962 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M6H 1L6
Acting Executive Director: Priyanka Sheth
Board Co-Chair: Michaela Ferguson

Charitable Reg. #:10798 3009 RR0001

STAR RATING

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

[Charity Rating: 2/5]

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Most recent Audited financial statements available on the charity’s website.

C

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.

81%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 81 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About Sistering:

Sistering is a two-star charity that is not fully financially transparent and has a below average C results reporting score. It has both reasonable overhead spending and a reasonably sized reserve fund. For every dollar donated, 81 cents are available to go to the cause.

Founded in 1981, Sistering offers drop-in services at two locations (962 Bloor Street and 220 Cowan Avenue in Toronto’s Dovercourt and Parkdale neighbourhoods) for women and gender-fluid individuals. These services include warm meals, showers, internet access, counselling, and harms reduction services. Sistering is also involved in social advocacy on behalf of marginalized women.

Sistering is currently responding to a case filed by a former employee with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. This former employee claims $67k worth of unpaid wages and $50k in damages related to discrimination and wrongful dismissal. Sistering has filed a response to these allegations and the claim’s outcome is pending at the time of this update. This information is from note 6 of its most recent F2024 audited financial statements.

The charity runs drop-in services at two locations as well as other programs. It spent $5.9m on its programs in the fiscal year ending in March 2024 (F2024). Sistering did not provide any further breakdown of its program spending.

Drop-in services is the charity’s main program. Sistering reportedly hosted 339 separate programs and social events at its two drop-in centres visited by 45,422 people (17,564 and 27,860 visits at its Dovercourt and Parkdale locations, respectively in F2023). The charity also completed 11,875 housing, medical, counselling, and other referrals at its two locations during F2024.

Other programs include Sistering’s medical clinic, meals program, and its research and advocacy work. In F2024, the charity served 131,122 meals and helped its client secure 1,323 appointments with physicians. Sistering also distributed 5,168 naloxone kits to its clients during F2024. The charity’s research and advocacy team launched four projects: Advocacy Assessment of Sistering, Sistering’s Advocacy Strategy, formed the charity’s Social Action Committee, and launched its Online Digital Storytelling Training platform.

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Results and Impact

During F2024, Sistering distributed 131,122 meals to clients who would have otherwise gone hungry.

While Charity Intelligence highlights this key result, it may not fully represent Sistering’s complete results and impact.

Charity Intelligence has not yet rated Sistering on demonstrated social impact per dollar spent (n/r). This does not affect its star rating.

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Finances

Sistering is not fully financially transparent since only its most recent F2024 audited financial statements are publicly available on its website.

he charity’s financials follow line-item costing which it not a reporting best practice. This means its program, administrative, and fundraising expenses are not clearly defined on its financial statements.

During F2024, Sistering received $1.4m worth of donations (22% of total revenue) and $4.7m worth of government funding (74% of total revenue), representing a 23% decrease and 8% increase from $1.8m donations and $4.3m government funding received during F2023, respectively.

Administrative costs are 6% of total revenue less investment income and fundraising costs are 12% of donations. This means Sistering’s total overhead spending is 19%. For every dollar donated, 81 cents are available to go to the cause.

In F2024, the charity spent $5.9m on its programs, a 5% decrease from $6.2m spent in F2023.

At the end of F2024, Sistering had $2.6m worth of net reserve funds (cash and investments) that covers 43% or around five months of its annual program spending.

Profile updated by Julian Dranitsaris on April 14, 2025. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending March
202420232022
Administrative costs as % of revenues 6.3%7.0%9.3%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 12.3%4.3%1.1%
Total overhead spending 18.6%11.3%10.5%
Program cost coverage (%) 43.4%39.0%59.2%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202420232022
Donations 1,4121,8292,292
Government funding 4,6904,3374,766
Investment income 77292
Other income 15933274
Total revenues 6,3386,5277,133
Program costs 5,8736,1705,361
Administrative costs 393457665
Fundraising costs 1747926
Total spending 6,4406,7056,052
Cash flow from operations (102)(178)1,081
Capital spending 115018
Funding reserves 2,5502,4083,174

Note: 1. LINE-ITEM COSTING: Since Sistering’s financials follow line-item costing, Ci assigned expense line items from its operating statement to program, administrative, and fundraising expenses to the best of its ability. 2. DEFERRED DONATIONS: Since Sistering follows deferred accounting, Ci adjusted donations for changes in deferred contributions to show financial information on a consistent basis. This affected revenue by ($170k), ($229k), and $140k in F2024, F2023, and F2022, respectively. 3. DEFERRED GOVERNMENT FUNDING: Ci adjusted government funding for changes in deferred government grants, affecting revenue by ($nil), ($385k), and $226k in F2024, F2023, and F2022, respectively. 4. DEFERRED OTHER REVENUE: Ci adjusted other revenue for changes in undefined deferred accounts, affecting revenue by $23k, ($32k), and $33k in F2024, F2023, and F2022, respectively. 5. INVESTMENT INCOME: Ci adjusted revenue for the value of investment income recorded below-the-line on its operating statement, affecting revenue by $77k, $29k, and $2k in F2024, F2023, and F2022, respectively.

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 41

Avg. compensation: $101,979

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
0
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
0
$200k - $250k
0
$160k - $200k
0
$120k - $160k
0
$80k - $120k
4
$40k - $80k
6
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2024

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

The following comment was provided by the charity based on a prior year's report. An update may be provided.

Sistering is a multi-service agency supporting some of Toronto’s most marginalized women - poor, homeless or precariously housed, often victims of violence, and often facing mental health challenges. Our redesigned and updated website, launching shortly, will provide potential donors and others interested in our work with detailed information about the programs and services we deliver.

Some key services offered at our 24/7 Drop In:

  •  Three hot meals, soup and sandwiches overnight
  •  Showers and laundry facilities 
  •  Clothing and footwear 
  •  Telephones, mailing address and Internet access
  •  Crisis intervention and trauma-informed counselling 
  •  Housing support
  •  Harm reduction support and supplies 
  •  Peer support groups in English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin
  •  Information, referral and accompaniment to social assistance, legal aid, doctors, and other appointments
  •  Onsite access to primary healthcare with general practitioners, psychiatrists and nurse
  •  Onsite access to a Settlement Worker and immigration lawyer 

Sistering was one of only 62 agencies awarded Anchor Status this past year by the United Way of Toronto and York Region. Additionally, Sistering received a Vital Ideas Grant from the Toronto Foundation to explore the feasibility of a storefront for our social Enterprise, Inspirations Studio.

Charity Contact

Website: www.sistering.org
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 416-926-9762

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001