Thank you for your interest in becoming an American Friends of Canadian Conservation (AF) “Grantee” so that we can work together to increase funding and land conservation in your part of Canada.
We recognize that becoming an AF Grantee is a time-consuming and exacting process. This level of evaluation is necessary to comply with US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements. AF’s ability to accept tax deductible gifts from US taxpayers is the key to its usefulness as a partner to Canadian conservation organizations. So it is imperative that we follow IRS guidelines. In addition, the evaluation allows AF to ensure its supporters that it partners only with qualified, well-run Canadian conservation entities.
American Friends’ Cross Border Conservation Programs
General Support Program: Gifts to financially support Canadian organizations
AF’s General Support Program offers U.S. donors the opportunity to receive a U.S. tax deduction for their charitable gift. Accordingly, U.S. donors can financially support Canadian conservation organizations while enjoying potentially significant U.S. tax benefits. Tax deductibility means donors can give more generously at no additional actual cost to themselves because the U.S. government is giving back a percentage of their donation.
The process works much like a donor-advised charitable fund. Donors contribute cash or securities to AF, together with a written recommendation that AF make a grant to a Canadian entity that is qualified as an AF “Grantee”.
American Friends supplies a template recommendation letter for you to provide to potential contributors. AF’s board reviews grant recommendations at each board meeting and approves grants based on donor requests. As of the end of 2017, American Friends has made over US $3M in grants to its Canadian partners through the General Support Program.
To comply with Internal Revenue Service requirements and ensure that contributions are tax deductible, all parties must use specific donation procedures and forms.
Conservation Lands Program: Gifts of fee title or easements
The Conservation Lands Program seeks to increase the pace and scale of land conservation in Canada. Working as a U.S. land trust, AF accepts donations from U.S. taxpayers of qualified conservation lands and partial interests, such as conservation covenants, in ecologically important land in Canada.
AF is able to provide U.S. donors with an ideal tax scenario of receiving a U.S. income tax deduction against U.S. source income and eliminating Canadian capital gains tax on the gift. This financial incentive for land protection removes what had previously been a substantial impediment to such donations. In effect, an American landowner receives the same tax benefits for a land donation as a Canadian making a comparable gift.
To participate in the Conservation Lands Program your conservation organization must become an AF Grantee. More information can be found below. Detailed templates and checklists for proposed land and covenant donations can be found at www.afoclt.org.
Grantee Application and Costs
If your conservation organization or government agency wants to be eligible to receive grants of cash and/or transfers of land/conservation easements please complete the application forms below. First, decide in which program(s) your organization would like to participate. The choice will determine how much information AF will need, and the amount it will cost for your organization to become a Grantee.
Become a Grantee Now
To apply, you can download a copy of the Grantee Application Form and send it, along with a check made out to American Friends to:
American Friends of Canadian Conservation
336 36th Street #717
Bellingham, Washington 98225 USA
For questions or assistance, please call Katie Blake, Director of Conservation, 250-217-2718, katie.blake@conservecanada.org.
You can also apply online as well. Select from the options below. Once you fill out the initial forms, your application will be reviewed by the AF Board. If your application is accepted, your grantee status will be finalized upon payment of the application and annual fees.
Select from the options below
