The Society Board of Directors approved the establishment of a Special, Donation, Memorial, Endowment Fund at their meeting on March 28, 2004 (refined on May 16th). This will consist of a non-charitable Special, Donation, Memorial, Endowment Fund. Although a receipt will be issued for all donations, no tax receipts can be given for donations until Charitable status is obtained.

Background/History
Up to the present time there has been no promotion or formal opportunity for dancers to make donations to the Society for projects.

The subject of establishing an organization and/or being able to promote and accept donations from members of the dance community has been discussed for a number of years. Funding from such donations might be used to carry out promotional projects; fund caller/leader bursaries, assist wheel chair dancers in attending conventions, etc.

The establishment of a basis and means for dancers and others to make donations to the activity, as a gift in recognition of the enjoyment they had received; from estates or as donations in memory of others (some for selected and designated purposes) has the potential to assist the Society in fundraising and improve the ability of the Society to carry out a variety of new and ongoing initiatives.

Purpose/Why?

• to enable dancers, callers and leaders and others to make contributions to ongoing Society activity in appreciation for the many benefits they have received from the activity; in the memory of a colleague to recognize their involvement in the activity; etc.
  
  
• to enable dancers, callers and leaders who have enjoyed their involvement in the activity to contribute to its ongoing work and activity.
  

These donations could provide funding to:

• Increase and supplement where required the Society funding for Bursaries for Caller/Leader training;
• Assist in Promotion and Public Relations work/projects; and
• Assist in carrying out Education & Leadership courses, seminars or workshops; and
• Other Specified projects.

Inquiries about donations to the Special, Donation, Memorial, Endowment Fund can be sent to:

Norm & Loretta Demeule, 5701 36 Avenue, Camrose, AB T4V 4A7 Phone/Fax (780) 672-7247 or email norretta@,telusplanet.net

Those wishing to make donations to either Fund can do so by sending their donation to the Treasurer of the Canadian Square & Round Dance Society.
     Roy Church, Treasurer, Canadian S&RD Society
     25 Seaborn Street  St. John's, NL  A1B 5B7   B0H 1M0
  (709) 726-1186  E-mail: sharonfacey@nl.rogers.com

Any special instructions or conditions should be set out.

Handling Funds Received
To ensure that significant donations to the Fund have an ongoing impact, consideration will be given to investing these donations to provide for the interest generated from such Funds be available and used for projects.
Exceptions would be donations made for a specific purpose within one year.

Annual Reports
A report on all donations received and a complete outline of the disposition and allocation of all funds received will be presented to the Society's Annual General Meeting.

Charitable Status & Establishing a Charitable Special, Donation, Memorial, Endowment Fund
Future consideration of establishing a Charitable Special, Donation, Memorial, Endowment Fund (to provide tax receipts to donors) will depend on interest shown be members and donations received. The Society might then apply for Charitable status, but it will be some time until a decision is received on an application (4-12 months). Obtaining Charitable status may also assist the Society in receiving and dispensing funds through Provincial Federations and Associations. For an organization to be registered, its purposes have to fall within one or more of the following categories:
the advancement of education; or certain other purposes that benefit the community. Candidate objectives for the Application for purposes of charitable registration might be to solicit and receive raise funds for:
 • the training of callers and leaders for the square dance movement (incl. square and round dance, clogging and contra) through the awarding of bursaries and assistance to establishing and operating caller/leaders training schools; and
 • providing an assistance to an educational program and activity to school children as part of their educational program in schools and to promoting a healthy lifestyle to citizens 55+ years of age.
 • promoting the activity to Canadians (may not be eligible for charitable donations)
Such donations might be made as one time events, during a lifetime as special donations or as part of willed desire (estate).
The ability to provide tax receipts might be an added incentive for donations.