With the recent launch of our Winter Campaign, where we appeal to our community to help us reach our fundraising goal of $90,000, we thought we would share some simple tips and tricks that can help make your seasonal contributions (no matter how big or small!) go the extra mile.
1. Donate your $600 tax bonus from the Québec government
Ahead of the holidays, the Quebec government will be disbursing one-time tax adjustments up to $600 to Quebecers making less than $104,000 a year to help alleviate the impacts of inflation. These funds may have already landed in your bank account.
For those who weren’t expecting this bonus and for whom it makes little impact to your bottom line, it could be an opportunity to reflect on how such a contribution would benefit organizations on the frontlines working to meet the increasing needs of your community, alongside increasing costs and a steady decline in the percentage of Canadians donating to charities.
2. Get your employer to match your donations, volunteer hours or payroll giving
Does your employer have a Charitable Matching Program or Charitable Payroll Giving Program? It’s one of the easiest ways to double the distance of your donation. Through such a program, your employer will match donations made by employees to non-profit organizations, dollar-for-dollar and sometimes more! In some cases, employers even match volunteer hours with a donation, or offer simple, automated contributions directly through their payroll system.
Contact your Human Resources department directly to see if they have a Matching Program or Charitable Payroll Giving Program, help circulate the information to your employees or colleagues, or encourage your company to start such a program.
3. Make a Gift of Securities
Investing pays off in so many ways. When you donate securities directly to a charity (as opposed to selling them and donating the proceeds), you don’t pay any capital gains tax. This in turn can allow you to donate more!
Easily donate securities through the CanadaHelps website in 3 steps. The deadline to donate to be eligible for a 2022 tax receipt is Friday, December 16th.
- Fill out the online securities donation form. Upon completion, you will receive an email confirming all the details of your pledge.
- Complete the provided Letter of Direction form and send it to your financial advisor or investment firm. This authorizes the transfer of shares to CanadaHelps.
- Once shares are sold, CanadaHelps sends you a confirmation email with your charitable tax receipt and disburses the proceeds to Santropol Roulant.
4. Give the gift of generosity
The results are in: Canadians are in a giving mood. A new Ipsos poll revealed that nearly half of Canadians (47%) would prefer to receive a charitable gift that makes an impact – a donation made in their honour – over a traditional present. Join the movement!
Ask your friends and family not to buy you any gifts, all while taking the opportunity to share with them your favourite cause. You can ask for a gift made in your honour, or challenge your friends or family to give alongside you by starting a seasonal giving tradition instead of a gift exchange.
You have the potential to set off a cascade of generosity.
5. Spread your holiday love over the whole year
Avoid the mad dash of December giving, when you’ve got other holiday plans to think about! This year, sign up for a simple way of giving that allows you to make automatic donations, spread out over the course of a year, so that you can focus on your impact rather than your cash flow. All this, while helping ensure Santropol Roulant has a predictable source of funding for long-term organizational sustainability and stability.
However you choose to spread some cheer this holiday season, know that all of us at Santropol Roulant are extremely grateful to have you as part of this community. We appreciate each gesture of time, care and attention you make to help your community thrive. Thank you!
Melanie + the fundraising team