The Redwood
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.
A-
RESULTS REPORTING
Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.
Average
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.
78%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 78 cents are available for programs.
My anchor
OVERVIEW
About The Redwood:
Founded in 1993, Redwood provides emergency shelter and services for women and children escaping abuse in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The charity reports that one in five Canadian women experience emotional or economic abuse in their intimate relationship. Through on-site counselling and services, Redwood helps clients live independently, working to break the cycle of abuse.
Redwood’s main priority is providing a safe place for women and children escaping abuse. Residents at Redwood’s emergency shelter receive three meals a day, hygiene items, bedding, and childcare supplies. Peer support groups, art and play therapy, wellness resources, and parenting classes help women and children to work through trauma. Women are connected to other community supports, including housing services, subsidized daycare and school registration referrals, job training, and legal support. Clients stay at the shelter for an average of five and a half months and remain in touch with counsellors for a year after leaving.
Redwood is actively engaged in community outreach within Toronto. It facilitates workshops at local schools, libraries, housing co-ops, and community centres, educating people about abuse. Every year, Redwood presents 50 workshops about healthy relationships and violence prevention to community members across the GTA.
Redwood’s 24-hour crisis line provides women in desperate need with counselling. In F2020, the charity introduced an online platform called iDetermine.ca. The platform allows women to live chat or text to get in touch with a Redwood counsellor discreetly. In the first three months after launching, iDetermine.ca served over 500 individuals.
My anchor
Results and Impact
In F2020, Redwood housed 87 women and 124 children escaping abuse. These clients left a dangerous situation, receiving support and 24-hour protection at Redwood. The total operating cost per women housed in F2020 was $32,717. Including children, the cost per client was $13,490.
Redwood’s Women on the Move in Trades and Technology program provides abuse survivors with training to work in the trades and technology sectors. Redwood partners with the HiMark Occupational Skills Training Centre to provide training in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) and Gas Fitting. In F2020, six women received their certification and two women secured employment.
While Charity Intelligence highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Redwood’s results and impact. Charity Intelligence has rated Redwood as Average impact based on demonstrated impact per dollar spent.
Impact Rating: Average

My anchor
Finances
In F2020, Redwood had total donations of $1.6m. The charity also received $1.6m in government funding, representing 48% of total revenues. Administrative costs are 8% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 14% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 22%. For every dollar donated, 78 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. Redwood has $2.0m in funding reserves, which could cover 84% or ten months of annual program costs.
Charity Intelligence sent an update of this report to Redwood for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.
Updated on August 18, 2021 by Sydney Olexa.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending March
|
2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|
Administrative costs as % of revenues | 7.9% | 8.8% | 8.9% |
Fundraising costs as % of donations | 14.2% | 22.8% | 13.7% |
Total overhead spending | 22.2% | 31.6% | 22.6% |
Program cost coverage (%) | 84.4% | 76.7% | 60.4% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $s |
2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|
Donations | 1,633,400 | 1,111,500 | 1,050,631 |
Government funding | 1,554,700 | 1,499,500 | 1,768,344 |
Investment income | 17,800 | 17,700 | 16,660 |
Other income | 8,000 | 2,800 | 0 |
Total revenues | 3,213,900 | 2,631,500 | 2,835,635 |
Program costs | 2,359,890 | 2,053,776 | 2,261,310 |
Administrative costs | 253,841 | 228,952 | 249,705 |
Fundraising costs | 232,669 | 253,572 | 144,332 |
Cash flow from operations | 367,500 | 95,200 | 180,288 |
Funding reserves | 1,992,000 | 1,575,800 | 1,366,237 |
Note: Ci reported administrative and fundraising costs from the Charity's T3010 filings with the CRA.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
0 |
$120k - $160k |
0 |
$80k - $120k |
2 |
$40k - $80k |
8 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2020
My anchor
Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.