Overview of WE Charity Projects Funded by ESDC

Organization Background

Name of Organization: WE Charity

Brief Description: WE Charity (formerly known as Free the Children) is a Canadian-based international charity and educational partner, founded by Craig Kielburger in 1995. It is a high-capacity, bilingual organization with a proven record of accomplishment in working with youth to support service for the last 25 years.

WE empowers young Canadians at home (WE Schools & WE Day) and around the world (WE Villages). In Canada, WE Charity’s programs impact over 2.4M young people across the country and is active in over 7,000 schools from coast to coast, making it one of the largest networks of youth service in the country.

Funding Overview

Total amount WE received: The organization received $547,427,155 in contribution funding from ESDC programs since 2003. The Department has no history of procurement contracts with the organization.

Total amount Free the Children received: The organization received $23,903 in contribution funding from ESDC programs since 2003.

The Department has no history of procurement contracts with the organization.

ESDC Funding Amount per program:

2020 - CSC-Canada Student Service Grant - Contributions:

$543,540,000 in funding under the Canada Service Corps – COVID-19 for 1 project.

Duration: 2020-05-05 to 2021-03-31 (approx. 11 months). This project is being terminated.

The project objective is to administer cash awards and develop volunteer opportunities, in collaboration with other not-for-profit (NFP) organizations, for the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG), a new national initiative that recognizes the voluntary contributions of students to the community response to COVID-19. WE will develop up to 40,000 volunteer opportunities and disburse cash awards to up to 100,000 eligible students. Through this project, students will gain valuable skills and experience and be recognized for their volunteer efforts with financial awards to help pay for their post-secondary education.

2019 - SDPP-Children and Families - Contributions:

$3,000,000 in funding under the SDPP-Children and Families - Contributions program for 1 project.

Duration: 2019-09-03 to 2021-08-31 (approx. 24 months)

The project objective is to provide Canadian youth, particularly underrepresented youth, with the skills, training, and resources required to become engaged as leaders of new social enterprises (SEs), while scaling up the capacity, reach and impact of existing SEs. The project will support the creation of approximately 200 youth-led micro SEs; and foster the growth of approximately 30 established SEs.

2018 - YSI (renamed Canada Service Corps) - Contributions:

$887,155 in funding under YSI - Innovative Engagement and Outreach program for 1 project.

Duration: 2018-07-03 to 2019-06-28 (approx. 12 months)

The project objective was to develop recommendations and scalable models for organizations and policy-makers across Canada to increase youth engagement in service, particularly for underrepresented youth, via a design lab approach to test different types of incentive structures, mentorship models, and digital supports.

Canada Summer Jobs (formerly Youth - Summer Career Placements) – Contributions:

• 2007 - $3,527 in funding for 1 job.
• 2006 - $3,527 in funding for 1 job.
• 2005 - $3,129 in funding for 1 job.
• 2004 - $7,007 in funding for 2 jobs.
• 2003 - $6,713 in funding for 2 jobs.

Additional Information

• The organization, under both names, has had 3 projects not recommended for funding under Canada Summer Jobs in:
  • 1 project in 2007-2008;
  • 1 project in 2008-2009; and
  • 1 project in 2015-2016.
• WE currently has 2 applications under assessment with the Department for $6,057,968:
  • SDG Funding Program-Contribution for $519,000; and
  • Youth Employment and Skills Strategy for $5,538,968.
• The Canada Student Service Grant agreement with WE Charity Foundation is in the process of being terminated.
• WE is in good standing with the Department, and there are no issues to report at this time.