The Canadian Charity Law Podcast

This episode provides guidance on accurately filing a Canadian charity's T3010 tax return, emphasizing the importance of meeting deadlines, providing complete information, and accurately describing charitable activities. The guide highlights common mistakes to avoid, such as incorrectly reporting financial data or failing to file even during periods of inactivity. This episode is sponsored by B.I....

This episode is a general guide to Canadian tax compliance for private foundations . It details the administrative, financial, and operational restrictions placed on these foundations, including requirements for corporate filings, annual information returns, and disbursement quotas. The guide also covers tax implications for donations, rules on loanbacks and investments, and the impact of provinci...

This episode emphasizes a structured approach to Charity Budgeting, beginning with establishing a timeline and identifying key personnel, and progresses through data collection, establishing an account structure, and prioritizing certain information. The podcast concludes by highlighting the importance of aligning the budget with the charity's goals and striving for a balanced budget. This episode...

This episode outlines the costs associated with registering and maintaining a charity in Canada . Initial costs include legal and consulting fees (ranging from $5,000 to $15,000), and incorporation fees (around $200 federally). Ongoing expenses encompass annual financial statements, annual reporting to the CRA (both starting around $1,000), fundraising costs (10-15% of funds raised), governance an...

This episode provides guidelines for creating effective and informative board meeting minutes. Key aspects covered include formatting, content limitations, and what information to include (decisions, actions, responsibilities). The conversation emphasizes transparency while maintaining confidentiality, suggesting a balance between detailed records and protecting sensitive information. Consistency...

In this episode we explore the advantages of establishing a private foundation in Canada . Key benefits include maintaining control over donated assets, engaging family members in philanthropic activities, and customizing supported charitable causes. Additional advantages are operational flexibility, building a sustainable asset base, enhanced privacy, and the potential for increased public recogn...

This episode focuses on the Canada Revenue Agency's (CRA) guidelines for balancing fundraising activities with the primary purpose of serving charitable causes. It outlines the importance of reasonableness in fundraising expenses and stresses the need for charities to obtain proper permissions and licenses for specific fundraising methods, including lotteries, bingos, and charity casinos. The arti...

This episode provides guidance on how Canadian charitable organizations can effectively manage their assets to ensure long-term sustainability and maximize their positive impact on the community. We emphasizes the importance of comprehensive asset management, strategic insurance, protecting organizational identity, careful facility usage, and continuous improvement in governance. By implementing t...

This episode provides advice for executive directors leading capital campaigns for charitable organizations. It offers six tips to effectively navigate the fundraising process, covering topics such as allocating time for fundraising, crafting a compelling case for support, communicating authentically with donors, embracing vulnerability, being responsive and resourceful, and seeking support and le...

This episode provides a detailed guide for Canadian charities on how to run a successful matching end-of-year fundraising campaign. It explains the benefits of such campaigns, including increased donor motivation and larger donations, and outlines a step-by-step process for implementation. The episode covers key elements such as setting clear goals, finding a matching partner, crafting compelling...

In this episode, we provide an overview of fundraising guidelines for charities in Canada. We discuss the Canada Revenue Agency's (CRA) broad definition of fundraising, which encompasses a variety of activities, both direct and indirect. We also highlight the CRA's focus on ensuring that charities maintain transparency and accountability in their fundraising practices. Finally, we outline key poin...

This discussion provides four essential tips for maintaining a nonprofit website. It emphasizes the importance of ensuring user experience elements function properly , updating key information , refreshing the site's appearance , and promoting the website through other marketing channels . We also highlight the need for regular maintenance to create a user-friendly and visually appealing website t...

In this episode we cover the required information on an official donation receipt from a registered charity. The receipt must include the charity's name and address, the donor's full name and address, the date of the donation, the amount donated, the date the receipt was issued, and the charity's registration number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). It also outlines specific requirements...

This episode provides guidance for charities and applicants for charitable status who promote the welfare of animals. It explains the legal framework for registering as a charity in Canada, including the requirement that charitable purposes must provide a public benefit and that activities must align with legal and ethical standards. The episode outlines the types of activities considered charitab...

Here we explore when a Sports Organization can and cannot qualify for charity registration in Canada. This episode is sponsored by B.I.G. Charity Law Group Professional Corporation, a Charity Law Firm serving charity and not-for-profit clients across Canada (https://www.charitylawgroup.ca/ 416-488-5888) and B.I.G. Charity Accounts Group, a firm serving Canadian charities with all their financial s...

This episode is a guide for registered charities in Canada who want to make grants to organizations that do not have charitable status. We explain the legal framework and requirements for making these grants, which were recently amended to allow for more flexible and collaborative partnerships. It outlines the key legal terms, such as "qualifying disbursement" and "grantee organization," and then...

In this episode we explore the purposes of the ONCA (the new legislation for nonprofits and charities incorporated in Ontario)  and what’s new , including its implications for existing corporations and the transition process. We also discuss practical tips for directors and members on navigating the new legislation, including how to prepare for the ONCA transition and file necessary documents with...