What portion of your donations go to case work?
We remain committed to our grass-roots
philosophy and we commit to stay
within the Canadian Revenue Agency’s guidelines for charitable organizations
and report annually with full transparency.
WHAT CONTROLS OVER SPENDING DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE?
All spending is overseen
by our Board of Directors. All funds that are distributed in case work are approved
and prioritized by the Case Committee and either administered directly through
us or done through local agents under contract with us.
I can’t afford to donate how else can i help?
It's easier than you think to raise funds for Rainbow Railroad. Your birthday party, a dinner party for friends, a bake sale or an office party are all ways people have raised hundreds or even thousands for LGBT people at risk at the events that were already going on in their lives. Small events can have a big impact. Contact events@rainbowrailroad.ca if you're interested.
Can I see your Audited Financial Statements and US Form 990?
Yes, you can see our 2018 audited financial statement here and our US form 990 here.
DO I GET A TAX RECEIPT?
Cash or cheque donations $25 or more will receive a tax
receipt directly from us, as long as you provide your full address when you make your donation. Tax receipts for one-time online donations are emailed to you within 48 hours. For recurring donations, a tax receipt for the total amount donated for the calendar year will be emailed to you in early January. Aeroplan points donations are not eligible for a tax receipt as per the Beyond Miles program's policies.
WHY DO CASE COSTS VARY?
Some refugees we help have their own funds but need information and help planning their strategies to get out. The countries people are in have a large impact on costs with flights and documentation varying greatly. If the person we’re helping needs medical assistance or safe lodging before travel, that can also add to the costs.
Can i donate to a specific country/case?
Because we often need to move quickly on cases when a window of
opportunity opens and someone can escape to safety, we need to maintain
flexibility with how our funds can be spent.
For this reason, we prefer not to place restrictions on how donations
can be used. From time to time we may
run specific fundraising campaigns in response to an immediate crisis and we
promise you that we will provide transparency on how those funds are spent. If you are making a significant donation of over $1000
and would like to talk to us about how you would like to contribute, please
send us a note at info@rainbowrailroad.ca.