Toronto Foundation for Student Success
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔+
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.
A-
RESULTS REPORTING
Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.
Good
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.
96%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 96 cents are available for programs.
My anchor
OVERVIEW
About Toronto Foundation for Student Success:
Toronto Foundation for Student Success is a 5-star, 2022 Top 100 charity. The charity is financially transparent and has Good demonstrated impact. It has an above average results reporting grade and its overhead spending is just outside of Ci’s reasonable range. Toronto Foundation for Student Success has $13.8m in reserve funds, which can cover half a year of program costs.
Founded in 1998, Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS) supports Toronto District School Board students. Its programs provide food and after-school care to elementary and secondary school students who are experiencing poverty. It strives to remove barriers so that all children have the same learning opportunities. According to TFSS, one in four children in Toronto live in poverty and 40% of children come to school hungry. These children struggle to focus, which affects their learning. The charity states that 95% of children do not have access to after-school programs. It adds that children are at their most vulnerable outside of school. TFSS runs many of its programs in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (as identified by the City of Toronto) to reach those who are most in need. The charity runs two main programs: Student Nutrition Programs (SNPs) and Beyond 3:30.
Toronto Foundation for Student Success is one of the Charity Intelligence 2022 Top 10 Canadian Youth Impact Charities.
Student Nutrition Programs – 94% of program spending
Toronto Foundation for Student Success works with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to run meal programs. TFSS supports 831 Student Nutrition Programs across Toronto. In F2022, the charity served an average of 218,000 meals daily, totalling 41,534,840 meals that year. This is almost double the number of meals served in F2021 (21,775,916 meals).
In F2021, Toronto Foundation for Student Success introduced a Nutrition Pantry Program. The program stocks pantries in secondary schools with shelf-stable foods like tuna, soup, canned fruit, and cereal. Children can take home a week’s worth of lunches from this stock. In F2022, the Nutrition Pantry Program supplied 723,154 meals, a 68% increase from last year’s 431,720 meals. It supported over 39,000 students in F2022.
Beyond 3:30 – 6% of program spending
Beyond 3:30 is Toronto Foundation for Student Success’ after-school program for at-risk youth. As of F2022, 23 Beyond 3:30 programs are being run at 18 school sites, for more than 1,200 students. The program is for middle school students (aged 11 to 14 years) and runs from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM each day. Students receive food, homework help, cooking lessons and one-hour fitness sessions. There is also a financial literacy program and a rotating schedule of arts programs.
Before covid-19, the charity ran its Gift of Sight and Sound program. In F2022, this program stopped for safety measures. However, the charity continued to send free glasses to students that needed them.
Toronto Foundation for Student Success operates an Emergency Fund. This fund provides resources for students that urgently need it, such as food or warm clothing.
My anchor
Results and Impact
In 2012, the Toronto District School Board published a report evaluating the Student Nutrition Program. The report found that middle school students who ate breakfast most days worked better independently. They were also better problem solvers and participated more in class. They performed better in reading, science, and math. About 75% of students said the school meals improved their wellbeing.
Toronto Foundation for Student Success surveyed Beyond 3:30 participants. It reports that 72% had a better understanding of nutrition and food preparation. It adds that over 80% enjoyed learning to cook. 68% became more physically active and over 70% improved their grades. 87% state that homework support has made them better at completing assignments.
While Charity Intelligence highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Toronto Foundation for Student Success' results and impacts.
Charity Intelligence has rated Toronto Foundation for Student Success as having Good impact based on demonstrated impact per dollar.
A Charity Intelligence 2022 Top 10 Canadian Youth Impact Charity
Impact Rating: Good

My anchor
Finances
Toronto Foundation for Student Success received $4.3m in donations in F2022. The charity also received $24.8m in government funding, representing 84% of total revenues. Administrative costs are 3% of revenues (excluding investment income), and fundraising costs are 1% of donations. This means that for every dollar donated to the charity, 96 cents go to the cause, which is just outside of Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending.
TFSS has funding reserves of $13.8m which can cover six months of annual program costs, indicating a need for funding.
In addition to reported salary information, TFSS spent $132k in F2022 on professional and consulting fees (down from $430k in F2021). Compensation figures for staff do not include these consulting fees.
Ci has sent this profile update to Toronto Foundation for Student Success for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on June 1, 2023 by Victoria Allder.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending July
|
2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|
Administrative costs as % of revenues | 2.9% | 2.9% | 3.1% |
Fundraising costs as % of donations | 1.5% | 3.3% | 4.2% |
Total overhead spending | 4.3% | 6.2% | 7.3% |
Program cost coverage (%) | 48.6% | 34.4% | 38.8% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|
Donations | 4,323 | 3,809 | 3,053 |
Goods in kind | 326 | 401 | 338 |
Government funding | 24,829 | 25,837 | 19,677 |
Fees for service | 0 | 1 | 126 |
Investment income | 57 | 399 | 202 |
Other income | 3,125 | 1,317 | 3,419 |
Total revenues | 32,660 | 31,764 | 26,815 |
Program costs | 24,778 | 25,837 | 19,595 |
Grants | 3,676 | 3,278 | 2,265 |
Administrative costs | 936 | 921 | 813 |
Fundraising costs | 64 | 126 | 129 |
Total spending | 29,453 | 30,162 | 22,803 |
Cash flow from operations | 3,207 | 1,602 | 4,012 |
Capital spending | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Funding reserves | 13,834 | 10,023 | 8,473 |
Note: Ci adjusted for deferred contributions and included the amount in other income as it is unclear from the audited financial statements whether this is governement or non-government revenue. This affected total revenues by $3.1m in F2022, $1.3m in F2021 and $3.4m in F2020. Funding from the Toronto District School Board ($400k in F2022, $400k in F2021 and $434k in F2020) is included in government funding. Ci took program, administrative, and fundraising costs from the charity's T3010 filings with the CRA for all three years.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
1 |
$160k - $200k |
0 |
$120k - $160k |
1 |
$80k - $120k |
7 |
$40k - $80k |
1 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2022
My anchor
Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 416-394-6880