What Building Futures does

Building Futures Employment Society is a registered Canadian charity (Charity #118829183RR0001) founded in 1973 and incorporated in 1991 as Anchor Industries Society, later rebranded to its present name in 2012. The organization is headquartered in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, and delivers supported employment, skills development, and community-participation services to individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Its service architecture consists of four revenue-generating social enterprises — Meals & Catering, Print Shop, Made-By Products, and Assembly Plus — alongside five program lines: the Futures Skills Centre, Futures Club, Futures Connect, and Community Navigation & Employment. These programs combine vocational training, day services, and individualized employment placement within the Sackville-Bedford-Fall River catchment area.

The operating model mixes three funding streams: government contracts through the Nova Scotia DCS Disability Support Program, donations and corporate sponsorships (including multi-decade relationships with Enerscan Insulators and RBC), and commercial revenue from the four social enterprises. As a registered charity, the organization does not disclose annual revenue, has no public funding rounds, and reports a workforce in the 11-50 employee band.

Name

Building Futures

Legal name

Building Futures Employment Society

Website

https://buildfutures.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Building Futures Employment Society is a registered Nova Scotia charity founded in 1973 that provides supported employment and skills development to individuals with intellectual disabilities through four social enterprises and five program lines, funded by government contracts, donations, and commercial revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services and Supported Employment

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Support Activities for Printing (32312), Community Food Services (624210), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Help Supply Services (7363), Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL), Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM)

Keywords

• Supported employment services
• Social enterprise catering
• Disability day programs
• Vocational skill development
• Community inclusion services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lower Sackville

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Social Enterprise Revenue: Building Futures operates four social enterprises (Meals & Catering, Print Shop, Made-By Products, Assembly Plus) that generate revenue from providing products and services to the community. Revenues are reinvested into the businesses and to support skill development and recreation & leisure activities.
2. Government Funding: Building Futures receives funding through the Department of Community Services – Disability Support Program as an Adult Day Program service provider within Nova Scotia's DSP. This is a recurring government grant stream.
3. Donations & Charitable Contributions: Building Futures relies on donations from individuals and organizations. Donations are acknowledged with a tax-deductible receipt. The organization is a registered charity in Nova Scotia (Charity #118829183RR0001).
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors (Atlantic Lottery, Theriault Financial, Fleming, River Philip Foundation, Fraserway RV, RBC) provide financial and in-kind support in exchange for community partnership recognition and engagement opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Building Futures Employment Society is a non-profit social enterprise that provides supported employment, skill development, and community inclusion services to adults with intellectual disabilities in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. It operates four social enterprises—Meals & Catering, Futures Print Shop, Made-By Products, and Assembly Plus—that generate revenue reinvested into participant programs such as the Futures Skills Centre, Futures Club, Futures Connect, and Community Navigation & Employment.

Product overview

Building Futures is a social enterprise organization operating as a portfolio of four distinct social enterprises providing supported employment for people with intellectual disabilities. The core offerings include Meals & Catering (catering and frozen meals), Futures Print Shop (printing and copying services since 1988), Made-By Products (handcrafted artisan goods including the Futures Birds lawn art collection), and Assembly Plus (packaging and assembly services). These social enterprises are complemented by program services including the Futures Skills Centre (vocational training), Futures Club (day program for complex needs established 2000), Futures Connect (social/recreational activities), and Community Navigation & Employment support. Revenues from social enterprises are reinvested to support skill development and recreation activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Meals & Catering: Catering, fresh & frozen meals, and preserves & pickles services.
• Futures Skills Centre
• Futures Club
• Futures Connect
• Community Navigation & Employment
• Made-By

Products and services

• Meals & Catering Provides homemade take-out suppers, frozen meals, food trays (fruit, veggie, charcuterie, breakfast, sandwiches), custom catering for events, and seasonal preserves and pickles. Serves individual consumers and corporate/organizational customers with quote-based pricing.
• Futures Print Shop Provides printing, copying, flyers, envelopes, brochures, tickets, newsletters, business forms, and bindery services such as annual reports and booklets for businesses, organizations, and individuals on a quote basis.
• Made-By Products Artisan brand of handcrafted products produced by participants, including the Futures Birds lawn art collection, ornamental items, home and kitchen products, pickles, jams, and preserves. Sold per-item at the on-site Building Futures Market and online at futuresmarketonline.ca.
• Assembly Plus Provides supervised, quality-controlled light production and administrative support including envelope inserting, labeling, hardware assembly, packaging, and bundling/aggregating for for-profit and not-for-profit organizations on a quote basis. Has served Enerscan Insulators Ltd. for over 20 years.
• Futures Skills Centre Supportive day program providing adults with intellectual disabilities opportunities for learning, skill development, vocational training, exploration, and self-determination through supported employment and community navigation.
• Futures Club Day program offering individualized programming and activities for participants with more complex needs, promoting choice, self-direction, personal growth, and community exploration at the Masonic Lodge in Lower Sackville.
• Futures Connect Inclusive social program bringing adults with intellectual disabilities together through engaging social, cultural, and recreational activities, including monthly sessions ($20 per person) at the Futures Skills Centre and the annual Futures Summer Connect multi-day event.
• Community Navigation & Employment Personalized support and guidance helping participants access and navigate community resources, employment opportunities, and volunteer roles, with active workplace partnerships including Sobeys Lower Sackville.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 years serving the community since 1973
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Atlantic LotteryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor and partner. Atlantic Lottery supports Building Futures through corporate sponsorship, contributing to the organization's community impact initiatives in Nova Scotia.
• Theriault FinancialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor and partner. Theriault Financial contributes financial support to Building Futures as part of its community investment and engagement strategy.
• FlemingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor and partner supporting Building Futures' mission and programs through corporate sponsorship.
• River Philip FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity foundation sponsor providing grant funding and support to Building Futures for community programming and social impact initiatives.
• Fraserway RVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor and partner supporting Building Futures' programs and community events through corporate sponsorship.
• RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRBC is a significant corporate partner engaged through the RBC Communities Together Fund. Over 20 RBC employees have participated in multiple volunteer opportunities with Building Futures. The partnership provides employee volunteer engagement, mentorship, and financial support for Building Futures programs.
• Masonic Lodge (Lower Sackville)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Masonic Lodge has housed Futures Club since its creation in 2000. After a roof collapse in 2015, the Masons fully renovated their space to be accessible for participants with physical needs. They have been and continue to be tremendous partners of Futures Club, demonstrating long-term community commitment.
• Directions Council of Nova ScotiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding Futures is a member of the Directions Council of Nova Scotia, a provincial body collaboratively working with other agencies to promote the abilities and inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities in communities across Nova Scotia.
• Kinsmen Club of SackvilleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity service organization (Kinsmen Club of Sackville) engages with Building Futures through volunteer activities and community support, contributing to the organization's community integration mission.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Inclusion Alberta: Alberta advocacy and service organization supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities through community inclusion, supported employment, and family-driven programming — directly analogous to Building Futures' mission and participant base.
• KW Habilitation: Ontario-based charitable organization providing supported employment, skill development, and day programs for adults with intellectual disabilities — directly comparable to Building Futures' Skills Centre, Futures Club, and social enterprise portfolio.
• EmployAbilities (Edmonton): Edmonton nonprofit offering employment placement, vocational training, and community inclusion services for people with disabilities; mirrors Building Futures' supported employment and Community Navigation model.
• Ready, Willing & Able: National Canadian initiative (Canadian Association for Community Living + Canadian Chamber of Commerce) focused on inclusive hiring of people with intellectual disabilities; operates as a parallel network for employer engagement and job placement.
• JVS Toronto: Toronto-based employment and vocational services organization serving diverse populations including people with disabilities; comparable job-readiness, placement, and employer-partnership approach.
• Neil Squire Society: Canadian nonprofit delivering employment counseling, assistive technology, and skills development for people with disabilities — closest peer on the employment-readiness and workplace-inclusion axis.

Broad incumbents

• Community Living British Columbia (CLBC): Crown agency funding and coordinating individualized supports and employment services for adults with developmental disabilities in BC — larger, funder-style entity but operates in the same disability-employment service category.
• Community Living Ontario: Provincial umbrella network of agencies supporting people with intellectual disabilities across Ontario, including supported employment — broader geographic scope but overlapping service model and funder ecosystem.
• March of Dimes Canada: National Canadian disability services nonprofit offering employment supports, accessible housing, and rehabilitation programs — broader portfolio but overlapping directly on supported employment services.
• YAI (YAI - National Institute for Disabilities): Large U.S.-based nonprofit providing supported employment, day habilitation, and social enterprises for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — most analogous scaled comparable outside Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BuildingFuturesBFES
• Instagraminstagram.com/buildingfuturesns
• Xx.com/FuturesWorking
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/building-futures-employment

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Building Futures