Habitat for Humanity GTA

About Habitat for Humanity GTA:

Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area (HFH GTA) was created in 2014 after three previously independent Habitat affiliates merged: Habitat for Humanity Toronto (founded in 1988), Brampton-Caledon, and York Region. HFH GTA shares the common Habitat for Humanity mission of mobilizing volunteers and community partners to help working, low-income families break the cycle of poverty through affordable homeownership. The charity’s homeownership program is a hand up, not a handout; although partner families do not make a down payment on their Habitat home, they instead invest 500 hours of ‘sweat equity’ where they contribute to the building process. The charity also follows an affordable housing model, where families pay HFH GTA mortgages that are capped at 30% of total income. These payments enter a Habitat Fund that the charity uses to finance future builds.  

In F2016, HFH GTA housed 26 new families. The charity has 60 homes under construction as of 2017. Since 1988, the charity reports building 334 homes that have housed over 3,000 people. Major outcomes reported by the charity include a 76% increase in reported improvement in overall health by partner families, a 76% increase in reported improvements in children’s grades, and a 6% increase in family income each year a family lives in a Habitat home. Habitat for Humanity GTA also states that for every $1 invested in the charity’s builds, it produces $4 in social benefits. In F2016, HFH GTA reports that Toronto Foundation contributed to a social impact investment in support of the first 15 homes in the 140 Pinery Trail project.  

Habitat for Humanity GTA runs 10 ReStores, which the charity states are non-profit home improvement retail stores that help finance the charity’s builds. ReStores collects and sells donated, new and gently-used home building materials.

Financial Review:

Habitat for Humanity GTA is a medium-sized charity with total donations and special events fundraising of $4.4m in F2016. Administrative costs are 8% of revenues and fundraising costs are 40% of donations and special events. Per dollar donated to the charity, $0.52 goes toward its programs, which falls outside of Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.  

Habitat for Humanity GTA’s interest bearing debts of $19.3m exceed liquid assets, producing net negative funding reserves that cannot cover annual program costs and indicates a funding need.  

This profile is an update that is currently being reviewed by the charity. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.  

Updated on August 28, 2017 by Katie Khodawandi.