Of the more than 84,000 registered charities in Canada, World Renew is one of the top 100, according to Maclean’s magazine.
Each year the publication assesses Canadian charities based on data provided by the website Charity Intelligence. They look at how each charity spends the money they receive, and how transparent they are in providing this information.
This past year World Renew, the international disaster response and poverty alleviation organization of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, came out with a score of 92.5 percent, placing it in the top 10 “International charities” and in the top 100 charities overall.
“Lists like this matter because there are donors in the general public that are looking for ways to give where they can be assured their gifts will be used with integrity in the most cost-effective ways,” said Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo, director of World Renew-Canada.
She added that being included in a list like this creates the opportunity for people outside traditional Christian Reformed circles to know about World Renew and consider getting involved.
“The list also helps CRC members share about World Renew with confidence to their broader circles of relationships, [demonstrating] that World Renew is a good and worthy cause for them to consider giving towards as well,” said Kaastra-Mutoigo.
With these things in mind, World Renew has been intentional about getting their name and information considered.
“A few years ago we contacted Charity Intelligence to ask about getting into their reviews,” said Kaastra Mutoigo. She added that the World Renew website also provides them with essential information each year so that they can track and assess the organization’s finances.
“They gather a lot of information about our finances and program reports. They check what we have on our website and what we share publicly with donors,” Kaastra-Mutoigo reported.
As a result, World Renew was included in MoneySense magazine’s top 100 charities in 2019 and is now part of Maclean’s list as well.
Kaastra-Mutoigo pointed out that several other Christian charities are also in the list, including the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, of which World Renew is a founding member.
“To see that five out of the top 10 charities in the international charities section include the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and four of its members is a great witness to God’s glory shining through churches in Canada,” she said.
World Renew also provides similar financial and program information to Charity Navigator and GuideStar for its U.S. supporters. While there are no equivalent “top 100 lists” of charities in the United States, World Renew has earned a “gold level” rating — the top tier — on GuideStar.
Kaastra-Mutoigo says that ratings and list inclusions like these are a testimony to God’s grace and a reminder of the many Christians across North America and around the world who support World Renew’s ministry.
“We are only able to do this work with such efficiency and effectiveness because of the generosity of our donors, including thousands around the world who volunteer their time to serve, and because of our highly dedicated staff and partners.”
