First Step Options
Charitable organization · Pembroke, Ontario · BN 896363116RR0001 · Supportive Health Care · website
Source: T3010 return, FPE 2024-12-31. Split of total expenditures ($634,752) as filed with the CRA.
First Step Options is a charitable organization based in Pembroke, Ontario, classified by the CRA under supportive health care. In its fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, it reported $243K in revenue and $635K in expenditures. Spending exceeded revenue that year — the gap came out of reserves.
Its funding that year was roughly 79% from donations, 15% from other charities. In 2024, 19 other registered charities reported granting it a combined $23K.
Compared with 1,130 health charities of similar size, its share of spending on mission — charitable programs plus grants to other charities — ranked above 4% of peers. Its fundraising cost per donated dollar was lower than 94% of that peer group. Its highest-paid position fell in the $40,000–79,999 range. The charity reported 1 permanent full-time position.
It reported gifts to 1 qualified donee totalling $600 in 2024, the largest being $600 to Pregnancy CARE Canada. Revenue has grown substantially over its filings on record here, from $128K in 2020 to $243K in 2024. Its filed list of directors and trustees shows 5 names.
In its own words
Options education & support for unexpected pregnancy. Assessment and referral to community services. Material support such as diapers formula and small baby equipment. Living in color post-abortion recovery program. Bright course: life skills and parenting programs. Connected course: establish and maintain healthy relationships. 1714 volunteer hours were given.
Ongoing-program description from its T3010 filing, verbatim.
The ledger, 2020–2024
| Year | Revenue | Spending | Programs | Fundraising | Gifts out | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $243K | $635K | $92K | $309 | $600 | $383K |
| 2023 | $178K | $132K | $22K | $904 | — | $289K |
| 2022 | $142K | $116K | $24K | $311 | — | $242K |
| 2021 | $140K | $84K | $34K | $691 | $600 | $216K |
| 2020 | $128K | $61K | $23K | $903 | $710 | $161K |
Revenue printed in red where the year ran a deficit. Fiscal years by period end.
Money between charities, 2024
Granted $600 to 1 qualified donee:
Received $23K from 19 charities:
- Ottawa Valley Community Foundation$5,000
- Canadahelps Canadon$4,472
- ST. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pembroke Ontario$2,849
- Calvary Baptist Church of Killaloe Station$2,000
- Pine Ridge Family Church of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada$1,213
- Wesley Community Church$1,200
- Calvary Baptist Church$1,100
- St Andrew's Presbyterian Church$1,000
- Beachburg Pentecostal Tabernacle$650
- The Pembroke Pentecostal Tabernacle$650
- Whitewater Wesleyan Community Church the Wesleyan Church of Canada$500
- Zion Lutheran Church$365
- Resurrection Lutheran Church Pembroke$354
- Zion Christian Reformed Church of Pembroke$350
- Charitable Gift Funds Canada Foundation$300
- PayPal Giving Fund Canada$250
- Hebron Christian Reformed Church$248
- First Baptist Church Pembroke$50
- Canadian Online Giving Foundation$50
As reported on the donors’ own T3010 qualified-donee schedules.
What it pays
Its ten highest-paid positions, by band:
- $40,000–79,9991 position
- Permanent full-time positions1
- Total compensation, all staff$85K
Schedule 3 of its 2024 return. The CRA discloses bands, not names or exact salaries.
Directors & trustees (2024)
Kelsey Parker (secretary); Matthew Giberson (chair of board); Esther Prins (treasurer); Janet Gulliver (board member); Deborah Kelly-Kennedy (board member).
As listed on its 2024 return.
Check the source
Every figure on this page is from First Step Options’s own T3010 filings, published by the Canada Revenue Agency. Verify against the CRA’s charities listing (search BN 896363116RR0001), or read how we compute the receipt.