Bissell Centre
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.
B+
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.
58%
CENTS TO THE CAUSE
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 58 cents are available for programs.
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OVERVIEW
About Bissell Centre:
Bissell Centre is a three-star charity with an average results reporting grade of B+. For every dollar donated, 58 cents are available to go towards the cause. Its reserve funds can cover just over seven months of annual program costs.
Founded in 1910, Bissell Centre (BSC) helps eliminate poverty and homelessness in Edmonton through essential services and support programs. BSC has three main program areas: Individual, Family, and Community. In fiscal 2024 (year ended March), Bissell Centre spent $18.0m on its programs. The charity did not provide a spending breakdown of its programs.
BSC offers five programs for Individuals, including housing, employment services, and support for people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In F2024, its Community Bridge program had 220 interventions and helped 566 individuals maintain their housing. The Hope Terrace Supportive Housing Program housed and supported 34 residents in F2024. The Community Space program had 149,324 check-ins for 7,736 individuals in F2024.
The Family programs offer two main services to families: Early Childhood Development and Basic Needs Program. The childcare program provides full-time childcare to families for a fee, and free temporary childcare to low-income families. In F2024, Bissell Centre reported having 6,337 Childhood Development Centre visits.
The Community program mainly provides wellness, arts, educational, and recreational activities for inner-city youth at the Bissell Centre. It also supports the Bissell Thrift Shop at two locations in Edmonton.
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Results and Impact
In F2024, Bissell Centre reports that four residents of its housing program moved into independent housing. Bissell Centre reports that its Community Bridge has a housing retention rate of 94%. In F2024, the Community Bridge program helped 566 individuals maintain their housing.
While Ci highlights these results, they may not be a complete representation of Bissell Centre’s results and impact. This charity is not yet rated on impact (n/r).
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Finances
Bissell Centre’s financial statements follow line-item costing meaning it does not properly disclose which expenses relate to programming, administrative, and fundraising activities. This is not a best practice.
In F2024, Bissell Centre received $3.8m in donations, down 13% from the $4.3m received in F2023. In F2024, Bissell also received $13.5m in government funding which represents 74% of total revenues. Administrative costs are 3% of total revenues, and fundraising costs are 38% of total donations. Fundraising costs increased by 13% from F2023. In F2024, for every dollar donated, 58 cents were available to go towards the cause. This is outside Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. In F2024, Bissell Centre spent $18.0m on its programs which represents 98% of total revenues.
In F2024, Bissell Centre used external fundraisers. The charity reported paying the fundraisers $35k to collect $185k. This means the cost of raising a dollar via external fundraisers was 19 cents.
In F2024, Bissell Centre had $11.3m in its reserve funds. These reserve funds can cover just over seven months of annual program costs.
Profile updated on July 21, 2025 by Abby Stout.
Financial Review
Fiscal year ending March
|
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative costs as % of revenues | 3.4% | 3.0% | 1.9% |
| Fundraising costs as % of donations | 38.2% | 25.6% | 24.9% |
| Total overhead spending | 41.6% | 28.6% | 26.8% |
| Program cost coverage (%) | 63.2% | 94.6% | 83.7% |
Summary Financial StatementsAll figures in $000s |
2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 3,763 | 4,321 | 3,692 |
| Government funding | 13,491 | 11,888 | 12,785 |
| Fees for service | 1,673 | 1,414 | 1,311 |
| Business activities (net) | 2,188 | 1,899 | 1,947 |
| Other income | (2,812) | (415) | 2,729 |
| Total revenues | 18,302 | 19,107 | 22,464 |
| Program costs | 17,960 | 15,233 | 14,976 |
| Administrative costs | 630 | 580 | 435 |
| Fundraising costs | 1,437 | 1,105 | 918 |
| Other costs | 249 | 172 | 99 |
| Total spending | 20,276 | 17,090 | 16,428 |
| Cash flow from operations | (1,974) | 2,017 | 6,036 |
| Capital spending | 2,195 | 401 | 464 |
| Funding reserves | 11,345 | 14,405 | 12,532 |
Note: DEFERRED CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS: To report on a cash-basis, Ci adjusted for the change in deferred capital contributions. This affected total revenues by ($175k) in F2024, ($490k) in F2023, and ($394k) in F2022. DEFERRED CONTRIBUTIONS: Ci adjusted for other deferred contributions affecting total revenues by ($2.7m) in F2024, $28k in F2023, and $3.1m in F2022. JOINT VENTURE: Ci adjusted for the net income from Inner City Youth joint venture affecting total revenues by ($73k) in F2024, ($68k) in F2023, and ($5k) in F2022. FOUNDATION: Ci adjusted for transfers made from the Edmonton Community Foundation affecting total revenues by $nil in F2024, $500k in F2023, and $607k in F2022. AMORTIZATION: Ci included amortization as a line item which affected total expenses by $721k in F2024, $665k in F2023, and $648k in F2022.
Salary Information
$350k + |
0 |
$300k - $350k |
0 |
$250k - $300k |
0 |
$200k - $250k |
0 |
$160k - $200k |
1 |
$120k - $160k |
3 |
$80k - $120k |
6 |
$40k - $80k |
0 |
< $40k |
0 |
Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2024
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Comments & Contact
Comments added by the Charity:
Charity Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 780-423-2285