The Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is accepting funding proposals for the Charities Partnership and Outreach Program. The overall objective of this program is to increase charitable sector compliance with relevant parts of the Income Tax Act.
Deadline: November 30, 2009.
Program Objectives
Funding is available to non-profit organizations serving the charitable sector in Canada and to registered charities to support projects designed to:
- improve the capacity of the sector to develop and deliver sustainable compliance based education programs;
- increase the capacity of the charitable sector in meeting regulatory compliance requirements in a sustainable fashion; and
- raise awareness among the charitable sector of regulatory obligations under the Income Tax Act.
Funding Priorities 2010 - 2011
1) Educating charities on compliant fundraising practices
The CRA recognizes that registered charities in Canada often depend on charitable donations and other sources of revenue to carry out their charitable works. For many charities, this means engaging their own resources in fundraising efforts. Although the CRA recognizes the need for fundraising, charities are expected to focus their time and/or resources mainly on fulfilling their charitable purposes.
In June 2009, the CRA issued comprehensive guidance on fundraising for registered charities. In an effort to promote ethical and compliant fundraising practices in the charitable sector, projects designed to develop and make available materials that educate charities on acceptable fundraising practices will be considered for funding.
2) Educating charities and/or donors about tax shelter donation arrangements and false receipting
Charities play a role in achieving goals that Canadians value, both at home and abroad. To encourage Canadians to support registered charities, the Income Tax Act gives special and significant tax privileges to charities and donors. When donors and registered charities participate in false receipting and/or tax shelter donation schemes, they abuse these tax privileges and undermine confidence in the charitable sector.
Projects designed to educate registered charities and/or donors about how to avoid being involved in false receipting situations and/or tax shelter schemes, and about the consequences of participating in them, will be considered for funding.
3) Promoting transparency and accountability in the sector
The integrity of the charitable sector in Canada relies on charities voluntarily complying with charities regulations and demonstrating accountability to donors and the public.
A charity's board of directors must take responsibility for making sure that its organization complies with charities regulations, and in particular, the Income Tax Act. By complying with the law, charities will increase the transparency of the charitable sector and encourage the public to donate time and money with confidence.
Projects that provide charities with the tools necessary to allow them to assess their own level of compliance and to demonstrate to donors and the public that they operate in a transparent and compliant manner will be considered for funding.
General Information
Proposed projects must be linked to at least one of the Charities Partnership and Outreach Program's objectives (listed above) and to one of the funding priorities for the fiscal year 2010-2011 (April 2010 to March 2011).
NOTE: For 2010-2011, multi-year projects will not be considered for funding. Project funding will be limited to a maximum of one fiscal year (April 2010 to March 2011).
How to Apply
For information about applying for project funding under this program, please see Guide RC4411, Charities Partnership and Outreach Program, Funding Guide and Application (PDF format).
The guide includes information about the program objectives, funding eligibility, completing the application, and the review process. It also includes the application form and a list of required supporting documents.
The call for proposals closes November 30, 2009. Applications to the Charities Partnership and Outreach Program can be made in hard copy or electronically followed by a signed hard copy. Applications must be received or postmarked on or before November 30, 2009. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered for funding.
