Children's Aid Foundation of Canada

What Children's Aid Foundation of Canada does

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is a registered Canadian charitable non-profit organization (founded 1979, Charitable Registration Number 108076480-RR0001) headquartered in Toronto that operates as the country's only national foundation exclusively dedicated to improving outcomes for children, youth, and families involved with the child welfare system. The Foundation raises and grants funds, and develops programs delivered across Canada through a partnership network of 93 child welfare agencies spanning all provinces and territories. Its program portfolio is organized across four focus areas: Education (Post-Secondary Education Program, Education Support Fund, Financial Literacy Training), Employment (Youth Works), Mental Health & Well-Being (Connections Program, Back to the Land, Sun Life Bright Futures), and Strong Families & Lifelong Connections (Safe at Home, family preservation).

Revenue is generated through a multi-channel fundraising model including an annual national campaign (Stand Up for Kids / Futures Transformed, which raised $103M+ between 2020-2025), the Teddy Bear Affair flagship gala ($40M+ cumulative since 1986), corporate partnerships with major financial institutions (RBC, BMO, CIBC, Sun Life, Northbridge, Spin Master), monthly recurring giving, major gifts, legacy/estate giving, government grants, and symbolic giving programs (WonderKit). The Foundation also operates digital platforms including the Fostering Community online resource hub for youth in care, a digital cookbook, and grantmaking infrastructure.

The organization is led by President & CEO Jeffrey Schiffer (PhD), with a leadership team including a Chief Development Officer, Chief Impact Officer, VP HR, and VP Communications, supported by an 11-50 person staff. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors, National Impact Advisory Committee, and a Young People's Advisory Council ensuring youth lived experience informs programming under the VOICE values framework.

Name

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada

Legal name

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada

Website

https://cafdn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is a Toronto-based national charity (founded 1979) that raises and grants funds to support children and youth in Canada's child welfare system, delivering programs across Education, Employment, Mental Health, and Family Connections through 93 partner agencies nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation for Child Welfare

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Child welfare philanthropy
• Charitable foundation
• Youth support programs
• Nonprofit grantmaking
• Fundraising services

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Annual Fundraising Campaign: Stand Up for Kids national annual campaign exceeding $100 million in fundraising, combining multiple giving channels including direct donations, corporate partnerships, and major gifts
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships and partnerships with companies including Spin Master, Sun Life, Northbridge, RBC, BMO, and CIBC. Includes event sponsorships and cause marketing
3. Major Gifts: Individual major gift program targeting high-net-worth donors with significant giving capacity
4. Monthly Giving Program: Recurring monthly donation program enabling sustained donor engagement
5. Legacy and Estate Giving: Planned giving and estate gift programs for long-term donor commitments
6. Special Events: Teddy Bear Affair annual gala and other fundraising events generating significant revenue (over $40 million raised since 1986 from Teddy Bear Affair alone)
7. Government Grants: Government funding as supplementary support for specific programs
8. Gift Catalog: WonderKit and other gift catalog offerings allowing donors to purchase specific items for youth in care

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada raises and grants funds and develops programs to support children, youth, and families involved with Canada's child welfare system across four focus areas: education, employment, mental health and well-being, and strong families/lifelong connections. Programs are delivered through a national partnership network of 93 child welfare agencies across all provinces and territories. Annual flagship fundraising initiatives include the Teddy Bear Affair gala and the Stand Up for Kids national campaign.

Product overview

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is a national charitable foundation dedicated to improving outcomes for children, youth, and families involved with Canada's child welfare system. The Foundation operates as a unified grantmaking and program delivery organization rather than a traditional product company. Its portfolio consists of interconnected programs across four focus areas: Education (Post-Secondary Education Program, Education Support Fund, Financial Literacy Training), Employment (Youth Works Program), Mental Health & Well-Being (Connections Program, Back to the Land, Sun Life Bright Futures, Ted and Loretta Rogers Comfort Kits), and Strong Families & Lifelong Connections (Safe at Home). The Foundation also operates digital platforms including the Fostering Community online resource hub and the More Than Meals digital cookbook. Annual fundraising initiatives include the Teddy Bear Affair Gala and Stand Up for Kids campaign. Support is delivered through a national network of over 93 child- and youth-serving agency partners across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big Steps to Success: A mentorship program co-designed by Children's Aid Foundation of Canada and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada specifically for youth in government care aged 7-14, currently operating in Toronto, North Bay, Saskatoon, and Victoria.
• Post-Secondary Education Program
• Youth Works
• Connections
• Fostering Community
• More Than Meals
• Teddy Bear Affair
• Stand Up for Kids
• Futures Transformed
• A Safe Plate

Products and services

• Post-Secondary Education Program A national scholarship and bursary program providing financial support to youth in and from government care to pursue post-secondary education at colleges, universities, and trade schools.
• Youth Works Program A pre-employment support program partnered with agencies across Canada to provide workforce readiness training and employment supports for youth in and from government care, funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program and supported by RBC Future Launch.
• Connections Program Provides mental and physical health support through the Pape Adolescent Resource Centre, including wellness assessments, customized care plans, counseling, therapy, health literacy education, and referrals to community health services for youth aged 18-29 currently or formerly in government care.
• Education Support Fund Provides supplementary funding for unexpected or additional expenses related to post-secondary education and career goals for eligible youth under 30 who have been in government care.
• Financial Literacy Training Program An online training program of six modules covering budgeting, banking, saving, credit, debt management, and debt repayment, developed in collaboration with the Prosper Canada Centre for Financial Literacy for youth transitioning out of child welfare.
• Fostering Community digital resource platform A free online youth digital resource platform for Canada's youth in and from care that provides curated content, scholarship information, employment program links, and budgeting tips in a centralized hub.
• More Than Meals Digital Cookbook A free digital cookbook featuring stories and recipes created by youth with lived experience in child welfare, showcasing narratives of strength, transition, and hope (also titled "A Safe Plate").
• Big Steps to Success A mentorship program co-designed with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada for children and youth ages 7-14 living in government care, operating in Toronto, North Bay, Saskatoon, and Victoria.
• Safe at Home Program A program in the Strong Families & Lifelong Connections focus area that addresses gender-based violence and supports keeping families together and children safe.
• Back to the Land Program A mental health and wellness program providing culturally responsive and appropriate mental health supports that foster healing, belonging, and well-being for Indigenous and other youth in care.
• Ted and Loretta Rogers Foster Care Comfort Kit Program A program providing comfort kits with age-appropriate items to children entering foster care, helping them feel cared for during transition.
• TELUS Mobility for Good Program Provides mobile phones and connectivity to eligible youth from child welfare to enable access to educational and employment opportunities.
• Sun Life Bright Futures Kids Wellness Program A mental health program helping children and youth in care build healthy coping skills and mental resilience through Mindful Kids programming, staff training, and tailored workshops.
• Ignite the Spark Fund An initiative empowering young people in care to access enrichment activities of their choice, including sports, recreation, arts, and culture, to foster confidence, connection, and personal growth.
• Stay in School Program A program helping increase school participation and high school graduation rates among youth in the child welfare system by reducing dropout risk and encouraging academic and extracurricular engagement.
• Teddy Bear Affair Gala The Foundation's annual flagship fundraising gala (turning 40 in 2026) that has collectively raised more than $40 million since 1986 to support children and youth in Canada's child welfare system.
• Stand Up for Kids Campaign The first national fundraising campaign dedicated to child welfare in Canada; the Stand Up for Kids: Futures Transformed cycle raised over $103 million between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2025, reaching over 150,000 young people.
• WonderKit symbolic giving program A symbolic giving program allowing donors to purchase and fill kits with items to support children and families during the holiday season and times of transition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ young people helped through programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• Spin MastermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing sponsorship support for Foundation events and programs
• Sun LifemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting Foundation initiatives and events
• NorthbridgemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing funding and event sponsorship
• RBCmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting Foundation programs and events
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing mentorship programming for youth in care
• CHEERScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner delivering programs for youth in child welfare
• Stepstones for YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing employment and transition support programs
• University of TorontosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for research initiatives and program evaluation
• Indigenous-Led OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organizations led by and serving Indigenous communities, providing culturally appropriate programming
• 93 Child Welfare AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of agencies across all provinces and territories delivering programs to youth in care

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada: National Canadian youth-mentorship charity that is both a strategic partner and a direct peer in fundraising scope, youth-services mission, and donor base. Directly comparable as a national nonprofit delivering programs through a local-agency network across Canada.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: National Canadian youth-services nonprofit operating through a federated local-club model. Comparable in mission (youth development), national footprint via local affiliates, and mixed corporate/individual fundraising model.
• Right To Play: Canadian-headquartered international charity focused on children and youth. Comparable as a Toronto-based nonprofit with corporate partnership fundraising, gala events, and major-gift programs serving vulnerable youth.
• Kids Help Phone: Canada's national youth mental health and wellbeing charity. Directly comparable mission alignment (youth mental health, child welfare), national reach, and reliance on major corporate sponsors (Bell, RBC) and individual giving.
• Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth: Toronto-based national charity supporting youth transitioning out of care and homelessness. Highly comparable given overlapping beneficiary population (youth aging out of child welfare) and program mix (housing, education, employment).
• The Children's Aid Society of Toronto: Founding partner agency of the Foundation and Canada's largest child welfare society. Comparable as a child welfare organization serving the same beneficiary population, but operates as a government-mandated agency rather than a private foundation.
• First Nations Child and Family Caring Society: Canadian nonprofit focused on Indigenous children, youth, and families involved with the child welfare system. Highly comparable given overlapping Indigenous-focused programming and policy advocacy, though primarily advocacy-oriented rather than direct service.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Centraide Canada: Largest federated fundraising body in Canada, operating across community services broadly. Comparable as a major national grantmaking and donor stewardship organization, but with a much broader mission beyond child welfare.
• YWCA Canada: National federation of YWCAs serving women, girls, and gender-diverse people, including youth in care. Comparable as a national nonprofit with corporate partnerships, gala fundraising, and a federated service-delivery model.

Regional players

• Children's Foundation of British Columbia: Provincial foundation supporting children and youth in BC. Comparable as a grantmaking foundation serving children in care, but geographically limited to one province.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CAFDN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CafdnOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cafdn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cafdn
• Instagraminstagram.com/cafdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Children's Aid Foundation of Canada