Earlier this year, Angel and Marilyn from Genesis House joined women from across Canada in a by-invitation-only, two-day transformative conference on economic abuse, hosted by Women’s Shelters Canada. This national session was part of a new Community of Practice (CoP) focused on supporting VAW shelters and transition houses in strengthening their economic empowerment and financial literacy programming for survivors of gender-based violence.
Through this 2-year CoP, agencies from across the country are connecting, collaborating, and growing together, meeting virtually each month until March 2026, in addition to the in-person gathering held in Ottawa in May. Together, they share promising practices, receive mentorship, and work toward specific actions that promote long-term financial empowerment for women. Representatives from Swan River were also in attendance, offering valuable insights.
Genesis House piloted the Economic Abuse Screening Tool (EAST) before its release, and provided ongoing feedback to the Screening Tool Project, which aims to improve frontline assessment tools for economic abuse. Their participation underscores the collaborative and cross-provincial commitment to strengthening support for survivors. The EAST is now available for use with participants to identify potential economic abuse, provide direction to assist them in protecting themselves, and offer guidance to repair the damage.
“Being in that room, surrounded by women who are fiercely committed to economic justice at all levels, it was energizing and affirming,” shared Angel. “It made me braver. I started dreaming bigger.”
And dream bigger she did.
Following the session, Genesis House began planning to launch its own Matched Savings Program. The program will complement its Financial Literacy Program, run in partnership with Access Credit Union. Offered yearly in spring or fall, it has already supported 30 + participants in successfully completing basic budgeting and savings education. The dream is to start with a few women who have completed the financial literacy program and demonstrated discipline in improving their financial picture. They must be willing to commit to monthly meetings with staff, have identified a goal to work towards that would help them become more self-sufficient (vehicle downpayment, tuition, supplies to start a business, etc.), and make monthly contributions to a savings plan with the added incentive of donor-matched contributions, tripling their savings 3-to-1.
Angel shared the concerns entwined in rolling out such an initiative. “There are challenges; questions of sustainability, long-term funding, and donor engagement. But seeing women begin to regain control of their finances will make it all worth it.” At the heart of these efforts lies a simple but radical goal: To help women live in liberation, not limitation. “Economic empowerment means more than just money. It means freedom. It means choice,” expressed Angel.
The team defines financial empowerment as the process of sharing knowledge and guidance with women who may not have had the opportunity to learn foundational financial skills such as opening a bank account, checking a credit score, or filing taxes. Many of their clients, including those from the local Mennonite community, benefit from customized budgeting workshops and group-based learning that helps build financial confidence from the ground up.
Genesis House is also exploring tools such as the Benefits Wayfinder, a platform hosted by Prosper Canada that allows women to explore federal and provincial benefits they may qualify for, all by answering a few simple questions. This tool can be particularly impactful for low-income families and newcomers navigating complex systems.
Another promising initiative, My Money, My Freedom, created by the Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment (CCFWE) is a financial literacy training program tailored for survivors of gender-based violence, including immigrant and refugee women. While currently active in other provinces, Genesis House is advocating for the implementation of its program in Manitoba. Recently, CCFWE team members met with Manitoba government ministers and are in discussions to potentially roll out training for this program across the province by 2026.
Inspired by the Cridge Centre Financial Literacy Program in Victoria, British Columbia, which offers mentoring and coaching through matched savings, as well as cross-sector partnerships with groups such as Biting Grass, Royal LePage, and the Walmart Foundation, Manitoba is looking to expand its connections with larger organizations in the prairie province.
As the Housing Outreach program at Genesis House knows firsthand, economic abuse is often deeply tied to the housing instability many women experience in abusive relationships. By embedding financial literacy and empowerment into their services, they’re not just supporting women in crisis; they’re helping build futures grounded in dignity, autonomy, and hope.
