Harvest Manitoba is a 4-star, financially transparent charity with an Average impact rating. It has an above average A- results reporting score, reasonable overhead spending, and a reasonably sized reserve fund. For every dollar donated to this charity, 87 cents are available to go to the cause.

Founded in 1984, Harvest Manitoba purchases and collects food before distributing it to over 380 community organizations across 46 municipalities in Manitoba. The charity surveys its clients each year and writes a report covering the effects of food insecurity and nutritional deficiency in the province. According to the charity, 88% of the 649 clients surveyed cannot afford healthy groceries and instead rely on cheaper, heavily processed food. 

Harvest Manitoba runs three programs: Food Distribution, First Steps, and Meals2Go. It spent $8.6m cash on its programs (grants and operating expenditures) and distributed $33.0m worth of food during the March 2024 fiscal year (F2024). 

Food Distribution is 85% ($7.4m) of Harvest Manitoba's program spending. The charity distributed 9,200,000 lb of food to over 380 agency partners across 46 communities during F2024. Food distributed by its agency network fed 20,221 households each month. Harvest Manitoba claims to serve over 100,000 people each month but did not disclose if this figure represents the number of unique clients served. It also distributed $487k worth of grants to its network in F2024.

First Steps is 7% ($567k) of Harvest Manitoba's program spending. First Steps provides baby formula, diapers, and other essentials to young mothers in need. Harvest Manitoba fed 1,800 babies each month during F2024. 

Meals2Go is 8% ($648k) of Harvest Manitoba's program spending. As part of this program, Harvest Manitoba runs weekend breakfast programs in schools across the province for students who cannot afford breakfast over the weekend. The charity fed 8,370 students in F2024, a 32% increase from 6,330 students fed during F2023.

Harvest Manitoba’s audited financial statements clearly separate program, administrative, and fundraising costs – a financial reporting best practice. 

During F2024, the charity received $6.3m worth of cash donations and special events revenue (30% decrease from $9.0m received in F2023) and $33.0m worth of donated food. Cash donations and donated food represent a respective 15% and 77% of total revenue. Harvest Manitoba also received $2.8m worth of government grants in F2024. 

Administrative costs are 1% of total revenue less investment income and fundraising costs are 12% of donations, meaning the charity’s total overhead spending is 13%. For every dollar donated, 87 cents are available to go to the cause. 

In F2024, the charity spent $8.1m cash on its programs and dispersed $487k worth of grants to its agency network. It also distributed $33.0m worth of donated food during F2024. 

At the end of F2024, Harvest Manitoba had $8.7m worth of reserve funds (cash and investments) that can cover 97% or around one year of its annual program spending.

Profile updated by Julian Dranitsaris on April 11, 2025. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.