Ernestine's Women's Shelter
STAR RATINGCi's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics: |
✔+
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.
n/r
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.
63%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 63 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Ernestine's Women's Shelter:
Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter is a 3-star charity that has a below-average results reporting grade of B-. For every dollar donated, 63 cents are available to go towards the cause. Its reserve funds can cover just over nine months of annual program costs.
Founded in 1983, Ernestine’s Women Shelter (Ernestine’s) provides a safe space and support services for women, gender-diverse individuals, and children escaping violence. Since founding, it has supported over 15,000 individuals and children. In fiscal 2024 (year ended March), Ernestine’s spent $2.1m on three main programs: Outreach, Life Without Violence, and Child and Youth. The charity does not provide a program spending breakdown.
The Outreach program helps survivors of abuse gain independence by providing food, hygiene items, transitional housing, and legal support. The charity operates a 32-bed emergency shelter that had a 115% average occupancy rate in F2024. The charity reports converting some of the common spaces into beds to meet the shelter demand. In F2024, 55 adults and 46 children stayed at Ernestine’s emergency shelter. In F2024, Ernestine’s transitional housing and outreach programs supported 379 adults and 357 children. In F2024, three people gave birth at the shelter.
The Life Without Violence program offers a 24-hour crisis line and counselling, including goal setting and safety planning.
The Child and Youth program supports young survivors of violence, offering counselling, group activities, and academic support to help them heal and grow.
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Results and Impact
In F2024, Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter operated a 32-bed shelter with a 115% occupancy rate that served 55 adults and 46 children.
While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Ernestine’s results and impact. This charity is not yet rated on impact.
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Finances
Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter’s financial statements use line-item costing meaning it does not properly disclose which expenses relate to programming, administrative, and fundraising activities. This is not a best practice.
In F2024, Ernestine’s received $1.5m in donations, up 26% from the $1.2m received in F2023. In F2024, the charity also received $1.7m in government funding representing 48% of total revenues. Administrative costs are 16% of total revenues (less investment income), and fundraising costs are 21% of total donations. For every dollar donated, 63 cents are available to go towards the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. In F2024, Ernestine’s spent $2.1m on its programs which represents 61% of total revenues.
In F2024, Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter had $1.6m in its reserve funds. These reserve funds can cover just over nine months of annual program costs.
Profile updated on July 17, 2025 by Abby Stout.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending March
|
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 16.0% | 17.5% | 15.9% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 21.4% | 16.1% | 18.4% |
| Total overhead spending | 37.4% | 33.5% | 34.3% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 77.5% | 84.9% | 67.0% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $s |
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 1,480,420 | 1,177,333 | 1,330,184 |
| Government funding | 1,677,708 | 1,762,844 | 1,784,993 |
| Investment income | 104,109 | 5 | (3,370) |
| Other income | 217,949 | (48,403) | 38,189 |
| Total revenues | 3,480,186 | 2,891,779 | 3,149,996 |
| Program costs | 2,122,343 | 2,077,401 | 2,158,744 |
| Administrative costs | 539,585 | 504,671 | 500,660 |
| Fundraising costs | 316,563 | 188,963 | 244,416 |
| Total spending | 2,978,491 | 2,771,035 | 2,903,820 |
| Cash flow from operations | 501,695 | 120,744 | 246,176 |
| Capital spending | 369,217 | 18,606 | 154,705 |
| Funding reserves | 1,644,276 | 1,764,671 | 1,447,030 |
Note: DEFERRED REVENUE: Ci adjusted for the change in deferred revenue, affecting total revenues by ($140k) in F2024, $138k in F2023, and ($19k) in F2022. DEFERRED CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS: Ci adjusted for the change in deferred contributions relating to capital assets affecting total revenues by $360k in F2024, ($87k) in F2023, and $26k in F2022. DEBT FORGIVENESS: Ernestine’s included debt forgiveness as a line-item expense. Ci reconciled for this which affected total revenues by $nil in F2024, ($37k) in F2023, and ($178k) in F2022. AMORTIZATION OF CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS: Ci reconciled for the amortization of deferred capital contributions, affecting total revenues by ($117k) in F2024. GRANTS RECEIVABLE: Ci adjusted for the change in grants receivable affecting total revenues by $218k in 2024, ($48k) in 2023, and $37k in 2022.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
0 |
$120k - $160k |
0 |
$80k - $120k |
2 |
$40k - $80k |
3 |
< $40k |
5 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2024
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 416-743-1733