Variety BC is a 2-star charity. It is financially transparent and has a C- results reporting grade which is below average. Its overhead spending is 33% which is within Ci’s reasonable range. Its reserve funds can cover program costs for one year and eight months, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.

Founded in 1967, Variety BC (also known as Variety – the Children’s Charity of BC) raises money to help children in British Columbia with disabilities and complex health needs. It provides grants for mental health support, educational opportunities, and medical aid. Kids with disabilities and complex health needs often suffer from anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. The wait times for a public-funded autism or psychological assessment can be years.

Variety BC (VCC) spent $5.3m on its Heart of Variety Fund in the fiscal year ending September 2024 (F2024). It granted the British Columbia Family Residence Program (BCFRP) $2.9m in F2024. The BCFRP gives accommodation for families while a child requires care at BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre, BC Cancer Agency and/or the BC Women’s Hospital. VCC's Heart of Variety Fund supports five main programs: Private Assessments, Specialized Therapies, Mobility and Medical Equipment, Tutoring and Tuition, and Mental Health Support. The BCFRP received 35% of program spending, while these five programs of the Heart of Variety Fund received 65% of program spending; however, the charity did not provide a spending breakdown for these five programs. It provided a total of 8,395 grants, which includes 2,178 individual grants, 6,215 emergency grants and two Sunshine Coach grants. Its Sunshine Coach grants fund comfortable and inclusive transportation vehicles for kids with special needs. In F2024, it reported that it helped over 15,200 children in BC and supported 28 schools and hospitals.

Private Assessments funds psychological assessments for kids. These assessments help kids receive government funding for essential therapies and other resources. In F2024, VCC gave 892 Private Assessments grants.

Specialized Therapies funds therapies that help children communicate, improve physical strength and develop motor skills. In F2024, VCC gave 765 Specialized Therapies grants.

Mobility and Medical Equipment funds medical supplies and mobility equipment such as hearing aids, specialty beds, wheelchairs, walkers, and more. In F2024, VCC gave 231 Mobility and Medical Equipment grants.

Tutoring and Tuition funds personalized education with one-on-one tutoring and education centres. In F2024, VCC gave 199 Tutoring and Tuition grants.

Mental Health Support funds clinical counselling to help children process trauma and strong emotions. In F2024, VCC gave 91 Mental Health Support grants.

Variety BC’s audited financial statements follow activity-based costing, a financial reporting best practice. This means its expenses are clearly defined between program, administrative, and fundraising costs.

VCC received $7.9m in donations in F2024, which is 70% of total revenue. It got $2.2m in government funding, which is 20% of total revenue. In F2024, it recorded a deficit of $104k, meaning it drew on its reserves to fund operations.

In F2024, it granted $2.9m to the British Columbia Family Residence Program, which is 25% of revenue. The charity spent an additional $5.5m on its other programs for a total of $8.4m, which is 75% of total revenue. 

VCC spent $2.0m on fundraising costs, which is 25% of donations. It spent $903k on administrative costs, which is 8% of revenue. VCC has overhead spending of 33%. For every dollar donated to VCC, 67 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

VCC has $14.9m in reserve funds (cash and investments). In 1996, VCC put money into the Vancouver Foundation. These off-balance sheet reserve funds are not reported. Its reported reserve funds (excluding donor-endowed funds of $697k) can cover 170% or one year and eight months of its annual program costs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

At the end of F2024, VCC had grant commitments of $2.5m to other organizations and individuals to fund expenditures or provide assets.

This report is an update that has been sent to Variety BC for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. Updated on May 30, 2025, by Leah DeFrancesco.