Establishing a Charitable Giving Fund at Tides Canada is an easy, flexible, cost-effective, and personalized way for your client to make a difference.

It is much like having a private foundation - without the time and expense of managing an organization.

How does it work?

The donor:

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

We:

• Receipt the donor's gift in the year the contribution is made;
• Manage their grantmaking (a variety of reporting and research options are available) and the investment of funds;
• Send quarterly statements of fund activity and confirmation of grants distributed from the fund.

What kind of assets can donors contribute?

Donors can establish and grow a fund with:

• Cash
• Publicly Traded Securities
• Privately Held Securities
• Gifts left in a will
• Gifts of Life Insurance
• Annuities that provide income to during their 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 donors contribute highly appreciated securities to a fund they receive the maximum tax benefits allowed by law.
• Donors have no need to track receipts from multiple charities. We provide quarterly and year-end statements summarizing all the activity in thefund.
• More cost-effective than administering a private foundation.

Flexibility and personal involvement:

• Donors have the opportunity to time the distribution of grants to charities without the pressure of year-end deadlines.
• The charitable grants made from a fund can either acknowledge a donor by name or be made anonymously. The decision belongs to the donor.

A Sense of Community:

• Donors join a growing community of like-minded donors partnering with Tides Canada to fulfill their philanthropic goals.
• Donors 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:

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

Learn more from our chart comparing Charitable Giving Funds and Private Foundations.

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

When donors:

• Have decided to graduate to a more complex level of charitable giving and think they 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 a business and want to reduce tax liabilities;
• Have a small private foundation and want to reduce the paperwork and costs;
• Have decided to carry out gifting anonymously;
• Are preparing a will, establishing a trust, designating a beneficiary for retirement assets, or want to pass on a legacy of charitable giving to their children.
  
  For more information, please contact:
  
  Tricia Cummings, Client Services.
  T 604-647-6611 local 243
  1-866-843-3722 toll free
  tricia AT tidescanada.org