The Samara Centre for Democracy Le Centre Samara pour la démocratie
Charitable organization · Toronto, Ontario · BN 843093295RR0001 · Research · website
Source: T3010 return, FPE 2024-12-31. Split of total expenditures ($944,011) as filed with the CRA.
The Samara Centre for Democracy Le Centre Samara pour la démocratie is a charitable organization based in Toronto, Ontario, classified by the CRA under research. In its fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, it reported $868K in revenue and $944K in expenditures.
Its funding that year was roughly 7% from donations, 8% from government, 78% from other charities. In 2024, 16 other registered charities reported granting it a combined $612K.
Compared with 1,764 education charities of similar size, its share of spending on mission — charitable programs plus grants to other charities — ranked above 30% of peers. Its fundraising cost per donated dollar was higher than 78% of that peer group. Its highest-paid position fell in the $200,000–249,999 range. The charity reported 6 permanent full-time positions.
Its filed list of directors and trustees shows 9 names.
In its own words
The samara centre for demodracy is a non-partisan registered charity dedicated to realizing a resilient democracy with an engaged public and responsive institutions. Our research and programs make us a go-to resource for active citizens educators public leaders and the media. Our ongoing programs examine technology's influence on our democracy and the lived experience of politics in canada. We also continue to support public engagement initiatives aimed at securing a vibrant culture of civic engagement.
Ongoing-program description from its T3010 filing, verbatim.
The ledger, 2020–2024
| Year | Revenue | Spending | Programs | Fundraising | Gifts out | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $868K | $944K | $659K | $54K | — | $622K |
| 2023 | $863K | $860K | $643K | — | — | $698K |
| 2022 | $941K | $923K | $658K | — | — | $695K |
| 2021 | $838K | $653K | $457K | — | — | $678K |
| 2020 | $943K | $962K | $519K | — | — | $493K |
Revenue printed in red where the year ran a deficit. Fiscal years by period end.
Money between charities, 2024
Received $612K from 16 charities:
- The MacMillan Family Foundation$225K
- Inspirit Foundation$85K
- SGNC Foundation$75K
- Canadahelps Canadon$52K
- Canadahelps Canadon$52K
- The Flanagan Foundation$50K
- Your Canada Your Constitution / Votre Canada Votre Constitution$40K
- Panicaro Foundation$10K
- The McLelland Foundation$8,000
- Toronto Foundation$7,000
- Bay Tree Foundation$5,000
- Aqueduct Foundation$2,000
- United Way East Ontario / Centraide Est de l'Ontario$1,050
- Vancouver Foundation$275
- United Way of Greater Toronto$216
- Canadian Online Giving Foundation$150
As reported on the donors’ own T3010 qualified-donee schedules.
What it pays
Its ten highest-paid positions, by band:
- $200,000–249,9991 position
- $40,000–79,9995 positions
- Permanent full-time positions6
- Total compensation, all staff$526K
Schedule 3 of its 2024 return. The CRA discloses bands, not names or exact salaries.
Directors & trustees (2024)
Michael Macmillan (board member chair); Ruth Ostrower (board member secretary treasu); Liban Abokor (board member); Zain Velji (board member); Jeilah Chan (board member); Lisa Laflamme (board member); Elizabeth Dowdeswell (board member); Debra Thompson (board member); Kathleen Mahoney (board member).
As listed on its 2024 return.
Check the source
Every figure on this page is from The Samara Centre for Democracy Le Centre Samara pour la démocratie’s own T3010 filings, published by the Canada Revenue Agency. Verify against the CRA’s charities listing (search BN 843093295RR0001), or read how we compute the receipt.