Gift Options

How You can Make a World of Difference, Today, Tomorrow and for Generations to Come

When it comes to donating to the International Institute for Sustainable Development, the choice is yours.

• Outright Gifts, either cash or property, provide support for a charity's day-to-day activities, for special projects or, in the case of IISD, to be used as capital for an endowment fund intended to provide annual income in perpetuity. There are many ways to make outright gifts. Yet they share one common trait—as soon as a gift is made, it can be put to use.

• Deferred Gifts, which include where the donor arranges the gift now, but retains the use of, or the income from the property, will be accepted. IISD’s use of the gift is deferred to a future time.

• Life Insurance: The assignment of ownership of an existing life insurance policy will be accepted by IISD) A tax receipt will be issued for the cash surrender value of the policy at the time of the donation. The payment of annual premiums is also a gift that generates an official receipt for income tax purposes.

  The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) may also be named as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. In this instance, a tax receipt will be issued on receipt of the proceeds of the policy at the time of death.

• Bequests: Gifts of cash, whether by cheque, money order, credit card or direct debit currency, are the most familiar way to contribute an outright gift to a charity.

  Please note that a cheque is considered to have been given on the day it was mailed. A gift sent by mail, for example, if postmarked in December, qualifies as a charitable donation in that tax year, even if it is not received until January. The direct debit process requires the donor provide banking information and directions for a specified period of time and for a specified amount. People who would like to make a substantial gift to charity often cannot afford to part with assets during their lifetimes. For this reason, drawing up a will and directing a portion of one's estate to charity is the most common type of future gift. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) will also accept bequests—of which, there are three types—which are as follows:

  • A General Bequest designates a certain dollar amount of property, usually cash, to the charity of your choice.
  • A Specific Bequest directs that charity to receive a specific piece of property.
  • A Residual Bequest designates for the charity all or a portion of whatever remains after all debts, taxes, expenses and other bequests have been paid. A contingent bequest takes effect only under certain conditions.
• Gift of Retirement Fund Accumulations. Retirement Funds constitute one of the major assets for most people. From time to time, and subject to current legislation, IISD may benefit from leftover retirement funds. Here, there is an advantage for the individual donor in having the charitable tax credit offset the tax on distribution of an RRSP or RRIF.