The Brian and Joannah Lawson Family Foundation
Private foundationFoundations·SUITE 300 BCE PLACE · 181 BAY STREET P.O. BOX 762 · TORONTO, ON · M5J 2T3·BN 829613215RR0001
Last reported: F2024 filing · period ending 2024-12-31
This is a foundation: it mostly grants money to other charities, so program-spending ratios are the wrong lens. We show the share of spending disbursed to qualified donees instead.
This charity filed the simplified return, so some figures can't be computed. Fewer numbers, never invented ones.
What it does — in its own words
Ongoing programs
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE FOUNDATION IS TO DISBURSE THE INCOME FROM ITS INVESTMENTS AND GIFTS RECEIVED TO QUALIFIED ORGANIZATIONS TO FURTHER THE PHILANTHROPIC OBJECTIVES OF BRIAN AND JOANNAH LAWSON AND THEIR OFFSPRING. THE FOUNDATION MAY FROM TIME TO TIME APPLY A PORTION OF THESE FUNDS FOR OTHER CHARITABLE OBJECTIVES INCLUDING INITIATIVES THAT WILL IMPROVE THE IMPACT OF FOOD SYSTEMS ON HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
Program descriptions from its F2024 T3010 filing, verbatim · self-reported · this is also the text our semantic search matches against. source ↗
Tier 1 — what we computed (open data)
From the charity's own F2024 T3010 filing. Self-reported; not independently verified. You can recompute every figure.
Disbursed to qualified donees
T1 · computed (open data)96%
Per its F2024 T3010, this share of total spending went to other registered charities.
T3010 line 5050 ÷ 5100 · Self-reported on the T3010; not independently verified. source ↗
Operating overhead
T1 · computed (open data)100%
Management, administration, and fundraising as a share of total spending. We treat 5–35% as the typical range; we state the figure, you judge.
T3010 line (5010 + 5020) ÷ 4950 · Self-reported on the T3010; not independently verified. source ↗
Reserves
T1 · computed (open data)—
Years current reserves could cover program spending.
Sector quartiles: 0.4 yr / 0.8 yr / 7.5 yr (p25 / median / p90).
T3010 line (4100 + 4140) ÷ 5000 · Self-reported on the T3010; not independently verified. source ↗
Total revenue
T1 · computed (open data)$17.8M
Last-reported total revenue.
T3010 line 4700 · Self-reported on the T3010; not independently verified. source ↗
Donor-funded
T1 · computed (open data)79%
Share of revenue from receipted donations.
T3010 line 4500 ÷ 4700 · Self-reported on the T3010; not independently verified. source ↗
Government-funded
T1 · computed (open data)0%
Share of revenue from federal, provincial, and municipal sources.
T3010 line 4570 (or 4540+4550+4560) ÷ 4700 · Self-reported on the T3010; not independently verified. source ↗
Over the years
Every figure as filed at each fiscal period end, 2019–2024.
| Period end | Revenue | Cents to cause | Overhead | Reserves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-12-31 | $34.7M | — | 100% | — |
| 2020-12-31 | $18.1M | — | 100% | — |
| 2021-12-31 | $89.3M | — | 100% | — |
| 2022-12-31 | $2.4M | — | 100% | — |
| 2023-12-31 | $14.3M | — | 100% | — |
| 2024-12-31 | $17.8M | — | 100% | — |
| trend |
From its T3010 filings (CRA annual releases) · self-reported, not audited by us · when a period is restated in a later release, the newest figures are shown · ✱ = cents-to-cause outside the valid 0–100% range (filing error; not used in rankings). source ↗
★ Tier 2 — Charity Intelligence (analyst-reviewed)
Not rated by Charity Intelligence. Their analysts cover 618 of Canada's 83,761 charities; absence of a rating says nothing about this charity. Our computed figures above stand on their own.
Board of directors
4 directors reported · 0 of 4at arm's length
- LAWSON, BRIAN DDIRECTORnot at arm's length
- SMITH LAWSON, JOANNAH ADIRECTORnot at arm's length
- LAWSON, TRISTAN JDIRECTORnot at arm's length
- LAWSON, ALEXANDER TDIRECTORnot at arm's length
From its F2024T3010 filing (public CRA record), as filed. “Arm's length” means not related to other officials by family or business ties. source ↗
Right of reply
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