporting grade. For every dollar donated to this charity, 90 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending.
Founded in 1967, Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) protects the Niagara Escarpment to preserve natural habitats and landscapes. People can explore these areas along the Bruce Trail, Canada’s longest marked footpath. BTC includes nine member Clubs that each maintain a section of the trail. In F2023, Bruce Trail Conservancy spent 88% of program costs on Land Acquisition, Conservation and Trail. 11% of program spending went towards programs including membership, communications and Bruce Trail enterprise. BT enterprise includes the six-week project of building BTC’s first seed orchard, the McNally Seed Orchard, to keep up with the demand for native plants and seeds. In F2023, the charity had a total program spend of $8.6m.
A Charity Intelligence 2024 Top 100 Rated Charity
Bruce Trail Conservancy’s conservation work mainly happens through its Land Acquisition, Conservation and Trail Program. BTC secures land via donations, purchases or life interest agreements, allowing landowners to keep living on their land while BTC maintains the property.
The Bruce Trail currently consists of 1,375 kilometres of trails. In F2023, 70.6% of the Bruce Trail is on protected land, since BTC secured 445 more acres of protected areas. As a result, BTC was able to remove 7.9 kilometres of trail from roads this year, to improve the visitor experience.
Other programs took up 11% of BTC’s program costs in F2023. Bruce Trail Conservancy currently has over 12,000 members. This year, 336 new Canadians signed up to be BTC members using the Canoo app on their phones. This new partnership aims to connect newcomers to Canadian attractions, to encourage exploration.
Bruce Trail Conservancy has a 2030 Strategic Plan to help it achieve its goals and stay true to its values. This plan guides them in facing challenges and working towards their vision and mission. The strategy is centred around five strategic and interconnected goals: urgently protect land, inspire generosity, support people and culture, enhance the Bruce Trail experience, and restore and care for Niagara Escarpment land.
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Results and Impact
In F2023, Bruce Trail Conservancy secured six new protected natural areas. These areas covered 445 acres of land with 4,911m of trails. The charity also recorded 91 species of Conservation Concern on BTC-managed land. In efforts to restore forest canopies along the Bruce Trail, 37,067 trees were planted. In F2023, BTC club hike leaders led 1,6000 hikes across its trail system.
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Bruce Trail Conservancy’s results and impact. This charity is not yet rated on impact (n/r).
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Finances
Bruce Trail Conservancy received $16.0m in donations in F2023. It also received $161k in government funding and $130k in donated land and easements during the year. Administrative costs are 6% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 4% of cash and land donations. This results in total overhead spending of 10%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 90 cents are available to go towards the cause, and in F2023, 52% of revenues were spent on its program and grants.
In F2023, BTC had a surplus of $7.4m (41%) of total revenue and spent 175k on capital expenditures. BTC had a surplus of 43% in F2022, 38% in F2021, and 7% in F2020.
BTC has $20.4m in net funding reserves. This means the charity can cover 2 years and 4 months of annual program costs with its existing reserves.
This profile is an update and has been sent to Bruce Trail Conservancy for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Update on May 27, 2024 by Alexia Tudose.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending June
|
2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 6.0% | 5.5% | 5.5% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 4.2% | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| Total overhead spending | 10.2% | 9.3% | 9.3% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 236.7% | 159.1% | 110.7% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 15,964 | 16,367 | 13,288 |
| Goods in kind | 130 | 18 | 1,462 |
| Government funding | 161 | 82 | 129 |
| Business activities (net) | 162 | 152 | 241 |
| Investment income | 1,350 | 498 | 917 |
| Other income | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Total revenues | 17,766 | 17,120 | 16,040 |
| Program costs | 8,586 | 8,026 | 7,070 |
| Grants | 41 | 40 | 27 |
| Donated goods exp | 130 | 18 | 1,462 |
| Administrative costs | 978 | 911 | 825 |
| Fundraising costs | 678 | 633 | 566 |
| Other costs | (5) | 70 | 34 |
| Total spending | 10,407 | 9,699 | 9,984 |
| Cash flow from operations | 7,359 | 7,421 | 6,056 |
| Capital spending | 175 | 282 | 24 |
| Funding reserves | 20,415 | 12,836 | 7,856 |
Note: Ci included Covid-19 government assistance, affecting revenues by $nil in F2023, $nil in F2022 and $56k in F2021. Ci classified donated land as goods in kind, affecting revenues and expenses by $130k in F2023, $18.4k in F2022, and $1.5m in F2021. Ci included endowment contributions and restricted funding for land purchases in donations, affecting revenue by $7.0m in F2023, $10.1m in F2022, and $9.5m in F2021. Ci included unrealized gains and foreign exchange gains in investment income, affecting revenues by $671k in F2023, ($285k) in F2022 and $242k in F2021. In F2023, certain line items under expenses were rearranged to be more concise and comprehensive in BTC’s program spending. For example, investment management fees were grouped with professional fees as an expense, so it is no longer individually accounted for in Ci’s reconciliations. Ci reported Bruce Trail Enterprises revenue net of expenses in business activities, affecting revenues and expenses by ($209k) in F2023, ($216k) in F2022, and ($289k) in F2021. To report on a cash basis, Ci adjusted donations by changes in deferred revenue from non-government sources. This affected revenues by ($36k) in F2023, $173k in F2022, and $87k in F2021.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
1 |
$120k - $160k |
2 |
$80k - $120k |
7 |
$40k - $80k |
0 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2023
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Learn More:
Bruce Trail Conservancy's 2023 Annual Report
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 905-529-6821