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.

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.