Islamic Relief Canada

Name

Islamic Relief Canada

Legal name

Islamic Relief Canada

Website

https://islamicreliefcanada.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Humanitarian Charity

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid services
• Zakat donation programs
• Orphan sponsorship programs
• Emergency relief appeals
• Water well construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Zakat Donations: Obligatory Islamic charity (2.5% of wealth above Nisab threshold) collected from Muslim donors and distributed to qualified recipients following scholar-verified Zakat policy.
2. Sadaqah Donations: Voluntary charitable donations given at any time in any amount to support humanitarian programs and emergency relief worldwide.
3. Orphan Sponsorship: Monthly recurring sponsorship program ($90/month) providing 1-to-1 support for orphaned children, transferred quarterly to beneficiaries.
4. Emergency Appeals: Time-limited fundraising campaigns for specific humanitarian crises (Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria) with designated funding allocation.
5. Sadaqah Jariyah: Long-term sustainable donations (water wells, infrastructure projects) that continue benefiting communities over time.
6. Securities/Stock Donations: Tax-efficient donation of publicly traded securities, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds with full market value receipt and no capital gains tax.
7. Fidya/Kaffarah: Compensatory donations for missed Ramadan fasts ($15 per fast), distributed as food assistance to those in need.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Islamic Relief Canada is a registered Canadian charity that collects donations from Muslim donors for humanitarian and development programs worldwide. It offers faith-based giving products including Zakat, Sadaqah, Sadaqah Jariyah, Fidya, Kaffarah, Qurbani/Udhiya, Aqiqah, and Riba donations, plus orphan sponsorship (1-to-1 at $90/month), Water for Life well construction, food distribution, and active emergency appeals for Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria. Aid is delivered through a global network of 100+ field offices in 40+ countries to vulnerable populations including orphans, displaced families, and food-insecure communities.

Product overview

Islamic Relief Canada operates as a faith-based humanitarian charity offering a comprehensive suite of charitable giving programs organized around Islamic religious obligations and humanitarian response. The core product portfolio includes Zakat (obligatory almsgiving, 2.5% of wealth), Sadaqah (voluntary charity), Sadaqah Jariyah (ongoing/everlasting charity for sustainable projects), Fidya/Kaffarah (compensation for missed fasts), Qurbani/Udhiya (Eid sacrifice), Aqiqah (birth celebration), and Riba donations (disposal of prohibited interest). Long-term development programs include the Orphan Sponsorship Program (OSP) providing 1-to-1 child sponsorship across 26 countries, Water for Life constructing wells and WASH infrastructure, and Feed the Needy food distribution. Emergency response appeals address active crises in Palestine/Gaza, Sudan, Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria. Domestic Canadian programs (Help at Home) support local disadvantaged communities. Supporting programs include Policy & Research publications, Ramadan seasonal giving, volunteer (Inspire) and student club programs, Charity Challenges adventure fundraising, In Lieu of Gifts event donations, and Gift of Stocks & Securities for tax-efficient wealth transfers. The organization also operates Crisis Watch for rapid disaster response.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Relief Collective: An online shop selling relief merchandise and goods.
• Inspire

Products and services

• Zakat Donation Program Scholar-verified Zakat donation program enabling Muslims to fulfil their obligatory annual almsgiving of 2.5% of eligible wealth. Includes a Zakat Calculator, Nisab guidance, and eligibility checker. Supports 2.3 million rights-holders across 46 Zakat projects.
• Sadaqah Donation Voluntary charitable giving program allowing Muslim donors to give any amount at any time to support humanitarian programs. Reached 4.4 million rights-holders through 113 projects across 22 countries in 2025, supporting food, shelter, education, and healthcare initiatives.
• Sadaqah Jariyah Ongoing or continuing charity program where donations create lasting impact. Supports sustainable development projects including water wells, schools, hospitals, and farmland that benefit communities for years after the initial donation.
• Fidya/Kaffarah Compensatory charity for missed Ramadan fasts. Fidya ($15 per missed fast) feeds one person; Kaffarah is a higher penalty for deliberately broken fasts. Distributed 200,300 food packs to 1,091,371 rights-holders across 33 countries during Ramadan.
• Qurbani/Udhiya Eid al-Adha sacrifice donation program distributing meat to vulnerable families worldwide. Delivered meat to 3,274,455 people with 199,326 Qurbani shares donated during Dhul Hijjah 2026.
• Aqiqah Islamic celebration sacrifice donation for the birth of a child, fulfilling religious obligation through meat distribution to those in need.
• Riba (Interest) Donation Program for disposing of prohibited interest (riba) money in a Shari'ah-compliant manner. Donations support Sadaqah Jariyah projects including water systems, schools, sanitation facilities, and climate-resilient farming. Cannot be counted as Zakat.
• Orphan Sponsorship Program (OSP) True 1-to-1 sponsorship matching donors with orphans in 26 countries. Supports over 93,200 orphans worldwide with food, shelter, education, and healthcare. Monthly sponsorship costs $90; shared sponsorship at $45/month.
• Water for Life Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) program constructing wells and water systems. Built 795 water wells in 2024 with 400 hand pumps planned for 2024/25 across 30+ countries. Community wells cost $5,000 CAD; standalone wells $1,500 CAD.
• Feed the Needy / Food Programs Food distribution program providing monthly food packs containing staples like dates, lentils, rice, sugar, and oil. $150 provides a family with food for one month. Distributed 91,000 food packs and Fitrana through Zakat programs.
• Palestine Emergency Appeal Emergency humanitarian response for Gaza, operating since 1997. Spent $86 million providing 2.2 million medical supply items, 71 million ready-to-eat meals, and clean water to 110,000 people daily since October 2023. Reached over 600,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
• Sudan Emergency Appeal Crisis response for Sudan war since April 2023. Reached 1.2 million people with food assistance and provided clean water to 38,000 people. 7,000 displaced families received emergency shelter.
• Lebanon Emergency Appeal Emergency response in Lebanon since 2006. Reached 118,958+ rights-holders through 3+ projects in 2025, providing 37,481 food parcels, 11,921 hygiene kits, and medical supplies to displaced families.
• Yemen Emergency Appeal Yemen humanitarian response since 1998, operating in 17 of 22 governorates. Provides food to 2 million people monthly and supports 167 health facilities. 24 million people in Yemen need humanitarian aid.
• Syria Emergency Appeal Syria humanitarian response for 13+ years. Provided food to 770,000 displaced people and vital healthcare to 1.2 million people. Supports 84 health facilities as main World Food Programme partner for bread distribution.
• Help at Home (Domestic Programs) Canadian domestic programs supporting disadvantaged communities within Canada, including emergency response for Ontario wildfires and local empowerment initiatives.
• Gift of Stocks & Securities Tax-efficient donation program for publicly traded shares, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. Donors receive full market value receipt without capital gains tax. Transfers via CIBC Wood Gundy with 5-10 business day timeline.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.4 million rights-holders reached worldwide in 2025
• +6 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Food Programme (WFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UN World Food Programme for food distribution operations, particularly in Gaza where Islamic Relief works alongside WFP for food aid delivery.
• UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination with UNHCR through working groups for refugee support operations in Lebanon and other regions, particularly for Syrian and Palestinian refugees.
• Union of Medical Care & Relief OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for medical relief operations in Gaza, including implementation of cash transfer programs via e-wallets and other humanitarian initiatives.
• Campaign for Children of Palestine JapanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project implementation in Gaza for child-focused humanitarian programs and support services.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Islamic Relief Worldwide: Parent/coordinating body of the Islamic Relief network (40+ countries, 100+ field offices). Sets global Zakat policy, coordinates cross-country campaigns, and brands the network — directly impacts Islamic Relief Canada's positioning, product standards, and donor credibility.
• UNICEF Canada: Large Canadian affiliate of a global humanitarian agency focused on children's welfare, water/sanitation, and emergency response in conflict zones. Operates in overlapping geographies (Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, Syria) and competes for unrestricted and emergency-appeal donations from the broader Canadian public.
• Canadian Red Cross: Canada's largest humanitarian charity, operating domestic disaster response, international relief, and emergency appeals with a secular, broad-demographic donor base. Competes for overall Canadian charitable dollars, particularly during major domestic emergencies (e.g., wildfires) where Islamic Relief Canada's Help at Home also raises funds.

Direct peers

• Islamic Relief USA: Direct sister organization under the Islamic Relief Worldwide umbrella, offering the same Zakat, Sadaqah, orphan sponsorship, and emergency appeal product suite to a US Muslim donor base. Operates an identical model and competes for overlapping diaspora donor mindshare in North America.
• Penny Appeal Canada: Canadian-registered Muslim charity offering similar Zakat, Sadaqah, orphan sponsorship, water wells, and emergency appeals targeting the same Muslim donor demographic in Canada. Closest direct competitor by geography, product set, and target audience.
• Human Concern International: Canadian Muslim faith-based humanitarian charity providing Zakat, Sadaqah, orphan sponsorship, and emergency relief across similar conflict and development geographies. Competes head-to-head with Islamic Relief Canada for recurring donors and emergency appeal contributions.
• Muslim Aid Canada: Canadian-registered Islamic humanitarian NGO offering emergency relief, orphan sponsorship, and seasonal Qurbani/Ramadan programs targeting Canadian Muslim donors. Directly comparable product portfolio and donor demographic to Islamic Relief Canada.

Emerging players

• Mercy Without Limits: Faith-based (Islamic) international humanitarian nonprofit operating orphan sponsorship, water wells, and emergency relief in similar geographies (including Gaza, Syria, and East Africa). Smaller scale but overlapping product set targeting similar diaspora donor audiences.
• National Zakat Foundation: Canadian Zakat-collection and distribution organization focused specifically on Zakat compliance and local Canadian distribution. Competes for the Zakat-mandated donor segment with a narrower, locally-focused mandate than Islamic Relief Canada's global humanitarian portfolio.
• LaunchGood: US-headquartered Muslim-focused crowdfunding platform that enables individual campaigns and charity fundraising globally. Competes for the same Muslim-donor digital wallet, particularly for Ramadan and emergency appeals, with lower overhead and broader cause coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/islamic-relief-canada
• Xx.com/IRCanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/islamicrelief.canada

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Islamic Relief Canada