Current Opportunities

Who We Are

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia (EFMNS) is a non-profit, charitable organization that serves vulnerable women, girls, trans, and gender diverse people. Our goal is to foster our clients’ reintegration, rehabilitation, and personal empowerment and to address the root causes of criminalization. The clients we support are often at a high risk of returning to the cycle of poverty, homelessness and self-harm that can cause criminalization.

We are devoted to improving the lives of our clients and all community members through comprehensive housing supports, innovative programming initiatives, justice system reform and through building individual strength and capacity in all of the women we serve. EFMNS provides the structure for our clients to transform their lives from a cycle of poverty and insecurity to one of stability, growth and hope.

EFMNS has 40+ staff members and an annual budget of approx. $4.4mill in 2025-2026.

Scope of Services

We are seeking proposals from qualified independent public accounting firms to conduct the annual financial audit of our organization’s financial statements in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS) and to provide the related auditor’s report.

The contract will cover the fiscal year ending 2025-2026, with the possibility of renewal for up to two (2) additional years subject to satisfactory performance and approval by the Board of Directors.

The selected auditor will be expected to:

 

• Conduct an annual audit of EFMNS’s finances in accordance with Canadian GAAS.

• Prepare EFMNS’s audited financial statements and independent auditor’s report.

• Express an opinion on the fairness of the financial statements and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

• Review and evaluate internal controls and provide recommendations where appropriate.

• Review of statement expenditures and assurance of compliance for two projects.

EFMNS anticipates the auditors will begin their work in May 2026. The above work product will be due by June 30, 2026, ahead of EFMNS’s annual general meeting in early July.

Proposal Requirements

Interested firms should provide the following information in their submission for evaluation:
 

• Firm Profile: Overview of your firm, including size, office locations, and areas of specialization.

• Experience: Description of experience auditing non-profit and charitable organizations, particularly of comparable size and complexity.

• Team: Identification of the engagement partner, manager, and key staff who will be assigned to the audit, along with their qualifications.

• Approach: Outline of your proposed audit methodology, including timelines, communication practices, and approach to risk assessment.

• References: Contact information for at least two non-profit clients for whom you have provided similar services.

• Fee Proposal: Detailed breakdown of proposed fees, including hourly rates, anticipated hours, and any out-of-pocket expenses.

• Commitment to Social Justice (optional): Overview of your firm’s values and how they align with those held by EFMNS or similar social justice values.

 

Submissions

Please submit your proposal electronically in PDF format to:

Rebecca Lavigne
EFMNS Treasurer
finance@efrymns.ca

Deadline for submission: February 11, 2026

Late or incomplete submissions may not be considered.

EFMNS reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and to negotiate the final terms with the selected firm. Submission of a proposal does not create a binding agreement until a contract is signed.