Information and data on charity pages

Most of the information on charity pages is provided by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), which regulates registered charities in Canada.

This information includes details about the charity’s programs and finances based on the public portions of the Registered Charity Information Return (T3010). The T3010 is an annual filing that charities are required to submit to maintain their status and ensure transparency. Any details under the “CRA info” heading, the “Activities” tab, and the “Revenue & expenses” tab come from the CRA.

The CRA also notifies us of any changes to a charity’s status, for example, if the charity becomes inactive or its registration is revoked. 

Claimed pages

Some charities choose to claim their charity page. Claimed pages can be identified by the blue checkmark next to the charity’s avatar. When charities claim their page, they can add custom content such as a logo and contact details. They can also add a description, photos, and a video to help highlight what they do. Any details under the “Contact info” heading are provided by the charity.  

AI-generated charity descriptions

For pages that have not been claimed, and for some claimed pages without a description, we provide an AI-generated description to help people learn about the charity.

Once a page is claimed, the charity can edit or replace this description at any time. Learn more about AI-generated charity descriptions.

How often are charity pages updated?

Charities are required to file a T3010 with the CRA each year, and within six months of their fiscal year-end. The CRA processes this information and makes it publicly available, but it can take up to 12 months before we receive the updated data. Once we do, we update the charity page accordingly. 

If we notice a change in the T3010 for an individual charity, that charity is marked so its AI-generated description can be updated. AI-generated descriptions are updated on a quarterly basis. If a charity page is claimed and the description is edited, that charity will not receive further AI-generated updates.

Some updates—such as changes to a charity’s registration status, contact details, or legal name—are provided to us more frequently. We check for and apply these updates on a weekly basis. 

Why some pages may not display data

Only registered charities in Canada are required to file the T3010 Registered Charity Information Return with the CRA. If a charity is newly registered and has not filed yet, we won’t have received any program or financial information to display.

Charities must file their T3010 without six months of their fiscal year-end, but it can take additional time for the CRA to process and release the data. 

In some cases, the organization may be a different type of qualified donee (such as a municipality or university). These organizations are recognized by the CRA but are not required to file a T3010, so we don’t receive the same type of information for them. 

Understanding the terms on this page

Doing business as (DBA): A DBA refers to an operating or trade name that a charity might use publicly other than its official, legal registered name. 

Type: The information here includes the designation that the CRA assigns to a registered charity based on their structure, funding sources, and operational model. There are three designations: 

• Charitable organization: Carries out its own charitable programs and services
• Public foundation: Primarily makes grants to other registered charities, and can carry out some of its own activities
• Private foundation: Typically funded and controlled by a single person, family, or corporation, and may conduct its own activities or fund other charities

You may also see other types of qualified donees, in addition to registered charities, displayed here. 

Charitable categories and subcategories

The CRA assigns each registered charity a category and a more specific subcategory to describe the nature of its work. 

Category: A charity’s category reflects its overall mission. Every registered charity in Canada is assigned to one of the following four categories: 

• Relief of poverty: Providing support to people who lack basic necessities such as food, shelter, or clothing.
• Advancement of education: Promoting formal or informal learning, and the development of knowledge. 
• Advancement of religion: Supporting religious beliefs, observances, and practices.
• Other purposes beneficial to the community: Offering services that benefit the public and don’t fall under the other three categories. 

Subcategory: The subcategory provides a more specific description of the charity’s focus or activities within its assigned category. For example, a charity under the “Advancement of education” category might be further classified with a subcategory like “public elementary school” or “literacy groups.”