Nominating a Charity for Consideration
How do Guelph charities get considered for 100WWCG support?
Simple! Get women to sign up to be members of 100WWCG! Each member of 100WWCG is eligible to nominate one local charity of their choosing.
Helpful tip: A charity CAN be nominated by multiple members. This increases its chances of being drawn for consideration. There must always be three different charities for our members to consider, but multiple nominations for one charity DO increase the odds that a charity will be drawn from the hat.
We know from other jurisdictions that there is a benefit to all three charities considered at each meeting because of the exposure each one gains from this opportunity. These charities may expect to gain some volunteers and/or donations from people who simply did not know about them before! Remember, many of our members are joining so that they can learn more about our local charities. This is a great way to do it!
How do I find out what charities are in Guelph?
If you are looking for a charity to champion, please check out our partial List of Guelph Charities! With over 200 names on the list, you’re sure to find something of interest.
What requirements must a charity meet to be eligible to receive our donation?
In order to be considered at a meeting, the organization must meet the following eligibility requirements. It must:
- serve the Guelph community, with the funds remaining in Guelph
- be a registered charity in good standing with the CRA
- be able to provide tax receipts for donations (no start-ups)
- have not received funds from 100WWCG in the prior three years
- be registered with Canada Helps
IF we were to consider supporting a national organization, it would only be under the agreement that our funds would stay here in Guelph.
Who can nominate a charity?
Only members of 100WWCG can nominate a charity. Any member who has kept up with their contributions can submit one charitable organization for consideration.
What is the deadline for nominating a charity?
The deadline for completing our online Charity Nomination Form is at least two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting date.
Actual deadline dates will be mentioned in our pre-meeting e-blast communications, so please check there if in doubt.
Do I have to fill out the nomination form for every meeting?
No! Once your charity nomination has been vetted and approved, it will automatically go in the hat every quarter for a chance to be drawn. Your nomination stays in our system until it is either chosen by the membership to receive our funds (in which case it is removed and can be nominated again in three years), or you inform us you wish to withdraw your nomination.
Can I nominate more than one charity at a time?
No. In order to keep a level playing field and give each member an equal chance at having their charity chosen for consideration, members are limited to having only one charity in the hat at any given time.
Can I change my charity nomination?
Yes, you can! If for any reason you wish to change your charity nomination, just inform us by email at [email protected]. We will remove your current nomination from the system, freeing you up to nominate another charity by filling out the Charity Nomination Form.
Do I have to nominate a charity?
Nomination of a charity is a privilege of membership, not an obligation. You may come to the meetings simply to vote and make your donation, but please consider more actively supporting one of the many worthy causes that abound in our city by making a nomination.
Choosing the Successful Charity
Who presents on behalf of the charity?
In order to encourage all our members to nominate their favourite charity, we offer three presenter choices:
- The nominating member, alone or with another member for support.
- We believe the person most capable of swaying the membership is the person most committed to the charity being brought forth – that would be you! Please remember, it’s the passion you feel for your favourite cause, not the perfection of the presentation, that will carry the day.
- The nominating member in conjunction with a charity representative.
- If you are keen to speak on behalf of your charity, but feel a little out of your depth in the Q&A, you can arrange to have a charity representative attend to help you.
- A charity representative.
- All you have to do is provide us with a name and contact information!
For a more detailed description of this process, please see our Charity Nomination page.
Is technology allowed as part of a presentation?
No. In order to keep a level playing field, we ask that presentations be verbal only (no powerpoint presentations, videos, audio recordings or photos allowed).
How is the organization that receives the group donation chosen?
Provided the Charity Nomination Form is filled out at least two weeks in advance of a meeting, and it has been vetted and approved, the nominating member and their charity will automatically be entered in the draw each quarter. The steering committee will draw three different charities approximately one week in advance, and the three successful presenters will be notified, giving them time to prepare their presentations.
At the meeting, after the opening remarks, the three charities being considered will be announced, and the nominating members, or a charity representative, will be asked to make a 5 minute, simple presentation in favour of their charity. The membership in attendance then cast their votes.
If your bid is unsuccessful, you are welcome to follow the same procedure at the next meeting for another opportunity.
If your charity IS chosen, you are then free to nominate another one in the future!
We encourage all our members to participate by submitting the names of local, deserving, charitable organizations.
Can a friend vote on my behalf if I can’t attend a meeting?
No! Only members in attendance are eligible to vote. The vote is based on the power and passion of the presentations being made, and what will resonate with each of us after hearing the presentations is a very personal choice.
When is a charity eligible to be nominated again after it has been chosen?
A chosen organization is eligible for re-nomination after three years have passed. Check out our Chosen Charities History page for an up-to-date list.
Donating to the Charity
How do I make my donation if I cannot attend a meeting?
If you cannot attend a meeting, you have three options:
1) You can click on the “Make Your Meeting Donation Now” button on our homepage, or follow the link provided in the meeting summary email.
- You will be directed to our 100WWCG Fundraising Page with our online donation partner Canada Helps.
- Select the correct charity from the four listed.
- Make a $104 donation (the extra $4 covers processing fees so the charity receives the full benefit of your $100 donation) and fill out the required information.
- You will instantly receive a tax receipt from Canada Helps. (Note: Please use the link to our Canada Helps fundraising page when making your donation. That ensures the funds go to the specific project being funded by 100WWCG); or
2) You can send in a blank, signed cheque with a trusted friend to the meeting. Your friend will write in the name of the charity that is chosen on the cheque and give it to the organizers on your behalf; or
3) You can send your donation cheque to the steering committee member who tracks our pledged dollars and delivers them to the chosen charity.
- After the meeting, the membership will receive an email announcing the chosen charity, with instructions for making out your cheque and the address of the steering committee member. (Note: Never send a blank, signed cheque in the mail.)
- Please send your outstanding cheques to us promptly, to guarantee that we can make the group’s donation in a timely fashion.
Can I just send the donation to the charity myself, or go through the charity’s online donation system?
No! Please send your cheque to us or use the link to our Canada Helps fundraising page to make your donation.
- It ensures your donation goes to the particular program we are supporting.
- It allows us to track your donations so that you get credit for the donation and remain eligible for submitting charities and voting at meetings.
The goal of 100WWCG is to make a large donation on behalf of the whole group. We want to be able to support this endeavour and give $10,000+ dollars at a time to make a large impact in our community with each member’s donation being part of the larger donation. This is the power of joining forces!
Is it possible to put together a team of women to meet the required $400 per year?
Yes! Teams of two or four are welcome. For charity nomination and voting purposes, each team is considered one member. That means your team may have one charity nominated at a time, and your team will get one vote at the meeting.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes! Only registered charities will be sponsored by the group. Cheques are made out to the charitable organization and NOT to 100WWCG. Tax receipts for cheques will be issued directly by the charitable organization and mailed by the end of February each year. Donations made through our online partner Canada Helps will receive tax receipts immediately.
Does any of my donation go to administration costs of the chosen charity?
After an informative presentation and considerable discussion, the membership voted overwhelmingly (83%) to remove the restriction on operational funding for chosen charities. Prior to their presentation, members who choose to nominate a charity are encouraged to speak to its executive director about the organization’s administrative cost ratio and include that information in their discussion of the charity.
Does any of my donation go to administration costs of 100 Women Who Care Guelph?
Absolutely not! 100WWCG is organized and operated entirely by volunteers. 100% of the money raised at our meetings goes directly to the selected organizations!
Miscellaneous, But Interesting, Questions!
How do we learn of the impact of our donations?
Each charity that is selected to receive our group’s donation will be invited to the next meeting to express their thanks and to comment on how our donation was spent and the impact that was made.
Those thank you speeches will be included in the post-meeting wrap up email and can also be found on our Chosen Charities Say Thanks page.
How long do the meetings last?
Meetings are designed to be short and efficient. They last no longer than 60 minutes. We do allow time before and after meetings for optional socializing and networking. Please arrive at approximately 6:30 to allow time to register and get settled before we begin at 7pm sharp!
Are you capping the membership at 100 women?
Absolutely not! 100 is a nice round number, but it’s only the beginning. We’d be very excited to make an even bigger impact in our community, so keep spreading the word and encouraging all the great women you know to sign up too.
Can I bring a friend to the meeting?
Of course you can! We are always seeking women who care! However, in order to vote they will need to sign a Commitment Form and become a member. Otherwise, they are free to observe and contribute a donation if they like.
What do you do with my personal information?
100WWCG collects your personal information (including name, address, email address, phone number) strictly for the purpose of maintaining our membership list and contacting you about important chapter events. Your name and address are supplied to the chosen charity for the purposes of issuing a tax receipt only.
The chosen charity agrees to not use your information for further solicitation, and to not share any of your information with any third party, except for tax purposes. 100WWCG will not sell, give or otherwise share your personal information without your express consent, unless required by law.
How long does my membership last?
When you sign a Commitment Form, we ask for an original commitment of one year. At the end of that year, we continue to list you as a member until you inform us otherwise. If at any time you wish to withdraw from 100WWCG, just fill out the Resign Your Membership form under the Membership tab and we will remove you from our contact list.