New Tool for Canada's Charities makes CRA Reporting less "Taxing"

Imagine Canada launches Charity Tax Tools website!

TORONTO, Jan. 26 /CNW/ - This morning Imagine Canada, along with supporters and sponsors, unveiled and celebrated the launch of the fully bilingual Charity Tax Tools website.

Charity Tax Tools (http://charitytax.imaginecanada.ca) is a free comprehensive information website with easy-to-understand content developed by Imagine Canada that will provide Canadian charities with timely information and tools to ensure they have the resources to meet Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requirements. The website is most advantageous for small and medium-sized charities, as well as the many legal and accounting advisers/practitioners who do not specialize in the sector, but nevertheless support charities.

The overall goal of the Charity Tax Tools website is to provide support to Canadian charities in the areas of receipting fundraising activities, maintaining books and records and reporting to the CRA.

"We are really pleased to be launching this new tool to support charities who work in every community across the country," says Marcel Lauzière, President & CEO of Imagine Canada. "We believe the Charity Tax Tools website will demystify much of the CRA reporting process, save them time and make it easier for them to meet their compliance obligations, thus ultimately allowing them to focus on their missions at hand."

Complementing the website will be a series of supporting resources that are under development to further assist charities. A webinar series called Charity Tax Tuesdays rolls out in February and will offer an opportunity to delve into specific topic areas and is a chance to dialogue with subject experts in an online format. Later this winter, charities with limited Internet access will be able to access the Charity Tax Tools information in CD-ROM format and through various print publications for a nominal fee.

Charity Tax Tools is made possible by a financial contribution from the Canada Revenue Agency and is presented by Scotiabank Group with supporting sponsors Carters Professional Corporation and KPMG LLP. Charity Tax Tools is operated by Imagine Canada as a service to the charitable sector.

In addition to our supporters and sponsors, the website was made a reality by a project team that consisted of individuals from Imagine Canada, Mount Royal University, Freeform Solutions, Gravity Inc., William Harper Associates and from the contribution by other advisors throughout various stages of the project. The project was also supported by a volunteer technical advisory committee chaired by Larry Murray, FCA.

Charities and individuals who wish to learn more about Charity Tax Tools can visit the website at http://charitytax.imaginecanada.ca or email [email protected]

Imagine Canada is is a charitable organization whose cause is Canada's charities and nonprofits. We reinforce the sector's collective voice, act as a forum and meeting place and create an environment in which organizations contribute to building stronger communities.

For further information: Marnie Grona (English media), Director, Marketing & Communications, [email protected], 1-800-263-1178 x244 or [phone], [phone] cell; Amanda Mayer (French media), Imagine Canada - Ottawa, [email protected], 1-800-821-8814 x239 or [phone], [phone] cell; For more information, see: http://charitytax.imaginecanada.ca