Food Banks Canada is a 5-star, financially transparent charity with a Good impact rating and an above-average A- results reporting grade. It has a reasonably sized reserve of cash and investments and 26% overhead spending. For every dollar donated, 74 cents are available to go to the cause.

A Charity Intelligence 2025 Top 100 Rated Charity.

Founded in 1989, Food Banks Canada (FBC) provides grants and logistical support and distributes food to a network of over 5,500 organizations across Canada. These organizations include non-profits such as regional food distributors, local food banks, and other charities that distribute food to those in need. FBC does this by partnering with grocery retailers as part of its Retail Food Program, as well as through its own National Food Sharing System distribution network. FBC also publishes recurring research reports covering the state of food insecurity in Canada, such as its HungerCount 2024 report, and is involved in food insecurity advocacy.

Food Banks Canada has three programs: grants distributed to its agency network, network support services, and research and advocacy. It spent $39.3m cash on grants and program operations in the March 2025 fiscal year (F2025).

Grants to its network was 62% of FBC’s program spending. In F2025, FBC distributed $20.6m in grants to over 5,500 agency partners. The charity provided some breakdown of its grants by purpose that does not reconcile with the $20.6m total: $4.0m spent improving food bank access, $3.8m for improving network operational effectiveness (National Standards of Excellence), $2.5m invested in northern communities, $3.0m on capacity building projects, $2.3m used for other distributions, and $500k on supporting provincial food associations.

Network support services were 32% of FBC’s program spending. In F2025, thanks to the funding and logistical support provided by FBC, its 5,500-member network distributed 26.9m lb of food (19.1m lb through its Retail Food Program and 7.8m lb through its National Food Sharing Program). According to the charity, its network serves 3,000,000 people annually across Canada.

Research and advocacy were 6% of FBC’s program spending. FBC published its recurring HungerCount report which attracted over 147,000 website visits in F2025. FBC also collected over 100,000 signatures from Canadians urging action on food insecurity and connected with over 50 MPs, senators, and ministers during F2025.

Food Banks Canada’s audited financial statements follow activity-based costing – a best practice. This means its financial statements clearly separate expenses into program, administrative, and fundraising activities.

In F2025, FBC received $46.3m in cash donations (56% of total revenue) and $28.0m worth of donated food (34% of revenue). The charity also received $7.2m from the government (9% of revenue).

Administrative costs are 2% of total revenue less investment income and fundraising costs are 24% of cash donations. Its 26% total overhead means that for every dollar donated, 74 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

In F2025, FBC spent $18.8m cash on its programs (39% decrease from $30.6m spent in F2024), distributed $28.0m worth of food to its agency network (16% decrease from $33.3m distributed in F2024), and provided $20.6m worth of grants (13% increase from $18.2m granted in F2024).

At the end of F2025, FBC had $38.6m of reserve funds (cash and investments). This can cover 98% or just under one year of its annual program spending, excluding 

Profile updated by Julian Dranitsaris on July 4, 2025. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.

Questions? Contact jdranitsaris@charityintelligence.ca