RAC undertook the RAC Foundation program in order to increase the relevance of our national organization at a local level, as well as to increase our relevance to youth.
RAC operates the RAC Foundation in cooperation with Community Foundation of Ottawa (CFO). CFO administers and invests the donated funds and disburses the earnings from those invested funds to grant applicants, based upon the advice of the RAC Board.
Donors may designate their donation to one or more of four grant categories associated with amateur radio:
- Scholastic – for deserving young radio amateur students,
- Research – for amateur radio-related research,
- Community – for equipment or courses for charitable institutions eg hospitals, seniors’ homes or youth centres.
- Emergency – for equipment for emergency groups.
Contributions may be made by:
- Direct Personal Donation,
- In Memory (of a deceased friend or family member),
- In Honour (of a living person),
- By Bequest, (in a will),
- By Life Insurance Beneficiary designation.
As only the earnings on invested donations may be disbursed, the funds must be allowed to grow until the invested earnings are sufficient before applications for grants may be considered.
RAC has agreed to receive donations by cheque, money order or credit card, and forward them to Community Foundation of Ottawa who will issue a receipt to the donor of more than $20 for use in claiming income tax exemption on the donation.
Donations to RAC Foundation thus benefit amateur radio (through the grant applicants) and the donor (through tax exemption), unlike donations to DARF Trust which indirectly benefit RAC, or donations directly to RAC which directly benefit Radio Amateurs of Canada. On the contrary, by donating its administrative services for the RAC Foundation, RAC is effectively a co-donor, though it gains no tax advantage, since RAC is already a not-for-profit corporation.
For more detailed information about how the RAC Foundation works, please click on the following links.
List of Donors to the RAC Foundation
Will donors receive receipts for income tax purposes?
Can a donor decide where the money will go?
How does one apply for a grant?
What are the costs of administration?
How can I participate in this good work?
What is a Community Foundation?
What are the overall RAC Foundation benefits?
Why Community Foundation of Ottawa (CFO)?