ADRA Canada

Adventist Development and Relief Agency Canada (ADRA Canada) is a 2-star charity. It is financially transparent and has a below average results reporting score. Charity Intelligence also rates ADRA as Low demonstrated impact. Before you give, read Charity Intelligence's report.

Founded in 1985, Adventist Development and Relief Agency Canada (ADRA Canada) was created by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church to help people living in Canada and internationally get out of poverty. ADRA Canada is part of the global ADRA network, which works in over 100 countries to break the long-term cycle of extreme poverty. It does this by providing interventions that bring water, sanitation, and health; food and nutrition; education; and income assistance to those in need.

ADRA Canada runs two main international programs: Humanitarian and Emergency Assistance, and Development. It also runs one minor Canadian program. In F2022, ADRA’s programs helped 810,206 people in 37 countries.

Humanitarian and Emergency Assistance – 56% of program spending ($12.9m). ADRA works to provide emergency relief and recovery to those facing humanitarian disasters. In F2022, ADRA Canada ran 44 emergency projects.

Development – 36% of program spending ($8.2m). This program focuses on sustainability and meeting the needs of communities. In F2022, ADRA Canada ran seven development projects.

Canadian Programs – 8% of program spending ($1.9m). ADRA also provides help to communities in need across Canada. After gas leaked into the water supply in a Nunavut community, ADRA Canada provided 30 gravity filtration units to help clean the water.

Since April 2019, ADRA has provided 112,907 people in Sudan essential water and sanitation facilities. ADRA Canada, in partnership with ADRA Kenya, has also provided over 50,000 litres of clean water a day for six days each week to over 4,000 people living in the Kiberia slum as part of its KIBERIA water project. ADRA reported that its EMBRACE program (February 2016-2020) improved the lives of over 100k people in Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Canada, including 33k children.

Charity Intelligence highlights these key results. They may not be a complete representation of Adventist Development and Relief Agency Canada's results.

Charity Intelligence has given ADRA a Low impact rating based on demonstrated impact per dollar spent.

In F2022, ADRA Canada received $14.8m in donations, up 45% from $10.2m in F2021. It also received $11.8m in government funding, of which it received $8.5m from Global Affairs Canada. Overall, government funding made up 44% of total revenues in F2022, down from 47% in F2021.

Fundraising costs are 5% of donations and administrative costs are 3% of revenues (excluding investment income). This means that for every dollar donated, 92 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending

ADRA Canada is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada by reason of shared board membership. In F2020, ADRA Canada received $1.9m in donations from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and various Conferences across Canada.

­­This charity report is an update that was sent to ADRA Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated June 26, 2023 by Emily Downing.