Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District will issue official receipts that qualify as charitable donations. If requested, the Fire Department will issue receipts for eligible donations with a cash value or net fair market value of $25 or more.

​

Purpose:

The policy formalizes the charitable donations  receipts program, including accounting for donations of cash or in-kind made to the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District.

​

The policy also outlines the standards for evaluation of donations in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) guidelines.

​

The policy will serve as the foundation for standard operating procedures for issuing official charitable donation recepts (official receipts) to donors for income tax purposes.

​

Scope:

​

The policy of Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District: all agreements between the department and individuals that contribute either financially or in-kind to the department, and programs.

​

Definitions:

​

Charitable donations - voluntary transfers of tangible property, including cash. Donations in-kind tangible property, other than cash, that are eligible donations.

​

Fair Market Value (or Valuation) - The highest dollar value that a property would bring in an open and unrestricted market, between the willing buyer and the willing seller who are acting independently of each other.  The fair market value of a property does not include taxes paid; taxes are costs incurred by the purchaser.

​

Non-Qualifying donations - Donations that cannot be acknowledged with official donation receipts for income tax purposes, in accordance with CRA guidelines.

​

Policy Guidelines:

​

To be eligible for an official receipt, the donation must:

• Be made payable to the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District.

• Be in cash or in-kind.

• Be voluntary.

• Be supportive of Fire Department mandate or beneficial to the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District.

​

Donations in-kind may be accepted only after the following has been assessed:

​

• Compliance with Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District policies / bylaws.

• Consistency with the Gabriola Fire Protection Department priorities, mandates snd strategic and long range plan.

• Compliance with the laws, conventions and treaties  of the other levels of government

• Associated risks (eg. financial risks, political risk, health and safety issues)

• Condition of the donation

• Value of the donation

• Usefulness of the donation of the Fire Department

•  Cost / benefit analysis

​

The Fire Chief would consider installation, storage, maintainence, renewal, replacement and relevant costs when considering the item.

​

Donations in-kind for official receipts  should have written evalution, done within the last 6 months, with the following requirements:

​

       $1,000.00  or less:

• Appraised by knowledgeable internal staff; plus

• Valuation from online auction and shopping website.

​

       $1,000.00 or more:

• External appraisal by an independent and arm's length competent individual is required.

• Responsibility and costs associated with obtaining a qualified appraisal shall be the reponsibility of the donor.

​​

​Authority for acceptance of denial of donations in-kind with appraisal value of:

• $0.00 - $9,999.99 - Corporate Officer / Fire Chief

• $10,000.00 or more - Approved by the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District

​

Non - Qualifying Donations that cannot be acknowledged with official receipts for income tax purposes in accordance with CRA guidelines;

​

• Intangibles such as services, time, skills and effort.

​

​

​

​

​