IMPERIAL ORDER DAUGHTERS OF THE EMPIRE

What IMPERIAL ORDER DAUGHTERS OF THE EMPIRE does

IODE Canada (Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire) is a national women's charitable organization founded in 1900, headquartered at 80 Birmingham Street, Suite B6, Toronto, Ontario, and registered as a Canadian charity under Reg. No. 130629702RR0001. The organization operates through a federated network of more than 100 primary, municipal, and provincial chapters spanning every Canadian province and territory, in which women of all ages conduct volunteer-driven fundraising and community service focused on Children, Education, and Community Services. Members collectively contribute more than one million volunteer hours annually, and the organization celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2025.

The service portfolio spans education, citizenship, and community programs delivered through long-running scholarship and grant vehicles, including War Memorial Doctoral Scholarships (initiated 1918, awarded since 1921), the Violet Downey Book Award, the $40,000 100th Anniversary Grant Program for child abuse and neglect prevention (2027 cycle open for applications), the IODE Alberta Master's Bursary ($5,000), IODE Alberta Coronation Bursaries (two $1,000 awards), IODE Manitoba Jon Sigurdsson Scholarships (14 annually), IODE British Columbia Arts Award ($1,000), the Joan Butler Award in Perinatal Intensive Care Nursing at McGill, and bursaries at Montreal Children's Hospital, the National Youth Orchestra, and the National Theatre School of Canada. Community programs include the Snack Pack school nutrition program (launched 1978 in Labrador), the Canadian Disaster Fund, the RCMP Community Service Award, and partnerships with First Book Canada, Janus Academy (founding patron), Kids Kottage (founding patron), and the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters. Communications run through the Echoes magazine (published since 1902), Express News email newsletter, and chapter-operated social channels.

Revenue is generated through four streams: donations and contributions collected via CanadaHelps, direct mail, and the FlipGive Shop to Give campaign; individual membership fees paid by women joining chapters; legacy giving via bequests, publicly traded securities, and life insurance policies; and the Together for Tomorrow endowment fund accepting one-time and recurring pledges. The organization has no parent company, subsidiaries, external institutional investors, or disclosed audited financial statements. Governance rests on a National Board led by President Karen Dalton (2025–present) with two Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, and functional officers, alongside elected Provincial Presidents for Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on the chapter network, the iode.ca website, and a members-only digital library at iodecanada-memberresources.ca.

Name

IMPERIAL ORDER DAUGHTERS OF THE EMPIRE

Legal name

Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire

Website

https://iode.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

IODE Canada is a 125-year-old national women's charitable organization headquartered in Toronto that operates more than 100 chapters across Canada, delivering scholarships, grants, and community-service programs (education, child welfare, citizenship) funded by member fees, donations, and bequests.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Community Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Women's charity services
• Volunteer community programs
• Education scholarships
• Nonprofit grant programs
• Community service organizations

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, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: IODE Canada receives donations from individuals, chapters, and organizations to support their charitable programs. Donors receive charitable income tax receipts for the full amount contributed. The organization has partnered with CanadaHelps for secure online donations.
2. Membership Fees: Revenue generated from members joining IODE chapters across Canada. Members pay to join and participate in the organization.
3. Legacy Giving and Bequests: IODE Canada encourages donors to leave gifts to IODE in their will. Donors can make charitable bequests through their estate, donate publicly traded securities, or gift life insurance policies. These endowed gifts create lasting support.
4. Together For Tomorrow Fund: A long-term funding strategy that ensures IODE Canada continues carrying out its mission. Pledges may be one-time gifts or repeating gifts. Funds assist with operational costs and build a capital fund to support the legacy of IODE.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IODE Canada is a national women's charitable organization that operates a federated network of more than 100 local chapters delivering scholarships, bursaries, grants, literary awards, community service programs, and citizenship recognition initiatives across Canada. The organization funds these programs through member dues, individual and chapter donations, legacy bequests, and an endowment fund, with each chapter retaining autonomy to select and support projects in its own community focused on Children, Education and Community Services.

Product overview

IODE Canada is a national women's charitable organization founded in 1900, dedicated to enhancing quality of life through education support, community service, and citizenship programs. The organization operates through a network of local chapters across Canada and offers various programs including scholarships (War Memorial Doctoral Scholarships, Alberta Master's Bursary, Manitoba Jon Sigurdsson Scholarships), awards (Violet Downey Book Award, BC Arts Award, RCMP Community Service Award), grant programs (100th Anniversary Grant Program), community service initiatives (Snack Pack Program), and publications (Echoes magazine, Express News newsletter). The organization also manages the Together for Tomorrow endowment fund for long-term financial sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IODE War Memorial Scholarships Doctoral scholarship program initiated in 1918 (first awards 1921) to commemorate Canadians who sacrificed their lives for peace and freedom. Initially awarded to children of men and women who lost their lives or were permanently disabled while fighting for Canada, with recipients going on to contribute to medicine, science, business, politics and academia.
• IODE Violet Downey Book Award Annual award for the best English language book containing at least 500 words of text suitable for children aged 13 and under, preferably with Canadian content, written by a Canadian citizen and published in Canada.
• IODE 100th Anniversary Grant Program Ongoing signature grant program supporting programs designed to prevent, treat and alleviate abuse and neglect among children and youth (ages 0-25). One grant of $40,000 is available, with applications accepted between 01 September and 30 November.
• IODE Snack Pack Program School nutrition program providing daily nutritious snacks to school children. Originally started in Labrador in 1978 to provide mid-morning snacks including milk to school children in Davis Inlet and Northwest River, supplementing their diets and supporting learning readiness.
• IODE RCMP Community Service Award Annual award established by IODE Canada to recognize a member, unit or detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for exemplary public service to their community outside of their official duties.
• Echoes Official publication for IODE members across Canada, published continually since 1902. Subscriptions available at $16 annually in Canada and $25 for international destinations, with gift subscriptions available. Shares news of fellow members, reports on issues affecting IODE, provides fundraising ideas, and celebrates charitable project successes.
• Express News Email newsletter sent to members from time to time with timely updates, highlights, and information on initiatives and events across Canada.
• Together for Tomorrow Fund Long-term funding strategy and capital fund to support the legacy of IODE Canada. Pledges may be one-time gifts or repeating gifts; funds assist with operational costs and build a capital fund to support the legacy of the organization.
• IODE Alberta Master's Bursary Bursary of $5,000 awarded (one per year as funds are available) to graduate students enrolled in a Master's degree program at an Alberta-based university, offered in memory of Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.
• IODE Alberta Coronation Bursary Two bursaries of $1,000 each awarded annually to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, established since 1920.
• IODE Manitoba Jon Sigurdsson Scholarships 14 scholarships awarded annually to Manitoba students pursuing post-secondary education.
• IODE British Columbia Arts Award Annual $1,000 scholarship for students in Visual or Performing Arts in Grades 10, 11, or 12 who are residents of British Columbia.
• IODE Labrador Bursary Bursary program supporting Labrador students, complementing the long-running Labrador school nutrition work that began in 1978.
• IODE National Youth Orchestra Support Financial assistance program providing funding support to students at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.
• IODE National Theatre School of Canada Scholarship Scholarship program providing financial assistance to students at The National Theatre School of Canada.
• IODE Joan Butler Award in Perinatal Intensive Care Nursing Award supporting nursing students at McGill University studying Perinatal Intensive Care Nursing.
• IODE Bursaries to Nurses at Montreal Children's Hospital Bursaries supporting nursing education and training at Montreal Children's Hospital.
• IODE Canadian Disaster Fund Community service fund providing disaster relief support across Canada, assisting communities affected by emergencies and natural disasters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million volunteer hours contributed annually by IODE members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CanadaHelpscoreTechnology or IntegrationIODE Canada has partnered with CanadaHelps to enable secure online donations that are convenient and private. Donors have complete flexibility to decide how much to give and how often. CanadaHelps gives donors a tax receipt for 100 percent of their donation.
• FlipGiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe FlipGive Campaign earns cash back for the IODE Snack Pack Program on every purchase made all year long through the Shop to Give campaign.
• Learning and Reading Partners Adult Learning SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 1999, the Provincial Chapter of Prince Edward Island partnered with Learning and Reading Partners Adult Learning System to produce 'Learning Begins - Brain Development and Learning from Conception Through Age 2'. This program developed in PEI has since been used across Canada.
• Aliant Telephone PioneersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2004, the PEI Provincial Chapter partnered with Aliant Telephone Pioneers to introduce a pilot reading project, 'A Book About Me', to a Grade 1 class.
• Janus AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Provincial Chapter of Alberta was a founding patron of Janus Academy in Calgary, a school for autistic children. This was the second school of its kind in North America.
• Kids KottagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a founding patron of Kids Kottage in Edmonton, the Provincial Chapter of Alberta pledged $10,000 per year for a total of three years to assist with training courses for childcare workers.
• Alberta Council of Women's Shelters (ACWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIODE Alberta has a long-standing partnership with ACWS to provide effective interventions for children who have lived with violence. IODE Alberta initially funded the program over 40 years ago and continues to raise funds ($100,000 in 2020) to implement program changes and fund education programs for staff, volunteers and professionals serving shelters.
• First Book CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Book Canada offers gift certificates for books to support IODE's literacy and Read for Life programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army Canada: Major Canadian charitable organization providing community services, family support, and emergency assistance. Overlaps with IODE's community service and disaster relief programs at much greater scale.
• Plan International Canada: Major Canadian charity focused on children's rights, education, and community development internationally. Comparable in education sponsorship/scholarship programs and children's welfare focus.
• Canadian Red Cross: Large established Canadian humanitarian charity that overlaps with IODE's Canadian Disaster Fund and community service mandate. Much larger scale but comparable in charitable giving and community service delivery.
• Habitat for Humanity Canada: Federated Canadian charitable organization with local affiliates, mobilizing volunteers for community impact. Comparable in volunteer-driven, locally autonomous chapter model though focused on housing.

Direct peers

• YWCA Canada: National women's charitable organization with local associations delivering community programs, advocacy, and member-driven service. Directly comparable in mission, member base, and federated delivery model.
• United Way Canada: Federated giving organization with local member chapters raising and distributing funds across Canada. Closest structural analogue to IODE — both rely on chapter-based fundraising networks and pooled community grantmaking.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada: Federated Canadian charity focused on mentoring and youth development through local agency networks. Comparable in federated structure and youth-focused mission.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: Federated youth-serving organization with local clubs delivering programs for children and youth across Canada. Directly comparable in focus area (children/youth) and chapter-based delivery model.

Emerging players

• Children's Aid Foundation of Canada: Canadian charity focused on child welfare, education, and youth support. Comparable in the child-protection and education grantmaking niche that IODE's 100th Anniversary Grant Program targets.
• Make-A-Wish Canada: Canadian children's charity with regional chapters raising funds for child-focused grants. Comparable in chapter-based children's charity model with grant/award programs to individual beneficiaries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/iodejessiefgordon
• Instagraminstagram.com/iodeevolve
• Xx.com/IODECanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iode-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 IMPERIAL ORDER DAUGHTERS OF THE EMPIRE