Celebrating the First 25 Years of For Ever
What started with a small group of citizens with a dream to make this a better place to live has grown to a well-established, respected Community Foundation managing over 220 endowment funds with assets totalling over $23 Million.
The First 25 Years – Donors, Volunteers, Growing Funds and a Future of Community Support
Imagine Kingston’s beautiful Memorial Hall, with rows of people in best-dressed finery seated facing the stage. And now, in that very same room, imagine the incredibly loud roar of a Harley Davidson as Kingston native Dan Aykroyd rides his blue and white Harley Davidson, with then mayor Gary Bennet aboard, down the centre aisle. This was not a movie scene; it was the celebratory launch of the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area 25 years ago.
Today – June 1st, 2020 – marks the 25th Anniversary of our Community Foundation.
Since that roar of a beginning, CFKA has granted over $12.5 million to support a wide variety of charities and causes that make this a vibrant and caring community. Arts and culture projects, children’s mental health programs, community development, education and literacy programs, environment projects, health and social services for seniors, youth, immigrants and Indigenous groups: our grants support them all!
What started with a small group of citizens with a dream to make this a better place to live has grown to a well-established, respected Community Foundation managing over 220 endowment funds with assets totalling over $23 Million. The Martello Tower Society (the ‘foundation’ of the Foundation), introduced the Doors of Kingston poster campaign, and the poster is still displayed proudly in many Kingston homes (and in the Foundation office!). The Community Foundation of Kingston & Area has become an integral component of our social and cultural landscape.
In our 10th Anniversary booklet ‘Celebrating our First Ten Years’, noted historian and author Peter Aykroyd (yes, Dan’s father), wrote “Organizations…can ignore an anniversary, but at the risk of losing a unique opportunity to consolidate, strengthen and expand the corporate wellbeing. By celebrating anniversaries, whether we realize it or not, we are making a positive incremental contribution to our evolution”.
Ordinarily, there would be a celebration to mark this anniversary – we had planned to return to Memorial Hall with our donors, dedicated volunteers and community partners – but of course, that’s not possible this year. The pandemic we are all living through means that our celebration of this milestone will be subdued; perhaps fittingly, it will be quiet and contemplative rather than noisy and boisterous.
Although we are unable to celebrate our 25th Anniversary in person, we do want to take a moment today to commend and thank our many donors and volunteers. We also want to offer our sincere thanks to our charitable partners for the great work they do in our community. ‘Together is Better’ is one of the Foundation’s guiding principles and together we make our Community Foundation the special community resource that it is. Thank you.
We invite you to see some of the highlights of our first 25 years of for ever through a Facebook photo album we have put together. We hope that you too are inspired by the pictures of past celebrations and meaningful discussions we have hosted over the years. You may recall fondly moments at some of our special events; Across the Causeway, Under the Big Top, Jail House Rock, or one (or more!) of our bi-annual Grant Celebrations. You may also recall past ‘calls to action’ at a Speaker Series event, or The Poverty Challenge or one of the recent screenings of the compelling documentary Resilience.
As one means of celebrating and marking this momentous occasion, Mayor Bryan Paterson has signed an important proclamation, and our world champion Town Crier Chris Whyman has added his voice of praise and recognition! Hear the proclamation here.
People need people, and the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area exists to serve and support the people and agencies who make this a caring, healthy, and vibrant community. Twenty-five years of fund growth and community partnerships means that we will continue to serve our communities; we are, after all, celebrating the first 25 years of for ever.
P.S. A note from our Executive Director:
“This year I appreciate more than ever the value of our endowment fund model. Thanks to the generosity of donors investing in this community over the past 25 years (through both large and small gifts), our funds are on track to grant an impressive $1 million dollars in 2020.
Today, I invite you to make a symbolic donation of $25 or $250 – or whatever amount is comfortable to you – to mark this milestone day by investing in the future of your Community Foundation. Click now to donate to the fund of your choice, or perhaps you will consider a gift to our own Operating Endowment Fund, to help sustain our ongoing work.”
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275 Ontario Street Suite #100
Kingston, ON K7K 2X5
Phone: 613.546.9696
Fax: 613.531.9238
Email: info@cfka.org
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When you give to the Community Foundation you can have confidence that your community will continue to benefit from your gift for many years to come.
2023 Year End Tax Tips
Both the federal and provincial governments offer donations tax credits that, in combination, can result in tax savings of up to 55% of the value of your gift in 2023, depending on your province or territory of residence. With total cash donations up to $200 in a year, the federal donation credit is 15% of the donation amount. For total donations exceeding $200 in a year, the federal donation credit jumps to 29% (33% to the extent taxable income exceeds $235,675) of the donation amount. Provincial donation credits are also available and the total credit may be up to 55% once total annual donations exceed the $200 in a calendar year.
December 31 is the last day to make a donation and get a tax receipt for 2023. You can help a wide range of charities with a single gift to our endowed Community Fund, support your favourite charity or cause by giving to one of our over 225 funds, or establish your own fund.
Credit Card or VISA Debit Card
If you’re ready to make your gift now, then use our secure online giving page. You have the option of choosing any one of our funds, giving ‘in memory of/in honour of’ instructions, and more. Or, if you prefer, you can simply call 613-546-9696 to make your donation over the phone using your Visa, MasterCard, or AMEX, or VISA Debit card. You can make a one-time gift, or sign up to make a regular monthly donation.
Cheque
Please make your cheque payable to Community Foundation for Kingston & Area (or “CFKA”), and write your intended fund in the memo line. Drop it off or mail to: 275 Ontario Street, Suite #100, Kingston, ON, K7K 2X5.
Publicly-Traded Securities
Gifting publicly-traded securities, including mutual funds and segregated funds, with accrued capital gains “in-kind” to a registered charity or a foundation not only entitles you to a tax receipt for the fair market value of the security being donated, it eliminates capital gains tax too. You should plan gifts in-kind well before year end, to allow for sufficient time to make arrangements. A gift of publicly-traded securities is the transfer of ownership of stocks or bonds to the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area. If you own shares that have increased in value, 50 per cent of the capital gains are taxable. However, if you donate these shares in-kind to CFKA, the gain is tax-exempt. Learn more.
Form 1: Direction to Transfer Securities or Mutual Funds Electronically as a Charitable Donation Complete Form 1 to give your financial advisor/broker the instructions to make the gift to CFKA. The form contains all the information your advisor will need to make the transfer. They will then submit this form to our broker at CIBC Wood Gundy to advise that the transfer is pending.
Form 2: Notice of Transfer of Securities
Complete Form 2 and send it to CFKA to advise us of your gift, and instruct as to what you would like your donation to support.
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Your AMT may be higher in 2024 (compared to 2023) if your taxable income is over about $173,000, and you have income taxed at lower rates than ordinary income, or deductions or credits that reduce taxes payable, including: Capital gains, Stock options, Canadian dividends, Unused non-capital losses, net capital losses, or limited partnership losses from prior years, and Non-refundable tax credits, including the donation tax credit. Speak to your tax profession to see how AMT could affect your situation in 2024, and, if appropriate, to consider triggering a gain or exercising employee stock options.
Contact us at 613.546.9696 or giving@cfka.org if you need any further assistance.
