A local emergency shelter for women and children escaping domestic abuse sits in limbo as it awaits the results of a provincial review that could determine the future of its funding.

This past summer, Osborne House approached the province to top up it’s $1.4-million annual budget after the City of Winnipeg denied a request to provide $450,000 a year to help keep the 45-bed non-profit organization afloat, CEO Barb Judt said.

The request prompted the provincial government to order a review into the funding process of Manitoba’s 10 women’s shelters.

According to Judt, the review focused solely on the organizations’ finances rather than their programming, and was meant to ensure current funding was being used efficiently.

“The process went very well (for Osborne House),” said Judt, noting the results of the review will be known within roughly the span of a month.

“We’re pretty transparent about everything we do here, so even though it sounds strange to say, we were very happy to have a financial audit done.”

Osborne House runs a residential and food program for women and children escaping domestic violence, along with a 24/7 crisis line, counselling, support and tutoring services.

It receives no funding from the city or federal government, Judt said, though it has received $18,000 over the last two years from the mayor’s annual state of the city address, Judt noted.

The city denied Osborne House’s funding request this past March, citing budgetary concerns.

This year, the shelter has pulled in an additional $175,000 in grants and private donations, though it still isn’t enough, according to Judt. Osborne House, operates on a “very tight budget” that is stretched too thin when the shelter’s 45 beds are full, she said.

“We are extremely frugal with our money here; there’s no room for extras,” said Judt, noting that, despite a recent flurry of media attention, cash donations remain down.

“We are definitely still in need of a funding boost - just for basic operational needs.”

The organization is still interested in working with the city in terms of funding, she added.

University of Winnipeg politics professor Shannon Sampert said she was disappointed to hear Osborne House is having difficulty securing increased funding.

Emergency shelters for abused women and their children are invaluable for those who use them, Sampert said.

“We know that women who are in intimate partner relationships where violence is an everyday occurrence often find themselves in situations in which the man has such complete control over their lives that they have no access to safe shelter or money,” Sampert said.

Women who do decide to leave behind these kinds of harmful environments put themselves at increased risk of severe violence at the hands of their abusive partners, she said.

“Places like Osborne House provide women with shelter that not only takes care of them financially, but also offers an aspect of safety in light of that increased vulnerability,” Sampert said.

Representatives from the province could not be reached for comment before press time.

Published in Volume 67, Number 6 of The Uniter (October 11, 2012)