Short- and long-term approaches to finding new revenue sources

Earning money is hardly a new concept for nonprofit organizations. In fact, the current economic environment may have you thinking about ways to turn your organization’s products or services into new sources of revenue. Perhaps your organization prints a booklet...

Charitable receipting rights and wrongs

A tax receipt. It sounds simple enough. Your charity receives a valued donation, you issue a tax receipt, and the donor receives a tax credit. The ability to provide official tax receipts is an important advantage for charities seeking to...

Fundraising Q&A: How to market tribute gifts and planned giving

This is just a reminder to readers that what's contained in these monthly musings is my account of best practices (in 1500 words or less). I urge you to share these articles with your leadership team who make the difficult...

Are these four vital words on your website?

Your success at online fundraising depends on four words. If you want to acquire members and donors, raise funds and encourage others to advocate for your cause, these four words must appear on your website. Subscribe The secret to Internet...

Fundraising check-up: Taking the pulse of the charitable sector

There's no denying Canadians are a generous bunch. Even in times of economic turbulence, the populace is known to pry open its heavily-depleted wallets and give. But, with the competition for dollars at an all-time high, those searching for cash...

Mobile giving: The Haiti cataclysm

Hurricane Katrina. The Indian Ocean Tsumani. The Haiti Earthquake. These are but three of the more recent natural disasters to devastate different regions on the planet. And throughout, Canadian citizens, charities, and nonprofits have responded with true north compassion, aid,...

Charity Intelligence: Smart giving

When it comes to giving you could say Canadians are a pretty generous bunch. Considered the second most generous charitable donors in the world on a per capita basis, in 2008 alone they were responsible for donating $8.7 billion to...

Aboriginal social enterprise: Hopeful alternatives

Manon Barbeau has a simple dream: giving young people from First Nations communities an opportunity to express themselves using video and music, promoting a sense of healing, empowerment, and community engagement. A filmmaker, Barbeau has always been passionate about creating...

Fundraising Q&A: Further clarification on the Canada Revenue Agency Guidance on Fundraising

I’m the sole fundraiser in a mid-sized organization. I’ve read the CRA Fundraising Guidance, their supporting document, Mark Blumberg’s materials, and attended the AFP webinar with Terry Carter and I’m still confused...can you help? First and foremost, you are doing...

VANOC – Setting the gold standard for a social enterprise games

Despite much of the rumbling heard around Canada and BC about the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games preparations, one thing is clear to many who work in the charity world on the west coast: the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) is going...