Charity Intelligence

What Charity Intelligence does

Charity Intelligence Canada is a registered Canadian nonprofit organization that produces independent, donor-funded research and ratings on Canadian charities. The organization's core product is a web-based rating platform that evaluates over 800 Canadian charities on a 0-to-5 star scale, using a weighted methodology: 35% Results Reporting, 20% Impact (Social Return on Investment), 15% Financial Transparency, 15% Need for Funding, and 12.5% Cost Efficiency. The platform includes Results Reporting grades (scored across 26 keystone questions covering strategy, activities, outputs, outcomes, and learning), Social Impact Ratings based on SROI analysis, sector-based search, A-Z charity directories, and curated lists such as the Top 100 Rated Charities and Top 10 Impact Charities. Additional content includes Ci Views articles, Ci Reports, disaster response coverage, and a 2024 Sector Snapshot.

The business model is entirely donor-funded, with all services provided free of charge to both donors and rated charities. The organization serves two primary segments: individual Canadian donors seeking transparent giving information, and Canadian charities seeking ratings and free one-on-one coaching to improve their results reporting. Distribution is exclusively through the charityintelligence.ca website, supported by social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), email newsletters, and earned media from research publications. The organization is led by Managing Director Kate Bahen, operates from Toronto, Ontario, and reports approximately 400,000 annual website visitors reading over 1.5 million charity reports per year. Founded around 2006 (with website-referenced history extending to 1968), the organization has demonstrated measurable impact: charities coached between January-June 2020 showed a 45-point average improvement in results reporting scores, and overall charity reporting has improved 30% from 2013 to 2025.

Name

Charity Intelligence

Legal name

Charity Intelligence Canada

Website

https://charityintelligence.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Charity Intelligence Canada is a nonprofit that rates over 800 Canadian charities on a 5-star system using weighted metrics on results reporting, financial transparency, and social impact, serving individual donors and charities with free online reports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charity Ratings and Nonprofit Sector Research

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH)

Keywords

• Charity ratings research
• Nonprofit sector analytics
• Donor due diligence
• Social impact measurement
• Philanthropic transparency

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions: Charity Intelligence is entirely funded by donors. The organization states 'Being entirely funded by donors like you maintains our independence and objectivity to help Canadians be informed in their giving.' Donors can donate to support the organization's work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Charity Intelligence researches and rates over 800 Canadian charities, publishing free online profiles with 0-5 star ratings built on weighted metrics including Results Reporting, Financial Transparency, Need for Funding, Cost Efficiency, and Social Impact (SROI). The organization also offers Social Impact Ratings, Results Reporting grades, and complimentary one-on-one coaching to help charities improve their transparency and impact measurement.

Product overview

Charity Intelligence Canada operates a web-based charity research and ratings platform providing free information to Canadian donors. The core product is a comprehensive database of charity profiles featuring a 5-star rating system (0-5 stars) that analyzes charities based on results reporting (35% weight), demonstrated social impact per dollar (20%), financial transparency (15%), funding needs (15%), and cost efficiency (12.5%). The platform includes Social Impact Ratings using Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology, Results Reporting grades assessed across 26 key questions, and curated lists like the Top 100 Rated Charities and Top 10 Impact Charities. Additional offerings include sector-based search, A-Z charity directories, disaster response coverage, in-depth Ci Views articles and Ci Reports, and free one-on-one coaching services for charities to improve their reporting. The platform serves over 400,000 annual visitors who access more than 1.5 million charity reports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Charity Profiles & Star Ratings Free online reports and 0-5 star ratings for over 800 Canadian charities, evaluating Results Reporting, Financial Transparency, Need for Funding, Cost Efficiency, and demonstrated Impact; available to individual donors and the general public.
• Social Impact Ratings Impact ratings based on demonstrated social return on investment (SROI) and data quality scores, measuring the social value created per dollar donated; published for Canadian charities and consumed by donors.
• Results Reporting Grades Grading service assessing charity transparency in reporting social results across 26 Keystone questions covering strategy, activities, outputs, outcomes, and learning; targeted at Canadian charities and the donors who fund them.
• Ci Reports In-depth research reports and sector snapshots on Canadian charities and philanthropic giving patterns, freely available to donors, charities, and the media.
• Free One-on-One Coaching Complimentary 30-minute phone coaching sessions for Canadian charities with completed report profiles, providing feedback on their Results Reporting grades and specific guidance to improve scoring.

Quantifiable outcome

• Charities coached between January-June 2020 showed 45 point average increase in results reporting scores, with improvements ranging from 14 to 62 points after just 30 minutes of coaching
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• GiveWell: US-based charity evaluator focused on evidence-based impact assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis. Highly comparable to Charity Intelligence's SROI-driven Social Impact Ratings methodology and rigorous evidence standards.
• CharityWatch: Independent US charity watchdog publishing ratings based on financial efficiency and governance. Comparable as a smaller, opinionated ratings platform focused on donor protection and program-spending analysis.
• BBB Wise Giving Alliance: US-based charity accountability organization that evaluates nonprofits against standards for governance, results reporting, finances, and solicitations. Comparable in its donor-facing evaluation framework and methodology-driven ratings approach.
• Charity Navigator: The largest US charity ratings platform, evaluating US nonprofits on financial health, accountability, and transparency. Directly comparable to Charity Intelligence as a national-scale, methodology-driven charity rating service serving individual donors.
• Candid (formerly GuideStar): Major US nonprofit information provider (formerly GuideStar) that collects and disseminates nonprofit financial and programmatic data. Comparable as a foundational nonprofit transparency infrastructure provider with similar donor-information services.

Regional players

• Imagine Canada: Canadian national charitable sector organization that accredits charities and promotes sector standards. Comparable as a Canada-focused nonprofit infrastructure and accountability organization operating in the same national market as Charity Intelligence.
• Effektiv Spenden: Germany-based charity evaluator that publishes effectiveness assessments of international development organizations using SROI-like methodologies. Comparable as a methodology-driven ratings platform focused on donor decision-making, though operating in a different European geography.

Emerging players

• GreatNonprofits: US-based review platform where donors and beneficiaries rate nonprofits. Comparable as a community-input-driven nonprofit evaluation tool, though focused on qualitative reviews rather than Charity Intelligence's quantitative rating methodology.
• Give.org (Candid Seal of Transparency): A program within Candid that awards seals of transparency to nonprofits meeting disclosure standards. Comparable as a methodology-based nonprofit credibility designation program that complements ratings with certification.

Others

• Independent Sector: US membership organization for nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs that produces sector research and policy advocacy. Comparable as a sector-wide nonprofit infrastructure organization, though it focuses on policy rather than donor-facing ratings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CharityCanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/CharityIntel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charity-intelligence-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Charity Intelligence