Establishing a Charitable Giving Fund at Tides Canada is a flexible, cost-effective, and personalized way for you or your family to make a difference. It is much like having your own foundation - without the time and expense spent managing an organization.

How does it work?

You:

• Make an initial contribution of $5,000 or more to establish your fund;
• Create a name for your fund and create a purpose statement for it;
• Advise us what term you would like the assets in your fund invested for (annual, long term or endowment investment options);
• Recommend grants to federally registered charities now or into the future;
• Can continue to make contributions to your fund, and if it is a long term or endowed fund, watch it generate more charitable dollars as it grows tax-free.

We:

• Receipt your gift in the year your contribution is made;
• Manage your grantmaking and the investment of your funds;
• Send you quarterly statements of fund activity and confirmation of grants distributed from your fund.

What kind of assets can I contribute?

You can establish and grow your fund with:

• Cash
• Publicly Traded Securities
• Privately Held Securities
• Gifts left in your will
• Gifts of Life Insurance
• Annuities that provide income to you during your lifetime
• Gifts made through Retirement Plans
• Gifts of Real Estate and other property
• Memorial gifts for loved ones

What are the advantages of a Charitable Giving Fund at Tides Canada?

Efficiency and cost savings:

• When you donate highly appreciated securities to your fund you receive the maximum tax benefits allowed by law.
• You have no need to track receipts from multiple charities. We provide you with quarterly and year-end statements summarizing all the activity in your fund.
• More cost-effective than administering your own foundation.

Flexibility and personal involvement:

• You have the opportunity to time the distribution of grants to charities without the pressure of year-end deadlines.
• The charitable grants made from your fund can either acknowledge you or be made anonymously. The decision is yours.

A Sense of Community:

• Join a growing community of like-minded donors  partnering with Tides Canada to fulfill their philanthropic goals.
• Benefit from invite-only opportunities to learn about timely environmental and social issues, trends and best practices in philanthropy sponsored by Tides Canada.

Personalized Strategic Counsel:

• Take your charitable giving a step further and consult with Tides Canada on a high-impact, strategic giving plan customized to your unique philanthropic goals.
• Take advantage of our knowledgeable staff and national network of expert advisors to strengthen, expand, and inform your choices.

International Giving Services:

• Through our relationship with Tides Foundation in the US, we are able to offer our donor partners tax-efficient, streamlined services that assist with international giving.

Socially Responsible Fund Management

• All funds are invested in businesses and institutions whose practices are as consistent as possible with our shared mission to support social justice and environmental protection. Doing this means that we are making solid financial investments while also being part of a movement steering publicly-traded businesses towards greater social and environmental responsibility.

For more information, consult our chart (PDF, 135kb) comparing Charitable Giving Funds and Private Foundations.

When does it make sense to consider a Charitable Giving Fund?

When you:

• Have decided to graduate to a more complex level of charitable giving and think you would benefit from the range of advisory, administrative, reporting, and investment management services that Tides Canada offers;
• Have highly appreciated securities or property and want to avoid paying capital gains taxes;
• Are contemplating the sale or liquidation of your business and want to reduce your tax liability;
• Have a small private foundation and want to reduce the paperwork and costs;
• Have decided you want to carry out gifting anonymously;
• Are preparing your will, establishing a trust, or designating a beneficiary for your retirement assets and want to pass on a legacy of charitable giving to your children.

How do I open a fund?

Contact Tricia Cummings, Client Services, at 1-866-TIDESCA (843-3722) or 604-647-6611 ext. 243 or via email at tricia AT tidescanada.org. We can work together to find solutions tailored specifically to meet your giving goals.