Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions about UNICEF Canada. 

For every dollar raised, UNICEF Canada spends 72 cents (three-year average) on UNICEF’s work to deliver life-saving aid and long-term support to children worldwide. In 2024, this amounted to $67,480,794. The impact of donor dollars is multiplied many times over through UNICEF’s unique ability to collaborate and scale up projects for even more children. Our cost of mobilizing funds and administration is a three-year average of 28%, which meets Canada Revenue Agency guidelines for charities. Our best practices in transparency, accountability, ethical fundraising, staff management and governance have repeatedly earned us Imagine Canada’s Standards Accreditation.

Learn more about how UNICEF uses your donations 

No. Although we are considered part of the UN family of organizations, we rely entirely on voluntary contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations – as well as grants from governments who trust UNICEF to create results and impact for children.

As a high-income nation, Canada contributes international development funding to UNICEF’s headquarters, supporting global priorities for children. 

UNICEF Canada has also fostered a positive advocacy relationship with Global Affairs Canada on international policy issues, earning the trust of Government stakeholders. As a result, the Government has previously granted funds directly to UNICEF Canada to support specific initiatives overseen by our programs staff (e.g., UNdaunted in Somalia, the Eliminate Project, and Saving Children’s Lives).

By donating to UNICEF Canada, you’re driving tangible, life-changing impact for children around the world. UNICEF bases its decision-making on extensive data and research, partnerships, and knowledge directly from the countries we work with. When donations are unrestricted, it enables us to lead new approaches, work innovatively across the entire span of childhood, and adapt to changing situations — particularly during emergencies. Find more on this at unicef.ca/WhereYourMoneyGoes.

Diversity, equity and inclusion is one of three top priorities in our 2022-2025 Strategic Plan. We seek to become the organization of choice for all people in Canada who want to protect and promote child rights, and to increase our ability to engage and be an ally for diverse communities. You can learn more about this priority at unicef.ca/StrategicPlan.

We work hard to advocate for children in Canada, while also providing them with learning opportunities and a platform to speak for themselves. 

Through a distinctly non-partisan approach, we collaborate with governments in Canada to advance the rights and well-being of children and youth. Our approach is informed by data from UNICEF, which is the world’s largest collector of data on every aspect of being a child. This data helps us identify the greatest needs and issues facing children today. 

We also equip young people with the skills and knowledge needed to become powerful advocates in Canada.  Through our Youth Advocacy Program, youth participate in a 10-month online program where they learn about the step-by-step process of creating an advocacy plan, their legal rights as advocates, and how to influence decision-makers. 

Our free, confidential polling platform U-Report is also available to anyone aged 13-24 to share their voice anonymously on issues that matter. You can access U-Report here.

UNICEF is the world’s most powerful force for children. With a presence in more than 190 countries and territories, our commitment is global because we’re trusted by governments, as well as partners and donors from almost every sector. Undaunted by war, disaster, disease or distance, we work tirelessly to bring life-saving aid and long-term support to children and their families while ensuring the rights of every child are realized.

From vaccinating almost half of the world’s children to providing essential health, nutrition and education services, we create innovative solutions to problems facing the world’s children. Before, during and after emergencies, UNICEF is there to help those who need it most.

UNICEF is the only organization named in the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child as the world’s source of expert assistance and advice. 

UNICEF works in some of the world’s most difficult regions where there are many barriers to children’s rights. Non-political and impartial, we focus on ensuring  life-saving programs and resources reach children and families according to their needs. To do this, UNICEF works only with non-governmental organizations that go through a rigorous screening and approval process with the United Nations. This process is repeated every few years.

These “implementing partners” are bound by agreements that they enter into with the UN. The agreements require that cash, supplies and equipment under their control are kept in the right hands for their intended purposes. This means they are not used to provide support to individuals or entities associated with terrorism, and they are not transferred by the implementing partner to any individual or entity that is listed on the UN Security Council Committee Consolidated List.

UNICEF Canada is a Canadian Registered Charity and a separate legal entity from UNICEF’s headquarters. We are led by an executive leadership team that ultimately reports to the board of directors. The board of directors provides leadership in shaping our organization’s vision, and establishing priorities that contribute to sustainable fundraising and advocacy programs. Board members provide effective governance of the affairs of UNICEF Canada, act as role models through their own philanthropy, and mobilize and develop relationships on behalf of the organization.

Yes. In accordance with UNICEF Canada’s reserves policy, we have reserves at a level sufficient to maintain salary and operating expenses for three months.

UNICEF Canada does not own any buildings or land. We lease one floor of office space at market rate in midtown Toronto for fewer than 70 staff. We also lease small offices for teams of fewer than 5 staff in Montreal and Calgary.

If you did not find the information you are looking for, please reach out to us at info@unicef.ca or call 1 800 567 4483.