Children Believe is a 3-star charity with a strong results reporting score and Fair demonstrated impact. It is financially transparent and has overhead costs within Ci’s reasonable range.

Founded in 1938, Children Believe (formerly Christian Children’s Fund of Canada) works toward a world where all children can achieve their full potential. It provides health services, education programs, and job skills to help communities overcome poverty. Children Believe is a member of the ChildFund Alliance, a network of 11 international aid charities that work in more than 60 countries. Children Believe currently works in twelve countries in Africa, South and Central America, and Asia.

In F2022, Children Believe’s three largest programs were Education, Health and Nutrition, and Strengthening Community Organizations.

Education represented 56% of program costs in F2022. Children Believe helps to send children to school and supports early childcare and development. In F2022, the charity supported the renovation, equipping, or construction of 422 early childhood care and development centres which supported 45,232 children. Additionally, 348,244 students were enrolled in 735 Children Believe-supported primary schools. The charity also collaborated with 20 local organisations and four international organisations to provide skill-building opportunities to 14,164 young people in F2022.

Health and Nutrition projects accounted for 26% of program costs in F2022. Children Believe helps to build and equip health centres, fund maternal health services, and train mothers on child nutrition. In F2022, the charity renovated and equipped six existing health facilities. Children Believe also provided reproductive health and post-partum care to 34,298 women and girls and attended 54,641 births in F2022.

Strengthening Community Organizations made up 11% of program costs. The charity funds children and youth-led initiatives to improve their local communities. It also provides job and leadership training for women to advance gender equality.

The remaining 7% of program costs included Sustainable Economic Development (4%); Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (2%); and Emergency Response (1%).

Children Believe received $19.3m in Canadian donations in F2022. It also received $4.4m in international donations (15% of total revenues), $3.1m in government funding (11%), and $2.5m in donated goods (9%).

Administrative costs are 11% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 16% of Canadian donations. This results in total overhead spending of 26%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 74 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Children Believe has reserve funds of $12.5m. The charity can cover almost eight months of annual program costs with its existing reserves.

According to its annual filings with the CRA, Children Believe uses external fundraisers. It paid external fundraisers $1.1m to raise $3.7m in F2022, at a cost of $0.31 per dollar raised.

Charity Intelligence has sent this update to Children Believe for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on August 18, 2023 by Kiara Andrade.