245 King St. East
Stoney Creek, ON L8G 1L9
Founder: Dr. Kadappilaril P. Yohannan
President: Pat Emerick

Charitable Reg. #:10744 1834 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 1/5]

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements available only through official request for information from Charities Directorate.

C+

RESULTS REPORTING

Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.

Low

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.

61%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 61 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About GFA World:

GFA World is a 1-star charity with a below average results reporting grade and Low demonstrated impact. The charity is not financially transparent and its overhead costs are outside Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending. Before you give, read Charity Intelligence's report. 

Founded in 1984, GFA World (GFA) is the Canadian branch of the international Gospel for Asia organization. Gospel for Asia sees itself as a religious order. Gospel for Asia works to spread the message of Christ in Asia through missionaries and improvements in health, education, and local economies. The charity works in 18 countries internationally.  

Donor Advisory: 

In July 2020, GFA filed for creditor protection. Auditors Pricewaterhouse Coopers will monitor the charity's finances and operations. An Ontario judge allowed GFA to continue to fundraise and accept donations, but it cannot send donations to other countries without audit approval. GFA World may receive 20% of donations held in trust for its general operations and fundraising costs. 

In February 2020, Canadian donors launched a $170 million class-action legal case against GFA World Canada alleging it breached its duty of care and fiduciary duty to donors, conspired to defraud donors and misrepresented the nature of how donations would be spent. It was found in a 2019 US lawsuit against Gospel for Asia that Gospel for Asia (US) received US$20 million from Canadian donors that did not go to India or other development work. Rather it was spent on its Texas headquarters. To learn more about this case's details. 

In March 2019, a US court ordered that Gospel for Asia USA pay a US$37 million refund to donors for misrepresenting how donations were spent. In October 2017, the Indian government forbid Gospel for Asia funds transfers to India. CBC investigated Gospel for Asia Canada and US, talking with former members. 

In March 2016, the Toronto Star reported that Gospel for Asia Canada was the defendant in a fraud lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that between 2007 and 2014, $94 million was sent from Gospel for Asia Canada to India. Yet, Gospel for Asia’s Indian affiliates have no record of receiving funds from Canada during that period. Gospel for Asia Canada denies the allegations. 

Additionally, on October 6, 2015, Gospel for Asia US had its membership revoked for standards breaches in the US organization, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Christian Today Article 

At the time of this profile update, the charity had not yet released its F2022 annual report, thus the program information below comes from the F2021 annual report. 

GFA World’s largest programs include community transformation (48%), national workers (17%) children’s ministry (14%), providing scripture and media (11%), and clean water (9%).   

Through its community transformation program in F2021, GFA provided 500,000 women with free healthcare training and taught 27,000 women how to read and write. It also conducted 800 medical camps in remote and impoverished locations. 

During covid-19, the charity provided emergency support to communities. GFA World helped 2.5 million people throughout the pandemic. It distributed 225,000 blankets and 150,000 hygiene kits. The charity also conducted 1,500 health awareness programs in rural villages and slums.    

The charity’s child sponsorship program works to provide education, food, and medical care to poor children. Since its founding, it has provided over 142,000 children from impoverished families with a daily meal and medical checkups.  

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Results and Impact

Since the inception of its clean water program, GFA has provided over 39 million people with safe, pure drinking water. The charity also taught 60,000 families the importance of sanitation in F2021.   

During covid-19, GFA World also distributed 150,000 life-saving dry ration kits.   

While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of GFA World’s results. 

Charity Intelligence has rated GFA World as Low impact based on demonstrated social impact per dollar spent. 

 
 

 

Impact Rating: Low

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Finances

Charity Intelligence has scored GFA World as a zero in financial transparency because the charity failed to provide full financial statements when requested. The financial analysis completed by Charity Intelligence for F2021 uses the most recent financial statements available to Ci, through a request to the CRA, at the time of writing this report.  

GFA World received donations of $6.1m in F2021. Administrative costs are 35% of revenues less investment income, and fundraising costs are 4% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 39%. For every dollar donated, 61 cents go to the cause. This is outside Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.  

GFA World had $8.4m in reserve funds in F2021. These are the charity’s cash and investments. The charity has 4.2 years of annual program costs covered by its current reserves.  

Charity Intelligence has sent this profile update to GFA World for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.  

Updated on August 8, 2023 by Alessandra Castino.  

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending December
202120202019
Administrative costs as % of revenues 34.6%35.7%10.0%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 4.5%6.7%9.7%
Total overhead spending 39.1%42.4%19.8%
Program cost coverage (%) 424.9%347.0%40.5%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202120202019
Donations 6,0517,0077,705
Government funding 681070
Investment income 102014
Other income 000
Total revenues 6,1307,1347,719
Program costs - International 1,5731,33710,599
Program costs - Canada 402514743
Administrative costs 2,1172,539774
Fundraising costs 269467749
Total spending 4,3614,85712,864
Cash flow from operations 1,7682,277(5,145)
Capital spending (0)(1)15
Funding reserves 8,3916,4234,592

Note: Ci has used program, administrative, and fundraising costs as reported on the charity’s T3010 filing with the CRA. Amortization has been removed from program, administrative, and fundraising costs pro-rata. 

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 17

Avg. compensation: $32,076

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
0
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
0
$200k - $250k
0
$160k - $200k
0
$120k - $160k
0
$80k - $120k
0
$40k - $80k
3
< $40k
7

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2021

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

Charity Contact

Website: www.gfa.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Times of India India Ministry of Home Affairs banned all overseas funds from Gospel for Asia organizations in 2017.

Tel: 888-946-2742

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