Answers to your frequently asked questions about giving to Dal.
- Is there a minimum donation amount?
- Can I choose where to designate my gift?
- How much of my gift really goes where I want it to go?
- Is my gift tax deductible?
- What are the tax benefits of making a gift to Dalhousie?
- Will I receive an official receipt for my donation?
- What is Dalhousie’s Charitable Tax Number?
- How can I give? Whom do I call? Where do I mail my cheque?
- Can I make recurring credit card gifts?
- How do I make a pledge?
- Can I make a gift via electronic funds transfer or wire transfer?
- How can I make a gift of securities to Dalhousie?
- What are the benefits of giving securities to Dalhousie?
- I live in the US, how can I make a gift to Dalhousie?
- How can I find out if my company will match my gift to Dalhousie?
- Whom should I contact to discuss a large gift opportunity?
- I don’t see the designation of my choice in the options on the online form. How can I indicate where my gift should go?
- What is the difference between an endowment and an expendable gift? Expendable gifts are to be spent in their entirety during a specific period of time.
Answers
1. Is there a minimum donation amount?
No. Gifts of any size help to make a difference. Donations of less than $24,999 are processed through the Dalhousie Fund. Gifts over $25,000 are managed by our Development Officers
2. Can I choose where to designate my gift?
Yes. You decide where you want to make an impact. Whether it’s providing students with financial assistance or supporting programs that focus on sustainable approaches, your gift can be designated to individual programs, departments, schools or faculties, to specific scholarship or bursary funds or to any of our fundraising priorities. Alternatively, you can allow Dalhousie to direct your gift to where the “area of greatest impact”.
3. How much of my gift really goes where I want it to go?
100% of the monies raised at Dalhousie go directly to the university and ultimately the students.
Ordinarily yes, however some criteria do apply. Please visit the Canadian Revenue Agency for more information.
5. What are the tax benefits of making a gift to Dalhousie?
Please visit the charitable donation tax credit estimator on the Canada Revenue Agency website and run your donation amount through its quick calculator to see tax benefits relevant to you.
6. Will I receive an official receipt for my donation?
Yes, you should receive it within seven business days.
7. What is Dalhousie’s Charitable Tax Number?
Dalhousie’s charitable registration number is: BN88680 6561 RR0001.
8. How can I give? Whom do I call? Where do I mail my cheque?
It’s easy to give to Dalhousie.
- Online: You can make a gift or a monthly pledge with our online giving form using your credit card.
- Mail: To mail your donation please download and complete our pledge form and mail it with your cheque or credit card information to:
Dalhousie University, Office of External Relations
Macdonald Building, PO Box 15000
Halifax NS, B3H 4E2
- Phone: 1.800.565.9969 or 902.494.8801 to make a gift or pledge over the phone.
- Payroll deductions: Employees and Dal retirees can have their gift deducted from their pay cheque (or pension cheque).
- Estate Gifts or Gifts of Life Insurance: Please contact Ian Lewer at 902.494.6981 or ian.lewer@dal.ca to discuss a planned gift.
9. Can I make recurring credit card gifts?
Yes. There are three ways you can make recurring credit card gifts.
- Use our online giving form
- Download and complete our pledge form and mail or deliver it to: Dalhousie University, Office of External Relations
- Macdonald Building, PO Box 15000
- Halifax NS, B3H 4E2.
- Call 902.494.8801, toll free: 1.800.565.9969 to make your recurring credit card gift over the phone.
There are three easy ways you can make a pledge.
- Use our online giving form using a credit card
- Download and complete our pledge form and mail or deliver it to:
Dalhousie University, Office of External Relations
Macdonald Building, PO Box 15000
Halifax NS, B3H 4E2
- Call 902.494.8801 (toll free: 1.800.565.9969) to make a pledge over the phone.
11. Can I make a gift via electronic funds transfer or wire transfer?
Yes. Please contact Jim Fanning of Financial Services at 902.494.1721 or james.fanning@dal.ca to make arrangements to give this way.
12. How can I make a gift of securities to Dalhousie?
Please contact call Diane Robinson at 902.494.6858 or diane.robinson@dal.ca. You can also download the documents:
13. What are the benefits of giving securities to Dalhousie?
Gifts of publicly listed securities are fast becoming the preferred way of giving to Dalhousie. When you make a gift to charity, you are no longer required to pay capital gains tax. You receive the tax saving in two ways:
- A tax credit or deduction equal to the highest tax marginal rate (41 to 48% according to province)
- No tax on capital gain is paid on the disposition of the stock
14. I live in the US, how can I make a gift to Dalhousie?
If you are a US citizen or resident currently enrolled, or were once a student at Dalhousie University, or have had a family member (including spouse, child, grandchild, parent or sibling) enrolled at Dalhousie University at any time, you may donate through any of our many giving options, including our online form.
Regretfully, we cannot process online gifts from US citizens or residents who do not have such affiliation with the university. We ask these donors to kindly print a copy of this PDF form and forward as per the instructions enclosed. Please note: cheques must be drawn on an American account in US funds.
If you have questions please contact Diane at 902.494.6858 or by email at diane.robinson@dal.ca.
15. How can I find out if my company will match my gift to Dalhousie?
Ask your human resources department for more information or visit our corporate matching page and enter your company name in the box provided to find out if your company is already listed as a Dalhousie supporter.
If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer and send it completed and signed with your gift. We will do the rest.
16. Whom should I contact to discuss a large gift opportunity?
To learn more, please contact Peter Fardy at 902.494.4595 or at peter.fardy@dal.ca.
17. I don’t see the designation of my choice in the options on the online form. How can I indicate where my gift should go?
On the Online Giving page, just go to the Area of Support section, type in your designation of choice and hit enter and you will move to the next component of the giving form. The Specify box also allows you to type in a designation and search a possible option.
18. What is the difference between an endowment and an expendable gift? Expendable gifts are to be spent in their entirety during a specific period of time.
Gifts that create endowment funds are meant to exist in perpetuity, and they are invested for long-term growth. Each year, a portion of the fund’s earnings is made available in the form of payout. The payout—usually about 4 to 5% of the fund’s value at the beginning of the fiscal year—is used for the purposes the donor and the university agreed upon when the gift was made.
