Is your charity looking for more supporters who are socially responsible, ecologically minded, more likely to take action than the average person? You may have already compared those characteristics with demographics of age, ethnicity and education level to imagine your ideal prospects and figure out where to find them.

The marketing wizards at Environic Analytics have just completed their research on one more demographic factor you might want to heed.

The advent of the Harmonized Sales Tax in Ontario and British Columbia is not simply a matter of concern for charities in those provinces, but for organizations across the country. From a legal perspective, the authority to apply HST rules (but not necessarily the HST) stems from the fact that the law which administers the HST is federal and not provincial in nature. And so, it is incumbent upon everyone in the country to know their obligations, whether or not they live in an HST province.

As the HST system is based on the GST regime some may feel comfortable with HST as simply being an extension of the GST. (The only problem is that the GST is an enigma to most.) On the other hand, the consequences to directors and charities for misunderstanding the law are actually greater now under the HST. Below are several pointers for charities as they consider their obligations.

Earned revenue for nonprofits seems to fall into favour then out again. On the one side, financial strategists argue for diversified revenue, and businesspeople urge us to make a profit. On the other, devotees of a more focused model warn of mission drift and fragmentation.

Whatever the potential for earned revenue, whether it’s as obvious as a museum gift shop featuring books and replica jewellery, or something as unrelated (at first glance) as renting unused space, it’s clear that considerable staff or volunteer time and perhaps some hard costs are involved – investments that will have to be justified and measured by realistic criteria.

So be aware that going into business may boost your charity’s profile, it may bring in more money for your core mission - but one thing it will not do is bring you more donors.

In ROI for Nonprofits, author Tom Ralser gets right to the point:  nonprofits are not that different from for-profits.  He draws on the work of eighteenth-century economist Adam Smith to illustrate his point.

Point 1 – The pursuit of self-interest ultimately results in a better economy and a better society.

Point 2 – Individuals acting in their own self-interest are “led by an invisible hand,” which leads to results that ultimately benefit all and not just themselves.

According to Ralser, Smith’s theories remain valid in today’s postindustrial economy, and he’s amazed that much of the nonprofit world has chosen to believe these economic truths do not apply to them.

Canadian Fundraising & Philanthropy Key-To-The-Sector Workshops, Monthly Donors: How to find them and hold on to them, Harvey McKinnon, Harvey McKinnon Associates. Wednesday, September 15, 9 am - 4 pm, 88 Chestnut Conference Centre, Toronto. Includes lunch, nutrition breaks and a complimentary copy of Harvey's book, “Tiny Essentials of Monthly Committed Giving.” $237 + HST by August 31, $267 + HST afterwards.

https://securesite.unxvision.com/canadianfundraiser/workshop/reg_form.asp?workshop_ID=389&workshop_Location_ID=363#_

Key-To-The Sector Workshops are accredited by CFRE International for certification or recertification. A 25% discount is available to you as a member of Canadian Fundraising & Philanthropy’s Premium Leadership Service.

Mary Singleton, Workshop Manager, 416-267-1287; more information, presenter bios, and registration, www.canadianfundraiser.com/webpages/keyworkshops.asp