CRA issues new Information

The CRA recently issued a large amount of information and carried out website updates that affect Canadian Charities and Nonprofits. Please read the following links for all the updates:

Guidance on Charities Carrying Out Activities Outside CanadaIn early July, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) released a new guidance - Canadian Registered Charities Carrying Out Activities Outside Canada - that updates and replaces Guide RC4106. The guidance assumes that a charity is carrying out activities outside of Canada through an intermediary. The requirements about working with intermediaries also apply to charities working with intermediaries within Canada.

CRA Changes Web Addresses
On July 14, the Canada Revenue Agency's Charities Directorate changed most of the webpage addresses on the Charities and Giving website. While the content of the site has stayed the same, you will need to update your links and bookmarks to the website.

CRA extends resources
The CRA has added several new pages to their website under the Revoking Registered Status section. The new pages cover such topics as types of revocation and processes, consequences of revocation, and annulment, as well as a question and answer page.

Happy National Philanthropy Day!

Posted by Shawna Gnutel, Associate Director, ECVO


"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?"

~Martin Luther King Jr.

National Philanthropy Day was first recognized in 1986 and this year, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, has officially declared November 15, 2009 as National Philanthropy Day in Canada. This special day is marked to celebrate the extraordinary work of charities and to recognize the involvement of donors and volunteers, and their tremendous contribution to the quality of life in our communities.

As I was googling away, I came across Albertan author
Robert Urbanowski's book, Kickback. Last year, he donated copies of his book as gifts for a National Philanthropy Day luncheon.

His story goes like this...

After five years of researching the dynamics of successful business, Robert discovered the "Law of Contribution". In his book, he discusses the key ingredients to acheiving a fulfilling, rich, happy life. There's even a quote from Brad Pitt, (the guy who everyone thinks has it all), which will pleasantly surprise you!


When I logged onto his website, I discovered the book and audio available as a FREE Download. I emailed Robert to see if there was a "catch." Here's his reply:


Hello Shawna:

There are a number of reasons why I chose to make the book available for free. Primarily, it is because this book represents a lot of work and a message that has become a passion of mine. It took me five years to write this book, and another year to get it published and into stores. The motive has never been to make money with this, but to get the message out into the world.

What I found was, when people read this book, they would contact me with very positive feedback about what the book meant to them, often asking for additional copies that they could share with friends and family.

While the book is available in stores, and on Chapters.ca and Amazon, I felt that the very best way to promote the idea and the message would be to make it available in a downloadable format, for free. It's a small action that illustrates the principle of contribution. I believe that the message is better in the hands of people, than sitting on store shelves :)

Who can argue with that?

In his book he writes that "many of the problems we experience stem from an incorrect focus."


"We focus inward when we should focus outward. Rather than "focusing inward and asking "what's in it for me" we should be focusing outward and asking "How can I give?" and "what can I contribute?"

And on that philanthopic note, Happy National Philanthropy Day everyone! ECVO offers a warm, heartfelt thank you to ECVO members and all nonprofits and charities for improving the quality of life of Canadians.
Feel free to download Robert's awesome book Kickback in PDF or audio format. It's a thoughtful, excellent read! Enjoy.

Digital Natives & Digital Immigrants: Bridging the Gap for Stronger Communities

Posted by Shawna Gnutel, Associate Director, ECVO
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In the mid '80s, I was an undergraduate student at the U of A and spent long hours thumbing through worn index cards at the Rutherford library. (Where was Google when I needed it??) After days of researching, my essay was eventually composed on my mother's Smith Corona circa 1977.

Got the picture? I'm a dinosaur (listening to Neil Diamond on eight track).


AND 


I am a digital immigrant.


According to John Palfrey and Urs Gasser, authors of Born Digital, a digital immigrant is "a person who has adopted the Internet and related technologies, but who was born prior to the advent of the digital age." My younger friends, (aka Digital Natives), are those people born after 1980, and they do not get their information or learn the same way I did, that’s for sure!


Forget about TV and newspapers.


Their deal for getting information goes something like this:


Step 1.
They see lots of info/headlines and graze in an RSS feed or google alert. They just get the facts.


Step 2.
Then maybe they'll click on the hyperlink or what the author calls "going in for a deep dive."


Step 3.
This is the feedback loop where one can comment or create a blog..."talking back" but in a "good way".


Digital Natives have moved from being passive consumers of information to engaged creators of new art forms, avatars, social networks, pod casts, youtube videos, wikis and blogs. They have their finger on the pulse of digital creativity and are reshaping “cultural understanding” and the making of “meaning.”


There’s no question. What has happened with the digital landscape over the last few decades is transformative and extraordinary. And it changes substantially every few months! Palfrey and Gasser freely admit that "by the time [Born Digital] is printed, it will already be starting to go out of date."


So what to do?


The authors update their information online in the form of a wiki, thus allowing "anyone who wants to participate in updating [their] work to do so."  We all know that participation is the key ingredient to strong communities and as a digital immigrant working in the nonprofit sector, I observe local digital natives demanding interaction and a sense of community online (and offline) all the time.
You already know where they are, don’t you?

Interested to learn more about social media networks and how you can use them for your organization? Stay tuned for our amazing new Breakfast Series. "Network, Learn, Grow" - a forum for nonprofit leaders to discuss relevant topics and the latest buzz. Mark Tuesday
Nov. 24 on your calendar for this lively, exciting panel discussion:

"Digital Immigrants: How to use Social Media Successfully in Your Organization"


Register here for this terrific event!


 See you (offline) soon!


* I encourage everyone to read Born Digital. It's an excellent primer for those who wish to understand our brave new [digital] world.