Founders are a source of innovation and energy in the social good sector. Lionized as “social entrepreneurs” they identify gaps and create organizations to fill them. But there is, sometimes, a dark side to founders. Donors, employees and stakeholders should be aware of these dynamics. Dr. Susanna Kislenko is a…
Category: Estate Donations
Total 83 Posts
A common misconception about donor advised funds is that they are trusts, charitable purpose trusts. At times, lawyers, especially those with expertise in trusts and estates, struggle with this distinction, as do donors. In 2023, this issue came to the forefront when Canadian charities briefly thought they might need to…
Charities do not exclusively depend on donations, despite popular perceptions to the contrary. In Canada, government funding and earned revenue contribute more to registered charities than donations. Both these types of low-key funding are under pressure, enough so that we will soon witness some large charities shrink or even collapse….
Gwenyth Stadig, Natasha Barrett, Upama Poudyal, Abdullah Khalid, Amber LeBlanc all of Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP Canadian donors can donate a variety of types of property to “qualified donees” which gift can be eligible for donation tax credits. Subsection 149.1(1) of the Income Tax Act (“ITA”) defines the term “qualified…
In its Income Tax Act, Canada has two basic types of registered charity: charitable organizations and foundations. These charity types are often paired to work together in a complementary fashion – ying and yang – to achieve shared purposes. This article is a short primer on the prevalence of this…
Portugal Cove South is a fishing village with approximately 86 residents on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland. The town is home to a century-old Roman Catholic church, the Holy Rosary. In August 2024 the parishioners were informed by Archdiocese of St John’s that their church was sold without their consent…
I recently spoke to an estate lawyer who told me she would never recommend certain charities to clients. Why? Because of the way these charities treated estate trustees. Some charities are unduly litigious, grind on fees, and are obstreperous about releases. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this comment…
Child sponsorship is one of the greatest mass-market fundraising innovations of all time and a multi-billion dollar a year industry. Used primarily by international development organizations, sponsorship emotionally ties donors to individual children, providing insights, human connection, and funder loyalty. It’s a fascinating model that has evolved over time, and…
Canadian donors who wish to support foreign charities and international charitable initiatives have historically had limited options. While there are about 3,000 registered charities with international activities and another 700 foreign universities with qualified donee status, there are coverage gaps. It’s a big world with lots of needs. Starting in…
The headline is not intended to scare you off. Admittedly, governance is a notoriously dull topic, made worse by the enthusiasm of governance wonks. Charity governance is rarely a matter considered, at least overtly, by an estate donor when planning a gift by will. But strong governance is essential to good charities….