Our Purpose
In Kind Canada is a nation-wide charity devoted to providing smaller charities and non-profits with access to resources that are typically only available to larger organizations.
Any Canadian Registered Charity can join the In Kind Canada program. For more information simply click on Membership. If our program is for your agency, join now! Community based non-profit groups can also join as program members if they wish to access the group discount, financial, insurance and benefit aspects of In Kind Canada.
If you are a Canadian corporation wishing to donate surplus product, or would like to learn more about the benefits of donating to In Kind Canada please go to Be a Donor.
Our Mission
In Kind Canada will function as an intermediary between registered charities, Canadian corporations, charitable foundations and other interested parties by facilitating the process by which the granting of goods and services, in support of philanthropic initiatives at the local, regional or national level, can take place in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Our Model
We accomplish our mandate by representing our members in three primary areas:
1. In kind gifts from corporate donors
2. Group discount programs
3. Financial, insurance and benefit programs
In kind gifts from corporate donors
IKC acts to solicit and organize in kind gifts from corporate donors to distribute to our members.
In kind gifts are defined as gifts of property other than cash (i.e. cheques and credit card payments) and marketable securities. Examples of gifts in kind include:
• Supplies
• Equipment
• Books
• Artwork
The following gifts in kind do not qualify as charitable donations under the Income Tax Act:
• Gifts of a professional or personal services of an individual
• Gifts by a company of its principal product or service. Such gifts are considered promotional expenses rather than charitable donations under the Income Tax Act.
• Donations of old clothes, home furniture, home baking, etc.
• A payment for a lottery ticket or other chance to win a prize is not a gift.
Many potential donors of in kind gifts find it very challenging to locate charities interested and able to accept the in kind gift being offered in a timely, efficient and organized manner. Many smaller charities cannot make use of the large quantities of an kind gift and most corporations do not have the time and resources available to locate and coordinate with a number of charities to disperse one lot of an in kind gift. By representing hundreds of member charities, IKC is able to facilitate such in kind gifts, simplifying the process for the donor and allowing our members to gain access to gifts they would otherwise not be able to coordinate.
The work IKC does in this area is as follows:
1. We survey our members on an ongoing basis to assess what goods would be of the most use to our membership as a whole, as well as take requests for particular goods of interest.
2. We solicit donations of in kind gifts from corporate donors (largely manufacturers, distributors and retailers) that fit our membership needs or the need of a particular member.
3. We receive and assess donation offers from corporate donors to determine if our membership is in need of such goods.
4. We determine fair market value (FMV) of the goods to be donated, either through a knowledgeable assessment by our staff for goods under $1,000 or in partnership with external professionals who are qualified to assess value for goods over $1,000. Charitable donation receipts are issued from IKC to the donor and we facilitate the transfer of the gift in kind from the donor to our member charities.
Group discount programs
IKC acts to identify and register for existing group discount programs our membership are eligible for as well as to establish new group discount programs in areas our members have expressed interest.
There are numerous group discount programs available in areas such as telecommunications, travel, office supplies and shipping, each with particular qualifications necessary in order to receive the discount.
The work IKC does in this area is as follows:
1. We survey our members on an ongoing basis to assess what the most common expense areas are as well as to take requests for group discount programs of a particular type.
2. We identify all relevant group discount programs for our membership, assess requirements and enroll IKC and our members in those programs we qualify for.
3. For common expense areas where no group discount program is available or for which we qualify, we work with leading players to discuss the establishment of a group discount program or adjustment of the qualifying rules to allow IKC to join.
Financial, insurance and benefit programs
IKC acts to establish programs and products designed specifically for charities and not-for-profit organizations. The design, structure and activities of these programs or products are decided upon in consultation with an industry partner who tailors existing programs or products to best fit the needs of our members.
For many charities and not-for-profit organizations, finding financial products (such as low-limit credit cards or lines of credit), insurance products (such as policies that cover the Board for liability) and benefit programs (such as those that allow volunteers or single-employee organizations to offer benefits) is very difficult.
The work IKC does in this area is as follows:
1. We survey our members on an ongoing basis to assess what the most common challenges are in the provision of such services, including both situations where products offered are ill-suited to our members’ needs as well as situations in which no product or program exists.
2. We conduct research into all available options and provide current listings of companies who offer programs or products suited for our members.
3. We undertake regular initiatives with leading providers of service to facilitate the establishment of programs or products that best suit our members.