What YWCA Regina does

YWCA Regina (legal entity: YWCA Regina Inc.) is a private, registered charity founded on March 14, 1910, in Regina, Saskatchewan. It operates as a nonprofit social services organization serving vulnerable women, children, youth, and families in Regina and Southern Saskatchewan, and serves over 15,000 individuals annually. The organization is accredited under the Imagine Canada Standards Program and is independently affiliated with YWCA Canada.

The organization's core operations are anchored at the kikaskihtânaw Centre for Women and Families, a purpose-built facility at 2817 12th Avenue that consolidates emergency shelter (Isabel Johnson Shelter, My Aunt's Place), supportive housing (Kikinaw), children's homes (Mekwayahtik Mawihkani Wati, operated in partnership with the Ministry of Social Services), a 90-space childcare centre (Century Crescent), and the apihkâsis-nôtokwêhtâwin (Old Woman Spider Place) ceremonial space. Adjacent social enterprise operations include Encore Café on 12th and Encore Market on 8th Avenue. The product portfolio also includes Upstander Online — a self-paced, three-tier violence prevention training course licensed to organizations via an LMS — alongside in-person Upstander workshops, fee-based youth courses (Babysitting 101 at $75, Safe & Sound 101 at $30), youth programs (Girlspace, Healix, Big Boost Tutoring, Connections), and signature fundraising/advocacy events (Women of Distinction Awards, Walk A Mile In Their Shoes, Coldest Night of the Year, 16 Days of Activism).

YWCA Regina's revenue model is multi-stream and donation-dependent. Individual donations (including the recurring "HereForHer" monthly program), third-party community fundraisers, and in-kind contributions to Encore thrift operations form the charitable base. Earned-revenue streams include Upstander Online licensing on a sliding-scale per-learner monthly or bulk subscription, social enterprise retail/catering through Encore Café & Stores, fee-based community courses, and corporate sponsorships tied to signature events. The Persons with a Purpose membership program uses a pay-what-you-can lifetime fee between $1 and $15. Leadership is provided by CEO Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen, with Jessica Gordan serving as Senior Director of Decolonization, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion overseeing organizational Frameworks for Change.

Name

YWCA Regina

Legal name

YWCA Regina Inc.

Website

https://ywcaregina.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

YWCA Regina is a nonprofit registered charity, founded in 1910, providing emergency shelter, supportive housing, childcare, youth programs, and violence prevention training to over 15,000 vulnerable women, children, and families annually in Regina and Southern Saskatchewan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Nonprofit Community Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Child and Youth Services (624110), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Social services nonprofit
• Emergency shelter services
• Violence prevention training
• Women family support
• Community housing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Regina

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individuals supporting women and families. The 'HereForHer' monthly donor program provides recurring support. Donations can be made via PayPal or direct giving.
2. Fundraising Events: Signature events including Women of Distinction Awards (largest annual fundraising event supporting in-school youth programming), Walk A Mile In Their Shoes, and Coldest Night of The Year generate revenue through sponsorships, ticket sales, and participant fundraising.
3. Third-Party Fundraising: Community members, workplaces, and organizations host their own fundraisers including birthday donations, bake sales, garage sales, workplace fundraisers, and special events to raise funds for YWCA Regina programs.
4. In-Kind Donations: Donations of gently used clothing to Encore Clothing Market and household items to Encore Market provide goods-based giving opportunities supporting the organization.
5. Social Enterprise (Encore Café & Stores): Encore Café on 12th offers fresh food, drinks, and catering services. Encore Clothing Market and Encore Market on 8th Ave sell donated goods, with proceeds supporting women, children, and families at YWCA Regina.
6. Training Program Licensing: Upstander Online, YWCA Regina's violence prevention training program, is licensed to organizations through a sliding-scale, per-learner pricing model with monthly or bulk licensing options available.
7. Community Education Courses: Fee-based courses including Babysitting 101 ($75) and Safe & Sound 101 ($30) for youth provide educational programming with certificates upon completion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

YWCA Regina is a nonprofit social services organization providing emergency shelters, supportive housing, children's homes, childcare, and 24-hour crisis support for women, children, and families in Regina and Southern Saskatchewan. It delivers violence prevention training (Upstander Online as a licensed LMS product and in-person Upstander workshops), community education courses (Babysitting 101, Safe & Sound 101), youth programs, and operates social-enterprise retail (Encore Café and Stores) and a ceremonial space. All services are anchored in trauma-informed, Indigenous-led approaches through the purpose-built kikaskihtânaw Centre for Women and Families.

Product overview

YWCA Regina is a nonprofit social services organization offering an integrated suite of programs and services for women, children, youth, and families in Regina, Saskatchewan. The portfolio centers on the kikaskihtânaw Centre for Women and Families — a purpose-built facility combining emergency shelter (Isabel Johnson Shelter, My Aunt's Place), supportive housing (Kikinaw), children's homes, childcare, crisis support, and community education under one roof. Core programs include violence prevention training (Upstander Online as a self-paced LMS product and in-person workshops), youth and community education (Babysitting 101, Safe & Sound 101, Girlspace, Healix, Little Healix, Ourspace), ceremonial and cultural programming (apihkêsîs-nôtokwêhtâwin), and advocacy events (Women of Distinction Awards, Coldest Night of the Year, Walk A Mile In Their Shoes, 16 Days of Activism). Supplementary services include Encore Café & Market retail operations, a Persons with a Purpose membership program, and seasonal campaigns such as Hope for the Holidays ISC. The organization serves over 15,000 vulnerable women and children annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kikinaw: YWCA Regina's supportive housing residence. Named by residents, Kikinaw is a Cree word meaning 'our place, our home.'
• Isabel Johnson Shelter
• My Aunt's Place
• apihkêsîs-nôtokwêhtâwin (Old Woman Spider Place)
• kikaskihtânaw Centre for Women and Families
• Upstander Online
• Women of Distinction Awards
• Encore Café & Stores

Products and services

• Emergency Shelter Services (Isabel Johnson Shelter & My Aunt's Place)

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 15,000 vulnerable women and children annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Ministry of Social ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Partnership with provincial government to re-open Kids in Transition Shelter (renamed Mekwayahtik Mawihkani Wati) providing short-term shelter for children removed from homes.
• HOMEBASE ReginacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration hub offering Big Boost Tutoring, OurSpace programming, and other youth services at Regina location.
• Ancestral Connections (Nonprofit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner delivering Bush Kids program providing Indigenous youth with land-based language and cultural resurgence camps.
• YWCA CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational YWCA affiliation setting advocacy priorities; YWCA Regina aligns local advocacy with national positions and participates in YWCA Canada Week Without Violence.
• Speech-Language ProfessionalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partnership for Thrive Speech and Language Camp; children must be referred by speech-language professionals to attend the culturally safe summer program.
• Women of Distinction Award SponsorsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMultiple corporate sponsors supporting the annual Women of Distinction Awards, YWCA Regina's largest fundraising event supporting in-school youth programming.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• YWCA Toronto: Large urban YWCA delivering women's shelters, supportive housing, childcare, and employment training. Most direct operational peer to YWCA Regina given overlapping service lines (shelter, childcare, advocacy) and similar mission focus on women and families.
• YWCA Canada: National federation of YWCAs across Canada; YWCA Regina is an affiliated member organization delivering aligned programming. Directly comparable as a national umbrella and peer network for women's shelter, housing, and advocacy services.
• YWCA Vancouver: Western Canadian YWCA providing housing, childcare, and advocacy for women. Comparable to YWCA Regina through shared YWCA network affiliation and aligned service portfolio including shelters and community programs.
• Regina Transition Society: Regina-based women's shelter and second-stage housing operator serving women and children fleeing violence and homelessness. Directly comparable local peer competing for similar funding streams and serving overlapping beneficiary populations in the same Regina market.
• Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter: Front-line domestic violence shelter serving Calgary and surrounding Alberta region. Most direct regional peer for YWCA Regina's Isabel Johnson Shelter, operating emergency shelter, counselling, and prevention programming for women and children fleeing violence.
• Saskatoon Interval House: Saskatchewan-based emergency shelter and second-stage housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Closest geographic peer to YWCA Regina in the same province, offering highly comparable shelter, counselling, and outreach services.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Red Cross: National humanitarian organization operating emergency shelter, family reunification, and disaster relief across Canada. Broad incumbent delivering overlapping social and emergency response services, including in Saskatchewan.
• Salvation Army Canada: National faith-based social services organization operating shelters, housing, and community programs across Canada including Regina. Comparable as a broad incumbent delivering overlapping social services (emergency shelter, housing, family support) at greater scale and national scope.
• Canadian Women's Foundation: National public foundation funding gender-based violence prevention, shelter, and economic empowerment programs across Canada. Operates at a higher and broader level than YWCA Regina, channeling resources to and influencing regional shelter operators including YWCAs.

Emerging players

• HOMEBASE Regina: Regina youth services hub collaborating with YWCA Regina on Big Boost Tutoring, OurSpace, and other youth programming. Partial overlap on youth services and direct partnership adjacency makes it a relevant emerging peer in the Regina social services ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/YWCARegina
• Instagraminstagram.com/ywcaregina
• Xx.com/YWCARegina

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YWCA Regina