Plan International Canada

About Plan International Canada:

Founded in 1967, Plan International Canada (PIC) is the Canadian branch and fundraising arm of Plan International. Plan International works to advance the rights of children and equality for girls around the world. PIC supports and contributes to the international charity’s activities.

Plan International Canada supports work that help poor children around the world based around eight core areas: education, health care, water & sanitation, child protection, child participation, economic empowerment, and emergencies. In F2018, Plan International launched its 20 Million Reasons strategy which is a commitment to helping 20 million children learn, lead, decide, and thrive by 2020.

Child sponsorships are Plan International Canada’s largest source of donations ($75.7m - 32% of total revenues in F2018). PIC says that it directs these donations to community development projects that benefit all the children and families living in the community. In F2018, Plan International Canada supported 1,749 projects in over 54,000 communities and 70 countries. Of total program spending in F2018, Plan International Canada spent 37% on maternal and child health projects, 17% on emergencies and food assistance, 15% on sexual and reproductive health projects, 14% on education projects, 5% on economic security, 5% on child protection, 3% on water sanitation, and 2% on child participation.

Plan International Canada reported that Plan International’s work reached more than 73 million girls, boys, women, and men around the globe in F2018. Of this number, 163,963 children around the world were supported by sponsors in Canada. In addition to this, 15,342 Canadian youth engaged in PIC’s initiatives across the country.

Results and Impact:

Plan International reports that global supporters helped more than 34.2 million children to unleash their potential. Based on one-year results from its maternal and child health programs in five countries, PIC reports seeing significant improvements. The number of children vaccinated against measles is up from 41% to 66%. The number of women who received care from a skilled health provider at least four times during pregnancy is up from 46% to 63%.

While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Plan International Canada’s results and impact.

Financial Review:

Plan International Canada is a Major 100 charity, meaning that it is one of Canada’s 100 largest charities in terms of donations. In F2018, Plan Canada received $104.9m in donations, up from $100.3m in F2017. Donations to child sponsorship in F2018 were $75.7m, increasing from $74.7m in F2016. Plan Canada received $41.9m from Global Affairs Canada and other provincial governments in F2018. In addition, Plan Canada received $65.6m from the UN, Plan International and other multilateral organizations for its international programs. Plan Canada also receives donated goods-in-kind ($8.8m in donated food and $14.2m in donated anti-malaria bed nets).

Plan International Canada's administrative costs are 7% of revenues, and fundraising costs are 24% of donations. For every dollar donated, $0.69 goes to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Plan International Canada has funding reserves of $56.5m, including a $3m endowment fund. Excluding endowed funds, the charity’s reserves can cover under four months of program costs.

Plan International Canada used external fundraisers in F2018. PIC paid $13.7m to raise $38.8m from the external fundraiser for a cost of $0.35 per dollar raised. 

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Plan International Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 6, 2019 by Lauren Chin.