starting a registgerd charity in Canada

[head2toepets2go]

Has anyone done this - or know how complicated/time consuming this is? I've been to the government website, but all I can find are the forms ... I was wondering for a very small charity if it took a lot of time (or if once your registered it "only" the annual filing of forms). I'm a trained accountant and very organized so the "paperwork" part doesn't worry me

 

I am thinking about (a little more than thinking) about starting a little something, and although I don't actually expect to do a large amount of fundraising, it might be an incentive for people to "chip in" a little, as there will be a few hundred dollars in "set up" costs. Also do I need to have a seperate bank account? I'm thinking yes, but am worried about the monthly service fees ... I did say "little" that $15-20 a month adds up.

 

Also on a more "crochet" side (this charity involves crochet projects) .. do you think its nervy to ask for donations of thread crochet items if I myself don't do it? Anyways I am still in the figuring out process and just want to have it done consistantly from the beginning.

 

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Fran

[StarStrong]

Fran,

Hi! In 2004 I started what I thought would be a little project - it's grown to almost 500 participates since then. Anyway, it's located in the USA and there are some of the things I've figured out.

 

1) In the USA you don't have to register as a non-profit (501©3) unless you want tax exempt status and to guarantee your donors can take their donations off their taxes

 

2) Really good people will give to a worthwhile cause, even if they can't take it off their taxes. Also they like to give things other than money - especially small handmade items.

 

3) You are right that the start-up costs add up - you need to decide what is your comfort level of donating to "your" charity.

 

4) People really want to know why they are donating - how will their work be used? If you are giving their thread crochet to a worthwhile cause you can ask for something you do not do.

 

 

Hope this helps. If I can answer other questions email me at rectangle6x9@comcast.net.

Btw how about telling us a bit more about this charity.

[head2toepets2go]

Deborah,

Thanks for your reply ... I am really just tossing an idea around. I know if I actually set up a registered charity, that I could issue a receipt for "gifts in kind" which means that if you send in an item with a receipt for the materials used - I could issue a receipt for the materials .... sometimes $5 here & there adds up quickly.

 

Anyways, I was thinking of collecting handmade handkerchiefs for moms/dads that have lost thier children, and possibly distribute them thru fineral homes. When my son passsed away nearly 2 years ago, some one loaned my a "real" hanky because it wasn't proper to use kleenex .... not that I cared at the time but it was a nice gesture.

 

I've searched on-line and can only find cheap (cheap, cheap) flowered-all-over hankies from some foreign country that I'd have to buy by the thousands or hand-madefine-irish-hankies that cost $21 each from Irelands .. or something like that. Although I crochet I have great difficulty using thread and thought I might be unfair to "just ask". I can't imagine this idea growing to be a nation-wide thing, just for the local fineral homes BUT I think the set-up costs would be around $200 (printed notedcards, gift boxes and tissue paper, letterhead etc) not a HUGE amount but enough to invest if I don't have any hankies to give away lol

 

I also didn't know if there were edgings for men's hankies (I started a new post in the thread crochet section) or if I'd be better going for embroidered hankies ... see I'm still tossing about ideas. I'd also have to think of a name/theme (angels, stars whatever) ... and then I didn't want to personally take the credit - "anonymous" - works for me ... anyways, thanks for asking! lol

 

Fran

[StarStrong]

Fran - just sent you an email, Deborah