Shepherds of Good Hope is a four-star financially transparent charity with an Average demonstrated impact score. It has a B+ results reporting grade, which is above average. For every dollar donated, 89 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

Founded in 1983, Shepherds of Good Hope (SGH) provides both short and long-term support to Ottawa’s homeless population. The charity runs three overnight emergency shelters, hot meals through its soup kitchen, and daily evening social activities for its community. SGH also offers long-term transitional housing in its six community residences. According to the charity, over 1,900 people sleep in Ottawa’s shelters daily and there are over 12,000 people on Ottawa’s social housing waitlist. The charity runs three programs: supportive housing, transitional shelter services, and community services. SGH spent $16.4m on its programs in the fiscal year ending March 2023 (F2023).

Supportive housing was 40% of the charity’s program spending. With the goal of helping community members live independently, SGH provides long-term housing in six residences. The charity states that by building independence, those who leave their long-term shelters will no longer rely on emergency shelters. In F2023, the charity housed 253 people and provided the following age breakdown: 5% aged 18-30, 19% aged 31-49, 52% aged 50-64, and 25% 65 and older.

Community programs was 35% of the charity’s program spending. This drop-in program offers people both hot meals and evening social activities. In F2023, the charity served 129,382 meals welcomed 200 people each night for social activities through these programs.

Transitional shelter services was 25% of the charity’s program spending. SGH provides emergency housing in its three shelters that housed 229 people each night (83,585 total). SGH reported that people staying in its shelters stayed for an average of 40 days. The charity provided the following demographic breakdown for those staying in its shelters: 72% born in Canada, 17% born outside Canada, 4% refugees, and 7% undeclared.

Shepherds of Good Hope receives grants from the Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, a separately registered charity established in 2004 that acts as the operating charity’s fundraising arm. The foundation has six staff and raised $3.6m in F2024. It spent a respective $1.2m and $276k on administrative and fundraising expenses in F2024. It is unusual for a foundation with only six staff to incur this level of administrative expenses. SGH received $3.0m, $2.5m, and $2.4m from the foundation in F2024, F2023, and F2022, respectively. Charity Intelligence consolidated the operating charity’s and foundation’s audited financial statements for the following analysis. 

Shepherds of Good Hope received $4.4m worth of donations in F2024, which is the same amount reported in F2023. The charity also received $24.4m worth of government funding which is 75% of total revenues. Administrative costs are 5% of revenues and fundraising costs are 6% of donations. This results in 11% total overhead spending, meaning that for every dollar donated, 89 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

At the time of writing this report, the operating charity and foundation's F2024 CRA T3010 filings are not available. Ci calculated previous years' administrative and fundraising expenses with these filings. As such, overhead is likely understated and will be adjusted when this information becomes available. 

In F2024, the charity spent $20.5m on its programs, a 38% increase from $14.8m spent in F2023. The charity also had a $10.2m cash surplus and $10.6m capital expenditures. The charity is in an extraordinary capital campaign because it is opening a new 48-capacity shelter on 216 Murray Street on an undisclosed future date.

At the end of F2024, Shepherds of Good Hope had $7.0m net reserve funds which covers 39% or just under five months of its annual program costs. The charity owes $4.1m worth of interest bearing debts which were backed out of its reserve funds.

Profile updated by Julian Dranitsaris on November 11, 2024. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.