'Tis the season of giving! With the holidays just around the corner, one of the best ways to give is by making a donation to a charitable organization. Supporting charities financially will ensure they have the resources to help those in need. Charities support a diverse range of causes including social services, health, the arts, education, and the environment.
To find out more about a charity's cause, their activities, and how they allocate people's donated contributions, check out their website, and their annual and financial reports. If you're looking for a cause in which to donate, in Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) maintains the "Charities Listings" resource where you can search for registered Canadian charities. Information listed here includes the charity name, their charitable business registration number, and contact information. This resource also provides information on the charity's activities, revenues, and expenditures. The basic search and advanced search functions of this resource currently do not have a field for keyword searching, nor does it have a section for 'environment' under 'Charity Type' in the advanced search to browse through. So if you're looking for anything environment related, you may have to browse through all the results. For more information on what constitutes a registered charity, check the “Registered charity” page on the CRA website.
Regardless of which charity you decide to support, donating to a charity helps the cause go a long way. It really is a gift that keeps on giving.
