February 26, 2017
CRA updates information sheet for prescribed university applications
CRA recently updated their guidance with respect to becoming a prescribed university outside of Canada. There are about 600 foreign prescribed…
February 10, 2017
Charity Commission case report on charity political activity AND funding non-charity
The Charity Commission has released a case report that deals with political activities of a UK charity and also its funding of a non-charity.…
January 30, 2017
Terrorist attack at mosque in Quebec City claims 6 lives
On Sunday January 29, 2017 there was a terrible tragedy in Quebec City. A right-wing terrorist massacred six people praying at…
January 22, 2017
The second best Canadian registered charity transparency tool has been improved
In August 2016 we launched a website to improve transparency on Canadian registered charities. It is at www.charitydata.ca We have just made a…
January 16, 2017
Guidance for Professional Athletes considering Philanthropy in Canada
Kate Robertson and Mark Blumberg recently prepared an article, "Some thoughts on Professional Athletes and Philanthropy in Canada: Part 1" which…
December 28, 2016
Ignorance isn’t bliss for large registered charities anymore as CRA focuses audits on them
CRA uses a risk based approach to deciding which charities are to be audited. CRA a few months ago announced they are adjusting their audit strategy…
December 27, 2016
What is a “development project” and how can this add further flexibility to foreign activities
CRA's Guidance CG-002, Canadian Registered Charities Carrying Out Activities Outside Canada discusses a "development project". The guidance…
December 27, 2016
Charity Commission report into a former charity named REDAID -lots of lessons for Canadian charities
The Charity Commission of England and Wales recently published an Inquiry Report into a former charity named REDAID. It is well worth…
December 26, 2016
Tides Canada closing international donation matching system with Tides US Foundation
Tides Canada quietly announced earlier this year that their international donation matching system between the Tides US and Tides Canada is being…
December 18, 2016
The Rodney Dangerfield of Canadian tax incentives
There is an amazing tax incentive available to Canadians. Few people who are knowledgeable about charities want to discuss it. It just does not…
November 10, 2016
Some thoughts on the Trump victory and its impact on Canadian nonprofits and charities
Here is an article I wrote entitled "Some thoughts on the Trump victory and its impact on Canadian nonprofits and charities"
November 2, 2016
An ICN Webinar – CRA Regulations and the Political Activities of Charities
I am pleased to be co-presenting to the ICN a webinar on "CRA Regulations and the Political Activities of Charities". Here is the blurb on it: An ICN…
October 29, 2016
Blumbergs’ Snapshot of the Ontario Charity Sector 2014 – focus on Ontario registered charities
We are proud to present the Blumbergs’ Snapshot of the Ontario Charity Sector 2014. The data subset used is the CRA's…
September 30, 2016
List of foreign charities that have received a gift from Canada and are qualified donees
Currently there are only two organizations on the "List of foreign charities that have received a gift from Her Majesty in right of Canada". …
September 15, 2016
Modernizing charity law in Canada is for now a Pandora’s box
The Liberal Government has made some noises about modernizing charity law. Who could be opposed to modernization? As there is no idea as…
September 12, 2016
CRA media response on Canadian charities and funding or supporting terrorism
Here is a CRA document provided under access to information rules which includes their media response on Canadian charities and funding or…
August 25, 2016
CharityVillage: “A national charity census: Mark Blumberg’s Snapshot of the Canadian Charity Sector”
Here is a recent CharityVillage article entitled "A national charity census: Mark Blumberg's Snapshot of the Canadian Charity Sector" which…
August 12, 2016
Draft Guidance from the Charity Commission on “Grant funding an organisation that isn’t a charity”
The Charity Commission of England and Wales has recently released a draft guidance on the types of controls English charities should be using when…
August 12, 2016
Bond article on increasing funding for local CSOs
Recently at the BOND website there was a good article on importance of funding local civil society organizations (CSOs) and how the mindset of some…
July 27, 2016
“Regulation of nonprofits in Israel”? with Ophir Katz in Toronto on September 6, 2016
In an invitation only event Blumbergs will have one of Israel’s top non-profit lawyers, Ophir Katz, of Ophir Katz & Co. Law offices,…
June 28, 2016
New FATF Recommendations on non-profits avoiding terrorism and money laundering
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has updated The FATF Recommendations International Standards on Combating Money Laundering and the…
June 24, 2016
Lack of transparency continues when the Canadian government makes a gift to a foreign charity
On the CRA website there is a list of foreign charities that received a gift from the Canadian government. CRA has just released a new…
May 28, 2016
Recent Changes to the Regulation of Charitable Activities in China
Blumbergs and the OCIC will be hosting a program on June 21, 2016 entitled "Recent Changes to the Regulation of Charitable Activities in China that…
May 26, 2016
CRA letter on donation of capital property and donation receipt
CRA recently released a letter which discusses whether an official receipt issued for property donated in kind can include an amount less than the…