MP Encourages Registered Charities to Apply for Program Funds

August 21, 2008

TOBIQUE-MACTAQUAC – Small and rural registered charities often struggle to stay afloat, and Mike Allen, Member of Parliament for Tobique-Mactaquac, hopes such local organizations take advantage of the Charities Partnership and Outreach Program.

The funding theme for the 2008/09 program offered by the Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is Small and Rural Charities.

“Many hardworking groups in Tobique-Mactaquac certainly fit this category, and I encourage them to learn more about the program,” says Mr. Allen. “I would like them to take advantage of learning how to improve delivery of their programs while doing everything required of them under the Income Tax Act.”

The call for proposals closes Aug. 29, 2008, and organizations can learn more about the program through CRA’s Charities and Giving Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/charities or they can call 1-800-267-2384.

The Canada Revenue Agency launched the Small and Rural Charities Initiative in 2007, with the goal to better understand the needs of these groups and to identify their issues and what could be done to help them meet their obligations under the Income Tax Act. The funding priorities for 2008/09 are inspired by the Report of the Small and Rural Charities Initiative and its recommendations.

Successful projects must be linked to at least one of the program’s objectives and to one of the funding priorities for the fiscal years 2008-2009. These objectives include:

• Projects that focus on the development of tools designed to assist small and rural charities in locating and/or accessing local, regional and/or provincial information/resources intended to support charities in meeting their regulatory obligations under the Income Tax Act;
• Projects with broad national application designed to raise the awareness and capacity of boards of directors regarding their compliance obligations under the Act; and
• Projects that foster collaboration with other registered charities to increase the ability of small and rural charities to meet their obligations under the Income Tax Act.
  

Preference may be given to projects that:

• Distribute educational/training tools and other resources to small and rural charities through multiple communication channels;
• Produce resources in plain language;
• Undertake research intended to identify innovative methods and practices in meeting the needs of small and rural charities;
• Develop and make available online documents, CD-ROMS; Web site materials, and Web links among registered charities; and
• Work in collaboration with larger charities, using them as a source of information, advice and best practices.
  

“It can be quite overwhelming for small charities to meet all of their obligations and at the same time deliver meaningful and much-needed services in our communities,” says Mr. Allen. “I encourage boards of directors to look into this valuable funding program offered by the Canada Revenue Agency.”