US & Canadian Nonprofits & Grants
Start Your US or Canadian Nonprofit Organization & Get Approved For A Lifetime Of Grants
>> Over $500 Million In Grants 💰 Approved For Our Clients << SCHEDULE A CALL
About Us
Hey – Sid Peddinti here. I’m a Nonprofit Lawyer, TEDx Speaker & Philanthropist.
Since 2006, my team and I have helped thousands of people, just like you, build sustainable and impactful companies and nonprofits.
The nonprofit space can be tricky and confusing with all the rules and regulations that are in place. I have experienced the whole nonprofit cycle myself – and it’s complicated and very disconnected. You need to work with 3-5 companies to get everything together – and that’s the reason most nonprofits actually end up shutting down within 3-5 years.
My mission was to create a complete end-to-end service that not only helps people get registered & approved – but also offers the resources or access to experts that can help you with strategy, website structure, taxes, advertising, fundraising, securing grants, and compliance.
I look forward to connecting with you and helping you get registered, approved, and funded. Please read the comprehensive set of questions that we’ve compiled for you below and book a call with us to get started.
Here is my profile from my TEDx talk about the power of nonprofits
Canadian Nonprofits In A Nutshell
Citizenship requirements:
a: You do not have to be a Citizen of Canada to file and operate a Canadian nonprofit organization.
b: However, you do need a local office address, as well as an “authorized agent” who can receive and handle the paperwork on your behalf.
c: We are able to manage this requirement and service for you from our Canadian legal office(s).
Qualification for Google, Amazon, and other grant programs:
Canadian nonprofits CAN QUALIFY for several corporate grant programs such as:
a. Google Grants: This is a program where Google awards qualified nonprofits with $10,000 a month in free advertising (every month, indefinitely). We have helped over 700 nonprofit organizations not only get qualified for Google Grants but have also helped them structure their website, their content, and their programs in a way that can fully leverage this amazing funding opportunity.
b. Amazon grants: This is a highly selective program where every year Amazon awards a handful of nonprofits with Amazon advertising dollars and a check that can be used towards any internal operations or growth purposes. The downside of this program is that it is extremely selective but extremely competitive (thousands apply every year and only 5-10 are selected for this grant).
Filing taxes in Canada
You have to file taxes online with the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) once a year (online), even though your nonprofit is taxed at 0% (similar to how it works in the US/Australia/UK, etc.). There’s a $12 CAD fee to file the taxes online through the Revenue Canada portal.
Overall, it’s a straightforward process but depending on the size of your nonprofit, the revenue/donations collected, or the type of market you serve – there might be additional forms that you may need to submit/file.
Cost of starting a Canadian Nonprofit
The application fee is $200 CAD (around $160 US) and is a one-time application that does not need to be renewed (it’s a perpetual entity) unless you fall out of status. In contrast, it costs roughly $850 USD to register a 501c3 nonprofit in the United States.
Board Members in Canada
You do not need any board members who reside in Canada – you can live anywhere in the world and operate a Canadian nonprofit in a 100% virtual manner. As mentioned earlier – you would need a local “authorized agent” and a “physical location” in Canada to be eligible to file your nonprofit and keep it in good standing every year.
Naming requirements
Canada offers two unique ways to name your nonprofit organization.
1: If you have a specific name in mind, you can conduct an official name search that the government will either approve or deny.
2: If you are more flexible and do not want to wait for the name approval, you can choose a second option where the government will assign a numbered company to you. This is generally a combination of numbers and words, such as 1234567 Canada Foundation (which can then operate under any “also known as” or “doing business as” names).
For instance, our nonprofit has a numbered company and operates as “Virtual Knowledge Center”.
Driving traffic to a Canadian Nonprofit
You can drive traffic from Canada, the US, or globally. This also applies if you choose to leverage Google’s Grant Program and drive traffic using paid Google Ads (which will be free for your nonprofit).
Can my nonprofit accept donations?
In terms of donations, if you choose to accept donations – you have to file an additional “charity” registration which will allow you to issue a receipt to donors.
In the US, to accept donations, you have to register with the attorney-general’s office and be meticulous with your accounting systems, as every dollar is closely watched. It is similar in Canada as well, and you have to ensure your accounting and tracking systems are iron-clad.
Should my nonprofit accept donations or can I operate without taking in donations?
Having worked with thousands of nonprofits, here’s our observation:
If you are creating a nonprofit to spread education and knowledge, whether that’s in the form of courses, programs, blogs, webinars, training sessions, or workshops – you probably don’t need to accept donations. You can operate your nonprofit as an educational entity that promotes science, art, technology, math, entrepreneurship, medical, legal or knowledge in other fields.
Think of the way universities operate – they are nonprofit educational centers (and even charge for courses and programs that students enroll in).
You can still qualify for grant programs from companies such as Google and choose to use your nonprofit for the educational and training processes. You can collect leads, customer data, and even partner with other nonprofits or for-profit companies that can support the database of customers that flow through your educational platform.
Can you operate an educational nonprofit and promote educational content?
Yes, and almost all the nonprofits that we’ve helped our customer structure in the last 2 years have been educational platforms that offer educational content.
Imagine if your for-profit business had a nonprofit educational branch to it – you could use that to educate and empower people and share strategies, ideas, tactics, or content that you have already created.
How long does the process take to set up a Canadian nonprofit
The turnaround time for the Canadian application is about 1-week (in reality, it takes 24-48 hours).
If you already have a website in place, we will be happy to review your website, provide feedback, and apply for Google grants and other grants once your registration is complete and the website looks compliant.
What about coordination with the Canadian government?
Canada has an option to coordinate 100% electronically – which means you do not have to sit around waiting for snail mail from them – they send the approvals, the acceptance, the reminders for taxes – all electronically, unlike the IRS. If you choose to retain us to manage your nonprofit, we’ll coordinate and file all your paperwork with Revenue Canada.
Can you have more than 1 Canadian nonprofit?
Yes – just like a regular corporation. We have several clients who have started a whole series of nonprofit organizations to help them propel their mission through their educational sites (and with several grants in place).
Schedule a FREE in-depth call to get your nonprofit registered and to find out how to start receiving grants for your nonprofit
Schedule Your Call
Step 3: Take A Look At A Few Case Studies
$120,000 a year awarded
$360,000 a year awarded
$240,000 a year awarded
$240,000 a year awarded
$240,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$240,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$360,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$240,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$240,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$360,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
$120,000 a year awarded
