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As the boomer generation ages their attention begins to focus on leaving a legacy. This involves reviewing their interests, preferences and belief systems to make an informed charitable choice. Making an emotional connection to a charity drives the majority of gift giving. Finding a charity that pulls at their emotional core can sometimes be a difficult task not due to the lack of well marketed choices but sometimes due to not knowing the full range of charities available. There are over 80,000 registered charities in Canada and lesser known charities may be missed simply due to their limited operating funds which restricts their ability to market on the same plane as well established charities.
Originally conceived as a storybook of charities in 1980, Yvonne Trapman and her partners developed the Canadian Book of Charities as a guide to help donors make informed choices. After over 11 years of personal fundraising for schools and hospital foundations, they realised that there was no single source for an individual to browse options or a way to give equal exposure for lesser known charities. They set to work on such a guide and created The Canadian Book of Charities. The book is in its 36th year of publication and features ads from charities across Canada and, with their website, donors can sort by subject, key word, alphabetical and government listings to make an informed choice. It is a comprehensive source for donors and a cost effective marketing tool for charities.
“Animal Aid received its first substantial bequest back in 2012 after only being listed in the Canadian Book of Charities for a couple of years. We were of course grateful for the support, but very sad at the circumstances and very aware of the responsibility we had to ensure the donation would be used in the most effective way possible. Receiving the bequest has made a huge difference to our ability to provide funding for spay/neuter programs to local animal charities. Advertising in the Canadian Book of Charities was the best return on investment we've ever made.” Pina De Menna, President, Animal Aid Foundation.
Bequests make up a significant part of one time giving and these type of donations are often unexpected but well appreciated. They are hard to predict as donors do not often advise charities of their planned bequests. The guide is given free of charge to over 19,500 lawyers and notaries, funeral home directors, investment advisors, estate planning organizations, and libraries across Canada.
So how is an emotional connection triggered? Childhood memories, a beloved pet, a friend or loved one they lost, an affinity for the environment having spent a magical summer at camp. All of these things trigger an emotional response. The key then to facilitating bequests is by providing the right information at the right time when wills and estate planning is taking place. When emotion is playing a large role in the selection. Donors can browse the book or the site when arranging their wills and familiarize themselves with organizations they may not have known existed. Browsing gives the donor an opportunity to carefully review the options and when they find a cause that connects with their emotional core, a link to their past, and particularly when they find a charity that did not know existed that they connect with on an emotional level, a decision is made with confidence and a full heart.
Yvonne Trapman and her partner, Yvette Vali, Editor and Chief, continue to offer donors a means to feel good about their choices and charities a means to share their story. If you would like to place an ad in The Canadian Book of Charities so that your organization is noticed by donors when they are actively involved in estate planning, please contact info@canadian-charities.com
