Ways to give in your community
You have the power to improve local lives
Your donation makes a meaningful difference and helps everyone across Calgary and area thrive. Click the links below to learn about the different ways to give, how far your donation goes in the community, and other benefits of giving.
Donate online
When you donate to United Way, you are investing in your local community. You are giving your family, friends, and neighbours access to support when they need it most. Your donation is strategically invested right where you live, work, and raise your family.
Click here to see just a few of the local lives that are changing because of our community’s generosity.
Every donation contributes to lasting social change. See how far your investment can go with our Impact Calculator.
Donate on paper
Take a look below for what type of donation or pledge form suits you best. If you need a customized donation form for your workplace, please contact your account manager.
General Donation Form – To be used for a donation of any amount
Corporate Donation Form – Developed for gifts from companies, organizations, and other businesses
Leadership Giving Donation Form – Tailored for donations of $1,200–$9,999
Major Individual Giving Donation Form – Tailored for donations of $10,000 and over
Area Community Partnership Donation Form – Suited for donations to United Way’s community partnerships in Chestermere, Cochrane, High River, Okotoks and Strathmore
Leadership Donor Gifts of Securities Transfer Form – For gifts of securities of $1,200–$9,999
Major Donor Gifts of Securities Transfer Form – For gifts of securities over $10,000
Pre-Authorized Debit Form – Designed to arrange monthly donations directly from your bank account
Securities
Donate in the most tax-effective way possible with the full value of your eligible securities intact—for investments of $1,000 or greater.
Planned giving
Ensure long-term investment in the community via a powerful legacy that reflects your values and vision for the future.
Corporate sponsorship
Help build a great community and achieve your brand-building goals through value-aligned sponsorship opportunities.
Investment Levels
You have the power to create positive impact in your community. No matter the size, every investment contributes to creating lasting social change and improving local lives.
Core Giving
Core Donors are core to creating change in communities throughout Calgary and area by giving $1–$1,199 annually.
Leadership Giving
Leadership Donors lead change in Calgary and its surrounding area through investments of $1,200–$9,999 annually.
Major Giving
Major Donors create major impact in our community, with generous investments of $10,000 or greater annually.
Tax Benefits
Your donation of cash, securities, and other assets to United Way is eligible for valuable charitable tax credits, which can reduce the federal and provincial income tax you pay every year. When you donate to United Way, your tax receipt is processed automatically; many donors choose to consolidate all of their giving with United Way and receive one comprehensive tax receipt as a result. This ensures they don’t miss out on any tax benefits and simplifies the tax filing process overall.
For an annual taxable income of less than $205,842:
- The first $200 of all your charitable giving entitles you to a tax credit of 25% (10% provincial tax credit and 15% federal tax credit).
- You are entitled to a tax credit of 50% for all charitable gifts exceeding the initial $200 (21% provincial tax credit and 29% federal tax credit).
If your annual taxable income is more than $205,842 you may be eligible for further tax credits. Please contact a financial advisor for more information.
To see your exact tax credit, visit the Canada Revenue Agency’s tax calculator.
The chart below demonstrates the considerable tax savings at various giving levels*:
| TAX BENEFITS | CORE DONORS |
$1 - $1,199 | LEADERSHIP DONORS |
$1,200 - $9,999 | MAJOR DONORS |
$10,000 + |
| Annual Donation | $120 | $600 | $1,200 | $5,000 | $10,000 | $25,000 |
| Alberta Tax Credit | $12 | $104 | $230 | $1,028 | $2,078 | $5,228 |
| Federal Tax Credit | $18 | $146 | $320 | $1,422 | $2,872 | $7,222 |
| Cost After Tax | $90 | $350 | $650 | $2,550 | $5,050 | $12,550 |
Planned Gifts
Planned Gifts can have important implications for your long-term tax, financial, and estate plans. Tax credits claimed on legacy gifts—such as a bequest in your will or naming United Way as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy—can be up to 100 per cent of net income on your final tax return, and can be a well-structured financial strategy. United Way regularly offers free educational estate planning seminars for donors; ask your Planned Giving Officer for information about upcoming seminars. You can also learn more about how a planned gift to United Way can help you maximize personal tax benefits from your financial advisor.