201, 2120 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB T2N 3R7
CEO: Danielle Ladouceur
Board President: Janice Heard

Charitable Reg. #:10691 4534 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 4/5]

✔+

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.

B-

RESULTS REPORTING

Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.

Good

DEMONSTRATED IMPACT

The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.

NEED FOR FUNDING

Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.

87%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 87 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About Children's Cottage Society:

Children's Cottage Society (CHCSC) is a 4-star charity with Good demonstrated impact. It is financially transparent and has overhead spending within Ci's reasonable range. It has an average results reporting grade.

 

Founded in 1986, Children's Cottage Society helps prevent harm and neglect to children in Calgary. It aims to build strong children and safe, nurturing families through prevention programs and family support services. Parents seek help from Children's Cottage Society for reasons including homelessness, poor physical or mental health, and family violence. Children's Cottage Society has helped more than 72,000 children since its opening. The charity operates four main programs: Crisis Nursery, Housing and Homelessness, Family Resource Network, and Community Outreach. 

 

A Charity Intelligence 2022 Top 10 Canadian Youth Impact Charity

 

In F2023, Children's Cottage Society's Crisis Nursery program accounted for 40% of total program costs. The program offers free short-term childcare (up to 72 hours) for children aged newborn to eight years. The nursery is operated by trained child and family support workers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Crisis Nursery served 814 children and 534 families in F2023.

 

Children's Cottage Society allocated 34% of program spending to Housing and Homelessness in F2023. HouseLinks is an intensive case management program that helps families experiencing homelessness find and move into homes. In F2023, Children's Cottage Society's housing programs reached 108 children and 55 families.

 

Children's Cottage Society's Family Resource Network made up 15% of program spending in F2023. The family resource network is a collaboration of agencies providing free programs to families with children under 18 in West Calgary. Members receive support with parenting skills, information and parenting strategies, and counselling support and resources. The Family Resource Network served 667 children and 190 families in F2023. 

 

In F2023, Children's Cottage Society allocated 10% of program spending to Community Programs. Its Infant Respite program offers parents with children aged newborn to six months to have a worker come to their home and care for their infant while they rest. The program helped 66 children and 59 families in F2023. Children's Cottage Society's Early Years program teaches parents parenting skills and healthy child development information. In F2023, the Early Years programs reached 94 children and 77 families. The charity also offers home visitation services that served 171 children and 93 families in F2023.

 

Children's Cottage Society mentions Brenda's House on its website but does not include it in its program spending breakdown. The charity states that Brenda's House is an emergency shelter that hosts 14 families at a time. Children's Cottage Society reports that Brenda's House hosted 150 children and 81 families in F2023.

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Results and Impact

Children's Cottage Society reports that its Housing program maintained 94 families and 172 children in permanent housing. It also states that 93% of families in its housing programs moved into stable housing in F2023.

 

According to the charity, 98% of parents reported that they felt better able to meet their child's needs after receiving crisis care. Additionally, 88% of families in the Home Visitation program increased knowledge about positive parenting, and 76% reported a boost in confidence as a parent. The charity reports that 100% of parents from the Early Years program increased their knowledge about child growth and development. Similarly, 97% of parents in the Infant Respite program felt more prepared to care for their children.

 

The charity reports that 93% of families at Brenda's House felt cared for, and 84% found long-term housing. Furthermore, 74% could move into their apartments within 45 days. 

 

While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Children's Cottage Society's results and impact.

 

Ci has rated Children's Cottage Society as Good impact based on demonstrated impact per dollar. 

 

A Charity Intelligence 2022 Top 10 Canadian Youth Impact Charity

Impact Rating: Good

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Finances

Children's Cottage Society had total donations of $10.3m in F2023, up 79% from F2022 and 159% from F2021. Administrative costs are 8% of revenues (excluding investment income), and fundraising costs are 5% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 13%. For every dollar donated, 87 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending.

Children's Cottage Society has $4.7m in reserve funds (cash and investments), which can cover 82% or almost ten months of its annual program costs.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Children's Cottage Society for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 28, 2023, by Sydney Olexa.

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending March
202320222021
Administrative costs as % of revenues 7.9%6.0%6.3%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 4.9%6.8%7.6%
Total overhead spending 12.8%12.8%13.9%
Program cost coverage (%) 82.4%115.2%64.4%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202320222021
Donations 10,3425,7883,989
Government funding 3,8212,9012,945
Investment income (11)62476
Other income 9926072
Total revenues 14,2529,0107,482
Program costs 5,6495,9746,168
Administrative costs 1,132539438
Fundraising costs 502393304
Total spending 7,2836,9056,911
Cash flow from operations 6,9692,105571
Capital spending 8,824342208
Funding reserves 4,6546,8823,971

Note: Salary information is for F2022, as the charity's F2023 T3010 filing with the CRA was unavailable at the time of the profile update. Ci could not adjust for deferred contributions, as the charity did not break out deferred government contributions on its audited financial statements. Ci included investment income (loss) in revenues, affecting revenues by ($11k) in F2023, $62k in F2022, and $476k in F2021. Ci removed amortization from program and administrative costs relative to facility expenses. Ci added deferred development costs to capital expenditures, increasing capital expenditures by $8.8m in F2023, $342k in F2022, and $6k in F2021.

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 63

Avg. compensation: $68,201

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
0
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
0
$200k - $250k
0
$160k - $200k
0
$120k - $160k
1
$80k - $120k
4
$40k - $80k
5
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2022

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

No comments have been added by the charity.

Charity Contact

Website: www.childrenscottage.ab.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 403-283-4200

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001