Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

12-2021

Abstract

Our team worked with Project Hope (PH)–a grassroots organization that supports London’s population experiencing homelessness via needs-based outreach, community building, and housing support. PH serves 250 individuals/week at outreach and intends to expand this number and explore larger-scale projects such as affordable housing initiatives. However, to attain these goals, PH needs more funding–which it has struggled to obtain due to its lack of Registered Charity (RC) status. RCs are the only not-for-profit organizations that can issue tax receipts to monetary donors, and several commercial donors only donate to RCs for this reason. Thus, our deliverable intends to streamline PH’s progress towards becoming an RC by facilitating the process of incorporation–the first step in becoming an RC. We created three written deliverables to guide PH through incorporating as a not-for-profit: a) high-level infographic overview, b) 1-page summary of the incorporation process and hyperlinks to learn more, and c) Project Hope’s complete guide to incorporation containing all pertinent legislation, steps, links, and our suggestions unique to PH. Our how-to protocol directly benefits PH as it can be used instructionally when PH files the incorporation application. The infographic and 1-pager function to familiarize hesitant executives with the benefits of incorporation. Additionally, providing three deliverables at differing literacy levels enhances accessibility and reduces PH’s administrative workload. We recommend that PH follows our guide to apply for federal incorporation–which will enhance PH’s longevity, credibility, and ability to serve London’s homeless population by bringing the organization closer to RC-status.

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