City of Victoria
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Donations

In order to help the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre to offer our many programs and services, we rely on the goodwill and financial support of people like you! The Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre (GVCEC) gratefully accepts single donations, monthly donations, bequests, and goods and services. Check out the variety of ways that make it easy for you to support our work!


GVCEC's Charity Number: BSN

Five Ways to Donate to the GVCEC

  1. With a mouse click! You can make single and ongoing online donations securely through Canada Helps
  2. By phone, by mail, or in person! Mail us a cheque, call with your credit card information, or drop by to see us!
  3. Remember the GVCEC with a bequest in your will.
  4. Donate securities, life insurance, or RRSP's.
  5. Donate goods or services to the GVCEC.

Leave GVCEC a bequest in your will

The simplest and most popular type of planned gift is a gift by will, known as a bequest. In fact, more than 80 percent of planned gifts received by charities come from bequests. In a bequest, the donor would state in his or her will that property be given to the GVCEC. The gift may be a cash donation or may be a gift of property such as a work of art or publicly listed securities (see below). It may be a specific amount or asset, or a percentage of the estate.


A popular type of bequest is a residual bequest, where the funds that remain after all bills and inheritances have been settled would be left to the GVCEC. This allows all obligations to be met with the remainder supporting the GVCEC's work. The GVCEC encourages donors to consult with their financial planner and/or attorney for appropriate wording and to discuss decisions with their family.


Donate Securities, Life Insurance, or RRSP's

Gifts of publicly listed securities are becoming increasingly popular. If you own publicly traded securities or mutual funds that have increased in value, you may want to consider donating the securities directly to GVCEC. Federal incentives introduced in early 2006 have made it very attractive to donate publicly listed securities that have appreciated in value. Canadians are not taxed on the capital gain when they donate securities to a charity. This compares to a tax on 50% percent of the capital gain if the securities are sold outright. Should you decide to make a gift of securities to GVCEC, please contact your financial planner and/or attorney to facilitate the process.


A life insurance policy can offer another simple way to support the GVCEC; there are 3 options for donating Life Insurance to a charity:

  1. You could choose to make GVCEC the owner of an existing or new policy - You will receive a charitable tax receipt for the policy's cash surrender value and for any premiums you pay once ownership is transferred to the charity. Premiums can be paid either to the insurance company or directly to the charity.
  2. You can name the GVCEC as a primary or co-beneficiary - This is a good option for donors whose family no longer needs life insurance for financial stability.
  3. You can name the GVCEC as the contingent beneficiary - If primary beneficiaries predecease the donor, the GVCEC would receive the proceeds of the life insurance policy.

Retirement funds represent a major personal asset for most donors. Donors enrolled in an RRSP, and those who have already converted their RRSP to a RRIF, can make a charitable gift of all or a portion of any retirement funds remaining at death.


Please consult with your financial advisor/attorney if you wish to donate securities, RRSP's, or Life Insurance, and make your intentions known to your family.


Donate Goods & Services

The GVCEC runs many programs and we welcome donations of many goods including harvested red wrigglers, which we can pass on to school programs, and gently used office, computer, carpentry, and gardening equipment. Tax receipts are available for the market value of donated goods. We are also happy to accept donated services from individuals or organizations (e.g. computer, carpentry, fundraising, or communications services); and you can also enroll in our volunteer program which offers a variety of opportunities with outreach, office help, site maintenance, and worm stewardship. If you are interested in donating goods or services to the Centre, please contact our office to discuss our specific needs.