Discovery House is a 5-star rated charity with an A+ grade in results reporting. The charity has best practices in financial transparency and reasonable overhead costs.

Founded in 1980, Discovery House helps women and children escape domestic violence and live safely in Calgary. The charity reports that 100% of women at Discovery House have experienced emotional or psychological abuse, 88% have experienced physical abuse, and 54% have experienced financial abuse. Discovery House operates four main programs: shelter and outreach, community housing, child and youth programs, and counselling. 

A Charity Intelligence 2023 Top 100 Rated Charity

Discovery House's shelter accounted for 35% of program spending in F2023. The second-stage shelter provides long-term support (up to one year) for families lacking a safe housing environment. In F2023, the charity's 19-unit shelter served 125 people, including 95 children. Of the women who accessed the shelter program in F2023, 96% were at increased, severe, or extreme risk of being killed by an abusive partner, with 52% being at extreme risk. Discovery House reports that the average stay in the shelter was 11 months in F2023. 

The charity's community housing program comprised 35% of program spending in F2023. The program supports families to find safe and affordable housing around Calgary. Discovery House reports that it served 105 families in F2023. It also reports that its community housing program team spent 5,583 hours through one-on-one meetings, liaising with landlords, resource referrals, and connections to the community. 

Child and youth programs accounted for 22% of Discovery House's program spending in F2023. Through this program, the charity works with parents and children to mitigate the effects of trauma on brain development and strengthen parenting skills. The charity provides children and youth with one-on-one counselling and case management. In F2023, Discovery House supported 140 children and youth and 94 caregivers through these programs. 

Counselling programs made up 7% of program spending in F2023. Discovery House provides one-on-one counselling and group programs for mothers and children, designed to understand the impacts of domestic violence, increase self-esteem, improve communication skills, and address the experience of trauma. In F2023, the charity served 145 clients, including 63 children and youth. 

The remaining 1% of program spending was allocated to Discovery House's bursary program.

Discovery House received $3.0m in donations and special events revenue in F2023. It also received $1.6m in government funding, representing 33% of total revenues. 

Administrative costs are 4% of revenues (less investment income), and fundraising costs are 10% of donations and special events revenue. This results in total overhead spending of 15%. For every dollar donated, 85 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending. In F2022 and F2021, Ci reported administrative and fundraising costs from the charity's T3010 filings with the CRA, which have been greater than the amounts reported in Discovery House's audited financial statements. The F2023 T3010 filing is not available at the time of this report. As a result, F2023 overhead spending may be understated.

Discovery House has $4.7m in reserve funds, of which $1.0m is donor endowed. Excluding donor-endowed funds, Discovery House could cover 93% or over 11 months of its annual program costs. 

Updated on July 7, 2023, by Sydney Olexa.