Frequently asked questions
Plain answers about where Charity Compass data comes from, what the figures mean, and how the project is run.
What is Charity Compass?
A free research tool for Canadian donors. It turns the public T3010 filings of 83,761 registered charities into figures you can search, compare, and trace back to the source record.
Where does the data come from?
Primarily from the Canada Revenue Agency's "List of charities" open dataset (F2024 release), used under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Charity Intelligence's analyst ratings are shown where they exist and are always labelled as theirs.
Is the data current?
No. Figures are last-reported, not live. Charities file after their fiscal year ends and the CRA publishes after processing, so every number describes a past period. Each profile shows the period end date.
Does a higher cents-to-cause figure mean a better charity?
Not on its own. It shows how much of each reported dollar spent went to programs. It says nothing about whether those programs work. Charity Compass treats 5–35% overhead as a typical range rather than rewarding the lowest overhead.
Why are foundations shown differently?
Foundations mostly grant money to other charities instead of running programs, so a program-spending ratio would mislead. Their profiles lead with the share of spending disbursed to qualified donees.
Why is a charity not rated by Charity Intelligence?
Charity Intelligence's analysts cover 819 charities. The absence of a rating says nothing about the charity. Unrated charities receive a neutral value in the ranking so they are neither punished nor boosted.
Can I donate through Charity Compass?
No. The Give link opens a CanadaHelps search for the charity's name. Charity Compass never receives the donation and takes no fee or referral payment.
How is Charity Compass funded?
By its builder, with optional reader tips. There are no ads, sponsored placements, or paid listings. Charities cannot pay to appear or to change how they are presented.
I represent a charity and a figure looks wrong. What can I do?
Every profile has a right-of-reply link. Send the registration number, the page URL, the statement in question, and the supporting public record to jdavidgomezca@gmail.com. Responses are published beside the profile and never removed; corrections to our own errors are logged publicly with a date.
Can I reuse the data or figures?
The underlying records are public CRA data under the Open Government Licence – Canada. If you cite a Charity Compass figure, link the profile so readers can see the tier, the T3010 line, and the caveat that travels with it.
Last reviewed September 15, 2026.