Frequently Asked Questions
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What is CanadaHelps?
CanadaHelps is a registered charity and public foundation on a mission to make giving simple. Through CanadaHelps.org, anyone can donate to any registered Canadian charity online. For donors, CanadaHelps.org is a one-stop shop for giving. For charities, CanadaHelps is a cost-effective online fundraising solution.
What is CanadaHelps' mission?
CanadaHelps' mission is to provide accessible and affordable online technology to both donors and charities in order to promote – and ultimately increase – charitable giving in Canada.
What is CanadaHelps' Charitable Registration/ Business Number (BN)? What is a BN number?
CanadaHelps is a public foundation, BN: 896568417RR0001. A BN number to a charity is what a SIN number is to an individual; it acts as a means of identification for the Canadian Revenue Agency.
How did CanadaHelps get started?
The idea was first thought of in 1999 by co-founder Aaron Pereira who worked with 2 friends from high school – Matthew Choi and Ryan Little – to build CanadaHelps. With the support of a number of companies, CanadaHelps launched its first official site in 2000, facilitating over $150,000 to charities in its first year. For the full story, click here.
How does CanadaHelps support itself? How is it funded?
CanadaHelps appreciates the financial and in-kind support of the following organizations: CIBC, ethoca, The Ontario Trillium Foundation. Osler, Hoskn & Harcourt LLP and Q9 Networks. We are also generously supported by donations from a number of individuals. Visit the Supporters section for more detail.
What does it cost to use CanadaHelps?
CanadaHelps assesses a 3% transaction fee on each donation. This amount is deducted before the donation is sent to the charity. This 3% is covers all credit card merchant fees, transaction fees, banking costs, receipting, reconciliation and disbursement. The 3% is a modest charge for the service that CanadaHelps provides to Canadian donors and the charities.
Donations to charities that aren’t registered with CanadaHelps for the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) of donations are assessed an additional 1% (for a total of 4% per transaction).
CanadaHelps will sometimes partner with other companies to offer unique donation opportunities to donors and charities. In some cases, these companies will assess their own fees on top of the 3% CanadaHelps fee. Currently, the following companies/fees are in effect:
- Facebook Causes: 1.5% (for a total of 4.5% per donation)
- DKCC Donation Kiosks: 17% to a maximum of $4.25
Where does CanadaHelps get its list of charities?
All charities listed on CanadaHelps.org are acquired from the Canada Revenue Agency's list of registered charities. Our list is updated monthly to ensure we're adding new charities as they're created and removing those that have had their charitable status revoked.
Does CanadaHelps screen or investigate the charities listed on the site?
CanadaHelps uses the approved list of charities from the Canada Revenue Agency, the charity regulator in Canada. All charities that have valid charitable status are allowed on the website. For guidance with your giving, visit our section on Giving Resources.
I can't find my charity on CanadaHelps. Why?
CanadaHelps lists charities that are recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). However, for various reasons, charities that are recognized by the CRA may not be included on CanadaHelps because:
- The charity may be registered under a different name. Try searching for a keyword.
- The charity is new and has not yet been added to our site. Updates are made monthly so please check back.
- The charity has recently had its charitable status revoked by the CRA.
- The charity has requested that it be removed from CanadaHelps because it either does not accept donations or is not interested in accepting online donations at this time.
How does the money get to the charity?
After securely processing your donation online, CanadaHelps prepares to disburse it to the charity you donated to. Charities that are registered with CanadaHelps to receive donations by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) receive weekly deposits for donation made the previous week. If the charity you donated to isn’t registered to receive EFTs, they will get a cheque by mail in the month following the donation date. If your charity isn’t yet registered with CanadaHelps, visit the For Charities section for more details about why they should.
Can I give to individuals in need through CanadaHelps?
No. CanadaHelps can only facilitate donations for Canadian registered charities.
Can I give to nonprofits that aren't registered charities through CanadaHelps?
No. CanadaHelps can only facilitate donations for Canadian registered charities.
Can I give to non-Canadian charities through CanadaHelps?
No. CanadaHelps can only facilitate donations for Canadian registered charities. There are however, a number of Canadian charities that conduct charitable work around the world. If you wish to give to a charity registered in the US, please visit Network for Good. To give to a charity registered in the UK, please visit the Charities Aid Foundation. Donations made to foreign charities are not usually eligible for tax deductions in Canada.
I work/volunteer for a charity that might want to use the CanadaHelps service. What do I need to do?
Please see the information found in the For Charities section.
Why should I use CanadaHelps?
There are many reasons to use CanadaHelps! Here are just a few:
- Donating online is easier than writing a cheque
- You get your tax receipt instantly
- You can keep track of your giving and receipts all in one place - no more lost tax receipts!
- CanadaHelps offers you unique and innovate ways to give online
- It saves your favourite charities money.
CanadaHelps is awesome! Can I link to your site?
Absolutely! Visit our CanadaHelps Ambassadors page to check out some of the logos, pics and banners who can choose from for your site, and how they can be used.
Why do I need to enable pop-ups?
Pop-ups are used to preview e-cards and Charity Gift Cards. To enable your browser to accept CanadaHelps pop-up windows, please see your browser's Help function.
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