Budgeting for a non-profit

By Sean Previl

A local charitable non-profit has finished another fiscal year trying to stay in the green.

Windsor Pride Community Education and Resource Centre held their annual general meeting Nov. 20 and determined it was in a deficit once again.

The Centre works yearly to help the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community while also educating the general public to end discrimination and increase public awareness of the diversity of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Bob Williams, executive director of Windsor Pride, said the centre, and Windsor Pride in general, operates its services with funding from the community.

“Historically, the Windsor Pride community has operated ad hoc as a group of people who got together every year to ‘keep the light on’ so to speak of the organization,” said Williams. “We are not funded in any way by government funding. We are totally funded by donations and kindness of the community by fundraising and that keeps the door open.”

A charitable non-profit is defined as a non-profit organization that can provide tax receipts for donations.

Williams said since the actual centre opened four years ago, it has cost $2,500 a month to keep the office running. Building costs include the 2,000 square foot building space, water and utilities.

President of the board of directors, Martha Daniels, said final decisions on how money is spent during the year are the responsibility of the board.

“(The board) is responsible for general oversight, for example, ensuring grant funding is spent properly,” said Daniels. “We also approve policies as created by the treasurer and finance committee, for example, how expenditures are reimbursed.”

Williams said they often receive their funding from different organizations that are focused on education.

“We deal with the Catholic school board, the public school board, Canadian Mental Health Association . . . to make sure of the health and wellness of the community that’s under the flag,” said Williams.

Williams said the budget per year for Windsor Pride is approximately $50,000 a year, but this does not include the wages or grants from the centre. Although he could not reveal the amount of deficit Pride is currently operating under, Williams said being a charitable non-profitcan at times result in concerns over whether they’ll stay open.

“We continue to operate basically at a loss, but we always seem to be able to come through and keep us at the table,” said Williams. “If we do the annual fundraising programs we’re fine, if we miss one for some reason then we have to catch up.”