The Community Foundation of Nova Scotia Society
Public foundation · Halifax, Nova Scotia · BN 870389368RR0001 · Foundations · website
Source: T3010 return, FPE 2024-12-31. Split of total expenditures ($5,234,785) as filed with the CRA.
The Community Foundation of Nova Scotia Society is a public foundation based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, classified by the CRA under foundations. In its fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, it reported $8.5M in revenue and $5.2M in expenditures.
Its funding that year was roughly 23% from donations, 23% from other charities. In 2024, 14 other registered charities reported granting it a combined $1.1M.
Compared with 1,554 grantmaking charities of similar size, its share of spending on mission — charitable programs plus grants to other charities — ranked above 74% of peers. Its fundraising cost per donated dollar was lower than 93% of that peer group. Its highest-paid position fell in the $120,000–159,999 range. The charity reported 5 permanent full-time positions.
As a grantmaker, it reported gifts to 182 qualified donees totalling $3.5M in 2024, the largest being $346K to Mariners Centre Health and Wellness Fund. Revenue has grown substantially over its filings on record here, from $5.2M in 2020 to $8.5M in 2024. Its filed list of directors and trustees shows 11 names.
In its own words
The community foundation of nova scotia is a public foundation created by and for the people of nova scotia. We work with private donors communities and charitable organizations to stimulate charitable giving establish permanent endowment funds and support initiatives which make an ongoing difference in our communities.
Ongoing-program description from its T3010 filing, verbatim.
The ledger, 2020–2024
| Year | Revenue | Spending | Programs | Fundraising | Gifts out | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8.5M | $5.2M | $1.2M | $19K | $3.8M | $30.8M |
| 2023 | $15.6M | $5M | $795K | $48K | $4M | $27.6M |
| 2022 | $3.9M | $2.8M | $888K | $54K | $1.6M | $17M |
| 2021 | $11.2M | $2.9M | $719K | — | $1.9M | $18.7M |
| 2020 | $5.2M | $4.3M | $732K | $36K | $3.3M | $10.5M |
Revenue printed in red where the year ran a deficit. Fiscal years by period end.
Money between charities, 2024
Granted $3.5M to 182 qualified donees — largest 25 shown:
- Mariners Centre Health and Wellness Fund$346K
- Shelburne County Youth Health & Support Association$295K
- ST John's United Church$268K
- Ulnooweg Education Centre$186K
- Nova Scotia Community College Foundation$159K
- Dalhousie University$126K
- Cobequid Arts Council$106K
- Wolfville l'Arche Homefires Society$72K
- Nova Village Nova Scotia Family Support Service Hub Society$71K
- Victorian Order of Nurses for Canada - Nova Scotia Branch$69K
- Nova Scotia Nature Trust$69K
- SHYFT Youth Services Society$58K
- Yarmouth Life Skills for Disabled Adults Association$54K
- L'Arche Halifax$50K
- L'Arche Cape Breton Society$50K
- L'Arche Antigonish$50K
- Acadia University$46K
- Gaelic College Foundation$44K
- PAC Autism Nova Scotia Society$42K
- Symphony Nova Scotia Society$42K
- Municipality of the County of Antigonish$40K
- Tri-County Women's Centre Society$37K
- Halifax Sexual Health Centre$36K
- The YMCA of Greater Halifax/dartmouth$35K
- Pathways To Employment Society$35K
Received $1.1M from 14 charities:
- Fulcher Foundation$507K
- Community Foundations of Canada$305K
- River Philip Foundation$137K
- Charitable Gift Funds Canada Foundation$36K
- Canadahelps Canadon$20K
- Canadahelps Canadon$20K
- Strategic Charitable Giving Foundation$8,260
- Strategic Charitable Giving Foundation$8,260
- Canadian Online Giving Foundation$5,929
- Donovan Family Foundation Incorporated$5,000
- The DR. & MRS. H. E. Christie Community Foundation$4,000
- United Way Maritimes/Centraide des Maritimes$2,392
- Comunn Baile Nan Gaidheal (the Nova Scotia Highland Village Society)$1,582
- PayPal Giving Fund Canada$188
As reported on the donors’ own T3010 qualified-donee schedules.
What it pays
Its ten highest-paid positions, by band:
- $120,000–159,9991 position
- $80,000–119,9991 position
- $40,000–79,9993 positions
- Permanent full-time positions5
- Total compensation, all staff$371K
Schedule 3 of its 2024 return. The CRA discloses bands, not names or exact salaries.
Directors & trustees (2024)
Robert Orr (past chair); Dennice Leahey (director); Monita Taylor (treasurer); Michel Samson (secretary); Mary Eldridge (chair investment commit); John Naas (director); Stephanie Clark (director); Anne-Marie McElrone (director); Michelle Williams (director); Angie Gillis (director); Frank Lockintgon (chair).
As listed on its 2024 return.
Check the source
Every figure on this page is from The Community Foundation of Nova Scotia Society’s own T3010 filings, published by the Canada Revenue Agency. Verify against the CRA’s charities listing (search BN 870389368RR0001), or read how we compute the receipt.