Starting a nonprofit organization

There are lots of worthy causes out there and you might be a champion for one of them, but should you start a nonprofit organization to support that cause, and what do you need to know if you do decide to give it a go? Adam Aptowitzer, a lawyer with the Ottawa-based law firm Drache LLP, explains the difference between a charity and a not-for-profit, the benefits of incorporation, minimum board member requirements, and federal versus provincial incorporation.

Starting a nonprofit organization (MP3)

Understanding the disbursement quota

Registered charities are required by law to distribute the bulk of their receipted revenue to causes or activities in line with their charitable mission. But the numbers aren't always as cut and dried as one might expect. Adam Aptowitzer, a lawyer with the Ottawa-based law firm Drache LLP, discusses the rules of thumb for the disbursement quota, what happens when there is a disbursement quota shortfall, and how to deal with generated income.

Understanding the disbursement quota (MP3)