Registered charities are required by law to distribute the bulk of their receipted revenue to causes or activities in line with their charitable mission. But the numbers aren't always as cut and dried as one might expect. Adam Aptowitzer, a...
My newspaper frequently covers scandals where charities have misused donations or staff have absconded with funds. Every story like that reduces my ability to raise funds for my charity even though we are not part of this wrongdoing. I think...
Despite the oft-maligned paradigm of governments entering into contract with private firms to provide services and/or build infrastructure for the public good, public-private partnerships, or P3s, continue to gain steam in Canada. Skeptics say the fact that governments can borrow...
I think my membership organization needs change at the board, but there are no term limits so there are never any elections; people are comfortable and stay forever. At the last Annual General Meeting (AGM), I proposed a carefully worded...
The federal Conservatives presented their 2007 budget on March 19th and there was some good news for charities, namely the elimination of capital gains tax on the donation of publicly-listed securities to private foundations. Adam Aptowitzer, a lawyer with the...
Although charities are exempt from paying taxes, the Canada Revenue Agency still requires them to fill out paperwork, namely the Registered Charity Information Return, better known as the T3010. Adam Aptowitzer, a lawyer with the Ottawa-based law firm Drache LLP,...
While cash donations are always welcome, many charities are also happy to accept gifts in kind. However, unlike cashing a cheque, it's not always clear what the value of a gift in kind actually is, which makes filling out a...
When it is ethical to have 'in camera' sessions of the board, and what are the guidelines around tracking and communicating decisions made at them? First, just so everyone understands, 'in camera' and 'executive session' appear to be interchangeable terms...
To receipt or not to receipt, that is the question. Well, actually, that's just one of the questions that crops up when a charity receives a donation. Adam Aptowitzer, a lawyer with the Ottawa-based law firm Drache LLP, reviews the...
I counsel clients and am required to explain a range of options. My clients are usually under considerable stress and not at their best for making sensible choices. It often seems they make the worst possible choice. I compare notes...
