Donor Information
The Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code (Ethical Code) lays out a set of standards for charitable organizations to manage and report their financial affairs responsibly. By adhering to these standards, charities are complying with generally accepted practices for soliciting and managing donor dollars. This is important because, as a donor, you are entitled to transparency and the greatest impact possible for your investment.
To find out if your favorite charity is participating in the Ethical Code Program, check the list of participants, or look for the Ethical Code trustmark on their website or annual report.
Review the Ethical Code to find out what the requirements are and what your rights are as a donor. Charities that participate in the program are required to comply with all of the standards in the Ethical Code.
If you feel that a charity that is participating in the Ethical Code Program is not complying with the Code, you can register a complaint by completing and submitting our Complaints Form. The complaint will be reviewed by an independent committee of experts. For more information on how to submit a complaint and what happens once a complaint has been registered, download the protocol for complaints. Questions can also be directed to Ethical Code Program staff by calling 416-597-2293 or 1-800-293-1178 ext. 229.
Canada’s charities are regulated by the Canada Revenue Agency. For a full list of registered charities and more information on what to look for when making a donation, visit the Charities Directorate website.
Did you know that there are 161,000 nonprofilts and charities in Canada?
Did you know that Canada’s nonprofit and voluntary sector is the 2nd largest in the world?
The sector represents $79.1 billion or 7.8% of the gross domestic product
The sector is larger than automotive and manufacturing. It generates $112 billion in revenues and employs 2 million people
Canadians donated $10 billion in 2007
Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick have the highest donor rates.
Canadians volunteered 2.1 billion hours in 2007
Young Canadians aged 15 to 24 are more likely to volunteer than Canadians in any other age group
One percent of nonprofits command 60% of all revenues flowing to the sector
Canadians with the lowest household incomes give a greater percentage of their income than others
Saskatchewan has the highest volunteer rate in the country, followed by the Northwest Territories and the Yukon
Those exposed to giving and volunteering activities early in life are more likely to continue those behaviours as adults
