FAQ - - frequently asked questions.
If you have any questions about the Amherstburg Community Foundation, please CONTACT US. We ARE happy to address any questions.
Q: What is the Amherstburg Community Foundation (ACF)?
A: The Amherstburg Community Foundation was first formed in 2009. It is formally recognized as a Foundation with its letters patent, bylaws, charitable number, and follows a professional and transparent governance that involves keeping minutes and having regular board meetings.
The Amherstburg Community Foundation is made up a fully volunteer Board of Directors who search out initiatives which can make a positive impact on the community. The Directors actively help donors match their interests to community needs and find innovative ways to make every donation count.
Q: Why is the Foundation independent of the town?
A: There are approximately 201 Community Foundations across Canada. The best and most effective model is to be independent of local government. If they are run by the local government it sometimes raises concerns between donations and tax dollars. We want to work closely with the Amherstburg Town Council and Administration but independence makes us transparent and complementary to Town operations.
Q: What does the Amherstburg Community Foundation hope to achieve?
A: Simple - help to make Amherstburg healthier, more inspiring and more inclusive. To reinforce Amherstburg as a great to visit and even better to live in. The Directors find ways to identify positive and healthy initiatives from the community which match it’s vision, to communicate the potential impact, and to solicit donations of any value to help support their implementation.
Q: How do I donate?
A: Simply click over to our profile on the CanadaHelps website where you can donate any amount and select if you’d like to donate to the general ACF fund or a specific current open initiative. https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/amherstburg-community-foundation/
Q: What are the facts around ACF Board of Director donations?
A: Our Directors come from all walks of life and maintain autonomy to donate if and to what they want. None of them are required to donate or give any set amount. However, and in addition to their volunteered time, many Directors do donate varying amounts to the Foundation fund regularly, and even to specific initiatives they believe in. What’s most important is that all our Directors believe in and actively support our vision, and are willing to contribute their own dollars to help the community of Amherstburg.
Q: Do ACF Directors get paid?
A: Absolutely not. First, it is illegal for Foundation Directors to get paid in Ontario. Second, that is not why our Directors agree to serve their community on this Board. Between personal donations, claiming no personal expenses; and the significant volunteer time they are committing to the Foundation, their directorships are an act of dedication to their neighbours. They are voluntarily giving their time and money to make Amherstburg even better.
Q: How much of my donation money goes to the actual initiatives?
A: The Amherstburg Community Foundation strives to keep it's expenses as low as possible. Operating expenses include such things as legal support, audit, insurance, advertising, printing, and office expenses, which are necessary to operate as a responsible charitable organization in accordance with Revenue Canada rules.
In addition, there are credit card and intermediary (e.g., CanadaHelps, Eventbrite, and PayPal) transaction fees. Directors work diligently and responsibly to keep expenses extremely low so the Amherstburg community can garner the most benefit from donations.
Q: Are my donations tax deductible?
A: Yes - The Amherstburg Community Foundation is permitted by Revenue Canada to issue tax receipts for eligible donations in
support of the ACF initiatives. Receipts may not be issued for donations less than $20 because postage/mailing costs at that donation level are more than 5% of the donation.