There are several ways you can donate and fundraise:
Easy ways to donate
- Add Bide Awhile to your workplace United Way donation form. We are not one of the designated charities on the United Way form but there is a place where you can specify the organization of your choice.
- Donate your Air Miles or Canadian Tire money
- Buy a gift from the shelter – we have items for sale from time to time
- Buy one of our annual calendars – available at select locations as well as at the shelter in the Fall
- Support our events and bake sales
- Collect recyclables
Fundraising ideas
Organize a Third Party Event
If you want to support Bide Awhile Animal Shelter, and the work we do, you may want to organize a third party fundraiser. Check this page regularly for some great ideas and guidelines as we will be updating the page from time to time.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
At home:
- Birthday party
- BBQ
- yard sale, neighbourhood sale
- street party
- pool party
- garden party
- wine and cheese or cocktail party
- movie screening
At work:
- coffee & cake for a donation
- mini bake sale
- craft sale
- potluck
- jean day
- 50/50 draw
- collect loonies and toonies
Anywhere:
- flea market
- book sale
- plant sale
- used toy (child or pet) sale
- beach party for dogs
- bike ride, walk or run
- tournament (ping pong, badminton, softball, soccer, frisbee, video games, wii)
- dog wash
- register in the Bluenose Marathon to support Bide Awhile
Single Donations
Adopt a Kennel
For a fee, a corporation, business, group or individual can adopt a Kennel at the shelter. A plaque with the name is placed on the kennel for one year.
Memorial Donations
Honour someone in your life with a meaningful gift. You can pay tribute to that special someone while restoring hope to the animals in need. We will send a gift acknowledgment card with any tribute gift.
When we lose a loved one or cherished animal companion, we can find comfort in celebrating their lives.
Honoring a Milestone or Someone Special in your Life
Share a smile and celebrate a special occasion with a meaningful gift – perfect for birthdays, graduation, anniversary, wedding, or any holiday.
Celebrate Your Wedding/Special Event
As a token of appreciation for attending your special day, and in lieu of a gift you may consider doing something meaningful by giving a donation to help the animals.
We can provide you with a card to present at your event. With a suggested donation of $5 per guest, this is a thoughtful way to make your event memorable.
To make your donation and arrangements for the gift cards – please call the shelter at 902 469-9578.
Workplace Donations
Your company can make a real difference in the lives of animals by supporting Bide Awhile in the workplace. Boost team spirit and engage employees by raising money for us.
Ways to support us include:
- Matching gift programs *
- Your own 3rd party fundraising initiatives. You can get some ideas here.
- Payroll deductions
- Indicate Bide Awhile as the recipient of your donation on your United Way workplace donation form
- Workplace Giving through Payroll Deductions
- Employee matching gifts are contributions from a corporate employer that match contributions to a charitable organization by a corporate employee. Sometimes called “matching funds” and defined as grants that are made to match funds provided by another donor, some funders require the match in order for them to give. Bide Awhile encourages you to determine if your employer will match a donation made by you to a charitable organization.*
Characteristics of employee matching gifts include the following:
- Companies frequently match their employees’ monetary contributions to charities.
- Companies may also contribute financially to match employees’ volunteer efforts.
- Many foundations have matching gift programs for their officers and directors.
Planned Giving
Gifts for Tomorrow
Planning a gift to Bide Awhile can be as simple as naming the animal shelter in your will. Or it can involve other giving options – annuities, charitable remainder trusts, gifts of residual interest, and insurance policies – that can have significant tax benefits for you now or in the future.
You have many things to consider when planning gifts of this type. Our gift planning representatives would be pleased to provide you with information on the many options. They can also prepare a personalized illustration of the structure and tax consequences of your gift, to discuss with your financial and/or legal advisor.
Bide Awhile understands that many donors consider estate and gift planning to be a strictly confidential matter. Out of respect for our donors, Bide Awhile has adopted a policy dedicated to preserving privacy and maintaining confidentiality in the planning process.
Legacy Gifts
Much of the support Bide Awhile receives to enable the care of animals comes from bequests through wills from supporters and friends. No bequest is too small to make a difference. Bequests are the easiest and most popular method of leaving a legacy to Bide Awhile and can be tailored to suit your needs.
Types of Bequests:
Specific bequest: a gift of a set amount of money or a specific asset, such as property or securities.
Residual bequest: a gift of all or a share of whatever is left in the estate after expenses and other legacy gifts have been distributed.
Contingent bequest: a gift to Bide Awhile only if a certain event occurs (eg. if the primary beneficiary does not survive the donor).
How would you like us to use your gift?
Unrestricted: your bequest can be given outright, without restrictions, for Bide Awhile’s general use, in which case we apply the gift to the shelter’s greatest needs, as considered appropriate.
Restricted: you may wish your gift to be used for a specific purpose, such as to support events, fund an awareness program, or to create a permanent (endowed) bursary fund in your or a loved one’s name.
Tax Benefits
As a benefit to you, a charitable bequest to Bide Awhile may provide a significant tax advantage for your estate. Your executor can claim charitable bequests equal to 100 percent of the income on your final two tax returns. To make a bequest, please speak with your lawyer about drafting or revising your will. Our planning representatives would be pleased to offer confidential assistance and, should your gift be designated to a specific purpose, can provide you and your advisors with specific bequest wording according to your individual needs.
Gifts of Life Insurance
Giving life insurance is a way to make a substantial future gift to Bide Awhile without reducing the assets in your estate. The main advantage of using life insurance as a charitable gift is that the value of your gift will be substantially greater than the cost to you. There are several ways to make a gift to Bide Awhile using life insurance.
You can:
- Give a paid-up insurance policy you already own and receive a tax receipt for its cash surrender value. As well, if premiums are still required, all future premiums paid by you will be eligible for a tax receipt; or,
- Take out a new policy in Bide Awhile’s name and receive a tax receipt for all the premiums you pay; or,
- You can name Bide Awhile as the beneficiary (rather than the owner) of an insurance policy, Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) and your estate will receive a tax receipt for the amount of the proceeds to Bide Awhile.
Alternatively, if you wish to make a gift of cash or property now and watch it work, an insurance policy can replace those assets in your estate, and your current gift will earn tax credits that can spread over six years.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
A charitable remainder trust enables you to make a gift to Bide Awhile now with assets such as cash, securities, or real estate, and continue to receive income from those assets throughout your lifetime or for a specified number of years. The assets are placed in a trust which is managed by a trustee for the donor or the donor’s named beneficiary for their lifetime. When the trust is terminated, that assets are delivered to the shelter.
There are two types of charitable remainder trusts: irrevocable, where you receive a tax receipt now for the present value of the remainder interest; and revocable, where your estate received the tax receipt when the assets are delivered to the shelter. Irrevocable trusts are not subject to probate. You may wish to consider funding a trust with highly appreciated property as the tax on the gain can be offset by the tax credit.
Gifts of Residual Interest
A gift of residual interest works in much the same way as a charitable remainder trust. If you have an asset, such as a residence or a piece of art that you wish to donate to Bide Awhile, but would like to continue to enjoy the use of during your lifetime, you can arrange the gift now and realize significant tax savings. You are not taxed on the gain if you donate a personal residence.
We recommend that you consult with your lawyer, estate planner, or accountant if you are considering establishing a trust or making a gift of residual interest.
Charitable Gift Annuities
The gift that gives back. A charitable gift annuity plan enables our more senior donors to make an immediate gift to Bide Awhile as well as receive guaranteed income for life that can be largely tax free depending on donor age.
Bide Awhile uses part of the gift to purchase a prescribed annuity that will pay a guaranteed amount agreed between the donor and the shelter. Bide Awhile will retain the balance of the contribution, after purchasing the annuity, for current use or to accumulate for an endowment, according to the donor’s wishes.
