WARDEN WOODS: COMMUNITY ASSET AND OPERATIONS PLANNING AND STRATEGIES

What is the purpose of this report?

The Warden Woods Community Centre (WWCC) is facing a situation that has become all too common for social-purpose organizations operating across Toronto. Their revenues reflect the reality of running an organization that values social-welfare over profit, but their expenditures reflect the reality of having to operate in a city that is getting more expensive by the day. The central paradox being that as the city gets more-and-more expensive, the programs that WWCC offers only become more-and-more important to the clients they serve. This problem is known as the “dual sustainability issue,” where non-profit organizations experience tensions in trying to sustain (i) mission and purpose; and (ii) the organization’s integrity and productivity to carry out this mission (Beachy, 2011).

This report explores a range of options available to WWCC to maintain long-term financial stability and acquire their property outright. These financial considerations are offered alongside governance advice that is focused on ensuring WWCC has the knowledge they need to maintain community ownership of their facility. Effective community ownership has the potential to bring several benefits to the community, namely: giving local people greater control over their own future (Spaces, 2011). However, it is important to note that ownership is not always the best path forward. In determining whether to pursue ownership, it is necessary to consider the condition of the asset and the capacity of the organization.

This report is not meant to act as a directive that lays out exactly how WWCC should act moving forward. Rather, it is a series of options for the Board of Directors to consider so that when opportunity presents itself, they feel confident and informed in taking decisive action.

Though no option within this report is without risk, we have taken care to only make suggestions that will allow WWCC to maintain full control over their mission and values so they can continue offering life-changing services in an accessible environment.

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What is included in this report?

The challenge that WWCC faces is multifaceted: their main building is aging and at risk of falling into disrepair in the not so distant future, they are offering more programs and services than ever before and as a result need additional space and capacity, their current funding model is heavily reliant on non-profit benefactors and government support that can change drastically from year-to-year and, lastly, they do not currently own the property at 74 Firvalley Court.

Though no one Plan of Action addresses each of those needs in their entirety, each plan has the potential to fulfill multiple needs when instituted in the right context. The plans also build off one another, with Plan of Action I providing a framework to build capacity, and Plan of Action II and III providing a guide for how Warden Woods could leverage that capacity to secure their financial future.*

The three Plans of Action included in this report are:


Plan of Action I — Capacity Building

This Plan of Action takes WWCC’s current funding model —which is heavily reliant on grant funding from the City of Toronto, Province of Ontario and United Way— and explores ways to ensure financial sustainability by diversifying their funding base, pursuing more diverse community partnerships and bolstering their existing governance structure.


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Plan of Action II — Major Gift

This Plan of Action explores how WWCC could take advantage of a major gift from a benefactor to rebuild their facility at 74 Firvalley Court and maintain the location as a “conventional” community centre.


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Plan of Action III — Development Model

This Plan of Action explores how WWCC could take control of their own financial future by leveraging the value of their land at 74 Firvalley Court. Through partnering with a private sector developer, it models how WWCC could maintain community control of their facility within a larger mixed-use development.