Host an Event

Thank you for thinking about hosting a fundraising event for the Saint Elizabeth Health Care (SEHC) Foundation. The SEHC Foundation relies on the generous support of our community to help us fund the charitable programs and services that improve the health and quality of life of individuals and families in need. One of the creative ways our communities support the Foundation is through local champions, just like you, who hold various fundraising events to benefit the Foundation.

From garage sales to snowmobile runs, golf tournaments to galas, no event is too big or too small and they are a load of fun! Also, fundraising events do so much more than raise charitable funds. Working together on charitable event can bring a community closer. It can bind neighbours together to reach a common goal. It can be a source of team-building activity between co-workers. And it can teach the spirit of giving to your children and their classmates.

So Many Options...

The sky is the limit when using your imagination to come up with a fundraising event idea. There are many things to consider that can help you:

• What type of event will it be?
• How much time do you have to commit to the event?
• Do you have a goal?
• What kind of promotion will you need?

We have had some pretty unique fundraisers held on our behalf. Here are some ideas to get your mind running:

• A-Thons - Walk, Bike, Bowl, Read, Dance, Skip
• Sales - Garage, BBQ, Bake, Craft, Car Wash, Auction, Book
• Tournaments - Golf, Football, Baseball, Soccer, Tennis

The SEHC Foundation can provide the following assistance:

• Advice and expertise on event planning
• Ideas to assist with planning and running a successful event
• Provide promotional support (for example: posters, event listing on our website)
• Letters of support to validate the authenticity of the event
• As appropriate, a SEHC Foundation representative may be available to accept a cheque presentation at your event
• Provide information on tax receipting and issue tax receipts if applicable
• SEHC Foundation supplies for your event (e.g., brochures, posters, and giveaways, as appropriate and as available)
• Approval of the SEHC Foundation name/logo

The SEHC Foundation cannot provide the following:

• Funding or reimbursement for event expenses
• Mail/e-mail lists such as donor lists and organization staff lists
• Advertising of your event except for on our event listing on our website
• Guaranteed attendance of staff or volunteers at your event
• Application for gaming licenses, e.g., bingos or raffles
• Access to celebrities or other community or organization VIPs
• Prizes, auction items, awards

Rules and Regulations

• Names and logos are registered trademarks; you need permission to use them
• Money raised must be received within 90 days of the event
• Tax receipt information (if you are approved to issue receipts) must be received within 90 days of the event
• Please read our Top 10 Answers to Common Questions below for more information about receipting
• Volunteer event organizer will obtain all necessary permits, licenses and insurance
• Volunteer event organizer agrees to adhere to all receipting policies as outlined in the tax receipting section and by the Canada Revenue Agency
• The Foundation reserves the right to withdraw the use of its name at any time and will not assume any costs that may be involved in doing so
• If the event is cancelled, the event organizer agrees to contact the Foundation at least one day prior to the event
• The Foundation will not assume any legal or financial liability
• The Foundation is not responsible for any damage, accidents to persons or property

To get started
The Foundation staff would be pleased to offer advice and guidance on how to get started. For more information, please contact Kira Crozier, Director of Annual Giving at 905.940.9655, ext. 6377 or kiracrozier@saintelizabeth.com.

Please note: All materials which include the Saint Elizabeth Health Care or the Saint Elizabeth Health Care Foundation logo, or make reference to our organization, must be approved by the Saint Elizabeth Health Care Foundation.

Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Receipting

At the SEHC Foundation we understand the complexities involved in running events and want to ensure that your initiative can be run with the greatest of ease. We have compiled a list of some of the greatest issues that challenge our event organizers and present them to you in a list that we hope will serve as an easy reference tool when you are planning your next event in support of the Foundation.

We receive more questions about receipts than about almost any other matter. In order to ensure our status as a charitable organization with the Canada Revenue Agency, it is imperative that we all handle matters around receipting in an appropriate, timely, efficient and legal manner.

1. All financial donations made to the SEHC Foundation for $10.00 or more are eligible for an income tax receipt issued by the SEHC Foundation in the calendar year they are received.
    
2. The SEHC Foundation can issue tax receipts only to individuals or organizations that make a donation without receiving any product or tangible item in return. Purchases of raffle tickets, event admission tickets, green fees, live and silent auction items are NOT eligible for tax receipts.
    
3. As per the Canada Revenue Agency guidelines, the SEHC Foundation is able to provide Gift-In-Kind letters for the donations of goods from businesses or individuals. These letters can be used as business promotion expenses. Gift-In-Kind receipts will only be issued to individuals for material goods, if the goods are new and a receipt or invoice from the purchase accompanies the request for a receipt.
    
4. We strongly encourage all event organizers to remit the proceeds from their event within 90 days of the event taking place in order to ensure proper stewardship of donors. Additionally, under Canada Revenue Agency guidelines, in order for gifts to be eligible for income tax receipting in any given calendar year; the SEHC Foundation must have received the gift by the last business day of December; or a donation must be postmarked prior to December 31st.
    
5. The SEHC Foundation is not responsible for expenses. Under no circumstances is the Foundation able to offer funding or reimbursement for event expenses.
    
6. Tax receipts cannot be issued for the costs of a donated service. This includes but is not limited to special services that necessitate hiring someone/thing for an event (e.g. tent set-up, website creation or entertainment). We can however issue a gift in kind letter to acknowledge the donation.
    
7. Sponsorships are not tax deductible if the sponsor receives any advertising, marketing or promotional value and therefore will not receive a tax receipt. Instead, sponsors can receive a letter of acknowledgement for the value of their sponsorship which can be used against business expenses.
    
8. Gifts of artwork, collectibles, or items of a unique nature must be accompanied by a recent independent appraisal, regardless of value. Gifts of art donated by artists and art dealers are seen as disposition from their inventory.
    
9. a) Gaming and lotteries including bingos, 50/50 draws, gambling, raffles or games of chance often have special considerations that require permits. Please go to http://www.agco.on.ca for more information. The SEHC Foundation will not endorse/support or accept donations from events that are not able to be licensed, specifically, gaming events such as Texas Hold’em Poker etc.
   b) Legally all raffles must be registered with your local municipality. There is a processing time of approximately 8-10 weeks to receive a raffle license and your prize cannot change afterwards. The SEHC Foundation will not apply for a raffle license unless the net proceeds to the foundation will meet or exceed $5,000. We recommend that instead, you hold a Promotional Draw. You can run a draw without acquiring a license, but you must offer the tickets for free, asking instead for a donation for the ticket.
    
10. The names and logos of Saint Elizabeth Health Care and the Saint Elizabeth Health Care Foundation cannot be used without prior approval from the SEHC Foundation.